The actual courting process varies from person to person, but Lakeman provided an outline of the typical situation, if that can be said to exist.

"Cultivation begins with the people who work here paying a call on a person, getting seen and hopefully getting a donation to the annual fund or a capital gift," he says. "Then the person may get seen by a dean. You go out and schmooze these people--invite them to events, have deans call them, give them advance word on large gifts--and eventually the relationship becomes closer and less contrived."

Lakeman emphasizes that this process "can go on for years," as it often has with the University's largest gifts.

The Approach

Certain members of the Harvard bureaucracy are renowned for being particularly good fund-raisers.

Across the board, people say Rudenstine is a "fantastic" fund-raiser. Daniel C. Tosteson '46, dean of the Medical School, is described by Gordon as "unreal."

Getz adds, "The alumni love [Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R.] Knowles, and among professors [Plummer Professor of Christian Morals Peter J.] Gomes is really good."

Harvard's best fundraisers all have their own favorite patterns and theories for approaching donors, but they all agree on one thing: the fund-raiser must be deeply committed to the cause.

"First you give money yourself and tell them you have found it worthy," Malkin says. "In order to convince them that the cause in general and in specific is worthwhile, you have to convince yourself first."

"You have to convince yourself you had a positive experience," says O'Donnell, "and hope they agree."

As Gordon sums up, "It's not hard asking for money, because I give myself."

But, beyond the necessary qualifications for someone to ask for money, the approach differs from donor to donor and fundraiser to fundraiser. The development office takes special consideration in determining who will approach the donors.

"If someone is a good prospect, after they [the UDO] investigate they form a battle plan and put it into effect," Gordon says. "But no one from the development office itself ever actually tries to get any contribution over $25,000."

"The school definitely looked for people with a common interest," Whitehead says. "It you're trying to get money from someone in Saudi Arabia, you'll try to send an alumnus from Saudi Arabia. If you're looking to someone from Kansas, you'll try to get a classmate from there."

"They try to choose someone who you like," Monrad adds. "Clearly you don't choose the person who black-balled them from a club."