Dr. Doofenshmirtz

Sitting in my living room tonight watching Phineas and Ferb - http://tv.disney.go.com/disneychannel/phineasandferb/ with my 6 year old son (not sure which of us came up with the idea first as I love that show) and it occurred to me that we all need a bit more Dr. Doofenshmirtz in the stories that we tell about our institutions. Technically Dr. Doofenshmirtz is the antagonist of the show - running a company named Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated (with a very catchy jingle) but what he adds to the story is what makes the show unique. Without his line of plot manipulations (he is evil and trying to take over the world - albeit with a fog machine in the current episode) this cartoon would be essentially the same as every other cartoon on the air for elementary aged children. Granted the show has really good writing (don't take my word for it - Disney channel at 7 est every night) and incorporates much adult humor and double meanings to punch lines but it is the addition of the completely out of the box character of Dr. Doofenshmirtz that makes it pop.

What is your Dr. Doofenshmirtz? Who on your campus can you use to help demonstrate what makes your institution unique? Keep in mind that the average college graduate has at least 3 different institutions seeking their support not to mention the countless other not-for-profits seeking their investment. Find something and someone that helps to tell your story and play that out throughout the year. This can (and needs to be) woven through the general themes of support and case for support but by carrying a character through the institutional story, you help to bring the institution to life and produce more of the feeling of the "face to face" than you otherwise get from letter text.

Let me know if you have a great Dr. Doofenshmirtz that I can feature next week or are stuck for a character and we can talk through who you could use to help provide a road map for others - hope to hear from you!