Sarah Byrd has joined the Knox College Office of Advancement in the new position of executive director of annual giving and alumni engagement.

Byrd will provide strategic direction for fully integrating constituent engagement and philanthropy among the Knox community by creating and maintaining pathways for alumni and other constituents to engage with the College as attendees, life-long learners, volunteers, and donors.

“I'm a strategic thinker with a bit of a competitive nature, and I get energy by being around people,” Byrd said. "I was intrigued by the position right away because it involves both alumni relationship work as well as fundraising.”

Byrd comes to Knox with leadership experience in fundraising and alumni relations from Earlham College. Prior to joining academia, she worked in development and administration in the non-profit sector. Byrd received her bachelor’s degree in English from Wittenberg University.

The Knox Fund, the College’s annual operating fund, has seen annual growth in dollars raised—nearing $4 million annually. Recent programming additions to alumni relations include alumni travel offerings, alumni engaging with students as “professionals in residence,” student-alumni mentoring, a new alumni networking app, and term-break immersive learning opportunities with students and alumni and parents.

"Really great things are already happening at Knox and the potential to do even more is huge," said Byrd. "I want to be a part of that."