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| December 2005
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CAMPUS NEWS |
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Abbey Silberman has been promoted to senior director of development by AU Interim President Neil Kerwin, effective January 3, 2006. The director of prospect research and stewardship at AU since August 2004, Silberman was asked to oversee the Office of Development for the division's vice president, Al Checcio, who recently left AU for a position at Fordham University in New York. Silberman described her new responsibilities as focusing on three major tasks: to support Dr. Kerwin as he travels the country and reaches out to alumni and friends of the university; to oversee a formal feasibility study to assess and make any strategy adjustments regarding completion of the AnewAU campaign; and to take over the day-to-day management responsibilities for development and alumni programs. "I’ve always worked in development and I’ve always cared about the places I’ve worked," says Silberman. "Although I didn’t go to AU, it was the first college campus I ever visited. My sister Tracy is a 1983 CAS alumna." Silberman is no stranger to development management and is considered a national expert in prospect research, having written more than 50 articles and presentations in the last decade. She came to the university with more than 15 years of development experience, mostly based in Boston. For the last eight years prior to joining AU, she owned her own consulting firm and served as a senior consultant with nationally respected consulting firm Marts & Lundy. A graduate of Brown University, she attended Harvard for her master’s degree; the latter is where she began her development career as a development assistant in the research department. Silberman will lead the development office until a search for a new vice president concludes. Many consider information gathering - the crux of prospect research - a science. Yet Silberman points out that the science of fund-raising is “important but meaningless without a heartfelt commitment to develop relationships with people, trying to match their philanthropic priorities with the university's needs.” Her expertise in helping development officers bridge the gap between information gathering and building strong relationships with donors will be invaluable. "I arrived here at AU knowing the fund-raising potential was truly transformative," says Silberman. "I had the opportunity to go to programs that were more mature. But I came here because I wanted to be part of AU's continued ascent… I’m looking forward to supporting Dr. Kerwin, the deans, and my development colleagues in fulfillment of their mission of the campaign," she adds. -Melissa Reichley
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New
Development Leader Named