Central Pa. college hires VP to lead fundraising efforts

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Chambersburg-based Wilson College has announced a new vice president for fundraising and partnerships.

Lisa Tiffin will oversee fundraising, donor relations, grants, and external partnerships for the college. According to a release, she brings more than a decade of higher education leadership experience, including work in fundraising, government relations and corporate and foundation partnerships.

“I am extremely honored to join Wilson College,” Tiffin said in a statement. “The work of small colleges like Wilson includes ensuring a lasting legacy of an educational institution where students find community and a pathway to both career and impact in their future communities. I am so excited to join such a vibrant community of learners and look forward to meeting the supporters who make the vision of Wilson a reality.”

Tiffin joins Wilson College after serving as assistant vice president of government, corporate and foundation relations at Champlain College, where she led transformational growth in external funding. In five years at Champlain, she increased institutional funding from $1 million annually to more than $34 million and helped secure the college’s largest award in public funding appropriations to date of $12 million. Per the release, Tiffin built and led a high-performing advancement unit, expanded corporate and government partnerships, and supported capital projects, endowed scholarships, and faculty programs across the institution.

Prior to Champlain, Tiffin was recruited to build the grants program at Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary, where she spent seven years leading grant development and advancement initiatives. She secured nearly 70% of submitted grants, supported a $42 million comprehensive campaign, and played a role in securing the institution’s largest gift of $7.5 million for a Community Engagement Center.

Wilson conducted a national search for this position with the assistance of Academic Search, an executive recruitment firm specializing in higher education leadership roles.

“Lisa brings the experience, vision, and collaborative leadership Wilson College needs at this pivotal moment,” said Wilson College President Wesley Fugate. “Her proven ability to build relationships, secure transformative resources, and align fundraising strategy with institutional mission will be invaluable as we advance Wilson’s priorities and ensure long-term sustainability.”