Purdue names vice president for development
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's Board of Trustees on Friday (July 9) approved the appointment Lisa D. Calvert as the new vice president for development.
Lisa D. Calvert
Calvert currently is vice president for university relations at Creighton University in Omaha.
As vice president for development, Calvert will lead Purdue's fundraising efforts. The appointment is effective Sept. 13.
"Lisa has an extensive and successful background raising funds for higher education," said Purdue President France A. Córdova. "Her experience, vision, energy and creativity position her to begin contributing immediately to our strategic goals for student, faculty and staff success."
The University Development Office plans, coordinates and implements fundraising programs among alumni, friends, corporations and foundations. Private gifts are used to fund scholarships, fellowships, professorships, research, buildings and renovations.
Calvert will lead a staff of 135 full-time employees as she oversees annual, major-gift and planned-giving programs and alumni, corporate and foundation relations. She will report to Córdova and serve as a senior member of the president's leadership team.
"I am excited to join a university that has both a rich history and a clear vision for its future," Calvert said. "I look forward to helping Purdue carry out its strategic plan, especially with its emphasis on educating students who will be prepared to solve the challenges faced here in Indiana and around the world."
Calvert has been Creighton's vice president for university relations since 2003. During that time, she led a fundraising campaign that reached its goal a year ahead of schedule. Under her leadership, Creighton received the 2007 and 2008 Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) overall fundraising performance award for superior programming over a three-year period.
Calvert has served as the national chairman of the Jesuit Advancement Administration (JAA), representing all advancement professionals at the nation's 28 Jesuit universities. Currently, she serves as chair of the JAA and CASE National Task Force for Benchmarking to create best practice advancement methodology.
She also has held fundraising positions at Wichita State University, Kansas State University and William Jewell College.
Calvert has a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and has done graduate work at Oklahoma State and Wichita State. She also has completed business leadership programs at Harvard University and the University of Chicago.
Robin Bellinger, an associate vice president for development, has served as interim vice president for development for the last year.
Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu
Sources: France A. Córdova, president@purdue.edu
Lisa D. Calvert, 402-280-1773, LisaCalvert@creighton.edu