Syracuse University announced plans on Friday to expand its presence in the Middle East and other places around the globe with two changes to the administration.

Chancellor Kent Syverud appointed Elizabeth Breul O’Rourke, previously the secretary to the Board of Trustees, to the position of senior vice president for principal gifts and international advancement. In addition, James O’Connor, who has served as the executive director of Middle East advancement and external affairs since 2010, will now work exclusively in that region.

In light of O’Rourke’s new responsibilities, the Board of Trustees will conduct a search to find her replacement as secretary. David Smith, former vice president for enrollment management, will serve as acting secretary while the search takes place.

Kevin Quinn, senior vice president for public affairs, said in an email that the overarching goal of these appointments is to further support the board and expand SU’s international advancement and development efforts. He said the appointments have been in discussion for some time, and it made sense to announce and implement them with the start of the academic year.

O’Rourke will report to the chancellor and continue to serve as a member of his Executive Team, according to an Aug. 29 SU News release. Quinn said she will be focused on raising the university’s profile internationally. She’ll also be developing a global advancement strategy, on which SU expects to make “very good progress in the next year,” Quinn said.

Meanwhile, O’Connor will take on a more specific role as executive director of Middle East advancement and external affairs. O’Connor has worked in the Division of Advancement and External Affairs, which includes fundraising, communications and dealing with alumni, parents and friends of the university who aren’t on campus.

“The change for me is to focus on the Middle East exclusively now,” he said.

While O’Connor has worked in North Africa, the Middle East and Turkey in the past, he said he also spent time traveling to other countries as a principal gift officer. In that position, he said he would go where there were individuals who wanted to help the university in some way. But now Syverud has made expanding SU’s efforts in the Middle East an “institutional priority.”

Quinn said SU has a long-standing group of alumni, supporters and connections in the region. One example is Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal in 2012. Focusing on the Middle East will further develop on those connections, Quinn said.

“Given the university’s growing influence there, we believe there are new opportunities to build on our successful efforts in ways that will benefit students, faculty and the entire university,” he said.

In addition, O’Connor said there are internship opportunities for SU students in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Those opportunities are unique and sometimes will help a prospective student decide to come to SU, O’Connor said.

Connecting with alumni who are located abroad is another aspect of O’Connor’s new role.

“The purpose is to make us a better institution,” he said. “To include international alumni in all of our activity, just like we do our domestic alumni.”

He will also be working to recruit students from the Middle East to attend SU. He said having students from that region on campus in Syracuse can be mutually beneficial for both parties.

“There’s a lot to be gained by interacting with the institutions and people in that part of the world,” O’Connor said.

Published on September 2, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27