Apollo Robbins is a master of sleight of hand. He is, after all, the guy who once lifted the badges, car keys, and travel itinerary from the Secret Service agents protecting former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 2001. The theatrical pickpocket—known as the gentleman thief because he (usually) asks people's permission before he deftly removes their valuables without detection (and then quickly returns everything he takes)—has been wowing crowds in Las Vegas for years. But his performances do more than entertain. Robbins uses diversion and trust to demonstrate flaws in people's perception and provide insights on human behavior. "When we stop questioning what we think we know, all we have left is illusions," he says. Want to see for yourself? Robbins will be a keynote speaker at the DRIVE/ conference, a gathering designed for data professionals, May 17-18, 2016, in Bellevue, Washington. Learn more about the event on page 50.

Have you ever been on a donor visit when the donor starts to discuss politics, religion, or race?

In June 2006 on my first day as a financial aid counselor at a private Midwestern university, I took a group tour to familiarize myself with the campus. One of the other participants was a young woman named Jillian, who was excited to see the recreation center. When our tour started, the guide bounded down a flight of stairs, all of us following except Jillian, who uses a wheelchair.

Imagine watching the following scene unfold on an organization's Twitter feed: Several staff members have been pulled into a meeting and fired. One of them is the brand's social media manager, and she's holding her mobile device. She begins live-tweeting—and not from her personal account: "Just overheard our marketing director (he's staying, folks) ask, ‘How do we shut down Twitter?'"

When six Macalester College alumni couldn't travel to Minnesota to visit their alma mater, they gathered at one alumnus's home in Arizona for a wine and cheese party and chatted on the phone with the college president in a virtual town hall—along with thousands of other alumni worldwide. In Wisconsin, Beloit College recently hosted its annual on-campus folk and blues festival—and nostalgic alumni watched remotely from home. From class reunions to networking, more and more universities are getting savvy at hosting virtual events. Here's how eight institutions are doing it right.

This resource collection from the CASE Library compiles information on talent management in advancement as well as best practices from the business world. Topics include diversity, recruitment, hiring, staff development, training, turnover, and retention.

The Library has developed this resource collection on engaging young alumni, particularly on giving trends and on best practices emerging from successful programs.

Since 2011, Princeton University has been fighting a lawsuit that challenges the institution's nonprofit designation and tax-exempt status. The lawsuit, filed by four Princeton, New Jersey, residents, could have widespread ramifications for nonprofits across the United States.

The CASE Library has developed this collection of articles, white papers and other resources about gift officer metrics and return on investment. 

Each week, two women in their 90s ride the bus to Ithaca College from the nearby Longview retirement community to audit a course at the New York institution. Residents of the retirement community Oak Hammock at the University of Florida take language courses—and arrive by the busload to attend football games. Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at American University in Washington, D.C., volunteer to lead study groups or contribute to the newsletter.