July 20, 2007 — Julian M. Bivins Jr., assistant vice president for advancement in the University of Virginia’s Office of Development and Public Affairs, has been named chairman of the board of trustees for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, an international organization created to advance and support educational institutions through alumni relations, communications, marketing and fund raising.
Bivins, 51, served as chairman-elect of CASE for the past two years and became chairman last week at a CASE meeting in Chicago. He will serve a two-year term.
CASE has 3,300 institutional members and 22,700 professional members around the world. It has a presence in North America and Europe, is expanding in Africa and is incorporating in the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore.
"Julian Bivins is a true Renaissance man who understands and values the critically important work advancement professionals do on behalf of educational institutions around the world,” said John Lippincott, president of CASE. “We are honored to have Julian leading CASE at such an exciting time in our history, as we focus on international growth, the diversification of the profession, and research that will help our members be even more effective in their work."
Bivins said the vastness of the organization has been instructional.
“While we tend to be isolationist in our own institutions, we are, in fact, part of a vibrant, exciting and innovative profession,” he said.
From his vantage point as chairman, Bivins can better see this global community as a network of talented people.
“Part of the chairman’s role is to facilitate connections with groups of really talented people,” he said.
CASE members can also provide expertise that is available to U.Va.
“We have so many other people to draw upon for innovation and solving problems,” Bivins said. “We can talk to people who have faced things in ways we did not know about before. There is no monopoly on innovation and creativity.”
Bivins brings his own talents to the job. He received his undergraduate degree in International Business Administration from the American University in Paris. In his final two years at the school, he assisted the dean of students for health and counseling services. He managed counseling, health and insurance services for 500 students and staff, student resident and work visa relations with the French government, and supervised specialized projects initiated by the dean. Following graduation, he worked for a Franco/American television production company in Paris and Renaissance Broadcasting before attending graduate school.
He received a master’s degree in applied economics from the University of Delaware and worked for three years consulting in econometrics for electric utilities. He earned his law degree from U.Va.’s School of Law in 1989, after which he was managing director of EuroSource, where he implemented marketing strategies for a national sales program of European clocks and weather instruments, and directed the company's day-to-day operations.
His training in multiple disciplines lets him “take information and pull out what is appropriate,” he said.
“Since I went to school in Europe, I can have another view of the profession,” he said. “One that is not limited to North America. I can look at a set of skills and see what works in other parts of the world, see what makes their lives easier.”
As assistant vice president for advancement in U.Va.’s Development and Public Affairs office, Bivins’ management responsibilities include human resources, facilities management, gift accounting, budget ($16 million) and procurement activities, along with all desktop and advancement computing services. He also provides managerial oversight for donor identification, cultivation, recognition and stewardship activities, including phonathon operations.
“Being elected to a position of such respect and stature is a tribute to Julian as an individual and as a professional,” said Robert D. Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs. “I also felt pride on the University's behalf in that one of our own leaders has established himself as a national leader in philanthropy and higher education. In many ways, his selection to a leadership role at CASE serves as a validation of the University and the competence and professionalism of its leaders.”
Bivins, 51, served as chairman-elect of CASE for the past two years and became chairman last week at a CASE meeting in Chicago. He will serve a two-year term.
CASE has 3,300 institutional members and 22,700 professional members around the world. It has a presence in North America and Europe, is expanding in Africa and is incorporating in the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore.
"Julian Bivins is a true Renaissance man who understands and values the critically important work advancement professionals do on behalf of educational institutions around the world,” said John Lippincott, president of CASE. “We are honored to have Julian leading CASE at such an exciting time in our history, as we focus on international growth, the diversification of the profession, and research that will help our members be even more effective in their work."
Bivins said the vastness of the organization has been instructional.
“While we tend to be isolationist in our own institutions, we are, in fact, part of a vibrant, exciting and innovative profession,” he said.
From his vantage point as chairman, Bivins can better see this global community as a network of talented people.
“Part of the chairman’s role is to facilitate connections with groups of really talented people,” he said.
CASE members can also provide expertise that is available to U.Va.
“We have so many other people to draw upon for innovation and solving problems,” Bivins said. “We can talk to people who have faced things in ways we did not know about before. There is no monopoly on innovation and creativity.”
Bivins brings his own talents to the job. He received his undergraduate degree in International Business Administration from the American University in Paris. In his final two years at the school, he assisted the dean of students for health and counseling services. He managed counseling, health and insurance services for 500 students and staff, student resident and work visa relations with the French government, and supervised specialized projects initiated by the dean. Following graduation, he worked for a Franco/American television production company in Paris and Renaissance Broadcasting before attending graduate school.
He received a master’s degree in applied economics from the University of Delaware and worked for three years consulting in econometrics for electric utilities. He earned his law degree from U.Va.’s School of Law in 1989, after which he was managing director of EuroSource, where he implemented marketing strategies for a national sales program of European clocks and weather instruments, and directed the company's day-to-day operations.
His training in multiple disciplines lets him “take information and pull out what is appropriate,” he said.
“Since I went to school in Europe, I can have another view of the profession,” he said. “One that is not limited to North America. I can look at a set of skills and see what works in other parts of the world, see what makes their lives easier.”
As assistant vice president for advancement in U.Va.’s Development and Public Affairs office, Bivins’ management responsibilities include human resources, facilities management, gift accounting, budget ($16 million) and procurement activities, along with all desktop and advancement computing services. He also provides managerial oversight for donor identification, cultivation, recognition and stewardship activities, including phonathon operations.
“Being elected to a position of such respect and stature is a tribute to Julian as an individual and as a professional,” said Robert D. Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs. “I also felt pride on the University's behalf in that one of our own leaders has established himself as a national leader in philanthropy and higher education. In many ways, his selection to a leadership role at CASE serves as a validation of the University and the competence and professionalism of its leaders.”
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July 20, 2007
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