Vice President for University Advancement J.V. Johnston recently received the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) accreditation.
Johnston is the only member of staff with the credential. He said that he hopes his certification helps Newman obtain a greater amount of donations from its future fundraising efforts.
“I learned a great deal during my preparation for the CFRE exam,” said Johnston. “There is a lot of information to process and retain. It serves as a reassurance to donors and benefactors of the community that we’re knowledgeable when it comes to fundraising. It gives us greater credibility.”
The CFRE credential is the world’s only accreditation for fundraising professionals. The process for becoming certified is rigorous, and few have received the credential since its creation in 1997.
“The last time anyone in Wichita received this certification was about three years ago, which shows how rare the CFRE is. It’s a valuable investment that can really make a difference.”
Johnston spoke about his motivation for earning his CFRE certification and the steps that were involved.
“I began the process of preparing for my exam during December 2018, and I spent time every day looking over the material I needed to know. The test itself was rigorous. It was also a new experience for me because I had never taken an exam at a testing center, and the honesty measures were impressive. The experience helped me realize the significance of the CFRE.”
Johnston said he is optimistic that this credential will aid University Advancement in raising funds for student scholarship and projects to improve the campus for everyone.
