In her press conference last week, Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F. announced her decision to step down as the President of St. Bonaventure and discussed the university’s plan to implement new fundraising efforts. Bob Van Wicklin, vice president for university advancement, described in detail what these new fundraising plans entailed.
“We are putting more of an effort to compete for government grants to bolster our academic offerings and help build up our newer efforts, such as our collaborative efforts with Hilbert on cybersecurity. We are also contacting foundations and others that we haven’t had relationships with in the past,” Van Wicklin said.
These fundraising efforts will also see the continued assistance from Sr. Margaret. “Next week, for example, Sr. Margaret and President Zane of Hilbert will be traveling together to meet with our congressional representatives to drum up support for our joint cybersecurity efforts. We will continue to look for ways to support programs at SBU that help attract prospective students looking to earn a quality education at SBU.”
Even though the university plans on making changes to how they carry out their fundraising, they still plan to stay true to their main values.
“We are still focused on the bedrock of our fundraising efforts which is reaching out to our vast and proud alumni to give to the Bonaventure Fund to help with current operations and to give major gifts that fund scholarships, capital projects and the university’s endowment,” Van Wicklin said. “We are also going to look to our trustees to help us open doors with prospective donors with their extensive contacts.”
Van Wicklin also believes that these new fundraising plans will have a positive impact on the university’s impending search for a new president.
“Times of presidential transition offer new and exciting opportunities for fundraising at institutions of higher education. Sr. Margaret cultivated many relationships with donors and potential donors around the country, so we will be taking her to meet them and ask for their support to commemorate Sister’s tremendous tenure at our university,” Van Wicklin said. “Likewise, once a new president is named, we will introduce her or him to those and other donors looking to support SBU. This is an incredible place with a very supportive group of alumni and friends who want to help. It’s our job in university advancement to facilitate those philanthropic relationships and ensure that our funding needs are met.”
With all the changes taking place at St. Bonaventure, Van Wicklin believes that the university’s fundraising staff can build on all the progress they have already made, he said.
“When I arrived here late last year I saw that we had a fantastic fundraising team in place doing a great job raising funds for SBU,” Van Wicklin said. “We need to continue those efforts, enhance them, and look for those new opportunities to fund SBU’s current and future needs.”
mackreec15@bonaventure.edu
