Troy, NY – Graig R. Eastin, vice president of the CHOC Children’s Hospital Foundation, has been named vice president for institute advancement at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by President Shirley Ann Jackson.

“I am pleased that Graig is joining our leadership team," said President Jackson. “His philanthropic advancement experience directing fundraising and friend-raising strategies for leading academic institutions and nationally recognized healthcare organizations will help Rensselaer enhance life-long relationships with our alumni and alumnae and other individuals, as well as corporations, foundations, and other organizations. His expertise managing capital campaigns, major gifts, alumni relations, annual giving, planned giving, and donor communications, cultivation, direct solicitation, and stewardship will lead to greater levels of support for the goals and priorities in The Rensselaer Plan 2024.”

In his role at Rensselaer, Eastin will assume responsibility for designing, cultivating, coordinating, and executing all central advancement programs including leadership and major gift fundraising, corporate/foundation gifts and sponsorship, planned giving, prospect research, prospect and donor communications, advancement events, advancement information systems, and alumni relations. He will lead the institute advancement team, and work with academic and administrative leaders in all portfolios, as well as volunteers, to develop both long-term and immediate strategies and programs for the engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of alumni and other individuals, as well as corporations, foundations, and other organizations, for the Institute.

“Rensselaer is a nationally recognized technological research university with a strong foundation and alumni network, and I am honored to be given an opportunity to help support the faculty, students, staff, and alumni who are addressing the critical issues impacting our society and helping to change the world,” Eastin said. “Under Dr. Jackson’s leadership, Rensselaer is poised for even greater levels of excellence and distinction in global-class research, innovative and experiential learning, and transformative student experiences as it approaches its bicentennial.”

As vice president for CHOC Children’s Hospital Foundation in Orange, California, Mr. Eastin consistently raised the annual level of fundraising for CHOC, which is affiliated with the University of Irvine.

Prior to CHOC, Mr. Eastin was employed by the University of California San Diego in a variety of leadership roles, including serving as the associate vice chancellor for development, general campus, and as the senior director of development and external relations for the UC San Diego Rady School of Management. Previously, he held positions as vice president for institutional advancement at the Harbor-UCLA Research & Educational Institute and as vice president, director of development at The Whittier Institute for Diabetes. Earlier in his career Mr. Eastin served as director of major gifts for the University of Southern California.

Mr. Eastin earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.