As Lynette Marshall prepares to step down from her role as president and CEO of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, her career spanning over two decades is a testament to the power of personal connections in university advancement. Her journey, marked by significant fundraising achievements and transformative initiatives, leaves a lasting legacy at the institution.
PHOTO: JASON SMITH
Retiring UI Center for Advancement president and CEO Lynette Marshall
In the early days of her career, Lynette Marshall was known for her personal touch during university phone-a-thons in the 1980s. She often took the initiative to engage directly with potential donors, enhancing the effectiveness of fundraising calls with personal notes and warm greetings. Throughout her career, her dedication to fostering meaningful relationships remained a defining trait.
Marshall’s leadership in university advancement evolved significantly, from small-scale phone-a-thons to orchestrating national outreach events and managing multibillion-dollar campaigns. Her commitment to connecting alumni with the University of Iowa has been a cornerstone of her 42-year career, including her 20-year tenure as president and CEO of the UI Center for Advancement. Her retirement this summer marks the conclusion of a career that has set new standards for higher education advancement.
I try to focus on personal and authentic relationships with people, whether thats colleagues or donors or university leaders, Marshall explains. Thats fundamental to me. I feel like if we know one another, were more likely to get good work done together.
Marshall transitioned to the University of Iowa in 2006 after 22 years at the University of Illinois, her alma mater, to succeed Michael New as the third leader of the former UI Foundation, now known as the Center for Advancement. Under her leadership, the organization expanded from 154 to 304 employees, doubled its annual fundraising from $169 million to $336.6 million, and grew its endowment from $548 million to $1.8 billion.
During her tenure, the Center for Advancement raised over $4.5 billion, funding initiatives such as scholarships, first-generation student programs, and campus reconstruction after the 2008 flood. The “For Iowa. Forever More.” campaign was a highlight, raising nearly $2 billion by 2017. Currently, the university is approaching the final stages of the Together Hawkeyes campaign, a historic $3 billion fundraising effort targeting 300,000 alumni and establishing 3 million connections by 2028.
Marshall also played a pivotal role in uniting alumni engagement with fundraising by merging the UI Alumni Association with the UI Foundation in 2017, creating a comprehensive advancement organization that serves as a national model. Her contributions to campus philanthropy include developing the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy and initiating student programs focused on alumni relations and fundraising careers.
Marshall’s vision for university advancement is rooted in a belief in “the transformative power of public higher education.” She notes, Fundraising and engagement is about inviting people to support the things theyre passionate about. Its something that people want to doand do with joyand its our job to help them understand the impact they make.
As she looks forward to retirement, Marshall anticipates spending time with her family, pursuing piano studies, and engaging in community service. Nevertheless, she acknowledges that she will miss the vibrant university environment and the people who have enriched her career. Reflecting on her time at Iowa, she remarks, The value of those relationships, those are all gifts.
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