New faces join ESU advancement office
Emporia State University
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Two experienced non-profit professionals have joined the Office of University Advancement at Emporia State University, filling new positions in alumni relations and fundraising.
Marc Jasperson started in mid-August as a new development officer and Nikki Metz began in late September as the assistant director of alumni relations. The advancement team created the two new positions to further its ability to reach out to ESU’s friends and 50,000-plus alumni.
“Our primary purpose is to reconnect with alumni and friends and nurture those relationships,” said Sandra Kramer, director of development and interim executive director of University Advancement. “Marc and Nikki are coming on board at a time when we are poised to expand these connections on a national level, and were absolutely thrilled to add their talents to our outreach efforts.”
Jasperson comes to ESU from the Kansas Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, where he was the director of development for the last two years. He spent much of his career in sales and business management after earning a business degree from the University of Kansas in 1978, but his compassionate side led him into the business of building relationships.
“A lot of fundraising is relationship building, and I’m a people person,” Jasperson said. Ive always liked that aspect. “The main thing I’ve learned here is the sense of community, family and pride that exists at Emporia State. I can sense the pride and how important it is for the alumni and friends to see ESU flourish.”
Jasperson began to hear about ESU while networking as a developmental professional. He met Kramer and another ESU development officer, Linda Pease, as well as former ESU Alumni Association board president Janet Schalansky, at Association of Fundraising Professionals meetings.
“I knew how strongly they felt about Emporia State, and I became interested in it,” he said. “The more I learned about ESU and the position, the more it interested me.”
Jasperson’s primary contact is with alumni and friends who give to ESU on a consistent basis. He places in front of people opportunities to support ESU, matching what they are interested in with the needs of ESU.
Marc and his wife Julie live in Lawrence with their two children, Jeff, 15, and Dan, 11.
Nikki Metz brings ten years of experience working with volunteers to her new post. She was the executive director of Compeer of East Central Kansas most recently, and worked in client and administrative services at Catholic Community Services in Emporia from 1996 to 2004. Metz grew up in Emporia and holds two degrees from ESU — a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s in business administration.
As the assistant alumni director, Metz will work directly with alumni volunteers and expand alumni outreach programs. Her primary emphasis will be the coordination of the START (Students Through Alumni Recruiting Team) program, but her duties will also include working with in-state alumni chapters, advising the ESU Ambassadors, and marketing.
“Nikki brings a great deal of experience in working with volunteers to this position,” said Roy Mann, director of alumni relations. “We added this position in order to devote more time, resources, and attention to our START program and our alumni chapter programs, and we feel fortunate to have found just the right person for the job. We look forward to her contributions. “
Metz is also excited, having jumped in with both feet as homecoming began.
“I’ve been working in non-profit for 10 years, working with volunteers and donors,” she said. “I’ve grown up with the university in my back yard and with my experiences, the position was a good fit.”
“I’d like to get more alumni involved, especially younger alumni. Once you move away you lose connections with ESU because youve got a new job, a new town,” Metz said. “With everything going on, its hard to keep those connections.”
Metz and her husband Philip have two daughters, Katie, 12, and Jordan, 9. They live in Emporia.