Many articles have been written about the philosophy of fundraising. For me, philanthropy’s true meaning is the love of people.

Those who are involved in philanthropy do so for many reasons, but many people I know are doing so because they truly care about others. Professionals who go into this field are often idealistic and are looking for ways to dedicate their careers to make changes for the better for the causes they care about.  I have been working in this field for my whole career. I find it most rewarding to meet people who care – people with whom I build relationships, who are going above and beyond giving their time and resources to make a positive change.

At HCSC, we are meeting more and more people who want to learn about our students and get involved. They come from all walks of life and contribute in different ways. Each one of them is special in their own way.

As a development professional, I want to celebrate every one of our donors’ contributions and make them feel special. Every supporter and every gift has a story. Once you learn it, you begin to develop a relationship with that person. And if you come with an open mind and heart, you can build relationships that last a lifetime, and create philanthropic partnerships that make a difference in the lives of many people – in our case, it’s students and their families.

Valerie Khaytina, Director of Strategic Philanthropy