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Wright Appointed Interim VP for Advancement

Fort Valley State University (FVSU) has announced the appointment of Karen Wright as the interim vice president for advancement. She will begin her appointment on September 1st.

Wright is an award-winning, energetic and transformative leader with more than 30 years of experience in fundraising, networking and client cultivation. In her prior role, she served as the vice president for institutional advancement at St. Thomas Aquinas College. There she provided counsel and operational expertise to faculty, colleagues and the board of trustees.

Her oversight included the foundation, community and governmental affairs, annual giving, alumni affairs, major gifts, capital campaigns and planned giving.

“Mrs. Wright has a proven track record of building strategic relationships, maintaining fiscal responsibility and leading high-performing teams – a perfect combination of skills needed during this transition period,” said FVSU President Paul Jones, Ph.D. “I look forward to advancing the University’s goals and priorities under Wright’s leadership.”

Prior to St. Thomas Aquinas College, Wright was the director of development at New York University’s Silver School of Social work where she helped to grow the funding profile from $1.4 Million to more than $17.7 million in sponsored research and raised $2.6 million, in one year, to support student scholarships.

Wright earned a psychology degree from Fisk University and has completed the American Express Leadership Academy Fellows and the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women incubator program. She has extensive training in leadership, management, executive sales and entrepreneurship.

As interim vice president, Wright will assume all the duties and responsibilities of the role to include oversight of the Office of University Advancement, which leads the development of resources to support student success.

“I am humbled and excited to be joining President Jones and his team in this interim role. I am inspired by the rich history, legacy and future that is Fort Valley State University,” said Wright. “I look forward to working with university leadership, faculty, key stakeholders and the advancement team to further our relationships with alumni, donors and friends.”

A national search is underway to fill the position of vice president of advancement.

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