Belton has led the BC Tigers’ $1 Million Fundraising Streak for the last Nine Consecutive Years
Columbia, SC, September 26, 2023, The National Black College Hall of Fame Foundation recently announced that Ada Brown Belton has been selected as the 2023 Alumni Director of the Year. Belton is a successful fundraising professional and proud Cum Laude graduate of Benedict College. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations and Advancement Services. She is also the Executive Secretary of the Benedict College National Alumni Association which awarded her its highest honor in 2017, The Lula J. Gambrell Award.
During the last 20 years, Belton has raised over $20,000,000 for the Alumni Fund Campaign and was a major team member in securing over $30M for the 2003-2007 Benedict College Capital Campaign. In 2015, the Alumni Fund surpassed $1M for the first time in the history of the College and has reported record-breaking contributions for the last nine consecutive years. In 2023, the Tigers reached an all-time high in campaign receipts totaling $1.6M in the annual Alumni Fund Campaign.
“Ada Brown Belton loves Benedict College and is passionate about encouraging her fellow Tigers to pay it forward and give back to their alma mater,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, Benedict College President and CEO. “We are extremely proud that she is being recognized for her hard work, ingenuity, and leadership. She is the ultimate representative of The BEST of BC!”
Under Belton’s leadership, the College’s Alumni clubs grew by 30 percent, the Alumni Association became one of the first HBCUs recognized by the SC Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and awarded $20,000 for the largest percent increase in alumni participation. She also rallied the Alumni to contribute $500,000 which led to the successful match of the $1M Bush Foundation’s Alumni Challenge.
In her current role she is responsible for the Alumni Annual Fund Campaign, Class Reunion Campaigns, Endowed Scholarship Fundraising and Contracts, Alumni Annual and Spring Meetings, Donor Records, Alumni Volunteer Corp, Event Planning for Homecoming Activities including the Major Donor Appreciation Reception, Athletic Hall of Fame Induction, Alumni Awards Luncheon, Alumni Tailgate, Alumni Audacity to Dream Scholarship Initiative.
In 2019, The Benedict College National Alumni Association took home the top award at the National Black College Hall of Fame Foundation. The organization is dedicated to preserving and highlighting the accomplishments of HBCUs. Benedict College was honored to be named National Alumni Association of the Year for their dedication and hard work.
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About Benedict College (benedict.edu)
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 26 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26 countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College received the 2019 ACE/ Fidelity Investments Awards for Institutional Transformation and was named the HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest. Benedict College was listed among the top half of ranked HBCUs in the 2022 edition of Best Colleges by US News and World Report.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
