Curiosity and a passion for learning and continuous improvement — both are desired behavioral traits listed in Apra’s Body of Knowledge. It’s obvious our profession attracts people with these characteristics. We inspire each other each year at the Apra Prospect Development conference, frequently gather for webinars that hone our skills, and attend trainings like the Apra Fundamentals and Plug-In series to grow our industry knowledge.

Even with all these excellent resources, sometimes our drive to know more leads us to more formal educational opportunities. One of the great perks of working in the higher education and nonprofit world is that many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs. Such programs subsidize the cost of attending learning opportunities, including individual courses, certificates and degrees.

When I started in prospect research, the Master of Library Science seemed to be the go-to graduate degree, and it’s a great option for elevating those indispensable research skills. I’ve since realized though that the creativity our industry brings to our work also spills over to our educational choices — and library science is far from the only option! 

Read on to discover how your peers are boosting their careers using tuition reimbursement in vastly different areas. Their journeys may spark ideas as you set your own professional development path.

Wealth and Assets

A large part of a prospect researcher’s job is evaluating wealth and rating prospects’ capacity to give. About three years into her career as a prospect researcher, Hadley Baker, senior associate director of research at Washington University (WashU) in St. Louis, decided she wanted to get a better understanding of finance than she could from learning on her own. That same year the business school at WashU rolled out a new master’s degree focused on wealth and asset management. She was able to complete the program in 3.5 years, enrolling part-time. Baker says, “The program enabled me to pass on an enhanced understanding of SEC filings, private company valuations, investments, etc., to the rest of my team.”

Crystal Cabral, assistant research analyst at Caltech, completed commercial real estate certification through Cornell University Online (eCornell). The course provided a comprehensive overview of the commercial real estate industry: the development process, project planning and management, investment and financing decisions, property valuation, property management and the cycle of tenancy, and real estate asset management. Cabral says, “It helped give me more insight as to how commercial real estate developers, brokers, and/or portfolio managers manage and invest in properties, how to approach commercial real estate valuation, and more of an understanding about the industry as a whole.”

Fundraising and Nonprofits

There’s always more to learn about fundraising, and Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy offers the world’s first school of philanthropy. Jon Garrow, director of prospect research and development at Willamette University, has taken graduate courses toward the Master of Arts in philanthropic studies. Garrow says, “History, ethics, law and psychology of philanthropy all helped my understanding of the sector. I’m now much more familiar with the literature and use academic sources in my work.” 

Priya Balachandran, prospect research and management specialist at Northern Illinois Food Bank, also went the route of gaining nonprofit industry context. She recently completed the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) program offered by Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. 

Balachandran says the program “enhanced my understanding of the nonprofit sector, providing me with a comprehensive view of organizational operations at various levels. This broader knowledge has helped me gain valuable insights into how prospect research and fundraising fit into the larger framework, which in turn helped broaden my perspective beyond that of a prospect researcher and view through the lens of others, including donors and supporters of a nonprofit organization, which has positively influenced my approach to strategic decision making.” 

Sales

Cynthia Mikimoto, associate director of prospect management at Caltech, saw the overlap between fundraisers’ work and sales. Like with sales, Caltech’s fundraisers are building relationships to make asks on behalf of the Institute. She completed a certificate program through Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management called Mastering Sales: A Toolkit for Success.

She hoped to get a behind the scenes look at the day-to-day for Caltech’s fundraisers to better partner in their efforts. Each week’s module built on the one before to give attendees additional tools to hone their approach, handle objections and optimize the team. The course provided an abundance of knowledge and offered a salesperson-as-advisor philosophy that translates well to philanthropy. Mikimoto says, “I’ve been able to bring up several tools for our fundraisers’ consideration on messaging and storytelling at our informal check-ins. As our conversations grow, I can see even more of the tools coming out of the toolbox.”

Data and Analytics

Rabecca Venturelli, assistant director of prospect development at The Jackson Laboratory, started making the most of tuition reimbursement in 2022 and takes one course a semester through Rochester Institute of Technology. 

She started in the Master of Science business analytics program and transitioned over to the Master of Science in professional studies, where she is studying business/analytics, project management and communication. Venturelli says, “All three [areas] apply to our industry based on trends in analytics, the amount of ‘projects’ and initiatives we may work on, and having a basic understanding of communication trends, theories and organizational uses.” She plans to take a course on social media research and the ethics of applying various methodological approaches to study public data, users and messages. 

As for myself, I knew there were a lot of good options for learning data science on my own, and that’s an intelligent, flexible choice for many people. However, given the time commitment coupled with an opportunity for tuition assistance, I felt like it was valuable to come away with the credibility of a formal degree. I also eased my way into it. I completed a certificate in data mining before deciding on earning my master’s in data science from the Universities of Wisconsin. The certificate helped me move into an analytics position because it demonstrated my interest and that I was taking actions to prepare myself for the role.

Project Management

Deanne Luna, leadership briefings manager at Caltech, completed a project management certificate from Caltech’s Center for Technology and Management Education. Luna says, “I have realized that my job is essentially mini projects that need completion both simultaneously and separately. Coupled with my master’s in management, I’ve been able to tweak my daily processes so that I can be more effective when working with clients. Of course, the longer I do this job, the more streamlined I become.” 

Tips for Getting Started With Tuition Reimbursement 

If tuition reimbursement piques your interest, check with your HR department to see if it’s offered and what options are available. Consider the following:

• Reimbursement amounts and limits, so you know how much you’ll pay out of pocket.
• Where the money can be spent, whether it must be at your college/university or can be at another institution, as well as any restrictions on the type of educational program.
• The level of commitment you want — a single class, a certificate or a multi-year degree.

Clearly there are a multitude of ways PD professionals can enhance the knowledge base they bring to the team. It’s this diversity of perspectives, skills and experience that makes the profession stronger. If there are educational areas that you would find useful in your job, even if they don’t fit the traditional mold, feel empowered to explore those options and make a case for their relevance.