“Our Important Next Step”

M. Keith Weikel, Ph.D. ‘66

I have the honor of being involved with many outstanding non-profit organizations, so I’m very familiar with the challenges they face when it comes to raising money. Often, organizations have a hard time connecting with the right people who can truly make a difference. And, even more often, when organizations do have an opportunity to tell their story, they have trouble communicating a clear, compelling, and consistent strategy that demonstrates how they can have a substantial impact on their cause. Making clear progress on goals is a real challenge for many non-profit organizations.

The Wisconsin School of Business is in a very different position. Under Dean Mike Knetter’s leadership, we have a very clear goal: The Wisconsin School of Business will be recognized as one of the best business schools in the world across all its programs, producing leaders along the way and transforming the lives of students. And, in getting there, we will maintain our mission as a public institution providing access to a large number and a wide variety of students.

An important next step in our journey is to better engage all of our alumni and friends. In particular, we are working to involve a greater number of alumni and friends in the school’s academic mission and in regular annual giving. Many alumni have capabilities and experience that can greatly benefit our students. Growing our pool of investors is essential in order to perform our important mission at a time when state funds are scarce. The resources provided by our alumni and friends make the difference between a good business school and a great one.

Currently about 12 percent of our alumni make a gift in any given year. Our goal is to increase participation to 20-25 percent, which is more in line with other top business schools, such as Michigan and Kellogg.

To get there, we’re asking our insiders – those closest to the school – to set an example. This year, for the first time, 100 percent of our Dean’s Advisory Board members will make a gift to the Wisconsin School of Business. Most board members have made multi-year pledges of $5,000-$10,000 annually. Current students also have shown their support – 96 percent of graduating MBA students and 24 percent of the undergraduate students made a gift this year.

Now it is time for our broader alumni population – our more than 36,000 alumni around the world – to join in this effort. Please consider joining me and your fellow alumni by making a multi-year pledge to the Wisconsin School of Business Annual Fund this year. If we all work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

On Wisconsin!

Keith Weikel, who earned his Ph.D. in marketing and economics from the Wisconsin School of Business, retired as senior executive vice president and COO of ManorCare, Inc. in 2006. He serves as the Development Committee Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board.