UI Foundation/UI Advancement Weekly Update 12.03.21

Dear Team:

The holiday gift season has officially begun. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have already taken place, with Green Monday and Super Saturday coming up soon. If you are not a last-minute shopper, determining what to get each person on your list, where to get it, and on which day to buy it usually takes some planning.

Making plans, however, is often easier than carrying them out, especially when you are living in a pandemic. What if the perfect gift is sold out when you get to the store? What happens when a donor or colleague reacts in a way that you never imagined possible? How do you respond when a new COIVD-19 variant suddenly emerges, as it did with Omicron last week?

In those cases, the derivation of one of poet Robert Burns’ most quoted lines comes to mind – “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” That doesn’t mean don’t make plans; rather, it is a reminder to try and be proactive rather than reactive. Thoughtfully create a plan, work to execute it, and spend as little time as possible worrying about what you can’t control. For me, I am going to try and begin my holiday shopping earlier in December. I will keep doing all the things science tells us are necessary to stay healthy and prevent the spread of COVID - wash my hands frequently, wear a mask, stay current with my vaccines, and get tested when necessary. What about you?

One area in which the Foundation continues to be proactive is in fostering innovation. Our UIDEA internal accelerator has fueled several new fundraising and engagement ideas ultimately put to use throughout our advancement program. UIDEA is currently accepting applications for its 2022 cohort, and I encourage you to consider becoming a part of advancement innovation. For more information or to apply, visit https://innovate.uif.uillinois.edu/about. The application deadline is December 31.

Have a great first weekend of December, and I hope all your plans turn out exactly as they are supposed to.

Best,

Jim