Dear Members of the University Community:
I am pleased to share an important staffing announcement. Amanda Klaus ’09 has accepted my offer to serve as the permanent Vice President for University Advancement, effective immediately.
Amanda is well-positioned for this vital role, which includes leading our fundraising efforts around our new strategic plan, and enhancing alumni, donor, government, community, and foundation relations. Amanda will serve as a key member of the President’s Cabinet and as a chief liaison to multiple subcommittees of our Board of Trustees. In addition to raising philanthropic support for the university’s most critical fundraising priorities, Amanda is charged with reimagining a more modern career development center, aimed at guiding students towards successful careers and post-graduate work aspirations by, in part, mobilizing our vast alumni network in support of students.
For the past year, Amanda has served as Interim Vice President for University Advancement. During that time – and despite the complications presented by COVID-19 – she has raised significant support from both private and public sources and has improved alumni giving in the process.
Prior to her interim appointment, Amanda served as the Executive Director for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, where she set goals, strategies, and objectives for engaging our 58,000 alumni network through print and digital communications, events, volunteer opportunities, and personal solicitations, while modernizing the University’s annual giving program. Her key contributions included the launch of the Hawk Network, the Crowdfunding platform, the Senior Class Giving Campaign; management of the Alumni Association Board of Directors; and development of seven-figure gift commitments. Previously, Amanda served as the major gift officer for the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, securing over $1MM in gifts and pledges, aiding in the development of the Deans’ Advisory Councils, and helping to identify members of the Board of Trustees.
Amanda’s passion for and dedication to Monmouth extends beyond her work in University Advancement. She has previously served as co-advisor to the Student Government Association, advisor for the Global Experience Program Trip to Haiti, lead administrator for the President’s Relief Fund, member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and former volunteer on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. As a result, she was named the most recent recipient of the Stafford Presidential Award of Excellence.
Prior to Monmouth, Amanda worked in development at two leading healthcare and medical research organizations: Hospital for Special Surgery and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Please join me in congratulating Amanda as she takes on this new, important role at the university.
Sincerely,
Pat
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President