BMCC Welcomes Lorna A. Malcolm as Vice President for Advancement

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) is proud to welcome Vice President for Advancement Lorna A. Malcolm, who will begin her role April 13.

As Vice President for Advancement, Malcolm will be reporting directly to the college president and will serve as a member of the president’s cabinet, leading an office that has grown from $1 million gross revenue in 2013 to over $3 million last year.

Building on this momentum, Malcolm will be responsible for implementing a vision to increase major gifts capacity and work toward an organized fundraising campaign. In her role, she will also be the primary steward of the board of directors of BMCC’s supporting foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) organization with approximately $8 million under management. Malcolm will lead the staff responsible for managing major gift donations, alumni relations, and annual giving.

“I am excited to welcome Lorna to our BMCC family,” says Karrin E. Wilks, Interim President of BMCC. “Particularly in these very challenging times, increasing fundraising to support our inspiring and deserving students is a critical priority for the college. Lorna brings a wealth of experience and expertise, and we look forward to working with her.”

“Community Colleges have long been stigmatized, overlooked, and have not received the funding necessary to sustain themselves” Malcolm says. “However, they are intrinsically tied to success of society. I want to use my platform as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at BMCC to shed light on the vital role community colleges play in both academic and societal successes.”

Malcolm says BMCC’s mission and commitment to student success, dedicated faculty and strong leadership from Interim President Wilks, were critical factors that encouraged her to apply to Borough of Manhattan Community College. 

Prior to joining BMCC, Malcolm served as Assistant Dean of Development in the College of Engineering (Development and Alumni Affairs) at Temple University. Before working at Temple University, Malcolm was Assistant Dean of Development and External Relations, of The College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif. In her role, Malcolm managed the fundraising efforts, enhanced the alumni relations programs, and restructured the development departments. She led the cultivation and stewardship of prospective major donors, cultivated and closed major gifts, and expanded donor networks. Malcolm exceeded the college’s $3 million goal by second quarter of FY17-18.

Malcolm has also held other professional positions including Senior Director of Development at the University of Arizona College of Medicine; Senior Development Officer at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering; Director of Major Gifts with the National Urban League in New York City; and as a consultant (Vice President of Sponsorship and Fundraising) at Bradshaw Multimedia. 

“I hope to bring a new way of thinking about and looking at how development has changed over the years, yet keeping its tried and true methodology,” Malcolm says. “Using that in conjunction with what I have learned in working at four-year institutions to enhance the BMCC program.” 

Malcolm’s professional affiliations include: Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Fundraising Professionals, National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (NACGP), Council for Advancement and support of Education (CASE), and the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA).

Malcolm earned a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Non-Profit Management, from Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs; a Master of Social Science with a Certificate in Diplomacy from the United Nations Program at Long Island University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science and International Studies, from State University of New York At Buffalo/ Royal Imperial College, Kensington, London.

“I look forward to working very closely with President Wilks, the Senior Cabinet, CUNY Central, my team, BMCC staff and faculty collaboratively to put in place a solid development and alumni relations program that will strengthen the College for years to come,” Malcolm says