Jonathan Enslin will become Augustana College’s vice president for college advancement, effective Jan. 1.
Mr. Enslin currently is vice president for college advancement at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. When he joins the college in January, he will provide strategic vision and direction for philanthropic giving to Augustana, President Andrea Talentino said in a news release from the Rock Island college.
Augustana’s Office of Advancement has been led by Vice President Kent Barnds since 2017. In May 2023, Ms. Talentino named Mr. Barnds executive vice president for strategy and innovation. In that role, he oversees all enrollment management functions and leads the college in institutional strategic planning efforts.
When Mr. Enslin joins Augustana, he is expected to provide direction for the implementation and assessment of a comprehensive and integrated fundraising plan. His commitment to collaboration will be essential in setting institutional priorities, the release said.
Mr. Enslin said he was drawn to Augustana because of its dedication to providing an education rooted in the liberal arts while also encouraging students to find their life’s calling.
“As someone who received such an education, I can personally attest to how it has helped to enable a positive outcome not only in my career, but in every aspect of my life,” Mr. Enslin said. “I look forward to partnering in President Talentino’s vision and working hard for the betterment of Augustana College.”
At Augustana, he also will prioritize alumni and parent engagement while developing donor relationships to fulfill the college’s mission to provide students with an education that prepares them for lives of leadership and service.
“Jon is passionate about creating inspiring workplaces where staff members work together to achieve big goals, and he has a vision for making philanthropy a joyful experience for individuals who want to support initiatives they believe in. He is ready to step in and lead right away, and will also be a great partner within the leadership team,” Ms. Talentino said.
“We are thrilled to welcome him to Augustana, particularly as we are on the brink of launching a new strategic plan that will guide us in creating the future of Augustana and require significant philanthropic support to introduce new transformative experiences for our students.”
Augustana Trustee Chris Coulter said Mr. Enslin stood out as the strongest candidate among an impressive group of applicants.
“Jon’s recent success with the $125 million ‘Support What Matters’ capital campaign for St. Norbert College is proof that Jon can help Augustana continue to build its endowment for the future benefit of its students, faculty and staff,” Mr. Coulter said.
“He will be a great addition to Augustana, and I look forward to working with him as he reaches out to alumni and friends of the college to build new and expand upon existing relationships in support of its mission.”
The “Support What Matters” campaign is expected to secure more than $125 million for St. Norbert’s endowment and other priorities by May 31, 2024. This initiative secured funding for the construction of St. Norbert’s Schneider School of Business & Economics building, which is slated to begin this winter.
During his 22 years at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Mr. Enslin was the vice chancellor for university advancement, president of the UW-Whitewater Foundation, Inc., and executive director of development. He successfully led the “Campaign for Students,” which secured $48.2 million for UW-Whitewater priorities and increased the endowment. He also oversaw the development of three strategic plans for the UW-Whitewater Foundation.
Mr. Enslin has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University. He is a member of the Council for Advancement & Support of Education, a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement.
A Wisconsin native, Mr. Enslin and his wife Kay have three adult sons.
