Debbie Dutton

For just over 10 years, Debbie Dutton has been at the helm of fundraising and philanthropy at UNH, as the vice president of UNH Advancement and the president of the UNH Foundation. Under her tenure, UNH launched its most successful fundraising campaign, CELEBRATE 150, with nearly $308 million in outright gifts and pledges raised from almost 45,000 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends. We asked for some reflections as she marked her decade milestone.

When I talk to donors, students are still front and center in their minds. Our donors are mostly alumni, and they want to ensure that today’s students are having the same kind of experience they had — or an even better one. They are passionate about making sure it’s affordable for today’s generation of students. So their gifts are often directed at scholarships, but also at the programs and faculty support they know have an effect on students’ time here.

After 10 years, I continue to find inspiration here all the time. In the spring, I attended The Beauregard Center graduation ceremony. When I hear powerful and moving student stories like the ones I heard there from students focused on inclusion and diversity, I’m vividly reminded of why we exist. The university has a deeply consequential mission of readying our students to become contributing members of their communities and society as a whole. I’m so incredibly proud of our role in creating a revenue source to deliver on that mission.

Every gift truly makes a difference at UNH, and the power of philanthropy is tangible. Just look at The (603) Challenge. It’s living proof that gifts of every size, collectively, are making a measurable impact here. This year, donors during that effort broke their previous record, with more than 12,000 people giving about $2.9 million.

I am beyond lucky to work with a team of committed, talented people who have done a great job of improving UNH’s connection with alumni and donors. I was charged with professionalizing our activities in order to increase philanthropic revenue. Because of my amazing colleagues, we’ve been successful.

When I think of our larger societal challenges in this country, I say this frequently and I mean it: UNH teaches our students how to have civil conversations and how to understand others’ viewpoints. This is so vitally important today, and there aren’t many other places that focus on teaching those skills. We want our students to be informed and compassionate citizens. The greater UNH community — including alumni and donors — are uniting around the idea that supporting their university is a huge part of making that happen.

Nearly every gift made to UNH has a story behind it. Sometimes a gift honors a mentor and sometimes it’s also to help future generations of Wildcats. If you’ve made a gift in any amount to UNH and want to share the story behind it, we’d love to hear from you. Email alumni.editor@unh.edu, and we may feature your story in a future magazine.