1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,980 I'm Deanna Carlson Zinc, 2 00:00:01,980 --> 00:00:03,720 CEO for the University of North 3 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,449 Dakota Alumni Association and foundation. 4 00:00:06,449 --> 00:00:11,805 I'm a proud 1986 graduate from this university. 5 00:00:11,805 --> 00:00:13,170 And I worked with 6 00:00:13,170 --> 00:00:14,910 the UND Alumni Association and 7 00:00:14,910 --> 00:00:17,985 foundation for about 32 years now. 8 00:00:17,985 --> 00:00:22,970 I've been CEO for seven years. 9 00:00:22,970 --> 00:00:27,050 COVID affected our organization by really shutting 10 00:00:27,050 --> 00:00:31,010 down what we do on a day-to-day basis. 11 00:00:31,010 --> 00:00:34,685 We are about engagement, 12 00:00:34,685 --> 00:00:39,260 whether it's fundraising or whether it's for our events. 13 00:00:39,260 --> 00:00:43,190 We are about face-to-face interactions 14 00:00:43,190 --> 00:00:47,855 and creating excitement through those interactions. 15 00:00:47,855 --> 00:00:49,775 When COVID happened, 16 00:00:49,775 --> 00:00:53,915 our travel or events shut down overnight. 17 00:00:53,915 --> 00:00:56,660 And we had to find 18 00:00:56,660 --> 00:00:59,510 a different way to engage 19 00:00:59,510 --> 00:01:01,070 and create those interactions 20 00:01:01,070 --> 00:01:02,795 with our alumni and friends. 21 00:01:02,795 --> 00:01:04,805 How did you do that? 22 00:01:04,805 --> 00:01:10,400 We got really good at digital communication. 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,490 There's nothing like face-to-face communication. 24 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:18,710 But we did find ways to connect even via phone, 25 00:01:18,710 --> 00:01:20,660 whether it was on Zoom, 26 00:01:20,660 --> 00:01:22,910 whether it was through Teams. 27 00:01:22,910 --> 00:01:25,985 We found those ways that we could stay connected. 28 00:01:25,985 --> 00:01:28,370 We did we went back to some old school, 29 00:01:28,370 --> 00:01:30,275 if you will, we did more mailings. 30 00:01:30,275 --> 00:01:32,060 We sent out postcards, 31 00:01:32,060 --> 00:01:33,470 checking on our alumni, 32 00:01:33,470 --> 00:01:35,660 letting them know what's going on with us. 33 00:01:35,660 --> 00:01:38,960 We sent out a lot of thank you notes for those we were 34 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:40,490 hearing from and checking 35 00:01:40,490 --> 00:01:42,800 on them to see how they were doing. 36 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,665 What did you hear from alumni? 37 00:01:45,665 --> 00:01:49,100 Did they express concerns about what was going on on 38 00:01:49,100 --> 00:01:53,435 campus or what was on their minds? 39 00:01:53,435 --> 00:01:58,050 That was one of the most, I would say. 40 00:01:58,090 --> 00:02:03,860 Heartwarming, invigorating times that we've 41 00:02:03,860 --> 00:02:08,945 had between March and July of 2020, 42 00:02:08,945 --> 00:02:11,180 really, when we weren't traveling, 43 00:02:11,180 --> 00:02:12,725 couldn't go see anybody. 44 00:02:12,725 --> 00:02:14,885 Our team made a lot of phone calls 45 00:02:14,885 --> 00:02:17,525 and we were calling to check on them. 46 00:02:17,525 --> 00:02:19,040 And the first thing out of 47 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,795 our alumni's mouths was tell me about the students? 48 00:02:23,795 --> 00:02:24,995 How are the students doing? 49 00:02:24,995 --> 00:02:26,480 What's going on campus? 50 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,925 What are they doing for their classes? 51 00:02:28,925 --> 00:02:30,110 Are they still there? 52 00:02:30,110 --> 00:02:31,985 What help do they need? 53 00:02:31,985 --> 00:02:34,070 They were so concerned 54 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:36,305 about what was going on with our students. 55 00:02:36,305 --> 00:02:41,090 It was overwhelming and our conversations, 56 00:02:41,090 --> 00:02:43,115 you think of a phone conversation, 57 00:02:43,115 --> 00:02:46,190 especially if it's not a family member. 58 00:02:46,190 --> 00:02:49,175 Although I would say our alumni, our family. 59 00:02:49,175 --> 00:02:52,580 These were 45, 60 minute phone calls. 60 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:56,435 They were really wanting to know what was happening. 61 00:02:56,435 --> 00:02:58,730 Some of the most interesting calls 62 00:02:58,730 --> 00:03:00,530 and conversations we had 63 00:03:00,530 --> 00:03:05,765 with our alumni who graduated in 1997 with the flood. 64 00:03:05,765 --> 00:03:10,280 And they would, It took them back to March, 65 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,470 April, April of 97, 66 00:03:12,470 --> 00:03:14,840 when all of a sudden their commencement was called off, 67 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,475 their classes were called off. 68 00:03:16,475 --> 00:03:19,925 They were especially concerned about 69 00:03:19,925 --> 00:03:23,570 our 2020 seniors and how they were handling it 70 00:03:23,570 --> 00:03:27,650 because they knew what that feeling of just 71 00:03:27,650 --> 00:03:29,720 being done in walking away and 72 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,960 never having that celebration was like, 73 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,120 I know the university, 74 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,630 using primarily federal funds, 75 00:03:38,630 --> 00:03:42,605 made some additional scholarships, 76 00:03:42,605 --> 00:03:44,810 equipment, other things available 77 00:03:44,810 --> 00:03:46,940 to students to help them transition. 78 00:03:46,940 --> 00:03:49,730 Was the Alumni Association involved in that? 79 00:03:49,730 --> 00:03:52,550 We were involved in the philanthropic side, 80 00:03:52,550 --> 00:03:54,890 not the government side, but we too, 81 00:03:54,890 --> 00:03:57,125 and we were having these conversations and 82 00:03:57,125 --> 00:03:58,760 alumni wondering what was going 83 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:00,575 on with the students at the same time, 84 00:04:00,575 --> 00:04:02,705 with our partners on the university side, 85 00:04:02,705 --> 00:04:05,090 we were hearing the stories about the student's 86 00:04:05,090 --> 00:04:08,075 hearing the needs that they had, 87 00:04:08,075 --> 00:04:10,790 hearing about a student having to drop out, 88 00:04:10,790 --> 00:04:12,380 that all of a sudden they were 89 00:04:12,380 --> 00:04:14,630 working two jobs and they lost two jobs. 90 00:04:14,630 --> 00:04:16,400 Or their parent lost a job. 91 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,760 Or unfortunately there was a death of 92 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,700 an immediate family member from COVID and how 93 00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:26,420 their worlds returned just completely upside down. 94 00:04:26,420 --> 00:04:28,475 So we had a fund that was, 95 00:04:28,475 --> 00:04:30,320 I would say a very little used fund, 96 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,605 the angel fund that was for emergency student needs. 97 00:04:33,605 --> 00:04:36,274 We really brought that to the surface. 98 00:04:36,274 --> 00:04:37,910 And so when our alumni and friends were 99 00:04:37,910 --> 00:04:39,980 saying what's going on with their students, 100 00:04:39,980 --> 00:04:41,480 we could tell them and then 101 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,100 they would say, How do we help? 102 00:04:43,100 --> 00:04:45,650 And they started making gifts to 103 00:04:45,650 --> 00:04:48,635 this angel fund so that immediately 104 00:04:48,635 --> 00:04:51,725 those dollars could go to help a student 105 00:04:51,725 --> 00:04:55,325 need Students Affairs was taking these calls. 106 00:04:55,325 --> 00:04:57,350 They knew the students that needed help. 107 00:04:57,350 --> 00:04:59,210 And we were just sending the money to 108 00:04:59,210 --> 00:05:01,010 them so that they could get it to 109 00:05:01,010 --> 00:05:02,900 those students immediately to try and 110 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:05,090 help them get through that semester. 111 00:05:05,090 --> 00:05:08,270 Some examples of how students were using that. 112 00:05:08,270 --> 00:05:10,685 Money to pay for books, 113 00:05:10,685 --> 00:05:12,215 to pay for rent, 114 00:05:12,215 --> 00:05:14,765 to pay for groceries, 115 00:05:14,765 --> 00:05:16,970 to put gas in their car. 116 00:05:16,970 --> 00:05:18,740 It was a variety of things. 117 00:05:18,740 --> 00:05:21,350 It was literally emergency fund of 118 00:05:21,350 --> 00:05:24,680 some of the most basic needs you would have in your life. 119 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,420 Excuse me for just a second. 120 00:05:27,430 --> 00:05:31,410 I hope that didn't break your eardrums. 121 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,630 How was the communication between 122 00:05:40,630 --> 00:05:45,385 your foundation and association 123 00:05:45,385 --> 00:05:48,370 and the university administration, 124 00:05:48,370 --> 00:05:52,090 health authorities in the state and locally. 125 00:05:52,090 --> 00:05:54,610 It our communication with you and 126 00:05:54,610 --> 00:05:56,934 do leadership was excellent. 127 00:05:56,934 --> 00:05:59,860 I serve on the executive council for 128 00:05:59,860 --> 00:06:04,225 the university by the President's invitation. 129 00:06:04,225 --> 00:06:09,085 And so I was involved in all of the pandemic meetings, 130 00:06:09,085 --> 00:06:12,070 hearing about firsthand the needs, 131 00:06:12,070 --> 00:06:13,720 looking at what the university was 132 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,435 going to try and do moving forward. 133 00:06:16,435 --> 00:06:20,225 For example when our enrollment for the fall 134 00:06:20,225 --> 00:06:23,795 was significantly down going into June, 135 00:06:23,795 --> 00:06:25,760 there was a conversation between 136 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:27,770 university leadership and our office saying, 137 00:06:27,770 --> 00:06:29,270 what can we do to help? 138 00:06:29,270 --> 00:06:31,010 And they said we need scholarships, 139 00:06:31,010 --> 00:06:33,800 we need scholarships to try and bring the students back. 140 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,090 It wasn't about new students, 141 00:06:35,090 --> 00:06:37,790 it was retaining the students that were here. 142 00:06:37,790 --> 00:06:42,200 And we immediately started an open door scholarship fund. 143 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,530 Again, those were immediate dollars to be used 144 00:06:45,530 --> 00:06:47,270 for a student who needed the money 145 00:06:47,270 --> 00:06:49,310 to go to school in the fall. 146 00:06:49,310 --> 00:06:51,050 If we hadn't been sitting at 147 00:06:51,050 --> 00:06:53,840 the table in hearing those conversations, 148 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:56,990 we wouldn't have been so quick to respond and help get 149 00:06:56,990 --> 00:06:59,630 those scholarships to students 150 00:06:59,630 --> 00:07:02,210 and help build up those enrollment numbers. 151 00:07:02,210 --> 00:07:04,760 Again, I really value and 152 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,915 appreciate the relationship with university leadership. 153 00:07:08,915 --> 00:07:11,225 It was phenomenal to watch how 154 00:07:11,225 --> 00:07:13,820 Dr. Witton and Dr. Armacost work together? 155 00:07:13,820 --> 00:07:16,490 I thought we had if we were ever 156 00:07:16,490 --> 00:07:19,355 in a situation like we were with the pandemic, 157 00:07:19,355 --> 00:07:21,290 we had two great leaders who could 158 00:07:21,290 --> 00:07:23,210 partner together, work together, 159 00:07:23,210 --> 00:07:25,730 and really focus on what was best for 160 00:07:25,730 --> 00:07:27,770 the students and get everybody 161 00:07:27,770 --> 00:07:30,350 else rallied around that same point. 162 00:07:30,350 --> 00:07:36,470 You have any sense of the numbers of students who were 163 00:07:36,470 --> 00:07:38,465 able to be brought back 164 00:07:38,465 --> 00:07:40,880 because of the financial assistance 165 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,620 the university provided. 166 00:07:42,620 --> 00:07:44,840 I don't have a sense of the numbers and 167 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,730 especially on the government side, 168 00:07:46,730 --> 00:07:48,575 I don't remember offhand, 169 00:07:48,575 --> 00:07:50,840 but from our alumni and friends, 170 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,360 the fill and drop philanthropic dollars 171 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,154 that were brought forward, we're close, 172 00:07:57,154 --> 00:08:01,010 just over $700,000 that immediately went to 173 00:08:01,010 --> 00:08:03,200 help either in those emergency needs 174 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,030 or to bring scholarships. 175 00:08:05,030 --> 00:08:08,150 And what do you think 176 00:08:08,150 --> 00:08:13,760 students today who are going to become alumni? 177 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,160 How do you think they're going to feel 178 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,110 about their experience having gone through 179 00:08:18,110 --> 00:08:23,610 COVID and their sense of attachment to the university? 180 00:08:25,170 --> 00:08:28,510 I can only speak to 181 00:08:28,510 --> 00:08:31,870 the thank you letters we received from students who 182 00:08:31,870 --> 00:08:33,370 were the beneficiaries of 183 00:08:33,370 --> 00:08:35,635 either an open doors scholarship 184 00:08:35,635 --> 00:08:38,050 or an angel fund dollars. 185 00:08:38,050 --> 00:08:42,445 And the thank-you notes we received talked about 186 00:08:42,445 --> 00:08:44,500 the importance of family and how they 187 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:47,080 felt like there was family taking care of them. 188 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:48,910 How these gifts from 189 00:08:48,910 --> 00:08:51,100 a stranger where some of the comments 190 00:08:51,100 --> 00:08:53,620 save their lives by allowing 191 00:08:53,620 --> 00:08:56,125 them to continue on to college. 192 00:08:56,125 --> 00:08:59,215 And some saying, you lifted me up. 193 00:08:59,215 --> 00:09:02,215 And so based on those thank you notes, 194 00:09:02,215 --> 00:09:04,720 I would hope that the students of 195 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,235 today who will be Alumni Tomorrow, we'll remember that. 196 00:09:08,235 --> 00:09:10,340 And when there is something 197 00:09:10,340 --> 00:09:12,380 that is needed at the university that they 198 00:09:12,380 --> 00:09:17,240 too will lend a hand to help lift somebody else up. 199 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:22,160 In that vein, do you see anything enduring coming out 200 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:27,365 of this year and the last 18 months? 201 00:09:27,365 --> 00:09:31,865 The university and how your association operates. 202 00:09:31,865 --> 00:09:36,380 Anything enduring from the COVID response. 203 00:09:36,380 --> 00:09:40,430 For sure, The angel fund is going to 204 00:09:40,430 --> 00:09:44,750 be a spotlight for people to give back. 205 00:09:44,750 --> 00:09:48,050 We've actually had individuals now 206 00:09:48,050 --> 00:09:49,819 start their own endowment 207 00:09:49,819 --> 00:09:52,205 that's focused on angel funding needs. 208 00:09:52,205 --> 00:09:56,930 So people have realized how important that is. 209 00:09:56,930 --> 00:09:58,460 These open, open-door scholarships. 210 00:09:58,460 --> 00:10:00,230 So creating more scholarships, 211 00:10:00,230 --> 00:10:02,495 we've listed lifted up that need as well. 212 00:10:02,495 --> 00:10:05,255 Those are also going to be there. 213 00:10:05,255 --> 00:10:08,660 Another avenue and where we've seen alumni and 214 00:10:08,660 --> 00:10:10,280 friends interested in helping 215 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,920 students is on the mental health side. 216 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,880 We had an opportunity to share some of 217 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:21,230 these stories and talk about needs that students, 218 00:10:21,230 --> 00:10:24,215 faculty, and staff have with 219 00:10:24,215 --> 00:10:26,450 mental health concerns that 220 00:10:26,450 --> 00:10:28,345 we haven't been able to talk about before. 221 00:10:28,345 --> 00:10:30,350 We have found individuals that 222 00:10:30,350 --> 00:10:32,720 want to help support that and make 223 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:38,720 it easier to have more avenues of help while students, 224 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,715 faculty, and staff are here on campus. 225 00:10:40,715 --> 00:10:42,875 So I see a minimum. 226 00:10:42,875 --> 00:10:45,810 Those three items stayed in place.