Master’s Students Use Their Skills to Help United Way Fundraiser

Tenth Annual “Power of the Purse” raised more than $250,000

Graduate students in Sacred Heart University’s strategic communications and public relations (SCPR) program helped the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut throw a virtual version of its 10th annual Power of the Purse fundraising event. The event, which raised more than $250,000 included a silent auction and networking sessions.

Students in the SCPR program take an event planning course as part of their curriculum and typically plan and promote an event that takes place on campus. However, the in-person component wasn’t available this year because of COVID, said course instructor Maura Cook ’13, director of community engagement at the area United Way. With the virtual Power of the Purse fundraiser on the horizon, Cook saw an opportunity for her class.

“The students were involved in all facets of the event planning,” said Cook. In April, they divided into teams who were responsible for securing more than 200 items for the silent auction and for promoting it, as well as the rest of the event. Their tasks also included social media outreach, registration, sponsorship fulfillment, VIP events and recruiting virtual networking presenters. Auction items the students obtained included a private shopping experience at a boutique in New York City and a fall weekend getaway in Salem, MA. Five students traveled to East Hartford to work on set during the livestream of the event.

“I never realized how many people it takes and how much planning goes into an event like this,” said Taylor Bennett ’22. Bennett wrote the sponsor spotlights, sponsorship fulfillment and sponsor features for social media. Through her experience with the United Way, she networked herself into an internship.

“It was an honor to be involved in such a worthy cause and to work with such dedicated women, and to do so with my fellow classmates contributing to the event’s success,” said Charles Secrease ’21. Secrease helped recruit influencers to be part of the networking breakout sessions and was on hand to help the day of the event.

“I was really proud of this group,” said Cook. “Not only did they have an outstanding level of professionalism and work ethic, but they were willing to be flexible and work with a lot of people who all had the same goal. They did a wonderful job. I love working with Sacred Heart students.”

To learn more, visit the SCPR webpage.

Photo caption: From left are Charles Secrease, Taylor Bennett, Morgan Matthews, Summer Stahl, Nick Pandolfo and Maura Cook.