UMass Dartmouth appoints Judite Vamvakides vice chancellor for advancement

Experienced higher education fundraising leader to oversee university advancement, alumni engagement, and philanthropic strategy

UMass Dartmouth has appointed Judite C. Vamvakides as vice chancellor for advancement, effective September 8, 2026.

Vamvakides brings more than two decades of experience in higher education fundraising, alumni engagement, donor relations, and campaign planning. She joins UMass Dartmouth from Southern Connecticut State University, a public R2 institution, where she serves as associate vice president for alumni and donor engagement within the Division of Institutional Advancement.

“As someone who grew up in the Portuguese-American community and has dedicated her career to serving first-generation and low-income college students, Judite has a strong personal alignment with UMass Dartmouth’s mission,” said Chancellor Mark A. Fuller. “Judite’s experience, collaborative approach, and commitment to public higher education will be important assets as we expand opportunities and funding for our students, advance our research mission, and deepen the University’s impact across the SouthCoast and beyond.”

As vice chancellor, Vamvakides will lead UMass Dartmouth’s advancement enterprise, including fundraising, alumni engagement, donor relations, stewardship, advancement operations, and partnerships with the UMass Dartmouth Foundation. She will work with university leadership, deans, faculty, alumni, donors, and community partners to build philanthropic support for the University’s students, academic programs, research, and strategic priorities.

“I am honored to join UMass Dartmouth and contribute to a university with such a powerful commitment to student opportunity, research, and regional impact,” said Vamvakides. “I look forward to working with Chancellor Fuller and the entire university community to strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, and friends; expand opportunities for engagement and philanthropy; and build the partnerships that will advance the University's mission and create lasting opportunities for our students.”

At Southern Connecticut State, she has served as a key member of the Advancement leadership team driving the strategy for the University’s $50M comprehensive campaign. Judite led efforts to substantially increase the success of the annual Giving Day, achieving a record high total of more than $911,000, and also helped launch the School of Business’s first $10 million fundraising campaign.

Earlier in her career, Vamvakides worked in Latin American equities marketing and sales at Credit Suisse in New York, managing relationships with institutional investors, corporate executives, and senior banking professionals. She is proficient in Portuguese. Vamvakides earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in women’s and gender studies from Southern Connecticut State University. She also completed the Women’s Leadership Executive Education program at the Yale School of Management.