Impactful Leaders Podcast | Delivering Results and Finding Reward in Advancement Leadership: Julie Lucas
Julie Lucas, Vice President of Resource Development at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, believes these two objectives have defined her work in advancement for more than...
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Julie Lucas, Vice President of Resource Development at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), believes these two objectives have defined her work in advancement for more than 25 years. Results are critical, of course, and creating community, unity, and enthusiasm around an institution’s mission and vision are also imperative.
In this conversation with WittKieffer Senior Partner and Advancement Practice Leader Greg Duyck, Lucas shares the story of becoming inspired by the potential of advancement and development to make a difference in society. Today, Lucas has overseen and been part of some of the largest and most successful campaigns in higher education, including MIT’s recent Campaign for a Better World. Her success can also be traced to an interdisciplinary approach to fundraising, much like the traditional interdisciplinary framework of universities. “Everybody is working together” to generate the capital to keep the institution’s mission-critical activities going. Lucas works to get leadership and advancement team members on the same page by:
- Setting goals and priorities aligned with the organizational mission
- Ensuring role clarity
- Encouraging partnerships and collaboration within advancement and across the university
Lucas is still driven by the same things that led her to advancement in the first place – to make a “meaningful and tangible” difference in the lives of others. She states: “What drives so many of us in higher education is a deep connection to the people we’re working with and a shared dedication to the mission.”
