By Lian Bunny
News Editor
Joseph Hoag, who has 25 years of fundraising experience, has taken over as St. Bonaventure’s major gifts officer, overseeing university relations and fundraising in Western Pennsylvania and the Washington, D.C. area.
“Good fundraising is relational rather than just transactional. You want to be able to develop relationships that are hopefully life-long,” Hoag, who began working in January, said.
Hoag leads a team of people committed to “advancing the Franciscan mission of the University by fostering philanthropic opportunities and building relationships with alumni, family and friends today and in the future,” according to the Bonaventure website.
As major gifts officer, Hoag will be visiting alumni in the Western Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. area. Because of growing concentration of alumni in Texas, Hoag will be traveling there as well. His job involves building relationships by meeting with alumni, often times one-on-one.
“Even though we each have our own individual roles, we understand what those are and communicate and talk to each other to make sure everything gets accomplished,” Hoag said. “You see how it all fits together.”
Hoag joins the St. Bonaventure Office of Advancement with 25 years of experience, which includes event fundraising as well as fundraising expansion and progress.
Hoag earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Gannon University, located in Erie, Pa.
After graduation, he was the Director of Campaigns for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for seven years. Hoag’s work involved event-centered fundraising. He decided he wanted to explore development and advancement.
This led him to work for the Diocese of Greensburg as Associate Director of Development for Catholic Schools for four years. He continued on to work for the Diocese of Erie as Director of Stewardship and Development for 11 years.
The last three years, Hoag has worked for Cathedral Corporation under the title of National Accounts Manager and Diocesan Solutions, but he found that he missed the philanthropic side of fundraising.
“True philanthropy, which is where many of our alumni are involved, is giving because you love something,” Hoag said. “You truly believe in the mission of that particular institution. In this case, many people have a strong belief in the mission and overall goals of St. Bonaventure University.”
As Hoag began his job search, he saw St. Bonaventure was looking for a major gifts officer. Hoag’s brother, Tim Hoag, is a St. Bonaventure ’94 graduate along with his sister-in-law, Becky Smith. Hoag said he was no stranger to the enthusiasm of St. Bonaventure graduates.
“I’ve come to find that in the short period of time I’ve been here that the passion is not just unique to my brother and sister-in-law,” Hoag said. “It is pervasive amongst St. Bonaventure alumni.”
As Hoag entered the interviewing process, he said his excitement grew. He recalled that Vice President for University Advancement Mary Driscoll, used the term “holistic fundraising.” This made Bonaventure unique to Hoag, along with St. Bonaventure’s emphasis on the Franciscan mission.
With his previous background in the Catholic Church, Hoag was impressed at the Franciscan emphasis on the heart of the individual.
“That tells you that there’s a sense of caring,” Hoag said. “There’s no accident that you look up on the hillside and you see Merton’s heart. That’s there for that reason. I don’t think there are accidents in this world.”
Working in higher education is also appealing to Hoag. Back in 1995, he imagined himself working in an institution of higher learning, and St. Bonaventure is Hoag’s first opportunity to do just that.
“It was just the right fit,” Hoag said. “It’s my experience in seeing a lot of different things that leads me to believe that there is wonderful, marvelous potential here at St. Bonaventure. I am truly excited to be part of that and excited to play a role in helping that potential to be realized.”
bunnyla13@bonaventure.edu
