Carol Carter Steps Down as Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at Pitt

October 8, 2002

PITTSBURGH––University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg today announced that Carol Carter has resigned as vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement (IA) at Pitt. Albert J. Novak Jr., senior associate vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement, has been named interim IA vice chancellor, effective immediately.

In January 1997, Carter took over the reins of Institutional Advancement at Pitt, and the era of low fund-raising totals at the University officially ended. In FY 1993, for instance, Pitt had raised only $33 million, versus $89 million raised in FY 2001. Under Carter's professional leadership, Pitt surpassed the $500 million goal of its six-year "Discover a World of Possibilities" fund-raising campaign more than a year early and announced a campaign extension, increasing its goal to $1 billion. With $517 million in gifts and pledges as of June 30, 2002, Pitt's campaign is not only the most successful in the 215-year history of the University but also the largest in the history of southwestern Pennsylvania.

"When Carol Carter came to the University five years ago, she took over a fledgling fund-raising operation and transformed it into a national leader, well positioned to achieve our $500 million goal, the most ambitious in the history of our region," says Chancellor Nordenberg. "Because of her work here, Pitt will never be out of the major leagues in fund-raising again. She represented the University with distinction, built the professional groundwork for our campaign, brought focus to our major gifts program, and strengthened the professionalism and organization of the Office of Institutional Advancement."

"I've achieved what I came to Pitt to do," says Carter. "We met the initial goal of the University's capital campaign––$500 million ––13 months ahead of schedule, and there is a strong team of fund-raising professionals to assure that Pitt reaches its new $1 billion goal. These results will come through the efforts of talented people. I leave a strong IA team at Pitt, and I know the staff will help lead the University to another milestone."

When Carter was named IA vice chancellor, it was also a homecoming of sorts, as she had served as director of development for the University's School of Law from 1986 to 1989, when Chancellor Nordenberg was dean there. She had come to Pitt on both occasions from Carnegie Mellon University, where, between 1982 and 1986, she served successively as director of annual giving and director of major individual giving; she returned to Carnegie Mellon as associate vice president for development from 1989 to 1997.

Carter was named the 1998 Major Gift Fundraiser of Distinction by the Institute for Charitable Giving and the Outstanding Fundraising Executive for 2001 by the Western Pennsylvania Region of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

She earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in biology at Western Maryland College (recently renamed McDaniel College) in 1969 and the Master of Education degree in human development at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1976. Carter has worked in development throughout her career, beginning in 1974 at McDaniel College, where she now serves as a member of the board of trustees and chairs the Institutional Advancement Committee.

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10/8/02