Julie A. Lucas appointed next vice chancellor for University Development and Alumni Relations

Julie A. Lucas, a leader in higher education with nearly three decades of advancement experience at universities across the country, will be UC Berkeley’s next vice chancellor for University Development and Alumni Relations, campus leaders announced today (July 17). 

Lucas previously served as vice president of resource development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her 10-plus years there, she directed MIT’s fundraising enterprise and led a $6.24 billion campaign to amplify MIT’s strengths in education, research and innovation.

Lucas said she was drawn to Berkeley because of its mission rooted in teaching, research and public service, as well as its commitment to educating students regardless of their background.

“Across my career, I have focused on creating an inspiring vision, building inclusive communities and delivering results,” Lucas said. “In my view, success is shared, because it takes the entire community to come together to achieve the university’s goals.”

Before MIT, she held senior roles at the University of Southern California, New York University and Fordham University. In each position, Lucas helped launch and lead new fundraising efforts and campaigns that transformed campus life, from scholarship opportunities for first-generation students to state-of-the-art buildings and research labs that would become homes for new inventions and cutting-edge advancements. 

The UC Regents approved Lucas’ appointment today. Her first day is Sept. 8.

“Julie’s commitment to both bettering our world and driving successful campaigns is clear from her track record at MIT and elsewhere,” Chancellor Rich Lyons said. “She’s just the right choice to build on our already outstanding philanthropic momentum.”

A life in higher education

A political science and Spanish major from McDaniel College in Maryland, Lucas went on to earn her master’s degree in educational administration from Hofstra University. Her time in college took her to Spain and ignited a love of travel and exploration of different cultures. 

She pursued a career in higher education advancement shortly after graduating.

“I know how much my alma mater transformed my life and the impact that it had on me,” Lucas said. “As a result, I have committed my professional life to higher education.”

A major part of that commitment is about building strong relationships, Lucas said. Working in higher education advancement creates an opportunity to meet and partner with “the most interesting, thoughtful people who also want to make a difference and have an impact on the world.” She said she finds the opportunity to help match those interests with the greatest needs of the university extremely rewarding. 

One of Lucas’ accomplishments came during her time at Fordham Law School. Coinciding with the school’s 100th anniversary, she led an ambitious six-year campaign that secured more money than had been raised in the entire history of the school.

“The campaign changed the trajectory of the law school,” Lucas said. “By creating new professorships and centers and by supporting a new home for the law school, the alumni and donors demonstrated the power of philanthropy.”

At MIT, Lucas led the Institute’s largest-ever fundraising initiative, the MIT Campaign for a Better World. More than 112,000 people contributed, including nearly 56,000 new donors. During her tenure, MIT’s annual average fundraising total rose 96%, to $611 million.

Engaging alumni and donors is increasingly important amid the changing landscape of funding for higher education, she said. Additionally, it will be increasingly important to bring in unrestricted contributions that can be leveraged to provide critical support for research and teaching.

Embracing family and adventure

Lucas has visited more than 40 countries, often finding adventures along the way. She’s cliff-dived in Zambia, zip-lined in Costa Rica and rafted class-five rapids in Maine. She’s also skydived and completed a 300-mile bike ride from Boston to New York. 

A fan of the arts, she has attended concerts across a range of musical styles and venues, from the Grand Ole Opry to Red Rocks to the Met, as well as plays, ballets, museums and the opera. She loves diving into a good book, which she said is best read on the beach.

Lucas enjoys volunteering in her community and also serves as a member of the board of trustees for her undergraduate alma mater. When not working, volunteering or adventuring, she and her husband, Bernard, spend as much time as possible with family and friends.

Lucas succeeds Julie Hooper, who was UDAR’s vice chancellor for 10 years and led the campus’s historic $7.37 billion Light the Way campaign. Leslie L. Schibsted, executive director of campaign planning and constituent partnerships, has served as interim vice chancellor since February. 

“I look forward to working with everyone across the Berkeley community,” Lucas said, “and helping the university continue to positively change and enrich lives, innovate and excel.”