Announcement to our community regarding the selection of Julie Lucas for a prominent position
Julie A. Lucas, a renowned fundraising leader in higher education, has been appointed as the new Vice President for Resource Development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), starting in November.
With nearly 30 years of experience in fundraising and advancement, Lucas brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role at MIT. She has previously served at institutions such as USC, NYU, and Fordham, and most recently held the position of vice chancellor for University Development and Alumni Relations at UC Berkeley.
Fundraising Success
Lucas' track record in fundraising is impressive. At MIT, she directed the Institute’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, the MIT Campaign for a Better World, which raised $6.24 billion, surpassing its $6 billion goal in 2021. This campaign involved over 112,000 donors, including nearly 56,000 new contributors. During her tenure, MIT’s annual average fundraising rose by 96%, reaching $611 million per year.
At Fordham Law School, Lucas led a six-year campaign coinciding with the school’s centennial that raised more funds than had ever been raised in the school’s entire history. The campaign enabled the creation of new professorships, centers, and a new home for the law school, significantly changing its trajectory.
Building Relationships and Embracing Technology
Lucas emphasizes the critical importance of building strong, authentic relationships with donors, aligning their interests with university priorities, and advocating strongly for unrestricted contributions that provide flexibility to address evolving needs in research and teaching. She also integrates technology and data analysis to deepen the understanding and engagement of donors, seeing this as essential to modernizing and sustaining fundraising efforts.
Mission-Driven Team Building
Lucas' leadership style is described as mission-driven team building, inspiring collaboration and dedication among her advancement teams, and fostering a culture of inclusion and strategic impact across university advancement.
Transition and Excitement
The current MIT President, L. Rafael Reif, expressed his confidence that Lucas' strategic insight, creative energy, and passion for advancing the mission of higher education will serve MIT well. He expressed excitement about the leadership team in place and looked forward to getting to work. The staff of Resource Development and the Alumni Association, as well as the School Development Officers, have handled the challenges of the transition with unfailing professionalism, patience, and grace.
Reif also expressed personal gratitude and admiration for Kirk Kolenbrander's service to MIT. Kolenbrander demonstrated exceptional willingness, perseverance, and management skills during his tenure, delivering superb results. He served as Institute Vice President and Secretary of the MIT Corporation for a year, taking on an additional role in a field he had never worked in before.
The fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, was the second strongest year for philanthropic fundraising in MIT's history. This approach to fundraising aligns with MIT's method of building relationships with alumni and friends to create enduring communities.
[1] MIT News [2] Inside Higher Ed [3] The Boston Globe
- Julie A. Lucas' new role as Vice President for Resource Development at MIT is expected to reinforce the institution's fundraising efforts, as she demonstrated a successful track record at USC, NYU, Fordham, and UC Berkeley.
- In an interview, Lucas expressed her vision for modernizing fundraising efforts by integrating technology and data analysis, deepening the understanding and engagement of donors, and emphasizing the importance of building strong, authentic relationships with them.
- The Education and Self-Development section of various news outlets, including MIT News, Inside Higher Ed, and The Boston Globe, is likely to report on Lucas' appointment, citing her impressive fundraising success and mission-driven team building approach.
- The transition to Lucas' leadership is met with a sense of excitement and anticipation, as her passion for advancing the mission of higher education aligns with MIT's approach to building relationships with alumni and friends to create enduring communities.
