A veteran academic fundraiser with broad experience in major gifts, planned giving and capital and endowment campaigns joins Sonoma State University in July as the new Vice President of Development.
Patricia A. McNeill has been the Senior Director of Development at San Jose State University since 2005 and served as a director of development and a planned giving officer since 2002. For the past two years, she was the chief development strategist for SJSU during which time gifts to the SJSU grew from a steady $9-$10 million annually to more than $50 million this year.
She built the program from a staff of three to twelve with every academic unit having its own development officer. McNeill also initiated and developed a plan for SJSU's first comprehensive capital campaign with a $150 million working goal.
"My goal for Sonoma State University is to build a development program that will support strong, vibrant academic programs, enhance student support and bring an even higher level of excellence to every area of the University," says McNeill.
SSU president Ruben Arminana says "Patricia McNeill is a seasoned development professional with great experience and she will hit the ground running in securing additional investments for the betterment of our students and programs."
McNeill worked at California State University, Dominguez Hills from 1999-2002 as a Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences where she launched the first College Fund for Student Excellence and one for Faculty Excellence.
From 1983 to 1995, she served in various fundraising capacities with J.C. Geever, Inc. of New York City where she helped a variety of non-profit clients build successful fundraising programs. She co-authored with Geever the first two editions of "The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing." She has also led professional seminars on the grant writing process.
"The office of development is a service arm of the University as a whole. Its sole purpose is to support the multifaceted mission of educating the next generation of leaders of this community, state and nation," she says.
McNeill has a B.A. in Art History from Mills College in Oakland, California, an M.A. in Art Education from Columbia University Teacher's College, New York and an M.A.T. in Museum Education from George Washington University, in Washington DC.
