Facing down budget constraints due to federal directives from the Trump administration, the Stevens Office of the President announced in July that two of the university’s divisions, namely, the Division of University Relations and the Division of Development and Alumni Engagement, would be merged into a single division, effective August 1, 2025. Stevens President Nariman Farvardin’s office also revealed, approximately a month later, that the division would be named the Division of University Advancement in a second announcement.
“We believe that greater alignment among the functions represented in this new unit will yield even greater, more impactful results for Stevens and all the constituencies we serve,” wrote Farvardint.
This decision also comes in the wake of the departure of former Vice President Laura Rose, who led the Division of Development and Alumni Engagement, and who resigned from her position in the Stevens administration in late July 2025 for personal reasons. Vice President Beth McGrath—who continues to serve as Chief of Staff in President Farvardin’s cabinet and who acts as a personal advisor to the president—has been chosen to lead this division.
When asked about the aspirations of the new division, Vice President McGrath responded that the new division would have five primary goals: “(1) securing funds for scholarships and student programs, faculty and capital projects that enhance our campus; (2) keeping alumni engaged with Stevens from the time they graduate and throughout their lives; (3) enhancing Stevens’ reputation through media relations, thought leadership and marketing efforts; (4) supporting student recruitment at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and (5) increasing/expanding partnerships with corporations, government entities and other institutions and schools.”
McGrath also added that the “recent departure of former Vice President Laura Rose presented an opportunity to more strategically align the two divisions to meet ambitious goals in the current year and beyond — in areas ranging from increasing financial support for our students, faculty and campus infrastructure to leveraging the networks and influence of our alumni to further enhance Stevens’ reputation.”
Hundreds of universities all across the U.S. have found themselves grappling with the threat of budget cuts since the advent of the second Trump administration. According to a recent report by the Center for Academic Progress, between $6.9 billion and $8.2 billion worth of awards have been terminated, with the amount of money remaining unspent in those grants ranging from $3.3 billion to $3.7 billion, and as a result, Stevens has had to lay off 45 workers in late August of this year in response to policies from the Trump administration targeting international students.
