Sarah Raezler (@sraezler) is a senior information resource specialist for CASE.

It was my pleasure to attend the CASE ASAP 40th Annual Network Convention in New Orleans, La., last week. What a conference! Very much by the students, for the students—attendees and speakers at the the convention brought boundless enthusiasm to all things student advancement.

I attended several sessions in the student philanthropy track and all of the presenters stressed how crucial collaboration and partnerships are to building successful programs.

Below, I’ve highlighted tips offered by three students groups at the conference:

1) The University of Dayton’s Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow kicked off its month-long I Love UD campaign on Jan. 30, 2013. It raised $1.7 million from 3,106 donors during the month of February. Planning has already started for the 2014 program. STAT student leaders offered the following partnership tips.

• Collaborate with your advancement division as early as possible.
• Connect with as many departments as possible to host activities and to fund parts of the program.
• Develop programs to take advantage of your institution’s planned events and activities.

2. The student foundation at Kansas State University continues to build its well-known K-State Proud, a fundraising campaign led by students to benefit students who need financial help. K-State Proud has raised more than $650,000 during the seven years it has been running and has provided more than 350 students with financial assistance through Student Opportunity awards. The student foundation partners with:

• Campus administration to communicate with the needs of the student body, help use the funds effectively and gain access to necessary financial aid information.
• Student groups to further engage and educate on the campaign, attract volunteers and identify students in financial need.
• Corporate sponsors for monetary and non-monetary support, leveraging already existing university relationships.
• Faculty and staff to use their talents and spheres of influence to further the campaign brand.

3. The Georgia Tech Student Foundation manages a $900,000 endowment and is currently planning “Philanthropy at Tech” week. This program aims to coordinate the single largest visual and promotional event to date on Georgia Tech’s campus to help establish the next generation of donors. GTSF has established five strategic partnerships to move this program forward. The student foundation offered the following tips.

• Achieve professionalism by coming to the table prepared.
• Focus on the importance of the program to potential partners.
• Aim for sustainability over multiple years instead of organizing a one-time event.
• Ask for other resources besides money.

These are just three examples of student philanthropy programs. For more inspiration, you can visit the Student Philanthropy samples page and the Student Engagement & Philanthropy Day 2013 Activities samples page on the CASE website.

Have examples of other student philanthropy programs or tips? Share them in the comments.