Chicago, Illinois
Columbia College Chicago invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement. The Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement (VPDAE or Vice President) reports directly to President Shantay N. Bolton and serves as a key member of her Cabinet. The Vice President will lead a comprehensive advancement program that inspires philanthropic investment and deepens alumni pride and participation. This position will oversee all fundraising, donor relations, and alumni engagement functions with a clear focus on major gifts, campaign readiness, and long-term philanthropic growth. As the College embarks on a new chapter of institutional transformation, the Vice President will play a critical role in shaping the case for support, cultivating a culture of giving, and building strategic partnerships to fuel student success and creative excellence.
The new Vice President will be a seasoned advancement professional who is excited and energized by the mission of Columbia College Chicago, by the College’s vision for the future, by a belief in the transformative power of higher education, and by the role that a creative arts college plays in society. The successful candidate will bring exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and inspire investment. They will demonstrate skill in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, as well as experience leading capital campaigns, strategic initiatives, and multi-year fundraising efforts. A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible leadership in fundraising or advancement work is required.
Founded in 1890, Columbia College Chicago is a private, not-for-profit college whose curriculum is focused on the creative disciplines, including academic programs in film and theatre, communications and writing, media and digital arts, music and sound, performing arts, visual arts, and business and management. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago’s Cultural Mile, Columbia College Chicago thrives within a vibrant cultural landscape, leveraging the city’s artistic and professional opportunities to deliver a unique student experience. Columbia’s unique culture is rooted in social progress and in serving a creative community of approximately 4,500 students, 170+ full time and 400+ part-time faculty, and 400+ staff members. To learn more about Columbia College Chicago, visit: www.colum.edu.
A complete Leadership Profile with additional information may be found above.
AGB Search is pleased to assist Columbia College Chicago with this leadership search. To apply for the Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement position, candidates are requested to submit the following in PDF format:
For best consideration, applications should be submitted by October 17th, 2025, to the AGB Search portal at (https://bit.ly/3I1Un3i). The search will remain open until an appointment is made.
Nominations and expressions of interest in the Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement position are encouraged. Please direct them to ColumbiaCollegeChicagoVPDev@agbsearch.com or the AGB Search consultants listed below:
Kimberly Templeton
Principal
kimberly.templeton@agbsearch.com
Andrew Bowen
Executive Search Consultant
andrew.bowen@agbsearch.com
Lynn DellaPietra
Executive Search Associate
lynn.dellapietra@agbsearch.com
Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.