Today’s spotlight is an interview of Don Kritsch by new staff member Dillon Kimmel. Dillon joined the IUAA team on June 4 and is the Assistant Director of Alumni Communities. He is the new liaison to our U Communities which are domestic, mid-level market areas.

Degree and Graduation Year from IU: B.A. in Biology in 1967 and M.A. in Plant Science in 1971

Chapter Region: Central Carolina

Role/Title on Board: President

Can you tell me how you first got involved in working with IUAA?

I got involved originally going to game watches that the chapter hosted and that was where I met Sam, who was the president at the time and is currently the chapter treasurer. After a short time, I got more involved and started serving as secretary for the chapter. I went to the Alumni Leaders Conference (now Cream and Crimson Weekend) where I really got to know other volunteers and the IUAA staff.

What do you enjoy most about your work with the Central Carolina Chapter?

The first thing that comes to mind is the friendships and comradery built throughout my years with the chapter. I have also gotten a lot of personal satisfaction from working both with the local alumni and the staff in Bloomington. From my first time at the Alumni Leaders Conference, I have felt that the staff at IUAA are all friendly, outgoing, and really appreciate the efforts of volunteers.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering with their local chapter?

I would just encourage alumni of all ages to touch base with their local chapter to become active – it is a great experience! In our chapter, we try to go beyond just game watches and also engage in community service and other ways to get people involved however they want to engage.

I would also point out that IU has had and will have a great impact on your life – it feels good to give back, especially when you’re retired like me and have more time to devote to volunteering.

Do you have any advice for our chapters that are thinking about ways to thank and recognize donors? Is there anything else your chapter does that you think others could learn from?

I have really appreciated that IUAA started sharing names and addresses of donors in our chapter area. As a result of that, we are able to send direct notes, email or traditional mail to donors. Now that we are able to do so, I would encourage chapters to individualize communications where possible. It makes a difference.

Additionally, with the IU Day fundly campaign, we are able to actively market the scholarship fund, not just asking for donations but also sharing information on how to refer students to the application. We want people to donate to the scholarship fund, but we also want to make sure that people know about it and refer students to apply.

We have also found ways to get people involved that are not just asking for money. We have a silent auction, for instance, at our annual brunch. The brunch is one of our most popular events, so there are lots of folks there, and we are able to put the proceeds into the scholarship fund. The silent auction is just a part of the event, so people can opt to participate in it or not, but either way they are a part of an exciting event that donates proceeds to the scholarship.