Watts 鈥�16 to lead, enhance 精东AV鈥檚 alumni engagement efforts
May 18, 2020
Contact: Brittney Dabney, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
With a goal of increasing engagement with the university鈥檚 thousands of graduates worldwide, 精东AV鈥檚 Division of Institutional Advancement recently hired 2016 精东AV alumnus Bradley Watts as its alumni engagement manager.
Among Watts鈥� current priorities is managing the rebranding and fundraising campaign around the Golden Tiger Fund, more commonly known as the annual fund. Through unrestricted giving to the Golden Tiger Fund, donors can directly equip President Lily D. McNair to address 精东AV鈥檚 most pressing needs and emerging opportunities 鈥� especially myriad uncertainties that threaten to challenge the university as the current COVID-19 pandemic lingers.
Engaging alumni through giving opportunities, future events and other avenues, Watts said, holds the potential to better experiences for students and enhance the university 鈥� now and into the future.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely excited to return to my alma mater. I love what I do, and I know first-hand that alumni engagement plays a vital role in the life of the university,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s an alumnus, I鈥檓 encouraged to see the new efforts the university is planning to keep us alumni better engaged, and I welcome playing a part in what鈥檚 to come.鈥�
Watts, a 2016 business administration graduate, has worked previously with Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a higher education enrollment and fundraising management company. During his tenure and the company鈥檚 partnerships, he managed engagement outreach programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of South Alabama, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Montclair State University, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Most recently, Watts served as the assistant director of annual giving at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where his roles included serving as a phone outreach director and leadership annual giving officer 鈥� giving him a bird鈥檚-eye view of university leadership annual giving programs.
Phillip Howard, vice president for advancement, said, 鈥淏rad鈥檚 work will be instrumental in strengthening our engagement with alumni through new efforts. As we work to build on our traditional annual giving strategies, he will help to increase our focus on digital fundraising and the enhanced use of other digital platforms to better keep alumni informed and involved.鈥�
漏 2020, 精东AV