Rensselaer Names Assistant Vice President for Advancement

Joseph Medina To Serve as AVP for Advancement Strategy, Services, and Infrastructure

Joseph Medina, assistant vice president of college relations at Colby College, has been appointed assistant vice president for advancement strategy, services, and infrastructure at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Medina, who will help lead the Institute’s development programs, joined Rensselaer earlier this month.

“Mr. Medina brings over two decades of experience in higher education,” said Brenda Wilson-Hale, vice president for institute advancement. “I am delighted to have him as a member of my leadership team within institute advancement as we continue to manage and develop our advancement programs and strategies to best support the Institute and our alumni/ae supporters now and well into the future.”

Medina has been in higher education and specifically involved in alumni relations and development since 1987.  He began his career at Colby College as a senior systems analyst, a position that he held for seven years before becoming assistant vice president of college relations and director of operations and analysis.

Prior to joining Colby, Medina worked at the Analytic Sciences Corporation for two years as a systems analyst/programmer and at Arete Associates for four years as a research analyst. As a consultant, Medina has worked with institutions such as Bowdoin College, Muhlenberg College, The Good Will-Hinckley School, and the University of Massachusetts Medical Foundation. 

Medina earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Colgate University and is currently a master’s candidate in computer science at the University of Maryland. Medina is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), New England Development Researchers Association (NEDRA), and Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP). 

In his new role at Rensselaer, Medina will develop and manage alumni and development programs and data. This work will have a particular focus on programs that analyze historic giving and methodology for increasing fundraising efforts.  He will help manage training and orientation of advancement staff, gift processing and receipting, oversee advancement information systems and data management, business intelligence, prospect management and research, and donor relations and stewardship.