Meet CAAE's Tardy Fellow 2021-2022

Liz McKee is the Director of Volunteer Engagement at the Northern Illinois University Alumni Association. She was selected to undertake research on quantifying the impact of alumni volunteer engagement and will present her findings at the February 2022 Winter Institute.

Liz’s research will have a two-perspective approach:

1. Quantify the impact of volunteer engagement on the bottom line for internal stakeholders as the means to determine the value of a volunteer program to those making tough budget funding decisions.
2. Quantify the impact of volunteer engagement to volunteers to help volunteer retention. 

Liz assumed her current role in 2017 after working in the Student Life unit at NIU for five years. She and her team tracks, identifies, places and stewards alumni in volunteer opportunities at NIU, with nearly 1,500 volunteers placed and catalogued, annually. She also works with regional clubs and networks and affinity groups, and supports campus partners interested in engaging alumni in volunteering.

 Throughout her career, Liz has earned awards from the NIU Supportive Professional Staff Council, the Division of Student Affairs and her respective academic departments. She also published a book chapter about the impact of images in education and presented on building a volunteer program at the CASE Region V Conference in 2019.

About the Jerry F. Tardy Fellowship

Named in honor of this former Indiana University Alumni Association President and CEO, Jerry F. Tardy was a 33-year Indiana University employee who was an important figure in the growth of Indiana University and Indiana Soccer before his passing in 2001.

Applicants must have two to five years of experience in alumni relations at a CAAE member institution. Tardy Fellows will receive up to $2,500 to cover research-related expenses as well as hotel and travel costs for participation in the CAAE Winter Institute.