- Mike Leto, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations at UMass Amherst.
A culture of philanthropy at UMass Amherst is steadily catching on; even as the global economy adjusts, the campus is poised to continue building a strong foundation of private support under the direction of Mike Leto, vice chancellor for development and alumni relations.
“Mike’s primary task is to better connect to our alumni and friends, and to build more support for UMass Amherst in the years ahead,” says Chancellor Robert C. Holub. “Private support will be critical for us to improve funding for faculty, create enhanced scholarship and fellowship opportunities, and to provide us with the additional resources we need to achieve our goal of becoming one of our nation’s finest public research universities.”
Leto, who joined the administration in June, brings a wealth of experience to campus. He served as executive director of development at the Indiana University Foundation—considered oneof the nation’s leading fundraising organizations. Prior to his arrival at UMass Amherst, he served for more than a decade as vice president for development and alumni relations at Central Michigan University. He also held positions at Southeast Missouri State University, Saint Louis University, and the Indiana University of Technology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University.
For his part, Vice Chancellor Leto is perfectly clear about his plans for UMass Amherst: Expand volunteer and alumni engagement, increase endowment and scholarships, and renew outreach to alumni where they work and live, starting with an emphasis in the Boston area. “The university has a great story to tell and we need to make sure that our message is being heard and that our alumni and friends know how they can make an impact,” says Leto. “Increasing private support is essential to ensure that our students receive the quality education they expect and that all deserving students have an opportunity to fulfi ll their academic goals.”
Take This Job and Love It
Want a new job or to change careers? First stop: MaroonCentral
Picture yourself in the workplace a decade from now. Chances are you’ve envisioned a job change and possibly even a career change. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the typical baby boomers hold an average of 10 jobs in their lifetime. For some, the market dictates change; for others, a career transition is a life choice.
Take Karen Held ’90, who spent the last 15 years working in the pharmaceutical industry. She recently left her job as documentation manager for an international company. “I wanted to take a step back and reevaluate,” she explained. “I knew that there was a broader use of my skills and I felt like I was pigeon-holed, like the industry owned me instead of me owning my own career and destiny.” It seemed like fate when Held received an email about an Alumni Association webinar, Charting Paths to a New Career. She signed up.
As Held worked through the “Charting Paths” program, she was surprised and pleased at the innate and transferable skills identified. “The MaroonCentral tools I used for self-reflection and inspection helped me understand that my skill set is diverse and applicable in many different arenas,” she said. “The program helped me realize that while I liked working in an FDA-regulated industry, I was looking for a company culture that allows more flexibility in the workplace.”
Webinars, regional workshops, and career counseling guide alumni like Held to identify and pursue their dream jobs. Colleen Condon the associate director of alumni career programs, says that most people don’t have a career road map nor do they understand how to develop their personal brand to target new opportunities. To assist alumni in the process, Condon uses online tools available through MaroonCentral—UMass Amherst’s student and alumni online community. “We offer personality assessments, online research, resume revamping, networking dos and don’ts, and interview tactics,” says Condon.
With her new insight, Held indentified a company that met her criteria and sent a cover letter and resume, but it seemed to “end up in a black hole, never to be heard from again,” she said. Traditional methods weren’t getting her foot in the door, so she put to use the networking tactics learned through the Alumni Association. “I asked a third-degree contact on LinkedIn with ties to the company to express my interest in an informational interview,” Held said. This generated an invitation to visit.
“Companies are inundated with random resumes,” says Condon. “You have to be flexible, creative, and savvy. They are looking for someone who is genuinely interested in their business and willing to make an effort to stand out. That’s what we try to teach through our career programs.”
