Elizabeth Boluch Wood will join the College as Swarthmore’s next vice president for advancement, President Smith announced in a message to the community on Friday afternoon.

“Beyond her impressive and extensive experience in higher education fundraising and engagement, Liz possesses a deep appreciation for the liberal arts and its hallmarks of intellectual exploration and curiosity," says Smith. "I am excited to work with her as we advance the College’s success in philanthropy and alumni engagement in the service of supporting Swarthmore’s mission.”

Wood brings to Swarthmore 35 years’ experience in higher education and nonprofit fundraising, including nearly two decades at Princeton University, where she ascended to the position of vice president for development in 2010. In that role, she led Princeton’s Aspire fundraising campaign, which raised $1.9 billion in support of the university’s mission. She left Princeton in 2016 to assume the role of chief development officer and associate director for communications and strategic partnerships at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), a world-renowned center for postdoctoral theoretical research and intellectual inquiry.

During her five years at IAS, Wood initiated new fundraising and communications programs, including the Einstein Gala and the IAS Distinguished Journalism Fellowship program. She also headed up the Campaign for a Second Century and efforts to raise nearly $50 million in the 2020–21 academic year.

In addition to Princeton and IAS, Liz managed programs and teams in fundraising and alumni relations at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Harvard University, Brown University, Simmons College, and Amherst College, where she earned her undergraduate degree in English language and literature, magna cum laude. As a volunteer for Amherst, Liz chaired the annual fund and the committee to nominate alumni trustees. 

At Swarthmore, Wood will guide the advancement team to support and expand a robust culture of philanthropy and alumni engagement. She will collaborate with colleagues across campus to understand the needs and priorities of the institution and conceive of creative and innovative strategies to inspire current and new donors.

Wood, who lives in Doylestown, Pa., with her husband and children, will officially join the College on June 7.