Executive Brief

Regional Director of Development, Southwest
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the nation’s first and one of the world’s most renowned technological research universities where students, faculty, and alumni have been defining scientific and technological advances for nearly 200 years. RPI boasts a legacy of changemakers confronting the most pressing problems facing humanity and the planet. Established in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton, RPI is a private research university located in Troy, New York. Built on a hillside, RPI’s 276-acre campus overlooks the city of Troy, the Hudson River, and the Capital Region. Students at RPI can choose from more than 140 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across five schools as well as programs and certificates for working professionals. Beyond the classroom, RPI develops technological leaders who are global citizens prepared to change the world with more than 200 student-led clubs, 50+ club sports, NCAA athletic teams including Division I men’s and women’s hockey and 21 teams that compete in Division III. With more than 110,000 living alumni, some of RPI’s most notable alumni were behind innovations that have improved everyday lives—from the Transcontinental Railroad and the Brooklyn Bridge to baking powder and the digital camera.

RPI – Leadership Spotlight

Martin A. Schmidt, B.S. '81, Ph.D.
President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Martin A. Schmidt became the 19th President of Rensselaer on July 1, 2022. Formerly, the provost of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Schmidt was MIT’s senior academic and budget officer, with overall responsibility for the Institute’s educational programs, as well as for the recruitment, promotion, and tenuring of faculty. As provost, he worked closely with MIT’s deans to establish academic priorities, and with other members of the Institute’s senior team to manage financial planning and research support. Read Schmidt's full biography here.

Institutional Advancement at RPI

In the spring of 2023, RPI began rebuilding the Institutional Advancement division as part of the “Invest to Grow” initiative. The division had been significantly reduced in previous years in terms of staff, programs, and infrastructure due to budget cuts related to the crossover and the pandemic. The main goal behind the new investments in advancement was both immediate fundraising benefits and increased alumni engagement in the near and long term. Over the past three years, investments have focused on expanding the IA team (from 32 to 84 members), adopting new technologies, improving and broadening programs, and applying industry best practices. When RPI Forward was publicly launched in July 2025, it emphasized three key areas for the five-year plan, including “enhance alumni engagement and philanthropy.” 

As noted in the strategic plan, “We will create a robust alumni community that we can leverage to build a stronger student and lifelong experience. When we think about community, we must connect with and inspire our alumni. They are foundational community members: students, faculty, and staff alike have learned so much from our alumni's accomplishments, experiences, perspectives, and advice. We will work to engender mutual pride and connection as part of our shared future success. To generate the resources necessary for our next decade of growth, we must also strengthen our bonds with foundations, corporations, and other sources of charitable giving.”

The successful growth of alumni engagement and philanthropy will strengthen RPI today and for decades to come.

In 2023, RPI decided to move forward with the second phase of its ongoing campaign. In October 2025, RPI officially launched RPI Forward – A Campaign for Our Third Century, with a goal to raise $1.5 billion. This comprehensive effort aligns with RPI Forward's academic priorities and will provide vital philanthropic support in the upcoming years. Beyond immediate fundraising and alumni engagement results, RPI has involved a diverse group of campus leaders in advancement efforts, which will benefit the institution for decades by increasing campus involvement and alumni participation. RPI has created innovative stewardship programs to thank donors and encourage giving and introduced new technologies to enhance all advancement activities.

Since reinvesting in advancement, RPI has seen significant positive results across nearly all key metrics, which are highlighted below for the FY23 to FY26 timeframe:

  • Fundraising commitments have increased by 88% (FY23 = $50.7M to FY26 = $95.1M)
  • Fundraising cash has increased by 89% (FY23 = $54.0M to FY26 = $101.9M)
  • Alumni engagement has increased by 39% (FY23 = 17,348 to FY26 = 24,106)

The mission of Institute Advancement at RPI is to engage and inspire our community through partnerships and philanthropy to enhance RPI’s impact on society. The culture of Institute Advancement is guided by our shared values of trust, respect, humor, high-achieving and appreciation. Our vision is to be recognized as a global leader in engagement and philanthropy, positioning RPI as a world-class institution that empowers brilliant minds to address society’s most pressing challenges.

Advancement Leadership Spotlights

Matthew J. Ter Molen
Vice President, Institute Advancement

The vice president for institute advancement is responsible for oversight of the division of advancement, including strategy, services, and infrastructure; alumni relations, engagement and communications; and development, focusing on, individual, corporate, foundation, and international advancement initiatives through philanthropic support of the Institute.

Matthew J. Ter Molen has more than 30 years of expertise in development and fundraising. Most recently, he was the Chief Advancement Officer and Senior Vice President at Syracuse University, where he served for more than eight years. In this role, he oversaw all alumni relations and development activities, including the planning, launch, and execution of the $1.5 billion University-wide campaign "Forever Orange," which raised more in private philanthropy than at any other time in Syracuse University history. Prior to Syracuse, Ter Molen held a range of positions at Northwestern University, the most recent being the Associate Vice President and Campaign Manager. Ter Molen's career began at the University at Chicago in their annual giving office. 

Ter Molen holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Miami University in Ohio, and served in the Peace Corps in Honduras for two years prior to the start of his career in fundraising. 

Joel B. Kincart
Sr. Associate Vice President for Development & Campaign Director
Institute Advancement

Joel Kincart is the Sr. Associate Vice President of Institute Advancement at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Joel joined Institute Advancement in June 2020 as the Associate Vice President of Development and Fundraising.  He is responsible for all fundraising as well as serving as Campaign Co-Chair.

Prior to RPI, Joel served as the President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation since March of 2015.  During his tenure, the Foundation has set two-, three- and five-year fundraising performance records while also increasing the number of donors, donor retention, and average gift size.

Joel has 25 years of experience in development work that also included roles at the Utah Valley University, the American Cancer Society, the University of Utah, Utah State University George Washington University, and Georgetown University.  Joel has a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree from Iowa State University. 

Patrick Campolieta
Assistant Vice President Regional Development

Pat Campolieta serves as Assistant Vice President for Regional Development at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where he leads the university's Regional Development team in fostering philanthropic partnerships with alumni, parents, and friends throughout the United States and internationally. Since joining RPI in 2015, he has held progressively senior leadership roles in major and principal gift fundraising.

In his current role, Campolieta oversees RPI's regional fundraising strategy and a team of Regional Directors focused on cultivating relationships and advancing major gift opportunities across domestic and international regions. He works closely with university leadership to identify and engage key philanthropic partners and advance major and principal gift opportunities that support RPI's strategic priorities.

During his tenure at RPI, Campolieta has served as Institute Advancement's liaison to the Department of Athletics and the School of Science, managed the New York City Executive Council, and led fundraising initiatives throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.

With more than 15 years of experience in higher education advancement, Campolieta joined RPI from Colgate University, where he served as Assistant Athletic Director for Advancement and directed fundraising efforts for the university's 25 Division I athletic programs.

Campolieta earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colgate University, a Master of Science in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the University at Albany, and a Master of Science in Sports Management from Brooklyn College.

The Opportunity: Regional Director of Development, Southwest

RPI – Regional Director of Development, Southwest – Job Description (PDF Download)

Job Summary

The Regional Director of Development for the Southwest Region of the United States will be responsible for developing a regular cadence of strategic opportunities focused on engaging existing and prospective major donors with the end goal of qualifying, soliciting, and closing major gifts. This role will serve as the primary strategist and staff person for the Texas Triangle Executive Council. The Regional Director of Development must collaborate with and convene other Development & Alumni Engagement stakeholders in the region to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful approach to all activities meant to engage RPI’s leading prospects and donors. These stakeholders include but are not limited to Principal Giving, Major Giving, Alumni Relations, and School-/College-affiliated colleagues. Additionally, the Regional Director of Development carries a portfolio of approximately 75 major gift prospects who have the capacity to make gifts in the range of $100,000 - $2.49 million This position will oversee various special projects in the region as assigned by their AVP.

  • Raise new commitments from prospects capable of gifts of $100,000 to $2.49 million, as identified in goals and objectives. (25%)
     
  • Prepare and submit proposals as specified in goals and objectives. (10%)
     
  • Conduct pre-planned face-to-face prospecting and cultivation visits as specified in goals and objectives. (20%)
     
  • Conduct major moves as specified in goals and objectives. (10%)
     
  • Manage and increase membership in the Regional Leadership Council and other effective, high-level volunteer structures designed to provide counsel, to identify prospects, and to assist with specific solicitations and other programmatic initiatives as necessary. (10%) 
     
  • Work in collaboration with specific campus leadership as determined by the VP of Institute Advancement and with colleagues in Institute Advancement portfolio. (5%)
     
  • Maintain up to date prospect information in Advance by utilizing and maintaining prospect tracking system. (5%)
     
  • Coordinate and orchestrate prospect strategies with the appropriate campus partners and work in tandem to assure the highest and best use of time, budget, and personnel. (5%)
     
  • Establish long-range goals and objectives, in partnership with the director, for development programs and activities in gift planning reflect University priorities. Prepare regional operating plan and prospect pipeline designed to facilitate achievement of these goals and objectives as a component of the University-wide major gifts plan. (5%)
     
  • Participate and present in prospect strategy sessions. (5%)

Annual Targets

Goal

Targets are represented below based on position expectations. Managers will work with Major Gift Officers to set an annual goal based on portfolio and anticipated solicitations.

 

Dollar goal – newly documented commitments:

 
  • 1st and 2nd Year

$600,000+
  • Sustained Giving (3 years +)

$1.2 M+

Annual Goals

 

Visits – site, virtual and campus visits

120

Qualification Visits

 
  • 1st  and 2nd Year

70
  • Sustained Giving (3 years +)

42

Major Moves – actions related to answering key questions that move a prospect closer to a gift

233

Total # of Solicitations ($2,500 - $99,999)

45% - 55% of portfolio

45% - 55% of assigned prospects should be solicited for a gift within this range

 

Total # of Solicitations greater than $100,000

 

20% of assigned prospects should be solicited for a gift within this range

20% of portfolio

Qualifications and Expectations

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience in fundraising or a related field,
     
  • Demonstrated record of cultivation and closing planned gifts
     
  • A relevant combination of education, directly related experience and training may be substituted for a degree.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience specified above and prior work in gift planning in a higher education or other complex nonprofit institution.
  • Proven ability to establish and maintain relationships with major gift prospects and to close gifts.
     
  • Ability to set priorities while also contributing to team effort in Institute Advancement.
     
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
     
  • Strong organizational skills.
     
  • Ability to deal with very technical information and to translate this information into a product salable to non-technical internal and external people.
     
  • Flexibility in dealing with a wide variety of people; ability to process information quickly and accurately.
     
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet established goals and objectives.
     
  • Ability to demonstrate an understanding of Rensselaer and the major initiatives.
     
  • Ability to multi-task, handle multiple projects and deadlines.
     
  • Ability to work in a team environment.

Compensation and Employee Benefits

The salary range for this position is $112,000 to $120,000 dependent on relevant experience.

RPI – Benefits Guide – 2026

RPI’s Commitment to Community and Inclusion

Community is a core value at RPI. RPI is committed to the cultivation of a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and above all values learning. It welcomes candidates who bring a variety of perspectives to their work and campus communities.

At RPI, all members of the community are challenged to ask, "Why not change the world?" To accomplish this, it seeks to engender intellectual agility, multicultural sophistication, and global awareness in its students. This requires fostering and nurturing a representative variety of persons, groups, and resources to encourage their engagement. RPI maintains an inclusive and collaborative environment, which is critical to reaching its fullest potential. This is why community must be, and is, at the very core of RPI's mission and values as the nation's first technological university.

RPI strives to develop aspirational goals, strategies, actions, and initiatives that nurture and sustain an inclusive living, learning, and working environment. This is the catalyst to strengthening its efforts to become the most accessible, warm, welcoming, supportive, and inclusive community that it can be.

Applications & Nominations

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has partnered with Boyden. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:

Wendy Wilsker
Wendy Wilsker
  • Managing Partner, United States
  • Global Sector Co-Leader, Not-for-Profit

Wendy Wilsker has dedicated her entire career to the non-profit sector, serving in leadership roles within charitable organizations and working alongside them as an executive recruiter and consultant. She excels at identifying the unique challenges and opportunities non-profits face, and partners with senior leadership to build successful organizational structures, teams and advancement programs.

Holly Wolk
Holly Wolk
  • Senior Associate, Leadership Consulting, United States

Holly Wolk has nearly 25 years of leadership experience in human resources, recruitment, and talent management. As an executive and public speaker, she has brought transformational practices and strategies to various organizations, including renowned institutions within higher education. Clients benefit greatly from her expertise in talent acquisition and alignment with organizational goals.

Don't check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.

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