This essay is a reflection on the complexities surrounding faculty and philanthropy. Fundraising is a part of university life that nonadministrative faculty members, especially faculty whose primary focus is undergraduate education, often have little to do with, but as budgets shrink, it is an area that all faculty members need to understand and engage with. We hope to highlight the important role that campus leaders must play in encouraging faculty to participate actively in initiatives that promote philanthropic giving. Our thoughts are prompted by three recent experiences we have had (jointly and separately) that all illuminate different aspects of the relationship between individual faculty members, their department chairs and deans, and the ever-growing need for fundraising on our campuses.
Reciprocity over Hierarchy: Designing and Implementing a Student-Led Reverse Mentoring Program
Many academic leaders, including administrators and faculty members, participate in traditional mentoring programs that prioritize hierarchy. But these programs typically don’t foster engagement and connection between students and faculty or
Marquita Lyons-Smith and Keva Suitte
October 19, 2026
