Scott A. Meiklejohn of Harpswell, Maine, has been named senior vice president for development and alumni relations at Bowdoin College. Meiklejohn, who currently serves as dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin, succeeds Richard J. Ganong, who announced that he will leave the College at the end of June.
Scott Meiklejohn
Meiklejohn’s appointment, which was announced by Bowdoin President Clayton S. Rose, is effective July 1, 2016.
“There is no one better equipped than Scott to take on this critical role for Bowdoin,” said Rose. “He has proven himself to be an effective and thoughtful leader in a variety of roles in nearly 20 years at the College. He knows our alumni, donors and trustees, and he understands Bowdoin’s values, traditions and aspirations. I am very excited about our partnership and the work ahead.”
Meiklejohn will continue to serve as a key member of the leadership team that sets the strategic direction of the College. Building on the assets of one of the nation’s most effective college fundraising programs, Meiklejohn will provide strategic direction for an advancement operation that effectively engages a loyal and diverse group of alumni in the life of the College. Total giving to Bowdoin in FY 2014-15 was $52.7 million. Bowdoin’s Annual Giving program raised $11.6 million, with one of the highest alumni participation rates (61.6%) at any college or university in the U.S. The College also raised $2.2 million from Bowdoin parents in support of its academic, residential life and financial aid programs.
Meiklejohn steps into his new role with nearly two decades of service to Bowdoin, beginning in January 1997 when he was named senior capital support officer in development. In succeeding years, he was promoted to associate vice president for development and alumni relations and then, in 2003, to vice president for planning and institutional advancement and assistant to Bowdoin president Barry Mills, a position he held until being named interim dean of admissions in June 2008. During his years working in development and alumni relations, Meiklejohn managed a variety of programs and staff, including annual giving, alumni relations, donor relations, Bowdoin Magazine and corporation and foundation relations.
Named dean of admissions and financial aid in December 2009, Meiklejohn has most recently overseen a staff and operation that has achieved the highest applicant totals in Bowdoin’s history, record selectivity and record yield. This year, Bowdoin received 6,799 applications for 500 spots in the Class of 2020. They came from students enrolled in more than 3,300 high schools, with 30 percent of the applicants identifying themselves as multicultural. And during Meiklejohn’s tenure, Bowdoin eliminated loans from its financial aid packages and increased the percentage of students receiving need-based financial aid from 42 to 45 percent.
Before coming to Bowdoin, Meiklejohn served as headmaster at La Pietra School in Honolulu, Hawaii, and as director of admissions at Hebron Academy in Maine. He is a former trustee at Kents Hill School in Kents Hill, Maine, at the Waynflete School in Portland, Maine, and at his alma mater, Colgate University.
