NYU Welcomes Senior Vice President Ken Manotti!
October 15, 2017
It is our pleasure to officially welcome Senior Vice President of University Development and Alumni Relations Ken Manotti to NYU. Manotti was appointed to the role in August of this year and brings 30 years of experience in alumni relations and philanthropy.
At a recent staff meeting, Adrienne Brown (STEINHARDT '16), Director of Digital Marketing and Student Philanthropy, led an interview with Ken Manotti who shared his vision for NYU University Development and Alumni Relations.
Manotti has held posts at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, the American University in Cairo, and the University of Chicago. Under his leadership, the University of Chicago launched the most ambitious campaign in its history, aiming to raise $5 billion to support faculty and students and currently standing at 3.98 billion.
With NYU’s principal fundraising focus on scholarship aid—and the Momentum campaign to raise $1 billion for student scholarships at more than three-quarters of the way to its goal—Manotti’s experience and vision brings exciting opportunities to support NYU’s priorities.
Manotti, with President Andrew Hamilton’s affordability initiatives, will play an important part in building a culture at NYU where everyone is involved in rethinking how we make the college experience more affordable and employing innovative and imaginative approaches.
"When President Hamilton talks about affordability, it’s personally very important.
“I get to see the impact of access and affordability. Meeting students who if it weren’t for the scholarships we’ve raised, wouldn’t have the same opportunities. It changes their life, it changes their family’s lives, it changes their entire future. And for me, I think that’s the most personal,” he said.
Manotti has been watching NYU’s story unfold and said it was the University’s trajectory of growth and potential that drew him here.
“NYU has a vision that not many universities have followed. In its global presence, its impact on the city, and its growth in Brooklyn, and globally in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai—it’s been really impressive. To work for a place that has this momentum is a great honor.”
Manotti is committed to meeting and talking to alumni from all corners of the globe.
“I think it’s so important to listen to alumni and ask them about their experiences at the University and find out what meaningful engagement looks like to them. Communicating what’s happening on campus and the issues that are impacting our students, faculty—and particularly alumni—will be critical moving forward. It will be particularly important to connect alumni with students and communicate with them about the student experience today” he said.
Manotti succeeds Debra LaMorte, who effectively and devotedly led the University’s development efforts since 2002.
“The success of this team, obviously being led by Debra has been an incredible story nationwide to follow and to watch,” Manotti said.
We look forward to working with Ken Manotti in this new academic year and wish him all the best as he moves into his new role.