CAAE Member Spotlight, September-October 2021

Name: Tim Pavish

Institution: Washington State University

How long have you been in your current role: I'm in my 18th year.

How did you first get into alumni relations? And, what has kept you?

I was the managing partner of a large advertising agency in Seattle back in 2003 and doing a lot of volunteer work with WSU. Dr. V. Lane Rawlins, WSU’s President at the time, called me and asked me to consider applying for the WSU Alumni Association’s executive director position. I have always had a great sense of indebtedness to my alma mater and wanted to give back even more than I was able to do as a volunteer. I got the job and haven’t looked back. The time has flown by. I believe in WSU and want to do all I can to support it. Over the past 18 years, I am especially grateful for the collaboration I have enjoyed with my CAAE colleagues.

What’s your favorite program or tradition at your school and why?

It’s a toss-up between our Leadership Conferences for our volunteers and our Class Reunions for our Diamond and Golden Grads. Both provide the opportunity to celebrate people who do so much for WSU.

Favorite part of the job (one word): Friendships.

Least favorite part of job (one word): Funding.

What advice would you give a new alumni executive:

Follow your heart. Alumni Relations will not only give you tremendous fulfillment, but also enable you to make a meaningful difference for your university.

What is your biggest challenge in your program:

Lack of adequate funding. It is always a tug-of-war between generating the necessary funding and doing the alumni engagement work WSU needs us to do in order for the university to fulfill its mission. Sometimes it feels as though we are making money at the expense of engaging alumni. 

When I’m not on the job, you’ll find me: On my tractor tending my 23 acres of the Palouse.