Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the nation’s oldest technological university. Its mission “to apply science to the common purposes of life,” has never been more opportune. Rensselaer alumni have originated technologies and products and generated results that have changed the world – from railroad systems, manufacturing, and newly emerging scientific and engineering disciplines in the nineteenth century to space exploration, email and electronics devised in the twentieth. Today, Rensselaer ranks among the nation’s top 50 research universities and is known for educating students to be leaders who will address critical societal and global problems from a technological perspective.
The 2010 U.S. News & World Report guide to “America’s Best Graduate Schools” singled out Rensselaer’s School of Engineering, ranking it in the Top 50 nationwide; the master of fine arts in electronic arts ranks 6th in the nation in multimedia/visual communications; and the Lally School of Management & Technology’s MBA program ranks 27th in entrepreneurship in the nation. The Institute is especially well-known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.
The Advancement team is excitedly working toward the goals outlined in the Rensselaer Plan 2024, an ambitious strategic plan aimed at transforming the Institute though major investments in its people, programs, platforms, and partnerships. RPI was recently named as a 2015 winner for overall fundraising performance and overall fundraising improvement, for fiscal years 2012 – 2014, among private research/doctoral institutions with endowments under $1 billion, by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). To learn more, click here.
The Opportunity
The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for providing strategic oversight of Rensselaer’s annual giving program and will be charged with increasing all aspects – including unrestricted support, alumni participation, and the number of volunteers actively engaged with the Rensselaer Annual Fund. The incumbent will also maintain an individual donor prospect pool, soliciting gifts of five and six figures. A Bachelor’s degree and seven years of experience in annual giving, along with demonstrated supervisory skills, are required. A Master’s degree is preferred.