Taking up a job as coordinator of the Annual Giving Program feels like coming home, says Shae Kavanaugh, who joined the staff of alumni affairs and donor communications December 14.

A two-time UWindsor graduate (BA 2010, JD 2013) who was active in student affairs, she says the skills and connections she developed as an undergraduate brought her back to campus after practicing law at the firm Miller Canfield.

“In this role, the results are tangible. You can see the money coming in, where it’s going, and the difference it makes” says Kavanaugh.

During her studies, she served as a member of Senate, president of the Social Science Society, vice-president administration of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance, and vice-president finance of the Students’ Law Society.

She says that level of involvement helped her to build relationships on campus, including friend and colleague business professor Vincent Georgie, who now chairs the faculty-staff fundraising campaign of the Annual Giving Program.

“I am excited to be working with him,” Kavanaugh says. “The Facetime component of the campaign has really made a difference in attracting support. Now my job is to build on those successes.”

Ultimately, she says, her job is to find support for student success—support she enjoyed herself.

“I was very lucky to be the recipient of scholarships as a student,” says Kavanaugh. “Those awards are invaluable for students—making their education accessible. That is the key.”

She is now advertising for students to work on the alumni phone campaign. To learn more, e-mail Kavanaugh at Shae@uwindsor.ca or phone 519-253-3000, ext. 4279.