The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has named Mark Depew as assistant dean for advancement, effective August 10.

Depew joins A&S from Cornell University, where he spent the past 15 years in advancement, most recently as a major gifts officer managing a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects. He generated more than $33 million during Cornell's most recent comprehensive campaign, including a $10 million commitment and multiple seven-figure gifts. Earlier in his career, he served as director of development for Cornell's Nolan School of Hotel Administration, leading a seven-person advancement team and partnering with the school's dean and faculty on fundraising priorities.

Prior to his advancement career, Depew built nearly 20 years of business leadership experience, including co-founding a real estate brokerage and holding regional management roles in banking and financial services.

Depew will serve as a liaison to the Dean's Advisory Board and oversee major A&S advancement events. Additionally, he will develop advancement strategies supporting the College's priorities, such as scholarships, career readiness and faculty support.

"Mark possesses the experience to grow philanthropic cooperation that reflects our departments' priorities under the College’s strategic plan," says A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi. "His record of building lasting donor relationships and closing transformational gifts at Cornell speaks for itself, and I'm confident he'll be a trusted partner to our faculty and chairs as we grow A&S' advancement pipeline."

Depew will report jointly to Mortazavi and Jen Stone, assistant vice president for schools, colleges and units in the University's Advancement and External Affairs division.

"What stood out to me about Mark is how consistently people described him — as a fundraiser who builds real relationships with donors instead of someone who just closes gifts, and as a mentor who genuinely develops the people on his team," says Stone. "He's led a team before, he knows how to translate philanthropic priorities into results, and he's coming in ready to partner closely with academic leadership as we grow advancement's role in A&S' strategic plan. I couldn't be more excited to have him joining us."

In his new role, Depew will lead the College's advancement team of five people, building a network of major gift prospects aligned with priorities across A&S departments under the Academic Strategic Plan.

Depew earned a bachelor's degree in economics and management, with a concentration in finance, from the State University of New York at Cortland.

"I am honored to join Syracuse University and the College of Arts and Sciences, the University's flagship college. I am excited to work alongside Dean Mortazavi, our faculty and the advancement team to advance the College's vision and priorities,” Depew says. “I look forward to building meaningful relationships that inspire philanthropic investments to support our students and strengthen the College for generations to come."