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The Rowan College at Burlington County Foundation welcomed new leadership, as it prepares for its largest annual fundraising event, the Celebration of Philanthropy, on March 26.

Karen Albanese graduated from Burlington County College [which became Rowan College at Burlington County] in 2005 and began a two-year term as chair in February. Lindsey Daniello was appointed director of the RCBC Foundation in January. Daniello brings more than a decade of experience in higher education fundraising – most recently as the associate director of Annual Fund Leadership Giving at Rider University.

Albanese expects the Celebration of Philanthropy to attract 200 to 300 business leaders.

“They get personal interaction with our students,” Albanese told NJBIZ. “The college is my heartbeat. I was a non-traditional student and I had four children.”

Albanese received two scholarships to Rutgers University including one from the family of the late Pamela Damush, who graduated from Burlington County College. Damush worked in the World Trade Center and died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“The day I graduated, I received a scholarship to Rutgers University, which helped me finish my four-year degree,” Albanese said. “The Damush family asked to meet me. I was a little nervous yet I wanted to say thank you. Their daughter was a non-traditional student and a woman, which was me. They wanted their daughter’s legacy to go on. To know that her family could give was profound.”

“Our mission at RCBC Foundation is to support RCBC students in lots of different ways,” Daniello told NJBIZ. “That could be scholarships, program support, or through other needs that they may have. Our hope and vision for the future is to continue to support RCBC students and to grow what the foundation is so that we can support more students and support them in innovative and creative ways moving forward.”

Challenges to raising money center on “explaining what kinds of needs and challenges our students have,” Daniello said. “It may be everything from the foundation supporting the food pantry, financial aid, and academic awards.”

The foundation re-organizes every February. Outgoing chair Danielle Lucas will remain an active member of the board as the foundation gears up for the Celebration of Philanthropy, which will be held in the Student Success Center.

“This evening will showcase our students’ talents in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math,” Daniello said.  “The guest speaker will be Greg Olsen, a private citizen who has been in space.”