Welcome, Alyssa Wilcox!

With a track record of success in uniting supporters and inspiring investment at Purdue University and other institutions, Alyssa will lead Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations into a new campaign and a new era of bringing Penn Staters together. Here you’ll find a brief introduction to this new University leader brimming with enthusiasm, ambition, and Penn State pride.

Before Penn State

At Purdue, Wilcox managed a diverse portfolio, including the offices of industry partnerships, global partnerships and programs, engagement, external data analytics and units reporting to the chief of staff. She played an instrumental role in attaining the largest philanthropic contribution in Purdue’s history: a $100 million gift from Lilly Endowment. She also served on the multi-organizational, interdisciplinary team that attracted a $4 billion economic development commitment to West Lafayette. She has participated in and helped spearhead six capital campaigns, each increasing in size, beginning with $100 million at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, in the 1990s to more than $2.5 billion at Purdue University.

Prior to her most recent roles at Purdue University, Wilcox served as the president’s chief of staff and senior vice president for partnerships; the senior associate vice president for advancement at the affiliated Purdue for Life Foundation; as the senior associate vice president at the Riley Children’s Foundation, the fundraising arm of Riley Hospital for Children; and as the assistant dean of development and alumni relations at Vanderbilt University Law School. Wilcox previously held roles at Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, the School of Pharmacy under the University of Connecticut Foundation and Dana-Farber.

Additionally, Wilcox completed a two-year commitment as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa.  She earned a master of business administration degree, with a concentration in marketing, from the University of Connecticut, and a bachelor of arts degree from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana.

First Impressions

“Alyssa has a clear grasp of Penn State’s academic, research and service missions, with the deep understanding of how we work to benefit those throughout the commonwealth and beyond, and the strategic foresight to advance our efforts,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Alyssa is a committed leader who brings both her experience and enthusiasm to the team as we guide and elevate the passionate support of our alumni and friends.”

Gene Chaiken, who advised the search for Alyssa’s new position and has worked with the University and its advancement leaders for many years, echoed this support. “I have had the opportunity to speak with Alyssa and believe she will be an incredible asset to Penn State. She has the intelligence, experience and enthusiasm to engage and lead the University’s philanthropic efforts.”

Where We’re Going, Together

“This is an amazing opportunity to join Penn State, one of the world’s best universities with the largest alumni base in the nation and its strong brand identity,” Wilcox said. “I am thrilled to bring my experience in the philanthropic space to a complex, comprehensive organization like Penn State. The deeply dedicated community of alumni, families and others offers so many opportunities to engage.”