As Wesleyan builds on recent growth and plans for its future, the College has named Patrice J. Williams its new Vice President for Advancement.  Williams joins Wesleyan at a pivotal point in the $61 million SHE WILL Campaign, bringing extensive experience in relationship-based fundraising, strategic partnerships, and philanthropic investment.

Most recently serving as Spelman College’s Assistant Vice President for Advancement Relations, Williams’ work has included securing and stewarding six- to eight-figure investments and developing comprehensive strategies for principal gifts, annual giving and constituent engagement. Before assuming her most recent leadership role at Spelman, Williams also served as Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Georgia State University College of Law.

“Patrice brings both the experience and the relationship-centered approach we need to build on the College’s current momentum,” said Wesleyan College President Meaghan Blight. “She understands that advancement is ultimately about trust and relationships. I’m confident her leadership will strengthen those relationships and help build on our philanthropic foundation to ensure future generations of women can pursue her path at Wesleyan.” 

For Williams, joining Wesleyan represents both a professional opportunity and a personal connection to the transformative power of women’s education. A graduate of Spelman College, Williams said her own experience shapes the way she approaches advancement.

According to Williams, supporting that mission begins with building meaningful relationships. She views philanthropy as a natural extension of those relationships, connecting people with the causes they care about most.

That relationship-first philosophy will shape her approach to Wesleyan’s alumnae and donor community. Williams plans to begin by listening and learning what Wesleyan means to generations of alumnae, understanding why they’ve chosen to invest in the College and identifying opportunities to deepen those relationships in ways that support both the work at hand and Wesleyan’s future.  

Successfully completing the SHE WILL Campaign will certainly be one of Williams’ immediate priorities; however, her focus extends beyond reaching its goal.  

“I’m far more interested in what the campaign can set the ground for,” Williams said. “This is an opportunity to deepen relationships with alumnae, cultivate new partners and strengthen a culture of philanthropy that will sustain this College well beyond right now.”

Williams holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in organizational development and change management from Marylhurst University and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Spelman College.  She also holds a Fundraising Management Certificate from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s The Fund Raising School, along with additional credentials in frontline fundraising, social entrepreneurship and design thinking.

Outside of her advancement work, Williams is an avid reader and tennis enthusiast who enjoys spending time outdoors and gardening. Teaching and mentoring are also important parts of her life. A longtime faculty instructor, she is known for opening her home to students for Sunday dinners and said she looks forward to building the same kinds of meaningful mentoring relationships right here at Wesleyan.