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Director of Major Gifts

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Director of Major Gifts

Virginia State University

Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia State University (VSU), a Historically Black College (HBCU) established in 1882, has a rich history of promoting enduring excellence as a leading public land-grant university. By offering opportunities for higher education and a transformative learning environment, VSU cultivates exceptional individuals who emerge as global leaders and accomplished scholars.

The Opportunity

VSU is currently seeking an enterprising Director of Major Gifts who is well-versed in fundraising. The ideal candidate will be adept at engaging donor audiences and securing philanthropic support to drive the university’s mission forward. Reporting to the Vice President for External Affairs, successful candidates will possess an understanding of HBCU culture as well as a strong commitment to fostering a philanthropic culture that benefits students, faculty, alumni, and programs.

The Director of Major Gifts will have the freedom to innovate and make a meaningful impact. If you are a driven leader who is deeply passionate about education and committed to excellence, this is an opportune moment to consider joining VSU.

By admin|2026-09-23T21:21:21-04:00April 25, 2023|Comments Off

About the Author: admin

Chandra Montgomery brings nearly 25 years of nonprofit sector experience to Lindauer and our clients. Her background spans higher education, academic medicine, youth services, public media, and museums. Over the past two-plus decades, Chandra has honed skills and expertise in advancement services, fundraising strategy, foundation relations, DEIB principles, and human resources.

Prior to joining the firm, Chandra oversaw grateful patient discovery, pipeline development, data management, and gift services for Health Sciences and the Keck School of Medicine during her tenure at the University of Southern California. She also launched and co-chaired the University Advancement DEI Council. Prior to USC, Chandra led prospect development teams at National Public Radio and Virginia Commonwealth University. In the course of her career, she has identified over $1 trillion in giving capacity and has supported nine- and 10-figure comprehensive campaigns, including USC’s historic $7 billion campaign.

Since 2008, she has been an active member of Apra where she has held numerous volunteer leadership roles. Chandra has also led training for Apra University and delivered keynote sessions for state and regional chapters across the country. Since 2014, she has chaired the Advocacy and Membership committees and is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She has also served on the Conference Planning Committee and was a member of the organization’s inaugural Body of Knowledge committee for Relationship Management. Prior to her committee service, she was a member of the Apra-Virginia board of directors.

Chandra is also a member of the African American Development Officer’s Network (AADO), Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC), Association for Advancement Services Professionals (AASP), among others. In 2019, she was selected for CASE’s Minority Advancement Institute where she is also a member and conference presenter/faculty. Equally passionate about her personal philanthropy, she is a 2020 Philanthropy Together Launchpad participant and giving circle founder.

A passionate HBCU alum, Chandra earned her bachelor’s in English from Hampton University where she has served as a volunteer alumni leader. She also holds a master’s degree and graduate certificate in Human Resources Law & Compliance from the USC Gould School of Law. Chandra has also completed additional graduate coursework at the College of William and Mary and holds multiple DEI certifications.