Event Recap: Wagner Philanthropy Presents: Careers in Fundraising

Written by Byron Bao

On November 13, 2025, NYU Wagner’s Office of Career Services and Wagner Philanthropy hosted a Careers in Fundraising Panel to discuss the useful strategies and tactics that can be applied to today’s complicated funding atmospheres.

The event featured four panelists from across NYC’s fundraising sectors:

• Lauren Lew (EMPA 2022), Major Gifts Officer at The Juilliard School
• Jasmine Jeffers (MPA-PNP 2022), Managing Director of Institutional Giving at StoryCorps
• Michelle Kroll (MPA-PNP 2017), Senior Philanthropy Officer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Suzanne Greene (EMPA 2026), Senior Director of Individual Giving at Educational Alliance

Starting with their personal stories, the four alumni shared their motivation for entering the fundraising sector, emphasizing that the valuable characteristics a fundraiser needs to have are “making a real impact” and “meeting with people who share similar interests.”

The panelists also presented details of the fundraising structure at their organizations, sharing their unique experiences with varying team sizes and task distribution. From a macro perspective, additionally, Jeffers and Kroll stressed how the 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations differentiate themselves with tax-exempt status and the ability to be involved in political endorsement. 

In their careers in fundraising, the panelists emphasized that the ability to tell stories through social media, quantify digital data, and transform emotional feelings into action were placed at the top of the list of important skills. Interestingly, all panelists agreed with the statement that “Networking is less successful in getting a fundraising job, but more successful in mastering this job.” Following the tactic Jeffers shared that Googling and researching the individual’s and organizations’ background are always the first steps to raising money from someone else, Lew emphasized the importance of building meaningful connections with the donors rather than just asking for donations.

Panelists also shared their advice for students based on their own experience. First, Jeffers noted that having ambition is not bad, but setting super lofty goals often sets unrealistic expectations. Second, fundraising tactics should be specialized and targeted; packaged strategies that focus on a single donor are unrealistic. Third, they suggested being aware of the sector’s human resource flows; finding a good place to work is pivotal to success. For candidates seeking positions in the sector, they recommended paying close attention to the cover letter and taking extra effort to present their integrity and transferable skills.