John P. Donohue named vice president for college advancement
An accomplished leader with more than 30 years of experience in fundraising and advancement, John P. Donohue’s two main priorities are increasing philanthropic support and expanding TCNJ’s recognition nationally.
Following a national search, John P. Donohue was named vice president for college advancement this past fall. Donohue, whose tenure began on October 22, has oversight of TCNJ’s fundraising, alumni relations, communications, marketing, major events, and government and community relations functions. He also serves as executive director of TCNJ Foundation, the nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation that solicits, receives, and administers gifts, bequests, and trusts for the benefit of the College.
Prior to coming to TCNJ, Donohue was most recently executive vice president for development at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where he raised more than $650 million over an eight-year period. He also directed the organization’s nationwide marketing and branding efforts, which included producing UNCF’s nationally televised, award-winning variety show, An Evening of Stars. The annual production features well-known entertainers making the case for supporting UNCF; guests during Donohue’s years as producer included Smoky Robinson, Aretha Franklin, and Lionel Richie.
Donohue also had successful tenures at Dillard University, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and the United Way of Long Island. At Dillard, he grew private donations by 80 percent; at UT San Antonio, private support increased by 42 percent under his guidance.
An accomplished leader with more than 30 years of experience in fundraising and advancement, Donohue said recently that he got his start in the field somewhat by chance when a family friend asked him to work on a United Way campaign. Donohue accepted the position, figuring that if nothing else, the job would help him make contacts in the private sector. A decade later he was still at it; by then he had become the youngest campaign director of a Metro 1, which is the largest of the United Way campaigns. Donohue had come to discover that fundraising is about more than asking for money—it is about serving as a link between people with resources who want to make a difference in the lives of others, and individuals who are doing great things but need some assistance. The work allowed him to combine two passions: making a difference in others’ lives and giving back to the community.
Donohue made the jump to higher education in 1991, when his then-campaign chairman, who was also the president of SUNY–Stony Brook, recruited him to run that school’s development and alumni affairs divisions. Donohue worked in higher education for 13 years before moving to UNCF.
“John is a very talented person who is focused on making positive things happen,” says Therese Badon, Donohue’s colleague at Dillard and UNCF. At Dillard, Badon said, Donohue’s leadership helped the institution make great strides in re-engaging alumni; in turn, the school saw an almost 300 percent increase in alumni giving.
Badon, now the vice president for development at UNCF, said that while Donohue was at Dillard he never lost sight of the institution’s primary mission and was always happy to assist individual students whenever needed. “They could go to him and say, ‘This is my dilemma,’ or, ‘This is the situation I’m in,’ and he took their problem on and found help for each individual student. The students really had a lot of respect for him.”
“We are so fortunate to have recruited John to join the College…. He is a great addition to the senior leadership team.”—President R. Barbara Gitenstein
“John was often the voice of reason, bringing realism to the discourse,” added Karl Reid, EdD, UNCF’s senior vice president of academic programs and strategic initiatives. “That’s sometimes unusual for a fundraiser to do.”
Reid explained that he and Donohue partnered on several successful projects at UNCF including the creation of a social entrepreneurship program, which increased the number of students of color working in education reform, and the creation of a program that facilitates financial literacy for high school students of color. Donohue led the efforts to secure funding for the two initiatives; both programs are still going strong, Reid said, a testament to Donohue’s work.
“He’s excellent at cultivating relationships with these large foundations,” continued Reid, who described his former colleague as “outgoing” and “articulate,” but also a “good listener” who “understands the issues.” It is characteristics such as these, Reid said, that “endear John to the people with whom he connects.” Bottom line, said Reid: “John knows the industry, has the connections, and is able to leverage that” to the benefit of the organization.
Despite his successes at UNCF, Donohue says he was anxious to return to a college campus. “I wanted to be back where the action is, working with students and faculty at an institution that is progressive in its thinking.” What attracted him to TCNJ, he explained, is that while the school has “done a lot of really great things,” it is “poised for even more greatness” in his estimation.
“The enthusiasm and energy I encountered during the interview process, as I met with students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and the belief that people have in this place—that was exhilarating,” said Donohue.
One of the people Donohue met with early on, Student Government (SG) President Christina Kopka ’13, said her organization’s members were so impressed with Donohue that SG “supported his candidacy immediately.”
“Mr. Donohue has a vision for TCNJ, and his extensive experience in the advancement field is an asset to our campus,” Kopka added.
TCNJ will soon embark on a “major fundraising initiative” that will seek to increase support for student scholarships, enhance research opportunities for faculty, and improve the overall educational experience through the construction of new facilities with state-of-the-art laboratories and instrumentation, said Donohue.
Now five months into his new job, Donohue has discovered that, “Everything I thought the College was, and could be, is true. What I was showed throughout the interview process was the real TCNJ. That’s exciting for me.”
These days, you’re as likely to find him interacting with students and faculty, as you are to find him in his office. On nights and weekends, he and his wife, Jane, can often be found at Lions’ games or campus cultural events. He was the same way at Dillard, says Badon—always wanting to have firsthand knowledge of the people for whom he advocates.
Donohue was given two main priorities upon being hired, the first being to increase philanthropic support. He said the College will soon embark on a “major fundraising initiative” that will aim to increase support for student scholarships, enhance research opportunities for faculty, and improve the overall educational experience through the construction of new facilities with state-of-the-art laboratories and instrumentation.
The second priority is to expand TCNJ’s recognition nationally. “We’ll be undertaking a major communications and marketing campaign that will define and promote TCNJ’s brand nationally,” Donohue said. Such an effort will help the College continue to recruit the best and brightest students and teacher-scholars, while also increasing the value of every graduate’s degree, he explained.
As a prelude to these major initiatives, Donohue said he and his staff are already reaching out to the College’s constituents, whose support will be vital to the success of these undertakings. “We’re going to dedicate a significant amount of energy, time, and resources to [accomplishing these priorities], and we’re going to be looking to alumni and friends of the institution, as well as to major corporations and foundations who believe in the work that we’re doing, to help us,” Donohue said.
“We are so fortunate to have recruited John to join the College as vice president for college advancement,” said TCNJ President R. Barbara Gitenstein. “When I offered him the job, I knew that he had the experience that we needed for success in this important position. After five months, I know that he has the skills and the passion to get the job done. He is a great addition to the senior leadership team.”
Posted on March 7, 2013