Laura Rose appointed as new VP for Alumni Engagement

Stevens appointed Laura Rose as the new Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, effective May 11. Rose succeeds Jennifer A. McDonough, the previous VPDAE, and Dawn da Silva, who led the department during the interim. She was selected by an interview committee of members of the Stevens community led by Dr. Muhammad Hajj.

Rose graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts in French and a minor in Art History. Since then, she has worked as the Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Chicago and then as the Senior Executive Director for Development for Columbia College. She has also served as the Vice President for Development and Membership at the American Museum of Natural History since 2013.

Since her appointment six months ago, Rose has been working to ensure that people stay connected despite the pandemic, stating, “Because I am working remotely I miss campus life and experiencing the vibrancy of our student body first-hand … We’ve had to adapt our activities to virtual formats since in-person gatherings are not happening now. I hope that post-pandemic we’ll retain some of these virtual adaptations to supplement the in-person activities, and arrive at better and more accessible ways to involve alumni in the life of the Institute.”

In an email announcing her appointment, President Nariman Farvardin expressed his confidence in Rose, stating, “I am confident that Ms. Rose possesses the experience as well as the leadership, management, team-building and interpersonal skills needed to meet and exceed Stevens’ ambitious development and alumni engagement goals.” According to an official statement from Stevens, Rose has “led and built effective and highly-functioning development and alumni engagement teams by assessing program and staff, building capacity for growth, and mentoring and training teams.”

During her time here, Rose will continue work on Stevens’ “The Power of Stevens” project. The campaign is a fundraising plan that has raised $180 million so far, which is 90% of its $200 million goal.

Rose has plenty of hopes for the future, stating, “Going forward, I am excited by the possibilities of working even more closely with students … The Stevens community is an incredibly powerful, global network that is 50,000-strong and growing. We have opportunities to connect alumni and students in ways that are meaningful, mutually beneficial and enjoyable … Our alumni are justifiably proud of [Stevens’] rich history and passionate about their alma mater.”