Welcoming Jonah Nigh, Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement
A message from Dr. Dwight A. McBride, President and University Professor
I am pleased to announce that Jonah Nigh will join The New School September 1 as Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement. He will oversee the university’s fundraising strategy and lead the team responsible for generating significant resources through individual, corporate and foundation giving.
Jonah is an accomplished fundraising leader with 16 years of experience, most recently as Chief Development Officer for the Jewish Museum in New York City. His earlier roles at the Jewish Museum have included Director of Major Gifts, Senior Director of Individual Giving, and Acting Deputy Director of Development. Previously, he was the Major Gifts Officer for Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and was the Assistant Director of Development for Opera America. He has also held fundraising positions at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Jonah has served as a panelist for the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and serves regularly as a guest speaker on the topic of fundraising via podcasts, university arts administration programs, and other outlets geared to the field of development. A classically trained singer, he earned his undergraduate degree at Lawrence University and a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory. His performance credits include roles at the Aspen Music Festival, Boston Lyric Opera, Dorian Opera Theatre, Opera Boston, as well as in national commercials and films. He is a longtime New York City resident and serves on the executive and economic development committees of Bronx Community Board Four.
With his background in musical performance, longtime association with cultural and higher education institutions, commitment to social justice issues, and love for New York City, Jonah is excited to join The New School and help to advance our distinctive mission. I look forward to his partnership as we build even greater philanthropic support for New School students and scholars.
Jonah will begin at The New School following a year of tremendous momentum in the areas of Development and Alumni Engagement despite unprecedented challenges. My deepest gratitude goes to Trish Jackson for leading this critical area as Interim Senior Vice President since last October. She has been a wonderful colleague as well as an effective fundraiser and team leader during a pivotal time for The New School. And on a personal note, I will miss her a great deal.
I also want to take this opportunity to recognize the entire team in Development and Alumni Engagement. Their dedication and effectiveness have resulted in major new grants and gifts, great new alumni programming and a highly successful Parsons Benefit that not only raised over $3 Million for student scholarships, but also led the way in reopening cultural life in New York City. This team is also developing the thinking, systems, and service that are the hallmarks of a successful operation. I look forward to the even greater success I am confident we will see in the years to come under Jonah’s visionary and dynamic leadership.