New Vice President for Advancement Named

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Fundraising professional with more than 25 years of experience in the field will join Lincoln in May

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. — Dr. Mellissia Zanjani joins Lincoln University as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the University announced today. The appointment is effective May 14.


Dr. Mellissia Zanjani

Zanjani, who holds the distinction of being a Certified Fund Raising Executive, is an accomplished executive with more than 25 years of higher education and not-for-profit experience in external relations, fundraising, communications, marketing, alumni relations, and development.

“Throughout her career, Dr. Zanjani has focused on building a culture of transformational philanthropy that can be sustained in support of student access and student success,” President Brenda A. Allen said. “I am delighted that Dr. Zanjani, a highly experienced professional who is knowledgeable about the higher education landscape is joining our senior leadership team at Lincoln.”

Zanjani is a native Marylander and has degrees from Chatham University, Towson University, and Oregon State University. She is passionate about education and has served as an adjunct instructor in the humanities and communication division. She has also taught for the first course fundraising program and for the Certified Fund Raising Executive preparation course. 

Her appointment provides an opportunity for Lincoln University to build an entrepreneurial, dynamic advancement team committed to using best practices to achieve the University’s goals.

She is married to Fred Zanjani, a division analyst, and together they have two adult daughters, Shereen and Sheena Zanjani.

 

Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), educates and empowers students to lead their communities and change the world. Lincoln offers a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse student body of approximately 2,200 men and women in more than 35 undergraduate and graduate programs.