Sarah Palermo, Director of Development

Sarah Palermo has joined the staff of Institutional Advancement as our Director of Development. 

 

 

Sarah graduated from Boston University in 1992 with a BA in Art History and in 1996 received an AAS in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.  While cooking in fine dining restaurants in San Francisco, Sarah began volunteering for non-profit orgainizations and decided to leave the culinary world for a career in fundraising.  She worked in the development department of the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Art Institute, was the founding development director for Alice Water's Chez Panisse Foundation and the director of the San Francisco office for Human Rights Watch.

 

Sarah was hired as the Director of Development for McKendree University in July 2008.  Her primary responsibilities inculde implementing and updating the development plan for the university and cultivation and solicitation of major donors and prospects.

 

Sarah's husband, Peter, is the director of The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts.  They live in Lebanon and have two children, Charles and Tessa.To leave a message for Sarah, please click here.

William McKendree Society:

On May 30^th the annual celebration honoring members of The William McKendree Society took place at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.   One hundred thirty guests and members of our Society attended and enjoyed tours of the garden prior to dinner.  After dinner, President James Dennis and McKendree University Board Chairman, Dan Dobbins, presented membership pins to the new Society members and new Cornerstone members.  To learn how you can become a member of the William McKendree Society, please click here.

You can still make a gift to celebrate the birthday of McKendree University.  We kicked off our 180^th birthday celebration with a Founders' Day celebration on February 19.  If you would like to make a donation to McKendree University as a 180^th birthday gift, you can do so by using our secure online process.  Click here.

The tradition of giving to McKendree:  

McKendree students, parents, grandparents, friends and alumni continue a rich tradition of assisting our alma mater.  This tradition, known as the McKendree Legacy, means current and future students are supported by the financial gifts and prayers of our friends and alumni.  It is a legacy which began with the founding of our college. 

 

On February 20, 1828, an organizational meeting was held to take definite action to establish a seminary.  In the following days organizers sought subscriptions and 105 subscribers donated to support the Lebanon Seminary fund.  These 105 subscribers are the founders of McKendree.  Their gift paved the way for the purchase of the original campus and for the construction of the first buildings.