Suzanne Rothwell has come to know Columbia College as her home away from home.
Now in her 13th year working at CC, Rothwell assumed the role of associate vice president for Alumni Relations, Community Relations and Development in January.
She previously led the college’s Advancement Division for more than seven years.
Rothwell serves as the primary point of contact for the college’s 98,000 alumni worldwide and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders throughout the Columbia community as a respected advocate and ambassador.
Nearly two months into her new position, she answered a few questions from CC Connected, reflecting on her family’s roots as Cougars and looking ahead to the future:
CC Connected: What does it mean to you to be part of the team at CC?
Suzanne Rothwell: I’m proud to be a Columbia College Cougar! I have the honor of representing the college to our alumni, friends and communities as I travel across the country. I take pride in sharing updates about the college while hearing how CC has impacted so many lives. I’ve met with veterans, executives, nonprofit leaders, athletes and even a former Miss America! I feel lucky every day to do this work on behalf of the mission of Columbia College, which is to improve lives.
Connected: What stands out to you about working at CC?
Rothwell: What stands out? Literally, buildings. I look around main campus, and it’s enormously meaningful and gratifying to see the impact our alumni and friends have made through supporting projects at the college. The beautiful quad, with its alumni fountain. New Hall and the Robert W. Plaster School of Business. We’ve also grown our number of philanthropic scholarships, creating the ability for more students to afford higher education without going into debt. None of this is possible without our loyal and generous donors, who are also our alumni and friends. Columbia College has enjoyed three of the top fundraising years in our 174-year history during my tenure, and that’s something I’ll always be proud of. I’m excited to help Greg Hulen, our new chief fundraiser and vice president for Advancement, continue to increase our fundraising success.
Connected: What excites you about your new role at the college?
Rothwell: As a leader, I believe that our role is to look at the strengths of our team and put people in the right places so we can achieve success together. My natural strengths are in communicating, creating relationships and meaningful connections, and in promoting CC to the community. Serving the college in this role puts me at exactly the right place to capitalize on my strengths and to support our team’s shared goals and objectives as an institution.
Connected: What are a few goals you want to achieve with CC alumni?
Rothwell: I am working with alumni volunteers Joe Nicchetta ’79 and Dr. Sandy Nichols ’80 on an alumni revitalization initiative. We are seeking to get more alumni engaged, with a goal of reaching 1,000 alumni gifts (of any dollar amount) annually. Will you help us get there? We’d love your input! We also want to add to our CCAA Advisory Council. If you’re interested in being part of this committed and energetic group, apply here. We are also looking at hosting alumni gatherings, large or small, around the country. If you are interested in helping to host, please reach out to ccalum@ccis.edu.
Connected: Why is community outreach important for Columbia College?
Rothwell: Columbia College is a gem in mid-Missouri, and we’re fully embraced and supported by the community as a respected institution of higher education. We believe that being consistently involved and being at the tables where decisions are made has tremendous value, and the respect the college enjoys is due in part to our purposeful community outreach efforts. We have leadership involvement on many boards, including the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Regional Economic Development, Inc. We’re fortunate that our president, Dr. David Russell, strongly believes that being a respected and involved community member is vital to our continued success.
In fact, it was a connection made at one of these tables that directly enabled CC to provide a commencement ceremony for hundreds of graduates and their families in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, through access to a larger venue that provided adequate social distancing. Ironically, our daughter was one of the lucky graduates who benefited. It was a great outcome born out of a connection made by being at a Board of Directors table.
Connected: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Rothwell: While I didn’t graduate from CC, I’ve been here every day for over 12 years and Columbia College has become my second home. My husband, Jim ’91, and our daughters, Kaitlyn ’21 and Olivia ’22, are all graduates of Columbia College, as are numerous extended family members and friends. We are members of the President’s Society (Ivy & Oak Circle) as well as the Cornerstone Club, and we have three named spaces on campus. We truly are “All In For CC,” and I hope you are too!
