Greg Snyder’s Post

To most of you Birmingham-Southern College won’t mean anything, but for me, it was home. A place where I was challenged not only physically through college athletics, but academically as well. A place where I forged friendships that have continued far past my four years on The Hilltop.  I couldn’t be more grateful for the liberal arts education that constantly pushed me outside of my comfort zones, and for the professors who were there to lead us with such compassion and care each time we walked into their classes. Unfortunately 2024 will be this schools final class. After years of financial struggles, and an unforeseen letdown from the Alabama state treasurer, BSC will be closing its doors. If at all possible, it would mean so much not just to me, but the students and faculty at BSC for any kind of donation. Students and faculty are going through the tough process of transferring schools, and finding new teaching positions, so any amount of donation may help make their transitions smoother, and ensure the remaining students have the best final months that they deserve. While it’s painful to know Birmingham-Southern will no longer have its doors open, I’ve been reflecting on a paragraph from an article written about the closing of BSC by Kyle Whitmire for Al.com. Kyle writes: “Pain isn’t meaningless and it isn’t useless. It’s a reminder and a motivator. That hurt you feel is because this thing you’ve been a part of was important”. And maybe “important” is the word to sum up my time there. The education, the life lessons, the people, the relationships, the memories. They were all important.So just as BSC taught us, no matter where we go in life, and no matter what may come our way we will move Forward, Ever.  https://lnkd.in/dMVMusgA

A topic every high school student should explore: College vs. Trade School! Dive into the latest Celebrating One blog post (written by yours truly 😉), and if you have a high school student in your life, SHARE it with them! #college #tradeschool #copywriter #nonprofit

Have a student in your life trying to decide between college and trade school? We did the research, made the lists, and are sharing it all in our latest blog post, College Vs. Trade School: Which One is Right for Me? Check it out: https://lnkd.in/grC-Pycd #college #tradeschool #nonprofit

Literacy is one of our three primary pillars. We’re doing what we can to move the needle little by little to help children in need get the resources and support they need to read at their grade level. Thanks to a generous contribution from RSM last fall, we’re continuing to build on that. https://rsm.us/3t5hqmv

According to Emory University, the recidivism rate for those who attain a bachelor’s degree, is only 5.6% (compared to the average 55% for those who finish some high school). According to the Vera Institute of Justice, incarcerated people who participate in college programs in prison are 48% less likely to recidivate than those who do not. Education and positive programming makes sense and ripples out to families, communities and ultimately our society. #InvestInChange #TraumaToTransformation #EducationBehindBars #RippleEffect #WhatHappensInPrisonMatters

This week's TOP-bottom report is brought to you by the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. We look at the 55 private, non-profit regional colleges in these two states. Use the TOP-bottom report to draw your own conclusions. If you are student and their families, be prepared to ask tough questions for those NC and SC colleges that are consistently on the 'bottom' lists. Here are some questions you can ask. 1. Why has your enrollment been decreasing the past 8 reported years? 2. Why is your 4-year graduation rate below 50%? 3. Your endowment per student is lower than many other colleges. Why is that? 4. How can you stay open when your tuition and fee revenue continues to decrease? https://lnkd.in/gZqs2uJy #collegeviability #collegeadmissions #willmycollegeclose #collegeclosures

This is Part 3 of tracing the journey of “Breathing the Mission into the Fundraising Event to Maximize Funds Raised” using the example of a recent event of one of our clients Academy Prep (please review previous posts). Let’s speak about that actual Mission Moment or Impact moment during the program. At Auction Horizon, we find that the fundraising is most effective when the Live Auction is done before the Bid from the Heart (or Paddle Raise or Fund-the-Mission – that giving moment with many names 😊) In between these two fundraising components, is the most emotional peak…that impactful moment where the Mission burns brightest….where it whispers to each guest and moves hearts, resulting in raised hands. As many of you know, this moment of impact is either a video, a live testimonial, or a combination of both. Academy Prep makes use of a powerful and emotion evoking video at this pivotal time of the fundraising agenda. The production of this video is of a very high standard. It is professional and intentional. It is an investment that shows much return. Here it is! Watch it and see the Mission in action. Hear what the donors and guests are hearing. “The money you give makes a difference. This is working. This is changing lives. You can trust us with your dollars.” Join us tomorrow for the final part of this story as we see the grand result of the intentional messaging during the event program….the money being raised. https://lnkd.in/g2_zHGiJ

This is Part 3 of tracing the journey of “Breathing the Mission into the Fundraising Event to Maximize Funds Raised” using the example of a recent event of one of our clients Academy Prep (please review previous posts). Let’s speak about that actual Mission Moment or Impact moment during the program. At Auction Horizon, we find that the fundraising is most effective when the Live Auction is done before the Bid from the Heart (or Paddle Raise or Fund-the-Mission – that giving moment with many names 😊) In between these two fundraising components, is the most emotional peak…that impactful moment where the Mission burns brightest….where it whispers to each guest and moves hearts, resulting in raised hands. As many of you know, this moment of impact is either a video, a live testimonial, or a combination of both. Academy Prep makes use of a powerful and emotion-evoking video at this pivotal time of the fundraising agenda. The production of this video is of a very high standard. It is professional and intentional. It is an investment that shows much return. Here it is! Watch it and see the Mission in action. Hear what the donors and guests are hearing. “The money you give makes a difference. This is working. This is changing lives. You can trust us with your dollars.” Join us tomorrow for the final part of this story as we see the grand result of the intentional messaging during the event program….the money being raised. https://lnkd.in/g38Wh8dm

This week's TOP-bottom report is brought to you by the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. We look at the 55 private, non-profit regional colleges in these two states. Use the TOP-bottom report to draw your own conclusions. If you are student and their families, be prepared to ask tough questions for those NC and SC colleges that are consistently on the 'bottom' lists. Here are some questions you can ask. 1. Why has your enrollment been decreasing the past 8 reported years? 2. Why is your 4-year graduation rate below 50%? 3. Your endowment per student is lower than many other colleges. Why is that? 4. How can you stay open when your tuition and fee revenue continues to decrease? https://lnkd.in/gDVc5UdY #collegeviability #collegeadmissions #willmycollegeclose #collegeclosures The EdUp Experience

Monarch School Aims To Be A National Model For Serving Unhoused Students The Monarch School in Barrio Logan, just east of downtown San Diego, has a plan to help change the way unhoused students are taught in schools around the region and possibly all over the country. On October 10 at the annual Raise Up for Monarch fundraiser, the school will unveil Monarch Nexus: Center of Training and Innovation, launching a program that seeks to inspire change. “San Diego created something so proprietary that the rest of the world could benefit from knowing how we operate,” Monarch School CEO Afira Arrastia-DeVries says (pictured). “An ordinary kid not managing complex trauma is going to decide, ‘You know what? I’m going to be an artist…an athlete.’ Those paths get presented normally, comfortably and confidently.” Various studies cited by Monarch, where 100% of students are unhoused, show that being unhoused significantly impacts learning retention and increases post-education barriers, like gaining stable housing.  Nearly 60% of students self-reported a feeling of a “fair” or “poor” job of support from their schools. “The beauty about Monarch School–the beauty of this place is when everyone here is dealing with similar circumstances, nobody has to feel limited by them,” DeVries says. Based on 35+ years of experience, the Monarch School Project has successfully targeted solutions for stabilizing the unhoused student demographic in San Diego. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gt2PakZT