The best way to predict where your university will get its next big gift is to look among the donors who provided your last gift -- big or small. Most alumni donors don't start big. They declare themselves quietly, giving small donations -- often consistently and over a long period of time. If such modest displays of ongoing commitment pass unnoticed, a donor may never raise the level of giving. But if an initial gesture is properly acknowledged, if the donor is convinced that their investment had been well-handled -- that they have truly made a difference to the university and the world -- they may be willing, even eager, to raise the stakes.

University of British Columbia President Dr. Martha Piper will discuss the importance of nurturing alumni connections and will offer several case studies of donors who showed their appreciation for the careful handling of early gifts with increasing, and sometimes surprising gestures.

Martha Piper
President
University of British Columbia

Since 1997, Martha C. Piper has served as the eleventh President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of British Columbia (UBC), one of Canada’s largest and most prestigious research universities.

Dr. Piper received her B.Sc. (1967) in Physical Therapy from the University of Michigan, her M.A. (1970) in Child Development from the University of Connecticut, and her Ph.D. (1979) in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University. Upon completion of her Ph.D., Dr. Piper was appointed Director of the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University. In 1985, she joined the University of Alberta as Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, and was appointed Vice-President Research in 1993. The portfolio was expanded in 1995 to include External Affairs.

Prime Minister Chrétien appointed Dr. Piper to the National Advisory Board on Science and Technology in 1994 and, in 1996, to the Board of the Advisory Council on Science and Technology (ACST). In 2001, she was appointed by the Premier of British Columbia to the B.C. Progress Board. Dr. Piper was also the 2001 General Campaign Chair for the United Way of the Lower Mainland. In 2002, she was appointed a Member of the Board of Directors for the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation. Dr. Piper has been awarded five honorary degrees: a D.Sc. from McGill University in 1998, a LL.D. from Dalhousie University in 1999, a LL.D. from the University of Toronto in 2001, a D.Sc. from the University of Western Ontario in 2002, and a LL.D. from The University of Melbourne in 2003. Dr. Piper is an officer of the Order of Canada.