People give for many reasons. Some want to leave a legacy or honor the life of a loved one. Others wish to help make change here and now. Some see an obvious overlap between tax implications and their philanthropic goals.
Whatever the reason, Kimberly Bishop’s job was to listen. In her seven years as the Assistant Dean for Advancement in the College of ACES—coming on the heels of a dozen years as a major gift officer with the college—Bishop helped donors discover the kind of impact they wished to make. She is retiring effective December 1 after 34 years of dedicated service to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“You have to be curious; you have to be a good listener,” said Bishop. “You have to have that ability to draw out from the individual, company, or foundation representative the questions that they would like answered.”
In this sense, Bishop approached her career as a storyteller. The field of advancement involves some technical elements, of course—names, funding vehicles, placement on a donor continuum—but it also requires helping people tell their story, which is as much art as science. Helping someone tell their story requires a genuine connection. It requires empathy and vulnerability—giving yourself.
“I try to find common ground as quickly as I can while remaining genuine,” said Bishop. “Maybe that’s my superpower, in a way—I always try to understand that trust is such an amazing gift. I gravitate to fundraising for causes that I truly believe in and that resonate with my core.”
Bishop was raised in Livingston County, Illinois, where her parents owned a livestock and grain farm. Her family traveled to cattle shows. They showed at local fairs, the Illinois State Fair, and national shows like the American Royal in Kansas City. “We traveled as a family, and I think the theme was: we have something special here that maybe not everyone else has,” Bishop said. “It was really ingrained in us early to see that we had a special connection, a special opportunity, and then to try and give back that way.”
Bishop brought this quality to her interactions with donors and alums, building friendships out of genuine common cause. She emphasized that she should have skin in the game; she should be the one who gives first before asking others to do the same. “Whatever organization or cause I’m representing, if you ask me, ‘Well, do you give to that?' I need to be able to tell you, ‘Well, yes, I do. I do,’” Bishop said.
“[Bishop’s] remarkable talent for truly understanding people and fostering meaningful relationships has made a lasting impact on countless alumni, donors, and friends of ACES,” said Germán Bollero, dean of ACES, in an email statement to the college.
And now, after a career dedicated to giving, what’s next?
Bishop recalled that her mentor, Lynette Marshall, used to say that she did not ask for money. Rather, she looked around for opportunities to match people and projects, to find the intersection of inclination and passion and be the matchmaker. In her retirement, Bishop plans to connect with her family. She looks to spend more time with her children and husband. She will finally accept those offers from her sister—an international flight attendant—to travel abroad. And she will again put energy into volunteering, into opportunities to give back.
“One thing that makes ACES so special is that it is one college with many roots. It comprises agriculture, nutrition, technology and, with the FRC, family and community health,” said Bishop. Consider joining FRC today: donate your time and expertise or financially support FRC initiatives.