Development vice president Wood to return to frontline fundraising

By the Office of Communications on Nov. 24, 2015, 11 a.m.

Elizabeth Boluch Wood, Princeton University's vice president for development since 2010, has asked to return to a frontline fundraising position for Princeton as assistant to the president for capital gifts. A search to identify her successor as vice president will be launched shortly and she will remain in her current role until her successor is in place.

"Liz Wood has done an exceptional job as our vice president for development, both in bringing the largest fundraising campaign in our history, the Aspire campaign, to a very successful conclusion, and in continuing to lead our development program," said President Christopher L. Eisgruber. "She is widely respected both on campus and among our donors, and she is unsurpassed as a frontline fundraiser. I am very supportive of her desire to return to a frontline position, and I am pleased that she will continue to be raising funds for Princeton. I look forward to many continuing opportunities to work together." 

Wood came to Princeton as associate director and then senior associate director of leadership gifts in 1995, and after working elsewhere between 2001 and 2005, returned to Princeton as director of the office of principal gifts, assistant vice president for capital giving and vice president for development. 

During her years as vice president, development has raised a total of $1.7 billion in capital gifts and Annual Giving. This year Annual Giving raised its largest total ever ($61.5 million), with contributions from 60.3 percent of all undergraduate alumni. The two largest fundraising years in Princeton's history — $341 million in 2012 and $550 million in 2015 — occurred under Wood's leadership. 

In addition to Princeton, Wood has raised funds for the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Harvard and Brown universities and Simmons and Amherst colleges. She also has been a development consultant and chairs the steering committee at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for the 50 top fundraising organizations in higher education.

"I have been honored to serve as Princeton vice president for development, but I find that I derive my greatest satisfaction from being directly involved in working with donors and securing gifts that allow the University to achieve its highest priorities and carry out its mission," Wood said. "I am grateful to President Eisgruber for allowing me to return to a frontline position, and I look forward to continuing to work with him, my colleagues and my successor."      

 

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