For Immediate Release—Thursday, July 13, 2006
Contact:
Mary E. McCrank
Media Relations Officer
(585) 245-5516
M. Eve Elzenga appointed Director, Major Giving
for SUNY Geneseo
GENESEO,
N.Y.—M. Eve Elzenga of Rochester has been appointed Director, Major
Giving for the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Elzenga has an extensive career in higher education
development, as well as marketing, communications and journalism. She most recently
was vice president of marketing and community relations for the Rochester
Public Library. Before that, she served as director of development for the
University of Rochester's College of Arts, Science and Engineering and director
of major gifts for the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business
Administration.
Elzenga, who grew up on a farm in Scottsville, N.Y., has an
affinity to the Genesee Valley, which she says are "part of my roots." As an
undergraduate student at SUNY Geneseo, she minored in the history of the
Genesee Valley and researched one of the houses at the Genesee Country Village
& Museum in Mumford, N.Y.
Elzenga received her A.A.S. degree in advertising and
communications from SUNY's Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City,
her bachelor's degree in history in 1976 from SUNY Geneseo and her master's in
library science in 1979 from SUNY Geneseo. In addition, in 2002 she completed a
special certificate course in entrepreneurship at the William E. Simon Graduate
School of Business Administration.
Elzenga worked for the Rochester Public Library system from
1983-1994 while also writing free-lance feature and fashion articles for the Democrat
and Chronicle's former Upstate
Magazine. After that, she worked as a
free-lance public relations consultant, with a client list that ran the gamut,
including St. John Fisher College, Chase Lincoln First Bank, the Al Sigl Center
and Xerox Corp. She then became a restaurant reviewer for the Maine
Sunday Telegram in Portland, Maine. While
in Maine, Elzenga made the transition from media to higher education by
accepting a job in 1994 as assistant director of corporate relations for the
University of Southern Maine. At the institution, she was promoted to director
of corporate and foundation relations and director of special
events for the university's 21st Century Campaign, working in the
office of the president. She moved back to Rochester in 2000 to join the
University of Rochester.
Elzenga has been involved with her alma mater throughout the
years. A founding member of the Friends of the Milne Library, she also is a
member of the College's Heritage Society because she believes in giving back to
the College. She began work at Geneseo July 5.
"It's a joy and privilege to return to Geneseo in a
supporting role. Geneseo alumni are interesting, engaged citizens of the world.
I can't wait to go out and get to know lots of them. Alums will help the
College in so many ways—financially and with their time and talent and
networks—and they are just waiting to be asked. My challenge is to match
their passions with College needs. This is work I love to do."
Elzenga brings with her into this role a breadth of
experience in development work, including prospect management, research and
development, solicitation and stewardship of major gifts, corporate and
foundation relations, annual giving programs and alumni relations, said Kim
Faber, director of annual giving for the college.
"Eve's success in development, especially with major gifts,
and the fact she has dual degrees from Geneseo is a win-win for our department.
Her genuine love of this College and her career accomplishments will serve this
division well as we embark on our ambitious goals."
A resident of Highland Park's Bellevue Neighbors
neighborhood, Elzenga enjoys gardening.
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