Murray M. Blackwelder
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Murray Blackwelder serves as Senior Vice President for Advancement at Purdue University. As Senior Vice President, he directs the Development Office, University Relations, and public radio, and also serves as administrative liaison to the Purdue Alumni Association. The Advancement organization was very instrumental in the recently completed $1.7 billion Campaign for Purdue.
A high-profile member of the national fundraising community for many years, Blackwelder was formerly the vice president for external affairs at Iowa State University, where he was in charge of intercollegiate athletics, university relations, museums, public radio, conferencing, marketing, Iowa State Center, Reiman Gardens, ISU Foundation, and the ISU Alumni Association. Under his direction at ISU, the university experienced record giving years, completing a $214 million capital campaign in 1993 and a $450 million campaign in 2000.
Prior to his association with ISU, Blackwelder served as the executive secretary to the Wichita State University Endowment Association and executive director of development to Wichita State University, where he was instrumental in the successful completion of the University's first capital campaign for $100 million. The WSU campaign was one of the largest fundraising efforts among colleges and universities in the country at that time.
Blackwelder began his fundraising career as director of university relations at Baker University, where he led a successful million-dollar campaign in support of renovation and endowment activities. In 1981, he became the director of development for Rockhurst College and was responsible for the offices of development, public information, and alumni relations.
In addition to his experience with multi-million-dollar campaigns in support of educational institutions, Blackwelder has served as fundraising counsel for institutions such as the Iowa Special Olympics, Kansas City Museum, Kansas City, Missouri; Hertzler Research Foundation, Halstead, Kansas; Butler County Community College, El Dorado, Kansas; High Plains Public Radio, Garden City, Kansas; Kansas Special Olympics, Mission, Kansas; Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, Cody, Wyoming; and Colorado State University and Montana State University.
Blackwelder has been an active member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), holding positions with CASE, including conference chair (1989), vice-chair of District VI (1989), and District VI chair (1990). He served as one of their national trustees, as well.
In Lafayette, Indiana, Blackwelder serves on the boards for Camp Tecumseh, Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, and the Chamber of Commerce. He holds a master's in public administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a bachelor of science in business administration from Baker University.
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