The University of New Mexico Foundation has appointed Mary Wolford as the senior director of development for the School of Engineering, effective March 4. Wolford, an experienced fundraising professional, is returning to a familiar role within the university, having previously served as the senior director of development for the School of Engineering from 2012-2014.
In a statement, Donna Riley, the Jim and Ellen King Dean of Engineering and Computing, expressed her excitement about working with Wolford, highlighting her past experience in academic fundraising at UNM. Riley stated, "I look forward to strategizing with Mary and the rest of the UNM Engineering development team to sustain our incredible momentum of the last several years."
Wolford herself expressed enthusiasm about her new role, saying, "I am excited to work with Dean Riley, the School’s faculty and staff and UNM Engineering supporters to create meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships." She highlighted the importance of the engineering and computer science fields in addressing global challenges and expressed her honor in supporting these efforts.
With nearly 24 years of experience at the UNM Foundation, Wolford has held various fundraising roles, including development associate for major gifts and major gifts officer for different university areas. Prior to joining UNM, she worked as a stewardship manager at Saint Louis University.
Wolford, originally from Ohio, holds a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from UNM’s Anderson School of Management.
Wolford's appointment comes at a crucial time for the School of Engineering, as it nears the completion of the $50 million Our Time fundraising campaign, launched publicly in 2021.
