Experience of a Prospect Researcher Intern by Alice Wen

Experience of a prospect researcher intern:

Reflections on how my research transformed me

Introduction

I am a recent graduate from the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program at the University of Western Ontario. During my studies, I had the opportunity to complete a rewarding 4-month Co-op placement as a prospect researcher at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. 

 When I first began my studies at the library school, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do upon graduation. I truly appreciated the Co-op employment opportunity at Ivey, which not only helped me figure out my career path in the future, but also instilled a sense of pride in me. Moreover, through this experience, I began to realize how important it was for me to give back to society and to use my knowledge and skills to serve others.

Personal context

Before applying for the Co-op position at the Ivey Business School, I took the Information Sources for Business and Industry course. Through this course, not only did I understand key concepts frequently used in business research, I also developed familiarity with essential business databases, such as ProQuest, Lexis-Nexis, Factiva, MarketLine, Capital IQ. In addition, through an introductory lecture by our guest speaker, Ms. Tracey Church from CNIB, I had a chance to learn about what prospect research is and what prospect researchers do.

Therefore, as soon as I saw the posting of Co-op position at Ivey, I decided to apply for it at once. I still remember how excited I was when I was invited for an interview. On the day of my interview, I barely had time to get anxious since my interview was almost right after my morning class. One of my interviewers, Ms. Erin Bartok, who later became my supervisor at Ivey, was very friendly but professional. Overall, the interview was 30 minutes long. I left with a great feeling, both about my performance and about the position at Ivey. In the final phase of the selection procedure, I ranked Ivey as my first choice. 

Co-op Experience at Ivey

I got the notification of Co-op placement at Ivey before the summer break. I started working in early September. During the first two weeks, my supervisor, Ms. Erin Bartok arranged for me to talk with my co-workers as well as other relevant personnel. Through conversations with development officers, not only did I have a better idea of how the whole prospect management system works, I also got a chance to understand the essential role of prospect research in relation to the entire system. In addition, I spent the first week acquainting myself with the current campaign, student scholarships, teaching and research programs at Ivey. I read through introductory materials, and assisted in updating database records. Having accurate and timely background information about the non-profit organization is essential for a prospect researcher. Thus, when I started my research, I could accurately match prospect interests with Ivey's campaign priorities.

My typical day at work began at 8:30 in the morning with taking newspapers from the computer room and scanning business news to identify significant reports about Ivey alumni and their corporations. In addition to media scanning, my work primarily involved preparing research profiles and updating database records. I began to undertake prospect research in the second week of my work term. At the beginning, I was responsible for prospect research Level 2. Most corporate research was undertaken on this level. For personal profiles, research Level 3 might also be required. I began to prepare Level 3 personal profiles in October. At the same time, I assisted in preparing briefing notes for Deans' meetings. By the end of my work term, I finished 44 research profiles plus 13 briefing notes. Moreover, I participated in two projects regarding potential prospect identification.

Admittedly, sometimes it was stressful to work in a deadline-driven environment like the Department of Advancement at Ivey, which requires the ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent tasks. However, the fast-paced environment kept my adrenaline going and I knew that I would never get bored in such a dynamic work environment. I was curious, enthusiastic, and willing to accept new challenges and master new skills. During my work term, development officers were extremely busy in order to reach the goal of the Campaign for Leadership. A number of alumni meetings were booked and conducted abroad, including places such as Hong Kong and London, UK. Since I was familiar with business information sources for North America, I found it challenging to undertake prospect research in the international context. At the beginning, I tried to search all the business databases that provided strong international coverage. However, I couldn't find much information about our potential donors who either worked for private companies or established their own businesses overseas. With little progress, I reported the problem to my supervisor for advice. She introduced several essential sources for international prospect research, which I further explored myself. For example, I searched stock charts from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. I used Mintel Global and Factiva to explore international news. I checked the Asia Tatler and Philanthropy UK. Relying on my bilingual advantage, I also searched for information in Chinese. Beyond the sources my supervisor gave me, I tried to identify other useful online information sources. More importantly, I frequently discussed my findings with my supervisor who had a lot of experience in evaluating online information. After becoming fully acquainted with information sources for international prospect research, I successfully discovered a connection to an Asian billionaire.

My transformative journey through research

I felt lucky to work in the Department of Advancement at Ivey. Besides my daily work, I participated in a series of Ivey events, such as the launch of the "Campaign for Leadership", 2010 Homecoming Events, and the Global Ivey Day---the global webcast "Leadership on Trial". When attending these events, I was deeply moved by the strong sense of pride for being a member of Ivey community. The School, including our Department, was filled with passionate people proud of the work they did. Their sense of pride motivated them to go the extra mile to do their best, including me. Initially, as a Co-op student, I was expected to undertake research in Level 1 and Level 2. Later, however, when the work load became extremely heavy for our research team, I took the initiative to learn how to undertake research in Level 3 and how to prepare briefing notes. The experience was rewarding since I developed my research skills meanwhile obtaining a greater sense of self-worth and accomplishment than ever before.

The research experience also ignited my passion for serving others. When I prepared research profiles, I was also reading personal stories of others. I found that great philanthropists had faith that their contributions could make a difference, ranging from cultivating the next generation of business leaders to creating a better future for all humankind. Serving for others and giving back to society were considered core values for these people. Gradually, I began to look beyond myself to truly understand the importance of service to others.

The desire to serve people became stronger as my involvement with non-profit organizations continued to grow. After finishing my Co-op placement, I was involved in a group project for the Canadian Diabetes Association. I prepared three types of research profiles (foundation, individual and corporation) and undertook a SWOT analysis for the Association. Upon finishing this project, I gained a better understanding of non-profit, charitable organizations. I later applied to become a volunteer for the Canadian Diabetes Association, and also volunteered in my local community. My long-term objective was to work in operations of a non-profit organization. I would like to use my research skills to assist non-profits to realize their underlying causes. More importantly, in this way, I can combine my personal passion with my career.

Acknowledgement

After graduation, I moved back to Ottawa. Ms. Sarah McCarthy, the Associate Director of Research at Ivey, then introduced me to Ms. Shelly Steenhorst-Baker at the Carleton University. I am so grateful for the time Ms. Shelly Steenhorst-Baker spent talking and sharing her experiences with me. During the meeting, I was invited to write a Scoop article to reflect on my Co-op experience. Lastly, a special thank you goes to my supervisor, Ms. Erin Bartok and Ms. Sarah McCarthy. I also want to extend my sincere thanks to many development officers, including Ms. Dana James and Ms. Cathy Vitkauskas.

Endnotes

Within the Department of Advancement, prospect research profiles are categorized into three different levels: Level 1 research is basically the profile printout from the in-house database, Millennium. Level 2 research contains all the information required for Level 1 plus detailed biographical information, philanthropic involvement, recruiting statistics, and corporate profile. For personal profiles, Level 3 research contains all of the above information (Level 1 and Level 2) plus research on foundation, compensation information and real estate valuation.

With regards to Co-op placement, although I have gained practical experience, I am still eager to learn more about prospect research. Therefore, I took the Prospect Research in Fundraising course in my last term. The group project was part of the course.

About the Author

Alice (Xue) Wen is a recent graduate from the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program at the University of Western Ontario. During her studies, she completed a 4-month Co-op placement at the Richard Ivey School of Business. Working as a prospect researcher at the Department of Advancement at Ivey, her primary responsibility was to conduct biographical and financial research, and to prepare comprehensive research profiles on prospects utilizing in-house database and other information sources. Before pursuing her MLIS degree, she has undertaken higher education studies for about three years. Her research interests focus on gender studies, higher education policy, and the sociology of science and organizations.