UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Amy Sharer is the new director of stewardship and donor relations for Penn State Outreach and Online Education. She joins Penn State OOE Development and Alumni Relations from the College of Engineering, where she was the stewardship coordinator.
Sharer said she is excited to hit the ground running in her new position.
Amy Sharer is the new director of stewardship and donor relations for Penn State Outreach and Online Education. Credit: Paul Hazi. All Rights Reserved.
“I look forward to being an active partner with the OOE team to enhance and expand the mission and vision for securing much-needed support for Penn State World Campus students and many of the outreach programs in our community,” Sharer said. “It is critically important for donors to know they make an impact with every gift and I’m really excited to be able to provide that understanding for them.”
Sharer’s career, which spans 27 years at Penn State, began as a staff assistant in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Dean for the Commonwealth Educational System. She spent several years as the development assistant for the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications and as the assistant director in Administrative Information Systems for Penn State Development and Alumni Relations. She earned an associate of applied science from the Pennsylvania College of Technology in 1991.
Sharer said the most challenging part of her position is building consistent awareness across the University regarding the overarching importance of stewardship.
“I feel it is our collective responsibility as an institution to protect and care for the resources gifted by the donors to the University,” Sharer said. “As a guiding principle of my job, whether it is a gift of $5 or $5 million, it is important that we honor what the donor envisioned when making a financial commitment to the University. Each person involved in the stewardship process needs to realize that they are a part of a much larger vision and their partnership is critical to the overall success of our mission.”
Spencer Lewis, director of Development and Alumni Relations for Penn State OOE, said Sharer is an asset to Penn State OOE.
“Amy comes to us with a wealth of stewardship experience and a passion for the programs in the Outreach and Online portfolio,” Lewis said. “This background, combined with her heartfelt desire to ensure the most rewarding experience for all donors, will translate into great success for our development and alumni relations effort.”
The Penn State Outreach and Online Education Development and Alumni Relations team supports Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, WPSU Penn State, Nittany AI Alliance, Penn State Center Pittsburgh, Penn State Center Philadelphia, Justice and Safety Institute, OLLI at Penn State, Continuing Education, Conferences and Institutes and secures funding for scholarships for Penn State World Campus students.
Christie Black