MEDIA, Pa. — Rachel McCarter recently joined Penn State Brandywine’s Office of University Development as the director of development.
McCarter spent the last eight years serving in positions related to alumni relations and development at other universities, including West Chester University and Cabrini University. She began her career at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, working in the museum’s marketing and development departments.
McCarter chose a career in the academic sector because of the field’s emphasis on community and individual growth.
“Education has a different pulse than the corporate sector,” she said. “You’re helping students at an exciting point in their lives. They are planning for their futures and allowing their four years in school to impact them personally.”
After a successful career in development at Cabrini, Rosemont College and West Chester, McCarter looks forward to working at Penn State.
“Everywhere I’ve been, my colleagues have looked at Penn State as a model culture of philanthropy,” she said. “Penn State has the largest dues-paying alumni association and a wide public reach, but its alumni don’t get lost. It’s a large group, but has a strong tie of affinity for the University.”
The Brandywine campus, she adds, has already welcomed her warmly into the University family.
“There’s a warmth to the Brandywine environment,” she said. “It’s also small enough that I can see how programs impact the students personally. That means when I speak to a donor, I can tell specific stories and show them how their dollars impact our student body.”
As Brandywine’s new director of development, McCarter hopes to heighten the current student body’s awareness of alumni resources and programming.
“I’m a strong proponent of alumni and student engagement,” she said. “One of my goals is to pave the path, showing current students what it will be like to be alumni and how they can stay involved post-graduation.”
