By Jeffrey A. Schoenherr

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why am I in the fund-raising field?" That question can be answered in any number of ways, mostly depending on what type of day it's been on the job. But have you ever taken a step back and really thought about why you've chosen to do this kind of work?

I find myself constantly explaining my job to friends and others who ask. It seems no one can quite grasp what it is we do—ask people for money—or how we do it. Recently, I had the opportunity to stop and think about why I am in development, and some of my thoughts surprised me.

I thought back to how I entered the field. Mine is what would be considered a fairly traditional career track. I started in university admissions, moved on to work in my alma mater's alumni association, and found my way into a position as a major-gifts officer. I certainly did not consider the development office a career option when I was first starting in admissions. However, in retrospect, I should have. Back then, I was moving through my career in a relatively uncharted way. It wasn't until I was exposed to development professionals and their work that I instantly knew fund raising was a profession that really interested me, and something I wanted to do.

Today, I see résumés for gift-officer positions from young people who actually have degrees in philanthropy. They started thinking about this occupation as undergraduates and chose to study it. Or they interned in their institution's advancement office. I don't know that I would have dreamed about a degree in fund raising while I was an undergraduate, let alone considered it as a career choice.

As an undergraduate, I even worked in the development office for a year as an annual-fund caller and never really knew what the rest of the development staff members were working on. The job just paid well, and I was good at engaging alumni on the telephone and talking to them about supporting our campus. It was a good match at the time. Still, nothing about it pointed me to a career in advancement.

Now I regularly find myself on the Web sites of several institutions that offer degrees or certificates in philanthropy and institutional advancement. The course offerings are interesting, and today's students have the ability to learn about philanthropy management in an educational setting.

I may have a new career goal ahead myself: to get an advanced degree in the field where I already have 15 years of experience. For example, I could always go back to my alma mater, the University of Michigan, which has teamed with the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education to develop a master's degree in higher education with a special concentration in institutional advancement and development. The degree is specifically designed for people interested in pursuing fund-raising careers in academe.

After I reflected on how I actually arrived in the profession, I couldn't help but think about why I continue to enjoy my work. My thoughts kept coming back to the people—both the ones I work with internally and the ones I work with externally.

What other profession would allow me to collaborate with acclaimed writers, award-winning scientists and physicians, deans, and presidents of educational institutions? Not a day goes by that I don't learn something new from these people, as well as from my colleagues in advancement. I find it extremely interesting to have a seat at the table when academics are discussing their life's work. How could that not keep those of us in fund raising focused on our own jobs? It is rewarding to know that we help them build relationships with the philanthropists who will support their work.

And what about the philanthropists? I hope everyone in fund raising has an opportunity, as I have had, to work with a diverse group of well-meaning donors. They never seem to disappoint. Even if they cannot help us with as much support as we may seek, more often than not, they do what they can.

Ours is a unique occupation. Many times we find ourselves traveling to interesting places and experiencing events that we would otherwise never see. The next time you are with donors at an exclusive event, think about the experience in which you are participating. If you're like me, you wouldn't have been invited if it were not for the role you play in fund raising at your institution.

Our work does have its challenges, especially in large, complex organizations. There are days when I could do without the tangled bureaucracy and unconstructive politics that come with a large university. However, one of my colleagues correctly points out that at least our jobs are never boring.

It is that feeling of working in a dynamic organization that draws many of us to this profession. And part of that relates to working on a university campus, something that I have come to cherish in my career. When I graduated with a bachelor's degree and said farewell to my alma mater, I never dreamed that I would be back on a campus in less than a year. But sure enough, when an admissions office offered me a job, I felt drawn back.

What better place to live and work? I like being able to hear a world leader speak at lunch or take in a musical performance on the way home from work. I like living near the campus, and taking advantage of it as a place to walk and to participate in spring fairs and sporting events. I like the diversity of the people it attracts.

As a development director, constantly hiring new staff members, I can't leave out the very respectable salaries and benefits earned by most of us who work in fund raising in higher education. That is a top consideration and certainly makes the job more attractive to some people. However, many recent human-resource studies have found that it is not the salary but the opportunity for job satisfaction that drives people to stay in their positions.

In the end, what keeps me in fund raising is the sense that I am contributing to something larger than myself. I thrive on the knowledge that I am helping donors realize their philanthropic goals. I get up in the mornings, thinking about the patients being treated at our hospital and the students going to college on scholarships, thanks to one of my donor's gifts.

I am part of a terrific team that helps ensure success at our university. And that is the primary reason why I am a fund raiser.

Jeffrey A. Schoenherr is director of the regional and international major-gifts program at the Johns Hopkins Institutions. He writes regularly for The Chronicle's Careers section about career issues in university fund raising and development.