Acting Co-Presidents Tomoko Sakomura and Rob Goldberg shared the following message with the campus community on August 8, 2024:

Dear Friends,

With deep sadness, we write to share the news that Jason William Ebersole, senior associate director of reporting & analytics for Advancement, died at Phoenixville Hospital on Saturday, August 3. He was 52.

Jason came to Swarthmore in 2016. His work in Advancement for nearly eight years left a lasting impact on friends and colleagues who remember him for his commitment to excellence and hard work in support of their efforts.

Jason, who often spoke about his family, is survived by his wife, Danielle, children Skyler and Chase, parents Jay and Frances Ebersole, and brothers Jay and Jan Ebersole and their families. In lieu of flowers, donations may be provided to support Jason’s family.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. at Catagnus Funeral Home, 1020 E. Philadelphia Ave., in Gilbertsville, Pa. Family and friends are invited to a visitation from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the funeral home.

We invite you to read more below about Jason and his many contributions to our community. 
 
Sincerely,

Tomoko Sakomura
Acting Co-President
Provost and Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Art History

Rob Goldberg
Acting Co-President
Vice President for Finance and Administration

In Honor of Senior Associate Director in Advancement Jason Ebersole

Senior Associate Director of Reporting & Analytics for Advancement Jason Ebersole died on Saturday, August 3. He was 52.

“Jason played a crucial role in supporting the College’s advancement efforts,” says Interim Vice President for Advancement Sarah Pearson. “His colleagues relied on him for his considerable expertise, as well as his patience, humility, and creative problem-solving. His loss will be felt for a long time.”

Born in Harrisburg and raised in Hershey, Pa., Ebersole graduated high school from The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa. He earned a B.A. in communications from Muhlenberg College, where he excelled in football, hockey, and weightlifting, and an M.S. in nonprofit leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

Ebersole returned to his high school alma mater’s development office to begin his career in managing information systems, ultimately rising to director. He then served as senior information technology specialist at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.  

Ebersole joined the Swarthmore community in 2016 as an associate director of advancement systems. He recently received a promotion to Senior Associate Director of Reporting & Analytics.  

“Jason’s promotion was so well-deserved,” says Executive Director of Advancement Operations John Burk. “He went above and beyond in helping others, often working weeknights or weekends using his IT knowledge to support his Advancement colleagues at alumni meetings and events.”

“Jason excelled at managing a variety of projects simultaneously,” says Executive Director of Advancement Strategy & Planning Dierdre Konar. “His deep knowledge of philanthropy enabled him to ask great questions in order to develop reports that met everyone’s varied needs.”

Director of Advancement Systems Barbara Mann describes Ebersole as a database systems “wiz” who wrote "beautiful” code.

“Jason loved challenges at work and looked at them, not as obstacles, but as hurdles to overcome,” she says. “He would do anything to help out anyone and was known for his kind, generous soul.”

Most recently, Ebersole worked to ensure a successful migration to and launch of Advancement’s new relationship management software. His skills and creative problem-solving abilities also made him a valued partner across campus, including in ITS, Sponsored Programs, and the Chester Children’s Chorus.

“Jason was a phenomenal colleague to work with, always patient and happy to share his extensive knowledge in coding to work out a logical solution,” says Director of Data & Technology Services Rachelle Miclette. “I admired and was amazed by his steadfast ability, despite the high volume of requests and tight deadlines.”

“It's hard to put into words this sudden loss,” says Senior Associate Director of Reporting & Analytics Abby Komlenic. “Jason was a level-headed and unflappable colleague. His kindness and can-do attitude, in addition to his technical prowess, are irreplaceable and a deep loss to our community.”