Jennifer McDonough Named Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Jennifer A. McDonough, vice president for development and alumni relations at the University of Vermont, has been appointed vice president for development and alumni relations at the University at Buffalo.

McDonough's appointment, made by President William R. Greiner, will be effective in mid-November.

"Vice President McDonough's fundraising and management experience will be a tremendous asset to our university as we continue to progress toward our groundbreaking $250 million goal for 'The Campaign for UB: Generation to Generation'," Greiner said in a memo to the university community announcing McDonough's appointment.

"Her experience in alumni relations and the value she places on the effective role of alumni in UB's future will further strengthen our current program. All told, she has nearly 20 years of experience in the field.

"She also places a high premium on building strong partnerships within the academic community, including deans, faculty and student leaders," he continued. "Her appointment, in tandem with the successful completion of the Campaign for UB, signals a new era for university development and alumni relations for our university.

"Vice President McDonough's knowledge, management experience and expertise in developing and implementing university development and alumni relations strategies will serve our interests well in the years ahead. I am confident she will usher in a brand new chapter of achievement in this regard at UB."

As vice president for development and alumni relations at the University of Vermont (UVM), McDonough led a comprehensive development program with a professional staff of 74 and annual budget of $5 million. Under her leadership, UVM increased fundraising by 30 percent during the past fiscal year, and she played a significant role in the creation and implementation of a new strategic plan for the university.

Prior to her UVM appointment, she worked for seven years as a managing associate for Bentz Whaley Flessner, a Minneapolis-based national consulting firm, where her practice centered on institutions of higher education, both public and private. She has held positions as director of development at the Artpark/Natural Heritage Trust in Lewiston, the University of Massachusetts School of Management and St. Bonaventure University, and was director of development services and prospect research for Canisius College.

Born and raised in Buffalo, McDonough is a graduate of Bennett High School's honors program. She earned a bachelor's degree in arts education and a master's degree in arts management, both from Buffalo State College.

Before pursuing a career in philanthropy, she served as state arts education consultant for the Indiana Department of Public Instruction, an intern at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was advertising director for the old Playhouse Theater in Buffalo.