Andrew Schmidt is the Development Officer in the Office of Advancement and adjunct
faculty in the Department of English, Technical Communications, and Media Arts at
Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) in Marietta, Georgia. For eight years
prior to joining SPSU in May 2010, Andrew worked as a fundraising professional for
several nonprofit organizations in the Atlanta area. Previous positions include Development
Officer at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Associate Director at The Carter Center,
and Development Coordinator at Kennesaw State University (KSU).
Andrew’s work experience began in higher education and broadened to include cultural and humanitarian organizations. This breadth of opportunities has provided a solid background for him to return to his passion: working for the advancement of higher education. In addition to his fundraising duties, Andrew also teaches undergraduate courses in English composition and technical writing at SPSU.
Fundraising activities in his current and previous positions have included major gifts solicitation, annual fund management, and capital campaign development. Andrew has traveled throughout the country meeting with donors, potential donors, and alumni; he finds the experience of meeting new people with whom he shares a common interest to be the most valuable element of his career.
Academic achievements include a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, a Master of Arts degree in Professional Writing, and a Master of Business Administration degree, all from Kennesaw State University. During the 2009-2010 academic year, while enrolled in the M.B.A. program, Andrew was awarded the W. Wyman Pilcher, Jr. Scholarship. Andrew is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Communication at Georgia State University with a concentration in Rhetorical Studies and research interest in the suasory effects of visual and textual rhetoric in philanthropic communications practices.
In addition to various graduate student and alumni associations, Andrew is an active member of the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the Georgia Education Advancement Council, the Georgia Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution, and is the current treasurer for Atlanta Future Leaders in Higher Education.