51²è¹Ýapp

Bernadine Douglas began her role as 51²è¹Ýapp College’s vice president for Development and Alumni Relations in August 2023. Douglas has a wealth of experience and expertise in all areas of leadership, with a particular focus on fundraising and operational objectives within higher education.

Douglas earned a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Florida. As a first-generation college graduate, Douglas embraced the philosophy that colleges should be strongly committed to increasing access and affordability for every student.

Her distinguished career included serving as director of major gifts at the University of Central Florida and vice president of external relations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Her leadership continued at Berea College in Kentucky where she served as vice president for alumni and college relations. Douglas led a team of professionals and oversaw an annual operating budget of $4 million. During her tenure, Berea College achieved consecutive years of fundraising growth, raising over $41 million in 2018, the highest in the College’s history at that time.

In 2019, Douglas was named vice president for institutional advancement at Barry University in Miami. She successfully rebuilt the fundraising operation, resulting in significant growth from $2 million in 2019 to over $5 million in 2022. Douglas’ efforts included establishing a phonathon, implementing direct marketing strategies, and developing a mid-level donor program.