UI Foundation/UI Advancement Weekly Update 12.10.21
Dear Team:
Charles Dickens got it right in his classic tale, “A Christmas Carol,” when he described time in terms of the past, present, and future. There are no other kinds of time. December is often the month we find ourselves remembering the past, enjoying the current year's holiday season, and thinking about what we want to do in the year ahead. Maybe Dickens chose Christmas as the setting of his story for just that reason.
Thoughts of the past filled my mind when I learned of the death last week of Bill Sturtevant, former head of UIF's Gift Planning & Trust Services department and Senior Vice President for Principal Gifts. His passing prompted thoughts about the many other individuals who played a role in the growth of the Illinois advancement enterprise over the last 85+ years. Their dedication to advancing the missions of the UIF and the university set the course for success through the years and into the present.
The present starts with believing that we are at this place, at this time, for a reason and that what we do today is important now and in the future. The future is what we spend part of the present preparing for. For advancement leadership at the UIF and our universities, over the past six months, those preparations included spending time researching the past and the present to create a UIF "culture code" for the future. The culture code is an evolution of the core values work that was done several years ago. One material evolution is the inclusion of "we will" statements that will be action oriented and hold us accountable. With that "teaser," thanks to everyone who so generously gave their time to this project and we look forward to rolling out the culture code in the new year.
On the personal front, I have had a few past, present, and future reflections this week. To start with, we had all of our children home for the first time in a while. We celebrated Christmas together last night and reminisced about our growing up years and all that we are thankful for. We laughed (almost to tears), and we had thoughtful conversations about our future. It was a great reminder that no matter how busy we are, it's important to spend time with those you love and enjoy every moment that we are gifted. The loss of our dear friend Bill illuminated the fact that time passes and so do we. This weekend, I hope you will think fondly on the good old days, laugh until you cry, and be excited about the future we are helping to create at the University of Illinois.
Cheers,
Jim