NJIT Names Kelly Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Following a highly competitive national search, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has announced the selection of Alan J. Kelly, CFRE, as the university’s next Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations. Kelly will join NJIT on July 14, 2025. NJIT sought an experienced leader who will direct efforts to further develop a strong culture of philanthropy that will support the university’s rapid ascent to prominence and the ambitious goals outlined in NJIT’s 2030 Strategic Plan.

Kelly comes to NJIT with more than 25 years of leadership experience in philanthropy, including nearly two decades as Vice President and Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs at Hofstra University. He has established a significant record of building comprehensive fundraising programs, strengthening alumni engagement, and leading high-performing teams. At Hofstra, Kelly has overseen all aspects of university advancement, including capital campaigns, major and planned giving, alumni relations, and donor stewardship.

Prior to his work at Hofstra, Kelly served as Operational Vice President at CCS Fundraising, a nationally recognized strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits to drive transformational philanthropic activity. There, Kelly led fundraising initiatives for a broad portfolio of clients that included higher education institutions, religious organizations, healthcare systems, and secondary education organizations. 

At NJIT, Kelly will be responsible for the overall health and growth of the development and alumni relations program, advancing the cultivation and solicitation of the university’s most generous alumni, donors, volunteers, and friends. As Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, Kelly will help shape the future of NJIT by building a bolder philanthropic program, serving as president of the NJIT Foundation and working with its directors, shepherding a capital campaign, and supporting the ambitious goals within the university’s strategic plan.

NJIT President Teik C. Lim said, “Alan is a highly accomplished development leader who understands what it will take to enhance our philanthropic efforts in the ways necessary to achieve our goals. He understands what NJIT is about – students and faculty success, and technological innovation – and has demonstrated an ability to drive notable success at each of the organizations he has served. We are thrilled to have him joining NJIT at this important moment in our history.”

Kelly said of the opportunity to join NJIT, “NJIT’s Strategic Plan 2030 is compelling, and I am inspired by its focus on research, innovation, equity, and real-world impact….As a first-generation college attendee, an immigrant from Dublin, Ireland, and a proud U.S. citizen since 2007, I have a personal appreciation for the power of education to change lives. That experience fuels my ongoing commitment to expanding access, building inclusive communities, and securing transformational support for institutions that prepare students to lead in the 21st-century economy.”

Kelly holds a Master of Science from Hofstra and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton, as well as designation as a Certified Fund-Raising Executive.