The University of Olivet recently announced Delstene Atkinson as the interim vice president for advancement. Atkinson will also continue to serve as the special assistant to the president and provost at The University of Olivet, and she has been a valued member of the College’s team for five years.
“I am honored to serve in this role as interim vice president for advancement,” Atkinson said. “During this period, supporting student needs is paramount to ensuring that The University of Olivet delivers its mission to provide an education that enriches lives intellectually, morally and spiritually to a diverse campus community.”
As the interim vice president for advancement, Atkinson will serve as the senior leader in the Office for Advancement. She will provide support to the development and alumni engagement teams, in addition to continuing her role on the President’s Cabinet and joining the Executive Council.
Prior to taking on the role of interim vice president for advancement, Atkinson has also served as the special assistant to the president and provost for three years. During this time, she worked on a number of unique and impactful projects, including working with the Office of the President, Office of the Provost and departments across campus to develop and implement programs to support student engagement and to secure funding to support important programs and initiatives. In addition, Atkinson spent two years as a member of the The University of Olivet advancement leadership team as the assistant vice president for development. She was responsible for planning and managing the major, planned, corporate and foundation giving efforts for the College.
Atkinson’s background includes more than 30 years of expertise in the areas of advancement and development for nonprofit organizations. Before joining The University of Olivet, she led a $5 million special gifts campaign as a foundation specialist and major gift officer at Northern Arizona Healthcare, and she managed $70 million and 16 statewide affiliate/community funds in various regions as the managing director of affiliates at the Arizona Community Foundation. Atkinson earned a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University and has completed graduate work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to Delstene as she assumes the role of interim vice president for advancement,” said President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D. “Delstene brings a long career of experience in development in higher education, healthcare, foundations and community-based organizations to the position. She has been a valuable asset to the College in her previous roles as special assistant to the president and assistant vice president for development. Under Delstene’s leadership, the Office of Advancement will continue to build relationships with alumni and friends, working together to create a stronger The University of Olivet.”
In light of the challenging environment the pandemic has presented, the College will initiate a national search for a vice president for advancement when a more conducive climate returns.
For more information, contact The University of Olivet at advancement@uolivet.edu.
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