Michele Cauley currently serves as a faculty member for Clemson University’s Department of Marketing, leveraging her 25-plus years of marketing practice. With a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in business administration from Clemson, Michele returned to her alma mater in 2009 to establish the marketing and communications program for The Clemson Alumni Association.

She recently held the position of Associate Vice President for the Clemson Division of Development and Alumni Relations where she led marketing and brand strategy for the University’s largest constituencies, alumni and donors, including campaigns for the Will to Lead capital campaign and the University’s first Give Day.

Previously, she held the position of Sr. Business Communications Director and was the first female Product Marketing Manager for Rockwell Automation. She also has served in business-to-business marketing management in the package printing industry and began her career in business-to-consumer retail marketing with a southeast region women’s clothier.

In addition to teaching, she enjoys mentoring students and connecting them with alumni networking and career opportunities, as well as serving as faculty advisor for Alpha Phi Omega co-ed service fraternity, Marketing Student Advisory Board, Women in Business, and a mentor for the Clemson Emerging Scholars Program, and Study Abroad Champions program.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• How Michele’s career grew, thanks to help from Clemson alumni who helped open doors for her, and why Michele later chose to return to Clemson
• What Michele found most rewarding and fulfilling about her work at Clemson in her alumni relations role
• How Michele made the transition to faculty member, and what challenges and opportunities she has found in her role
• Why Michele believes it’s important to know the student resources available at your higher ed institution
• What steps Michele recommends you take to network and partner with many diverse parts of your campus
• How Michele and her team ideated, created, and implemented Clemson’s first Give Day
• What staggering success Clemson’s first Give Day achieved, and the initiative has continued to grow since the first event
• How Michele and her team begin planning for each year’s Give Day far in advance, and how they promote the event early
• How Clemson’s Give Day supplements donors’ normal giving rather than cutting into existing giving
• What advice Michele offers to anyone considering setting up a Give Day at their own campus

Additional resources:

• Website: http://www.clemson.edu/business/about/profiles/cauley
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michelecauley/