ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
APRIL  2015

Katherine McKinley Bulifant '13, M.S. '14

Why did you originally choose Longwood? What made you choose to stay and pursue your master's degree? Longwood University was my first and only choice of schools to attend! I chose Longwood because of the small community it represented, and I heard it had a good Criminal Justice program.  I knew I was going to stay to get my master’s after freshman year when my professors began talking about a five year program.  What a great deal it was to obtain a master’s degree in one year! I was one of two students from my master’s graduating class to be in the new five year Criminal Justice Master’s Program.

Please explain some of your duties as Director of Campus Philanthropy, and some of the things you've worked on during your time in this position. My duties as Director of Campus Philanthropy include leading the Campus Community Campaign, which is a program for faculty and staff giving, Student Philanthropy, which currently entails working with the Senior Class Council in giving their gift to the university, and Lancer Line, which is our telefund program we have where current students call our alumni to keep them informed of the upcoming events and renovations on campus. My position has given me the ability to work with faculty and staff who have just started their careers and tenured members who have been a great influence to the university for many years; as well as, seniors who will be graduating in just a weeks who are the future of the university.

What are some goals you have for the future of this position? My goals for this position is to expand all programs I am currently heading to be more inclusive of different groups. For example, next year the Campus Community Campaign will be all inclusive of faculty, staff, graduate students and seniors. My plans for Lancer Line are to increase our young alumni support and gain new donors.

What do you attribute to your success in Lancer Line, previously known as Telefund, and it's 14% increase over the goal in your last campaign? I truly believe my success in Lancer Line was
a collaborative effort. My Call Center Manager, Josh Holbrook, did a great job this semester being in my place in the call center, and everyone in the University Advancement office has had their share in helping me throughout the year.

What are some of your ideas on how to incorporate Young Alumni participation for the Office of University Advancement? My ideas to incorporate Young Alumni participation are still growing and expanding, but I know they will be coming together soon. Philanthropy is something young alumni are very passionate about and want to participate in. The challenge we have had in the past is how to engage them. Next year, our education about philanthropy will begin with our freshman class and expand to our senior class. I will also be doing some crowd fundraising for Yellowstone, a study abroad program here at Longwood.

What were some organizations and activities you were involved in during your time at Longwood that shaped your college experience? I am not ashamed to admit that I joined the Ballroom Dancing Club as a freshman! It was such a great experience! I also joined Lancer Productions Executive Board, where I met my husband, Thomas Bulifant. I met some great friends in that organizations. I also joined Alpha Delta Pi. I believe my entire college career changed when I joined a greek organization. They really pushed me to be my best on and off campus. I learned a lot about philanthropy and some different organizations that support communities like the Ronald McDonald House, Relay for Life, SPCA, and Habitat for Humanity. I was a Big Sibling, a recruitment counselor, and worked in the dining hall for two years and in the Annual Giving office for two years. Taking a full class load coupled with a campus job is a lot to take on, but really taught me how to be responsible and how to manage my time effectively. I would not trade my time on Longwood’s campus for the world!

What is your favorite Longwood tradition? I have so many favorite traditions, but I have always loved greek walks, Chi walks, and the Chi burning at the end of the year!