A Tireless Effort

Vice President of Advancement Joe Kender ’87, ’93G says he decided on his career path early on—when he came to understand advancement’s critical role in making college accessible to students who might not otherwise be able to afford it, as well as in attracting and retaining top-notch faculty members. “The philanthropy that Lehigh receives is a means to an end,” says Kender. “And the credit for all this goes to the donors but also to the university community.”

After eight years helping Lehigh grow in exciting new ways and open up important opportunities for students, Kender has announced plans to move on from his position at the end of February. He plans to initially consult in the not-for-profit leadership space, and says in the long-term he knows he will remain in the non-profit leadership arena.

Shortly after the announcement, Kender reflected on his tenure, during which the advancement office expanded its outreach to alumni and friends around the globe.

“We’ve expanded our outreach as an institution,” says Kender. “We’ve increased the number of faculty professorships and chairs. We dramatically increased the number of scholarships. We’ve added programs like the Iacocca internships. All sorts of new initiatives have occurred over the past eight years, driven by our academic community and fueled by donors.” He pointed to Mountaintop, made possible by the generosity of Scott Belair ’69, as one of the university’s most important new endeavors. “I firmly believe that Mountaintop is going to be a towering legacy for Lehigh,” he says. “It was energizing to be part of that.”

President John Simon praised Kender for his “hard work and tireless effort,” noting that annual fundraising during Kender’s tenure increased from $50 million per year to $80 million. He also credited Kender with overseeing the successful conclusion of the Shine Forever campaign, and with helping raise $400 million in advance of the university’s next campaign.

“Everything that we’ve accomplished, we’ve done as part of a team,” Kender says. “We’ve enjoyed strong support from the board, the academic community and from university leadership. Their investment and belief in Lehigh and in how advancement can and should play a strong role has set the fundraising program up for long-term success. In addition, the advancement staff and our volunteers deserve my thanks and that of the University for their tireless effort.”

“Working for my alma mater in this capacity has truly been an honor. Everyone should have this opportunity,” Kender said. “Part of what made this experience so rewarding to me has been working with and getting to know so many alumni. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I am continually amazed and inspired by the generosity of donors and their desire to make a difference in the world. And this is what it’s all about.”