Kim English, a Florida native and veteran of higher education advancement, alumni relations and marketing, has been tapped as Lander University's next Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of The Lander Foundation.
The announcement came after an extensive nationwide search and consideration of candidates.
"University Advancement is a crucial component of our strategic initiatives, and our Advancement team plays a significant role in the success of our university," said Lander President Richard Cosentino. "Kim English brings considerable knowledge and experience to the role as vice president, and we are excited about the future of Lander's advancement efforts under her dynamic leadership."
English holds an M.B.A. from Northwestern University's prestigious Kellogg School of Management, as well as a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Florida. She has more than 30 years of experience in a broad range of advancement, marketing and public relations roles with professional and higher education organizations, using her skills to develop strategy, secure donor bases, and support capital campaigns to aid fundraising initiatives.
She currently serves as Executive Director of Development for the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Robert Stempel School of Public Health and Social Work, both at Florida International University (FIU), a public, top-tier research institution in Miami with a student body of nearly 54,000. In her role, English is responsible for securing principal, major and annual gifts supporting initiatives of both colleges. From 2008-2016, she served as Director of Development for the Wertheim College of Nursing, cultivating and maintaining a base of more than 150 donors. She was recognized as FIU's top fundraiser for 2015, after three consecutive years of surpassing fundraising goals. During her nine-year tenure, she secured and stewarded more than $23 million in gifts.
Her other professional roles have included serving as Manager of Fund Development, Marketing and Community Outreach for Cancer Services at North Broward Hospital District, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. There, she directed fundraising for cancer programs, and created and managed 75 community marketing and outreach programs to increase awareness and prevention of cancer risk, impacting thousands of area residents. As Executive Director of the Broward Education Foundation Inc., also in Fort Lauderdale, she initiated the BRACE scholarship gala, which raised funds for talented college-bound students and created multiple teacher mini-grants.
When English begins her duties at Lander on April 17, one of her priorities will be to engage the Greenwood-area business community to analyze their needs and discover how Lander can "create valuable internships and produce talented graduates for their workforce," she said.
Along with this endeavor, she intends to increase the number of funded and endowed scholarships by expanding The Lander Foundation's donor base, and in turn, increase the number of students who are helped each year to finish their degrees through the aid of scholarship money.
"I am looking forward to meeting the generous donors, partners and thousands of valued alumni who have supported Lander University throughout the years," English said. "These individuals, companies and foundations have invested in the future of Lander University and have helped create a beautiful campus, outstanding academic programs, increased access and student success, all of which have advanced the university to where it is today."
She added, "I also look forward to discovering the great successes and stories of our alumni - our torchbearers, who have moved the needle in their professions, risen to leadership roles in industry, and made a meaningful impact on society and throughout the world."