Hostos Community College announced the appointment of Dr. Julie Gafney as the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Dr. Gafney has an extensive record of mission-aligned advancement, fiscal stewardship and community engagement, putting her in a good position to help advance the strategic goals of Hostos Community College and further elevate the school’s impact. She has experience leading complex, cross-functional teams and has played a role in university-wide strategic planning and accreditation efforts.
“Incoming VP Gafney brings a powerful combination of vision, integrity and a deeply mission-driven approach to advancement,” Hostos Community College President Daisy Cocco De Filippis said.
“Her proven ability to build meaningful partnerships and secure transformative resources will help us expand opportunities for our students and strengthen our role as an anchor institution for the South Bronx. We are delighted to welcome her to Hostos.”
Throughout her career, Dr. Gafney has managed to secure and steward over $75 million in external funding from federal agencies, foundations, corporations and individual donors. One of her biggest accomplishments was serving as the Principal Investigator for a $60 million EPA Thriving Communities Grantmaker Program at Fordham University, where she most recently worked as the Associate Vice President for Strategic Mission Initiatives. This marked the largest grant at Fordham University to date.
Dr. Gafney has extensive experience in institutional advancement, large-scale fundraising, strategic planning and cross-sector partnership development within higher education. She has cultivated high-net-worth donors, led capital and community-based initiatives and represented institutions in engagements with elected officials, funders and trustees.
“I am honored to join Hostos Community College and to serve an institution so deeply rooted in the Bronx community. As a proud graduate of the City University of New York, I understand firsthand the transformative power of a CUNY education,” Dr. Gafney said.
“I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders to expand opportunity, strengthen philanthropic support and ensure that Hostos students have the resources they need to thrive and flourish.”
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts University, a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in English from The Graduate Center, CUNY.
Dr. Gafney took over the new role for Colette Atkins, whose tenure as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement was marked by strengthened advancement efforts and expanded external relationships on behalf of Hostos Community College.
