Connor Adams

I am tasked with leading a team to raise eight figures annually to support the betterment of the school and college.

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.

Higher Education Student Affairs