After more than seven years at the helm of Syracuse University’s fundraising and alumni engagement efforts, Matt Ter Molen, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, today announced he will step down from his post on Dec. 31. Ter Molen will assume the role of vice president for institute advancement at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Tracy Barlok, who currently serves as special advisor to the chancellor on advancement and external affairs, will serve as interim chief advancement officer. Barlok joined Syracuse University in September, bringing with her more than 35 years of experience, having most recently served as vice president for advancement at the College of the Holy Cross.
Matt Ter Molen
A key part of Ter Molen’s portfolio has been leading Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University, a $1.5 billion initiative that launched in November 2019. The campaign, which focuses on advancing academic excellence at all levels, has raised more in private philanthropy than at any other time in the University’s history, with more than $1.2 billion raised toward the $1.5 billion goal. Thanks to Ter Molen’s leadership and his team’s persistence, the Forever Orange campaign has so far resulted in:
“Matt came to Syracuse at an important moment in the University’s history and made an immediate impact,” says Chancellor Syverud. “He hired a talented team of fundraising and alumni engagement professionals, expanded alumni programming and led the launch of the University’s most ambitious fundraising campaign. Matt has been a tenacious steward of the University’s mission and has inspired countless donors and alumni to support the Orange vision for the future.”
More recently, Ter Molen and his team introduced the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program to accelerate the creation of endowments for professorships, chairs and faculty support funds, all of which are essential to recruiting and sustaining a high-achieving faculty. Ter Molen also says the philanthropic response to the pandemic was inspiring, with $1.8 million raised for the Syracuse Responds COVID-19 relief effort to provide students with immediate financial support to continue their studies with minimal disruption.
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to witness the support of students, family, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Syracuse University,” says Ter Molen. “The Orange community has responded to every appeal and every need with enthusiasm. Together, we have faced unprecedented challenges, but the fierce dedication and loyalty of our Orange community has carried us forward to advance our shared vision and deliver on the dreams of our amazing students and faculty.”
Chancellor Syverud added that he is grateful for Barlok’s contributions and appreciates her willingness to lead at such a critical juncture at the University. While at Holy Cross, she directed its $400 million comprehensive campaign, which was completed in 2021 and raised more than $420 million. Barlok has also held advancement leadership roles at Skidmore College and Colgate University.
“Tracy joined our community only a few short months ago and is already having significant impact,” says Chancellor Syverud. “Thanks to her counsel and guidance, we’ve had several successful campaign events, including in San Francisco and Atlanta, and have registered several high-impact gifts from donors. Her experience as a fundraiser, leader and strategist have allowed her to be an immediate asset both to the AEA [Advancement and External Affairs] team and to the Orange community as a whole. I look forward to working with her in her interim leadership role.”
Appointed by Chancellor Kent Syverud in December 2014, Ter Molen came to Syracuse from Northwestern University in 2015, just as the University began implementing a new Academic Strategic Plan. Shortly thereafter, the University launched Invest Syracuse: Advancing Academic Excellence and the Student Experience, a $100 million initiative that helped bring to life the big ideas and innovative proposals envisioned in the Academic Strategic Plan. Under Ter Molen’s leadership, AEA successfully raised $40 million to support scholarships and financial aid that were a critical part of Invest Syracuse.
Ter Molen grew up in Evanston, Illinois, and graduated from Miami University in Ohio. After two years in the Peace Corps in Honduras, he accepted his first fundraising position at the University of Chicago, where he started as an assistant director in annual giving. From 1990-98, he held successive positions at the University of Chicago. In 1998, Ter Molen was hired as the assistant dean for development for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, and, in 2003, he became the associate vice president for alumni relations and development at Northwestern, where he led the $6 billion campaign We Will: The Campaign for Northwestern.
