Dear Colleagues,
I write today to announce the launch of the search for GW’s next Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA). The next VPUA will succeed Donna Arbide, who is stepping down after a very successful seven-year tenure.
GW’s next advancement leader will join the university at a very exciting time. We are moving forward in the development of a new strategic framework that will guide GW as we enter our third century. Processes have recently commenced to study and refresh GW’s brand and to develop our next campus master plan. Together, these efforts will chart a course for our future as GW embarks on its third century.
Considering the breadth and importance of this division, I have decided to change its name from Development and Alumni Relations to the Division of University Advancement. This reflects the broader role the division plays in moving GW forward, especially in terms of securing the critical philanthropic support to achieve the aspirations of the strategic framework. University Advancement will achieve this through the functions of development and alumni relations. We will work with units across the university to implement this identity change in time for the start of the next academic year.
I have engaged Ron Schiller, Managing Director and Founding Partner of Aspen Leadership Group, to run this search. Ron is a leader of the advancement profession, and I know we will greatly benefit from his guidance. Nominations for the next VPUA can be submitted here.
To advise me on this search, I have appointed a committee co-chaired by Dayna Bowen Matthew, Dean of Law and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law, and Scott M. Mory, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff. The other members of the search advisory committee are:
- Charles Bendit (B.A. ’75), Member, GW Board of Trustees
- Colette Coleman, Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
- Max Gocala-Nguyen (M.A. ’16), President, GW Alumni Association
- John Lach, Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Science
- Michael Lipitz, Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics
- Ellen Moran, Vice President, Communications and Marketing
- Frank Sesno, Executive Director, GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future
We have an incredibly talented community of staff, faculty, alumni, parents and friends who are committed to this university’s success. The potential for GW to accelerate its advancement programs is unlimited. I look forward to welcoming University Advancement’s next leader to our community later this year.
Warm regards,
Ellen M. Granberg
President