Tairinda Rushing
Sacramento,CA
Summary
Accomplished higher education professional with extensive experience in alumni relations, special events coordination, and fundraising. Designs high-impact events and donor campaigns that secure critical funding and foster lasting relationships. Proven track record of engaging diverse stakeholders, including alumni, corporate partners, community organizations, and academic institutions, to drive program growth and ensure long-term sustainability.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Admission Recruiter
Samuel Merritt University
06.2024 - Current
- Event Leadership: Planned and executed the Office of Admissions' largest recruitment event-the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference-tripling prospective student leads compared to previous years
- High-Impact Engagement: Independently coordinated all event logistics, including securing the University President (a notable alum) as both welcome and closing speaker
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Secured 1 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Duquesne University in 8 months as a feeder for the College of Podiatric Medicine
- Initiated three pending MOUs with the Native American Health Center, Kaiser South San Francisco, and Keck Graduate Institute for the College of Health Sciences
Substitute Teacher
Natomas Unified School District
09.2022 - 05.2024
- Delivered tailored instruction across PreK-12, ensuring alignment with core curricula while fostering a positive, achievement-focused environment
- Developed strong interpersonal connections to support student academic success and community engagement
Executive Director
Young Scholars Program
02.2020 - 03.2022
- Fundraising & Sustainability: Led fundraising efforts during the pandemic that bolstered the operational budget by $175K, ensuring program continuity for 2 years
- Oversaw and allocated funds to support 2 Full-Time Employees (FTEs) and 4 Part-Time Employees (PTEs)
- Coordinated partnerships with school districts, universities, and community organizations to maximize program impact for over 800 students
Senior Director, Alumni Scholars Program
University of California, Berkeley
02.2019 - 02.2020
- Company Overview: Cal Alumni Association
- Budget Oversight & Team Leadership: Managed an annual operating budget of $2.6 million and supervised a team of 6 FTEs
- Targeted Fundraising Campaigns: Designed and executed annual fundraising initiatives that consistently met or exceeded targets, including the Leadership Award Gala and African American Initiative Scholarship events
- Event Management: Led the planning of an alumni mixer and evening dinner celebrating 20 years of The Achievement Award Program, a scholarship for high-achieving, low-income, diverse students
- Organized the 85th Leadership Award dinner for over 300 attendees, including alumni, current students, notable politicians, and entertainers
- Developed and implemented donor stewardship strategies that increased engagement and retention, directly contributing to program funding
- Cal Alumni Association
Associate Director of Admissions, Diversity Programs
University of the Pacific
12.2016 - 12.2017
- Company Overview: Office of Admission
- Implemented targeted recruitment strategies to attract ethnically diverse, college-ready students, indirectly enhancing institutional fundraising through increased enrollment.
- Organized 20+ campus visits and two large-scale special events (Tiger Day & Admitted Student Day) that integrated donor recognition and alumni engagement, bolstering institutional support.
- Office of Admission
Program Coordinator
USF
08.2015 - 05.2017
- Company Overview: Diversity Engagement & Community Outreach Office
- Organized and promoted over 20 annual events for the Diversity Engagement and Community Outreach Office, including the Latinas in Leadership Annual Conference and the Brown Bag Series on Race for USF faculty, students, and alumni
- Leveraged targeted social media campaigns to increase event participation and donor awareness
- Diversity Engagement & Community Outreach Office
Lead Advisor, Student Union Programming (SUPERB)
The University of California, Berkeley
08.2016 - 02.2017
- Company Overview: LEAD Center
- Coordinated 10+ campus events by managing vendor contracts and logistics, resulting in cost savings and enhanced program execution.
- Supported programming that drove student engagement and created opportunities for supplemental fundraising.
- LEAD Center
Program Director
Young Scholars Program
11.2013 - 11.2015
- Developed and executed local programs and events, including college fairs and HBCU tours, contributing to student recruitment and fundraising
- Annual Black Tie Gala: Produced a yearly Black Tie Gala, generating $100K to support the program's operational budget
- Managed and trained volunteer teams to ensure efficient event operations and maximize donor engagement
Program Director
Posse Foundation, Inc.
06.2012 - 06.2013
- Supported fundraising activities that generated over $250K to fund full-tuition scholarships for three posses (each comprising 10 students)
- Played a key role in launching the Houston, TX, location, coordinating recruitment and on-campus engagement initiatives
Education
Master of Arts - Higher Education & Student Affairs
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA05.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Organizational Management
Ashford University
Clinton, IABachelor of Science - Biology, Pre-Med
Xavier University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LASkills
- Fundraising & Donor Stewardship
- Alumni Engagement & Event Coordination
- Strategic Partnerships
- Project & Budget Management
- Targeted Communications
- Community engagement
Committee Involvement And Professional Affiliations
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Oakland Graduate Chapter - Xi Gamma Omega Member & Board Member of the Twenty Pearls Foundation)
- University of the Pacific - Diversity Leadership Team (2017)
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (2005 - Present)
- Association of Title IX Administrators (2016 - Present)
Timeline
Regional Admission Recruiter
Samuel Merritt University
06.2024 - Current
Substitute Teacher
Natomas Unified School District
09.2022 - 05.2024
Executive Director
Young Scholars Program
02.2020 - 03.2022
Senior Director, Alumni Scholars Program
University of California, Berkeley
02.2019 - 02.2020
Associate Director of Admissions, Diversity Programs
University of the Pacific
12.2016 - 12.2017
Lead Advisor, Student Union Programming (SUPERB)
The University of California, Berkeley
08.2016 - 02.2017
Program Coordinator
USF
08.2015 - 05.2017
Program Director
Young Scholars Program
11.2013 - 11.2015
Program Director
Posse Foundation, Inc.
06.2012 - 06.2013
Bachelor of Science - Biology, Pre-Med
Xavier University of New Orleans
Master of Arts - Higher Education & Student Affairs
University of San Francisco
Bachelor of Arts - Organizational Management
Ashford University
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