Jeffrey L. Newton, currently dean for resource development and alumni relations at Harvard Medical School, will join MIT as vice president for resource development on March 19.
President Susan Hockfield announced Newton's appointment in an e-mail letter to the MIT community on Jan. 17.
In her letter, Hockfield noted that MIT's strength in teaching and research depends critically on private support, and she characterized Newton's appointment to the leadership role in resource development as one which "positions us to maintain the strong momentum established during the Institute's recently completed campaign and to move our fundraising efforts to even greater levels of achievement."
For his part, Newton said, "I am enormously excited to join MIT. The Institute's development staff has a well-deserved reputation for excellence, and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with them in support of programs of teaching and research that have an impact around the world."
Newton has led fundraising activities at Harvard Medical School since 2003. His accomplishments there have included reorganizing the development staff to maximize return on investment and preparing the school to participate in a projected university-wide campaign. His efforts to promote the school's strength in basic science to attract the support of non-alumni and institutions have led to record levels of support.
Newton, who holds degrees in history from Kenyon College and Brown University, began his career in resource development at The Johns Hopkins University, where he was associate director for foundation and corporate relations from 1989 to 1993. During a decade working at the University of Miami, he served as executive director of corporation and foundation relations, assistant vice president for development and alumni relations, and assistant vice president for medical development and alumni affairs at the university's school of medicine.
Throughout his career in development, Newton has "demonstrated superb abilities in crafting development strategy, appealing to principal donors, training and deploying a strong staff, and working as a member of institutional leadership teams. He brings an exceptional range of skills that will enable him to lead our outstanding development staff to even greater levels of accomplishment," Hockfield wrote.
In her letter, Hockfield thanked Stephen A. Dare for his "exemplary service" as interim vice president for resource development. "Under his leadership," she wrote, "our remarkable resource development team has continued to make important progress on new initiatives in areas including cancer, energy, and student life and learning throughout this period of transition, serving MIT with extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication."
Hockfield also thanked the advisory group of faculty and staff who provided "essential input to the search process"--Professors Sallie (Penny) Chisholm, Charles L. Cooney, Tyler E. Jacks, Marc A. Kastner and Philip S. Khoury, and staff members Monica L. Ellis and Elizabeth M. Ogar.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on January 24, 2007 (download PDF).
