Shelley Semmler Named V.P. for Advancement

Shelley Semmler took over on February 8 as the College’s vice president for institutional advancement. Semmler has 20 years of experience in fund-raising, alumni relations, and public relations in higher education, most recently as the College’s associate vice president for college relations and resource development.

Semmler was appointed by President Peggy R. Williams following an extensive search. "Shelley’s candidacy had very strong support across the College community and among all the members of the search committee," said Williams. "I believe that she has the talent, vision, and energy to help us move our development and college relations operation forward in the years to come. I look forward to working with her to formulate and implement a development plan for the College."

Arthur Ostrander, dean of the School of Music and chair of the search committee, said Semmler is a perfect fit for the job. "Shelley brings a wealth of experience in development to this important position, and her work as manager of the James J. Whalen Center for Music campaign was outstanding."

As vice president for institutional advancement, Semmler will provide leadership and management for fund-raising programs — annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and academic funding — as well as the alumni relations, college relations, public information, and operations and support services offices. She will work closely with the president and with the board of trustees to help develop College direction and policy. She succeeds Bonnie Gordon, who left the College to pursue other professional opportunities.

Semmler managed the recently completed capital campaign, which raised over $11.5 million for the expansion and renovation of the School of Music building. Prior to joining Ithaca College in 1996, she was a senior associate with the consulting firm Carol O’Brien Associates, where she provided fund-raising and alumni relations counsel and evaluated development operations for universities and nonprofit organizations throughout the country. From 1978 to 1994 she had served in a number of development positions at Cornell University, including director of special projects in Asia, director of leadership gifts, campaign manager and director of development for the School of Hotel Administration, and business manager for the Office of University Development.

Semmler holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Queens College and a master’s in curriculum from the State University of New York College at Cortland, and has done graduate work at Cornell. She has taken part in a number of programs sponsored by the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. A Freeville resident, she has served locally on the board of the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County and as an associate board member of Challenge Industries; she was also a member of the steering committee for the 1990–91 New York State Special Olympics.