Wilbraham & Monson Academy Director of Advancement Mark Aimone knows a thing or two about raising money in the prep school world, particularly in the area of international families.
Mr. Aimone was asked to share his expertise in Atlanta, Ga., March 7-9 at the annual conference for National Association of International Schools, which is a gathering of some of the biggest prep school names in the country.
Mr. Aimone explained there has been a shift from a transactional belief to a relational, and more specifically, "transitioning from that relational side to the power of partnerships, so what are the keys to building relationships with your international families and also international alumni? A lot of fundraising internationally right now focuses on parents because they are the most captive audience. (But) alumni are starting to come back into the fold. We are now trying to figure out how to be mission driven with alumni."
A percentage of those international alumni aren't that old. Mr. Aimone said there was only a smattering of Chinese students in the United States in the early 1990s. That has changed drastically, most notably in the last 10 years, with 20,000 Chinese students now enrolled in prep schools.
"In the last 10 years, philanthropy behavior has changed, and even the last five, it's beginning to change even faster," Mr. Aimone said.
Successful international fundraising, though, can't solely focus on Chinese families. International is means just that – international – meaning worldly. Creating a nurturing environment on campus and giving all of the international students a positive experience, coupled with communication between various departments and the Office of Advancement, are keys to productive fundraising.
Mr. Aimone also believes in the theory of "honoring them at home."
"It's a big deal for the Head of School and the leadership of the school to go to their country and have a presence," he said. "That's a key to building any sort of international philanthropy program."