Member Spotlight: Diane Sant

Name: Diane Sant
Institution: Loyola Marymount University
Position: Director of Donor Relations
ADRP member for 2 years

How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?

I have been in my current role as Director of Donor Relations at Loyola Marymount University for 4 years. It is my first role in donor relations, though my previous experience encompasses fundraising, foundation management, grants and event planning in various non-profit organizations. I love being part of an institution guided by a strong mission and values, and my experience and skill set coming into this position aligned well with donor relations and stewardship.

When I moved to Los Angeles 8 years ago, I applied to LMU’s donor relations department, as I really wanted to get back in a university setting, having worked at one previously. I love the energy on a university campus. It didn’t work out at the time, but 4 years to the date it did work out and I started at LMU.

Could you tell us something about the organization you work for?

LMU is a premier private Catholic University in Los Angeles, California, tracing its beginning to 1911, when the Jesuits founded Los Angeles College, which later incorporated as Loyola College of Los Angeles (1918), achieved university status (1930), and merged with the Catholic all-women’s Marymount College to become the coeducational Loyola Marymount University (1973). Its mission is the encouragement of learning, the education of the whole person, the service of faith, and the promotion of justice. This year, the university has over 6,500 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students enrolled, offering 60 major and 55 minor undergraduate programs and 51 graduate programs.

What do you like most about being a member of the ADRP?

I appreciate the access to and availability of ADRP colleagues, ideas, best practices, and assistance. I was fortunate to attend the 2019 Miami ADRP conference and met so many amazing people. The conversations I’ve been able to have, and ideas that we have been able to foster as a network, have been tremendously helpful in my work!

What is your greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement? 

We successfully revamped our reporting system and redesigned our stewardship reports in an effort to streamline information and update aesthetics. We are also thrilled to note that our Centennial Society ($1M+ cumulative donors), who are generally of an older age and are often believed not to be computer-savvy, had one of the highest open rates ThankView has ever seen!

How big a role does the use of social media play in your work?

The university’s social media platforms are very active and we hope to incorporate more social media into our donor relations work, as well.

What is the most important professional goal you are currently pursuing, i.e., attaining a degree, preparing to give a presentation, launching an initiative at work in your community, etc.?

At the moment, my focus is remaining positive in the current remote-work environment and being as productive as I can against the fact that, since March, my husband, my two elementary-age children and I have been working/schooling from home. I am balancing life between my profession and being a teacher’s aide!

We are about to implement Smartsheet and I have seen from ADRP colleagues and others how great this tool can be and hope to implement some new processes to assist in gathering stewardship report data.

What has been your biggest work challenge during COVID-19?

My biggest challenge during Covid-19 has been being able to focus. With my entire family working and schooling from home, in addition to all the upheaval in the world, it can be difficult to focus and get solid work done outside of answering emails. I have found sitting in my car at my son’s socially distant soccer practice the best place to focus without distractions.

Is there a resource, i.e., book, blog, website, etc., that you would recommend to other ADRP members?

We always look to and use the ADRP listserv and the Donor Relations Guru conference and website.

What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?

I feel that the overall guidance I have received throughout my career has been most valuable—helping me to learn how to feel comfortable speaking up in meetings, to be better, and to work for a team with kindness and understanding of varying perspectives.

Are there any particular stories, insights, etc., from your experiences in donor relations and stewardship that you would like to share with our colleagues?

Being in a university advancement division, we don’t always interact with the students we work so diligently to support. It’s the moments when we read a thoughtful student thank-you letter or hear donor feedback on the joy of meeting the students they are supporting that make the frustrations I have been feeling this year fade away.

Recently, I had a conversation with a steward of a scholarship, because their gift check was returned. In all of our back and forth I asked him to email me, but I wasn’t receiving his emails, because it turns out he accidentally sent his messages to “Santa,” because my last name is Sant! 

Wishing you all the best in the New Year!