NWC hires director of capital giving

Jackie Davis, executive director of development at Dakota Wesleyan University, has been named the director of capital giving at Northwestern College. Davis will begin her new position on July 1.

“Jackie brings to Northwestern many years of successful fundraising experience and a desire to serve the Lord through garnering support for Christian higher education,” says Jay Wielenga, Northwestern’s vice president for advancement. “Her passion is meeting people and encouraging their support. With her relational strengths, high energy and good sense of humor, she will be a great addition to the advancement team.”  

Davis has more than 17 years of experience in higher education advancement. She joined Dakota Wesleyan’s development office in 1993 and worked with the annual fund, major and campaign gifts, alumni relations, planned giving and administration. She also served as the university’s coordinator of campus wellness and activities for two years.

“I am thrilled to join a dynamic team in raising friends and funds for Northwestern,” says Davis. “I have admired Northwestern from a distance for many years. I’ve always been impressed with the quality alumni produced by the college, the vibrancy of its campus, and the faculty and staff. Northwestern’s spiritual focus is clearly the largest draw for me. I have a passion for inviting people to support something I believe in because they can make a difference. I’m anxious to experience and share with others Northwestern’s mission of engaging students in courageous and faithful learning and living.” 

 Davis says one of her first aims will be to learn more about Northwestern’s past, present and future goals. “I also want to learn stories of how lives have been changed at Northwestern. There is nothing more powerful than hearing and then sharing how current and former students’ lives have been affected through their college experience and then how they take that knowledge and make a difference in the world for God and for good.”

A Dakota Wesleyan graduate who majored in biology, Davis earned a master’s degree in speech communication from the University of South Dakota. She has been an active volunteer at Mitchell Christian School and Northridge Baptist Church, as well as a board member for the Mitchell Area Safehouse Foundation. Her campus involvement has included service on numerous committees, including accreditation, inauguration, spiritual development, staff relations and employee recognition.