Connecticut College names new vice president to lead fundraising, alumni relations efforts

Ann Goodwin, a higher education fundraising leader who began her career as an attorney, has been named vice president for College Advancement at Connecticut College. The appointment is effective July 1.

As vice president, Goodwin will lead Connecticut College’s multi-faceted fundraising and alumni relations efforts that provide resources to help strengthen the education, improve the student experience, enhance the beauty and functionality of the historic campus, and foster connections with and among alumni and parents.

Goodwin is currently associate vice president for development at Wesleyan University, where she has held successive leadership positions for nearly 20 years. She oversees all fundraising areas, including major gifts, planned giving, foundation and corporate relations, parent fundraising, stewardship and the annual fund. She helped lead two major fundraising campaigns at Wesleyan, the first of which exceeded its $250 million goal by more than $30 million.

“We are truly fortunate to have recruited someone with Ann Goodwin’s range of experience,” Connecticut College President Katherine Bergeron said. “With her strong track record of success in every aspect of college advancement, combined with her enthusiasm for the mission and values of Connecticut College and for the unique educational opportunities we offer, she will be an ideal partner in our efforts to move Connecticut College forward.”

Connecticut College completed its most recent campaign June 30, 2013, at $211 million, $11 million over its original goal of $200 million. The largest and most successful fundraising campaign in the college’s history, the campaign provided support for academic excellence with four major initiatives: internationalization, science education, financial aid and residential education.

Goodwin earned a bachelor of arts in English from Wesleyan University, where she was a competitive swimmer. She earned a doctor of jurisprudence at Boston University School of Law. After working as an attorney and counsel for New England Mutual Life Insurance in Boston, and, later, as associate counsel and vice president at Hyperion Credit Services Corporation, she returned to Wesleyan in 1995 to join its development division.

Goodwin is a resident of Essex, Conn. She and her husband have two grown daughters. 



April 24, 2014