Rekindling a Sense of Nostalgia and Belonging in College Alumni

By Raymond Davis, MSL, CFRE | Tennessee, USA

Throughout his 13 years as a professional fundraiser, Raymond Davis, MSL, CFRE, has gained progressively more responsibility while fundraising for educational institutions. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, he now specializes in securing major gift donations for George Mason University. 

He tells us that earning the CFRE in 2023 has had a major positive impact on his career. We reached out to learn more about his professional growth and the fundraising successes he attributes to holding the CFRE credential . . .

The Right People at the Right Time

Preparing to earn the CFRE taught me to focus on the right prospects at the right time, which means I can more efficiently close gifts more quickly, especially with planned gift donors. I started using a more structured “moves management” approach, which helps me better identify when a donor is ready to give. In one instance, this led to securing a significant gift in just a few months—much faster than usual. I’ve also been able to further shorten the fundraising cycle by using donor insights to craft more personalized and timely asks.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in deadlines and goals, but connecting with peers and hearing their stories always brings me back to the bigger picture. One moment that really stood out to me was helping a donor establish a $100,000 faculty support endowment that combined his passions with the needs of one of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ (CHSS) smaller academic programs. I’m truly motivated by knowing that my work helps fuel causes that change lives. That sense of purpose is what keeps me inspired and focused, even when things get hectic, and these days, hectic is an understatement.

A Network of Ideas and Support

For those who know me, I’m always looking for a walking partner (in-person or virtual) to brainstorm donor engagement ideas, and now I have access to a large group of professionals to reach out to. It allows me to connect with other certified fundraisers and share experiences. It’s been a great way for me and other members of the fundraising community to learn from each other.

Being part of the CFRE community is such a great reminder of why I got into fundraising in the first place—helping people make a real difference through their generosity.

Finding Your Fundraising Family

Earning the CFRE credential can open doors to higher-level positions and increased responsibilities within the nonprofit sector. Since obtaining my CFRE, I’ve received many emails and messages about new career opportunities.

The folks I work with on the Advancement and Alumni Relations team within CHSS at George Mason University are, by far, the kindest and most thoughtful people I’ve had the privilege of working with. It’s such a unique team, which is why I often tell them and other colleagues at George Mason that CHSS is the best team ever!

Each team member brings a distinct set of skills, ranging from strategic communications and donor engagement to event planning and operational management, as well as relationship building and fundraising. Beyond our external achievements, the team’s culture is equally inspiring. We champion one another’s ideas, celebrate each other’s successes, and approach every project with a spirit of curiosity and care. I’ve learned a great deal from each of them, and a piece from each will always inform the work I do in building relationships with stakeholders, both internally and externally.

Campaigning for Your Community

The CFRE has also helped me achieve a greater impact on the University and our community. With the skills and knowledge I gained from the certification, I was able to design a compelling campaign that resonated with our donors.

George Mason University is a relatively young institution, having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. One memorable success story was when I led a campaign to raise funds from the upcoming 50th reunion of my college’s alumni.

I launched a new educational campaign to honor alumni, inviting them to share their “Mason Story” and explored ways they could reconnect with CHSS. To strengthen the effort, I partnered with the University’s Alumni Association, which was preparing to launch the Golden Patriots alumni group. I offered to feature their activities as part of my outreach, which helped boost attendance and sparked meaningful conversations around planned giving. It focused on warmly welcoming these alumni into the Golden Patriots community while educating them about opportunities for legacy giving.

The response was incredibly positive. Many reconnected with old classmates, and one attendee shared, “It felt like coming back home and reliving my time as a student.” The campaign rekindled a sense of nostalgia and belonging among this special group from the Class of 1974. As a result, I identified five new major and planned gift prospects, which to date have raised over $200,000 from outright gifts, pledges, and bequests that supported various funds across CHSS both immediately and over the coming years and decades.

A significant portion of these funds was allocated toward student scholarships, helping to alleviate financial barriers and ensure that more students can access a Mason education without the burden of excessive debt. Additional funding went to support experiential learning (such as unpaid internships and workforce development programming), giving students real-world experience that complements their academic work.

Seeing the tangible impact of our efforts on the community was incredibly rewarding, and I truly believe that my CFRE certification played a crucial role in our success. Earning the CFRE is an investment in yourself and your career. The credential is recognized globally and demonstrates a high level of competence and ethical standards in fundraising. As long as you keep the donor’s best interests in mind, you’ll do well.