Pitt witnesses sizable endowment growth under Nordenberg

Al Novak, executive administrator in the Office of Institutional Advancement, said his boss has an uncanny memory of people he knows. Chancellor Mark Nordenberg could be far from Pitt’s campus, but quickly remember a student’s face.

“Someone will run up to him and say, ‘I am …’ and Nordenberg will fi ll in the blank and say, ‘You were in my Civil Procedures class in 1989, you sat in the third row, second seat from the left,’” Novak said.

A talented memory comes in handy when meeting hundreds of people. For his past 18 years at Pitt, a large part of Nordenberg’s job has been to be the public face for Pitt’s fundraising effort. Nordenberg spearheaded the Building Our Future Together Campaign, the most profi table fundraiser for the University, which began during Homecoming weekend 2000.

Novak described the weekend the University initiated the campaign: The school set up a tent between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Memorial Chapel where alumni from around the country celebrated with students, faculty and staff.

During the weekend, students and faculty gave tours of the campus facilities and presentations about the University to alumni. The University closed the campaign in June 2013 after quadrupling the campaign’s original goal of raising $500 million.

Novak said that the University has about 315,000 living alumni, and that 189,000 people donated money to the Building Our Future Together Campaign.

He confirmed that the University’s financial records indicate that as of June 2013 the endowment was almost $3 billion.

“What we know is that donors like to invest in winners, in quality investment strength,” Novak said.

Throughout the year, Nordenberg — whom Pitt Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations Jeff Gleim called “our chief engager” — travels both around the U.S.

and internationally to visit alumni. Gleim also dubbed Nordenberg “chancellor of the world.”

During a tour around the country, Nordenberg’s typical day is comprised of individual alumni meetings in the morning and afternoon and a small group luncheon in between. Each evening, he speaks to a group of a few hundred alumni.

Nordenberg also reaches out to alumni through the Chancellor’s Circle event, which recognizes both those who have contributed $1,000 or more and recent alumni who have donated $500 or more. This event is held annually at Heinz Field before a Pitt football game.

Nordenberg prefers to reach out to alumni at large events because he can approach many different alumni individually.

According to Gleim, Nordenberg’s endearing qualities shine at group events, for even when he speaks to a group of a few hundred people, he makes an individual feel like he or she is the only one.

Gleim pointed out that Nordenberg does not only speak to famous athletes or physicians, but to everyone, because he “is a chancellor of the people.”

Novak called him a “fabulous presenter and storyteller.”

“There are times when he is done talking, and if he said, ‘I need 25 of you to climb up the Cathedral of Learning and clean the windows,’ there would be a stampede to the ladders,” Novak went on to say.

Tony Fountain, president of the African American Alumni Council, raised money for the campaign. The 500 lifetime members of the council have donated more than $7 million, and Fountain has personally donated $100,000.

“As a result of the chancellor’s leadership, an expanded culture for improving diversity was created at Pitt, which in turn saw improved behaviors across the spectrum at the University in support of diversity,” Fountain said.

Novak describes Chancellor Nordenberg as being proud of the University, yet humbled that the donors invest without a tangible reward.

After receiving donations, Nordenberg writes personal thank-you letters to the donors for investing in a Pitt student, faculty member or staff member’s future. He includes the impact their donation had on the University, and even where he and the donor first met. Novak said that he once walked into an alumni’s office to find a thank-you letter from the chancellor framed on the wall. He added that Nordenberg has been able to transform his position from a public face to a personable communicator.

“Alumni were inspired by [Nordenberg’s] leadership. Once he built a great University, he went out there and told a story,” Novak said.