Connor Adams
I am tasked with leading a team to raise eight figures annually to support the betterment of the school and college.
What drew you to Lewis & Clark?
To be honest, I never knew of L&C until my mentor at Miami University said she knew of a new program that would be a strong fit for me. My girlfriend was going to attend the law school, and so I figured I should go and expand on my passion for higher education and student affairs and get an education along the way. Additionally, it was having the chance to help create the curriculum along the way, being a part of the first cohort and having the opportunity for a two-year graduate assistantship.
When you joined the SAA program at Lewis & Clark, what career path did you plan to pursue?
My goal was to be a Dean of Student Affairs.
By the end of the program, did you have a different career outcome in mind? What either reinforced your original goal, or sent you in a different direction?
I decided to become a fundraiser for higher education. My advisor and I had a conversation about the gaps within higher ed - specifically that the cost of education was rising and state funding was declining. This left an unmet gap, and that gap is filled by philanthropy. I saw this as the area where I could make a difference and altered my career goals.
Where did you complete your practicum and what was that experience like?
I completed my practicum at Portland State University Foundation where I worked as a Student Alumni Coordinator in the Alumni Association. It was a great way to fully get engrained quickly into the work of non profit fundraising.
How do you apply what you learned at L&C to your daily work?
I’m always looking at philanthropy through a social justice and equitable lens.