18 October 2005

Leeds appoints director of development
Michelle Calvert has been appointed Leeds's director of development. She will spearhead a major initiative for alumni relations and fundraising at the University.

Michelle will join Leeds in January 2006 from the University of Aberdeen where she is director of development and alumni relations. She will formulate an ambitious strategy for building and maintaining relationships with former students and supporters of the University. She will report to marketing director Martin Holmes and work closely with Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur.

The University is committing significant funds - £3m over the next three years – to development. This will be used to support a permanent team of fundraising and alumni relations experts who will work with colleagues across the University to implement the strategy and run major campaigns.

University of Leeds marketing director Martin Holmes said: "Michelle has a terrific track record in development and alumni relations. She brings significant expertise to our team. Leeds was built on philanthropy and we want to inspire our graduates and the wider community to be a part of the University's future. This can mean anything from helping current students find work placements to giving financial support."

Michelle Calvert said: "It’s an exciting time for Leeds. From my first visit, it was clear that there is a great sense of energy and ambition at the University, which is reflected in the new strategy. Successful fundraising is about involving and inspiring people. The vision for the future of Leeds gives a wonderful opportunity to engage people and organisations who share that vision, and who want to help realise it.

"It’s a perfect time to arrive. There is commitment from the top and buy-in from academics for fundraising. I look forward to working with colleagues across the University, joining up the loops to promote philanthropic investment in its future."

Michelle joined Aberdeen in 2002 to lead development and drove the second phase of a £150m fundraising campaign. She headed a team of 20 covering major gifts, legacies, the annual fund, foundations and proposals, alumni relations, databases, stewardship and administration.

Starting her career in development and marketing at Birmingham's Ikon Gallery, Michelle next took up the post of assistant director of development at Linacre College, Oxford, in 1995, where she oversaw the College's first telephone campaign. Michelle went on to become development director at Clare College, Cambridge in 1997, leading a highly successful fundraising campaign and establishing new events for alumni.

Michelle studied English literature at the University of Western Ontario and completed an MA in Canadian studies at Carleton University in Canada. She first came to the UK on a study abroad year at St Andrews University, where she met her husband Dr Peter Bagnall.

For more information, contact:
Vanessa Bridge, head of communications, University of Leeds, 0113 343 4030, v.bridge@leeds.ac.uk

Notes to editors
The director of development role has been established as part of the University's commitment to alumni relations and fundraising. The director will work at a senior level to create and implement a collaborative and comprehensive development strategy which is closely aligned with Leeds's mission.

She will lead and implement major campaigns to provide a valuable source of income to fund investment in infrastructure and academic projects. Enhanced alumni relations will be important in giving Leeds students further opportunities for careers advice and mentoring.

The director will be supported by a team of 20 to cover alumni relations, major gifts, legacies, the annual fund, prospect research, data management, foundation and trust fundraising, stewardship and administration.

The University's Centenary alumni fund has raised over a quarter of a million pounds so far. The money will fund scholarships for undergraduates starting in 2006. Applicants need to have, or be predicted, three 'A's at A-level or equivalent UCAS points (excluding general studies) and an annual family income below £33,500.
More information is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/students/fees/

Over 250,000 people have graduated from the Leeds since the University received its Royal charter in 1904. They include foreign secretary Jack Straw MP, Clare Short MP, Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, BBC deputy director general Mark Byford, broadcaster Alan Yentob, Marks & Spencer's communications director Flic Howard-Allen, screenwriter Kay Mellor, cartoonists Kipper Williams and Steve Bell, impressionist Alistair McGowan and Nobel prize-winning writer Wole Soyinka.

For more about Leeds's graduates, see http://www.leeds.ac.uk/alumni2/