Albany Student Voice

Danielle Blackwell, former campaign manager for congressman Sanford Bishop, has joined Albany State University's Institutional Advancement team as major gifts officer. Stepping into the role Oct. 1, Blackwell uses her knowledge in grant writing and resource development to acquire funds for ASU by means of grants, endowments and other major gifts.

"Danielle Blackwell has an enormous amount of understanding and commitment to fund-raising and philanthropy," said Angela Getter, vice president for Institutional Advancement. "She will bring a new way of re-educating the campus constituents on the approach of fund development, which will help develop a strong endowment."

Blackwell is from Cleveland, Ohio. She has nearly 20 years of developing and managing experience for organizations such as the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA), the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc. (CBCF) and the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, to name a few.

"I'm already excited about working for Albany State," Blackwell said. "I feed off the students, so I'm ready to start raising money." Blackwell and the Institutional Advancement team have already started developing a campaign called "The 1903 Campaign," in which students, staff and alumni will give different amounts of money using the numbers one, nine, zero, and three.

In 2002 Blackwell was the event manager for CBCF in Washington, D.C., where she planned and managed the annual legislative conference. Two years later, she transferred to the CBCF Spouses' Department, where she became director of the scholarship program, acquiring funds for various scholarships the organization awards to students.

"I learned the art of giving back-doing and asking for money," Blackwell said. While working for the CBCF, Blackwell served under Vivian Creighton Bishop, wife of Congressman Sanford Bishop. After noticing her work ethic, Blackwell said Congressman Bishop asked her to be his campaign manager. "Everything you do has a trickle effect on what you will do in years to come," she said.

Blackwell thought of an effective campaign strategy that eventually helped Bishop win his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Blackwell is a 2001 graduate of Temple University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations and advertising.

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