8:18 a.m., Nov. 2, 2009----The College of Education and Public Policy (CEPP) at the University of Delaware has welcomed Ellen Wise aboard as the college's new director of development.

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Wise comes to UD with more than 15 years of experience in development. Most recently, she worked at Washington College from 1996-2005 and St. Martin's Ministries, a nonprofit organization meeting basic human needs of people living in the Mid-Shore region of Maryland, from 2005-09.

“Ellen's experience with higher education, community organizations, and schools makes her an excellent fit for this college,” CEPP Dean Michael Gamel-McCormick said. “She has a great understanding of the type of work we do, the skills to contribute to our overall mission, and the heart to tell the stories of our programs.

“Ellen brings a wealth of experience developing individual donations as well as making connections throughout the greater Delaware community and the region,” Gamel-McCormick said. “She will be a wonderful advocate for our programs and initiatives.”

Wise said the programs offered at CEPP appealed to her, pointing out the importance of studying the support of families, the effects of disabilities, and early childhood education, among other programs.

“I truly believe in the mission of this college,” she said. “It prepares students to reach out to people in real communities and make a tremendous difference in not only the immediate community, but for the state, for the country, and even for the world. I firmly believe in work that has true meaning, and I think students in the College of Education and Public Policy are finding that this is a great place to prepare them for that kind of work.”

As director of development, Wise said she will be reaching out as an ambassador to family, friends and alumni of the college, to share its vision and priorities and to help engage them further.

“There's always the need to find that perfect match between the donor's passion and the great things that are going on here,” she said.

Wise said this is an exciting time for UD, as it realizes its strategic plan, the Path to Prominence^TM.

“I am really pleased to be a part of it,” she said. “The goals outlined in the strategic plan present an exciting prospect and a great challenge.”

Wise currently lives in Galena, Md., with her husband, Fred, a marine surveyor, and enjoys writing and the arts in her spare time. In fact, she recently returned from a residency in France where she was invited to be a writer-in-residence and organize a concert and reading for the villagers in Auvillar, a small village in southwestern France.

Article by Jon Bleiweis
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson