Vice President for Advancement

Harvey Mudd College is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Eccles as vice president for advancement, effective October 28, 2024. As vice president, Eccles will partner closely with President Harriet Nembhard and the board of trustees as an active and contributing thought leader and central architect of HMC’s institutional advancement priorities and goals. She will lead HMC’s advancement staff, promoting a culture of excellence, collaboration, and professional growth; build capacity and engagement among HMC’s alumni, parents, and friends; and develop meaningful and strategic frameworks to raise the sights and involvement of volunteers and donors at all levels. 

Eccles joins HMC from the Giant Magellan Telescope Corporation in Pasadena, CA, an international consortium dedicated to building one of the world’s most powerful observatories, where she has served as vice president of development and external relations since 2017. There, she supported the $2.5 billion observatory with funding initiatives that helped raise over $250 million, securing significant contributions from academic institutions, private donors, and federal partners. Eccles has extensive experience in campaign planning, donor cultivation, and engagement that will advance the mission of Harvey Mudd College and work to achieve the College’s ambitious goals outlined by the community in its strategic plan.

Eccles began her career in higher education advancement as a student worker at the University of Idaho Foundation. Since then, she held development roles at the University of Washington, Washington State University, and the University of Southern California, where she spent a decade leading fundraising initiatives at the Sol Price School of Public Policy and USC Libraries. Eccles earned a bachelor of science degree in public communication from the University of Idaho.  

Rachel Ellenport led this search with Becky Piper and Megan Gorman.