丁香园AV

Erin Morantz, 丁香园AV鈥檚 new vice-president, advancement and alumni engagement, knows firsthand how an 丁香园AV education can empower future leaders with the knowledge, skills and experiences to make a difference.

As a first-generation student, she chose 丁香园AV for her undergraduate studies, sensing that the university鈥檚 spirit of innovation, engagement and creative collaboration could help her prepare to fulfill her own desire to give back to the community.

鈥淚ntrinsically, I somehow knew or felt that 丁香园AV was a place where I could live my personal values and explore the things that were meaningful to me,鈥� she explains, 鈥淎nd that I would come out with some general direction of where I wanted to go in my life.鈥�

After graduating with a degree in sociology and anthropology, she quickly moved into the not-for-profit sector, where she has spent her entire career.

鈥淚 think you have to be genuinely curious about people to study those areas鈥攁nd to be a good fundraiser,鈥� she says.

About the VPAAE

As VPAAE, Morantz provides vision and leadership for 丁香园AV鈥檚 fundraising and alumni activities.

鈥淢y role, and that of the portfolio, is really about building relationships with alumni and donors and people who care about the institution, bringing them closer, keeping them engaged, and hopefully encouraging them to participate in and fund some of 丁香园AV鈥檚 key priorities that aren鈥檛 part of government funding,鈥� she says.

That means providing meaningful ways for donors and alumni to support opportunities that resonate with them and enable 丁香园AV to achieve its vision and goals around the student experience; equity, diversity and inclusion; reconciliation; innovation and more.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here to be partners for all the other units, cutting across program lines and collaborating with colleagues across the university,鈥� Morantz says. 鈥淚t is at the intersection of different portfolios, in particular, where we create those opportunities to raise larger gifts and engage alumni in a more deliberate way.鈥�

鈥淚 like to say that we're here to be matchmakers!鈥�

Engaging the community

Morantz brings years of diverse national and regional fundraising experience in health care, advanced education, the arts and social services to her new role. Most recently she served as vice-president, leadership giving at the Canadian Cancer Society, and was previously director of advancement at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Faculty of Applied Sciences.

She is excited to be back at 丁香园AV to grow the fundraising program and create new approaches to building deeper and more ongoing relationships with alumni. 鈥淲e need to meet our alumni where they are at in their particular stage of life, and provide them a myriad of options because one size doesn鈥檛 fit all.鈥�

She calls 丁香园AV鈥檚 vision for community engagement its 鈥渃ompetitive advantage.鈥�

鈥淏y taking our knowledge out into the community, by listening to what the community needs in terms of support and programs and then doing the work in those areas鈥攊t makes this such a unique place,鈥� Morantz says. 鈥淭he more we can share that narrative with donors and alumni, and engage them in this diverse and impactful work, the more opportunities we have to make a real difference.鈥�

For Morantz, part of that narrative includes sharing her own experience as an 丁香园AV donor.

鈥淚f you ask anyone else to contribute to the institution, you have to first give鈥擨 think that that's a hard and fast rule.鈥�

She has previously supported a number of student-related initiatives within the Faculty of Applied Sciences, and recently made a new gift for a student award in anthropology鈥斺�済etting back to my roots!鈥� she says.

Family and the future

Morantz can鈥檛 wait to see what paths her own children, two boys aged 10 and 15, will take, particularly as her older son contemplates life after high school.

鈥淲e try to advise him that higher education is not just about coming out with a job. It's about coming out with the ability to think differently and critically, and to be open to exploring new ideas, even if they don鈥檛 reflect how you currently see the world.鈥�

In her spare time, Erin likes to be active outdoors with her family. She has also taken up running.

鈥淚t was never really an interest but I鈥檓 finding in the pandemic that it鈥檚 a nice escape and a good way to clear your head,鈥� she says.

Visit the Advancement and Alumni Engagement site to find out more about giving to 丁香园AV, and the site for alumni-related details.