Coker University recently appointed Grady B. Jones as Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement. 

As Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Jones will be responsible for restructuring, reorganizing, and centralizing the university’s philanthropic efforts, with an emphasis on incorporating best practices, utilizing all resources available, and laying the foundation for a sustainable culture of philanthropy. In the near future, Coker will undergo a search for its Vice President of Institutional Advancement position. 

“Coker University is fortunate to have someone with Mr. Jones’s experience and successful track record,” says Coker University President, Dr. Natalie Harder. “We are looking to our Office of Institutional Advancement to lead supportive campaigns and initiatives for our students, and to engage our alumni and supporters, and we think Mr. Jones is the right person to help us organize our efforts and set us up for success.”

Jones’s 25-year career has focused almost entirely on advancement in higher education. Before coming to Coker, Jones was Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, where he exceeded fundraising goals, created and implemented a departmental strategic plan that included best practices for advancement in higher education,  and initiated a scholarship program which served as the foundation for a capital campaign. Prior to his time at Thomas More University, Jones was Vice President for Advancement, Marketing, Public Relations & Communication at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, where he redeveloped the advancement office and led multiple team members across disciplines to raise visibility for the college and build funds for future generations of students. 

Jones received his Masters of Science in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University School of Philanthropy, his Masters of Science Coursework in Organizational Communication from Purdue University, and his Bachelor of Science in English & Religious Studies from Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana. 

For more information about Coker University, please visit www.coker.edu.