Mount Allison announces new Director of Development
SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University is pleased to announce Marcie Meekins (‘12) as the next Director of Development. Meekins previously worked in the role of Manager of Alumni giving for six years, overseeing the University’s annual giving fund.
“I am excited to welcome Marcie to her new role as Director of Development,” says Vice-President, University Advancement Courtney Pringle-Carver. “As a Mount Allison graduate, Marcie has experienced the profound impact that a Mount Allison education can have on a student’s future. Her passion for our community paired with her collaborative leadership style will help advance our collective efforts on behalf of Mount Allison University.”
The Director of Development plays a leadership and strategic role in meeting Mount Allison’s philanthropic aspirations in support of the strategic needs of the University. The role is responsible for leading and managing the Development team and driving extraordinary team and individual fundraising results.
As a Mount Allison alumna, Meekins says being on campus feels like home, as her mother graduated with the Class of ‘80 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and ‘82 with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) from Mount Allison.
“I grew up on this campus. The first art gallery that I ever went to was the Owens and I will never forget seeing Mary Pratt’s work for the first time,” says Meekins. “I learned how to swim in the Mount A pool and played music festivals in Brunton Auditorium. Since I was four, I would tell everyone that I would attend Mount A.”
Meekins began her career as project coordinator at the Anne Murray Centre in her hometown of Springhill, NS and as Anne Murray’s personal assistant. The next year, she became executive director and formed a consequential partnership with the National Music Centre. Meekins helped build the Centre’s annual fund and the donor program, taking it into a place of stability.
“Fundraising gives us the power to change the world. There's huge power in collective giving and fundraising can be so transformational,” says Meekins. “It fills the gaps left by society to ensure everyone can access what they need on an equal playing field.”
With the R.P. Bell Library renovations, the newly renovated Athletics Centre, and other projects on the horizon, Meekins says she looks forward to all the opportunity that lies ahead for Mount Allison.
“The future is very bright and I am very excited that I get to be a part of it,” she says.
Another priority is to grow the University's student financial aid program.
"We have a great program already, but more needs to be done to ensure all individuals who want to study at Mount A can do so without financial hardship," says Meekins. “A more robust financial aid program will allow us to better assist students with funding challenges they may have, and thereby provide more equitable access to a high-quality education."
Meekins has worked in fundraising since graduating from Mount Allison and enjoys seeing the incredible transformations that come working within the field.
“You get to see an idea come to life. A donor will come to us with an idea and we are able to work with them to create something bigger,” says Meekins. “Their idea takes on a bigger purpose and ultimately serves the needs of the students to ensure they receive the same great experience that we had.”
