NEWS
BUILDING CONNECTIONS, INSPIRING PHILANTHROPY
AUWCL Welcomes New Assistant Dean of Advancement
When Marjorie McDowell talks about fundraising, she rarely starts with dollars. Instead, she talks about people, relationships and the power of connecting alumni to a mission they care deeply about.
That philosophy has guided a distinguished advancement career spanning more than two decades and has now brought her to American University Washington College of Law as the new assistant dean of advancement.
McDowell joins AUWCL from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she served as executive director of development, alumni. There, she led major and planned giving efforts for more than 9,000 medical alumni and helped transform alumni engagement into a powerful fundraising engine. Through a national outreach strategy and innovative donor engagement efforts, she helped increase alumni fundraising dramatically, securing more than $19 million in major and planned giſts while strengthening connections between alumni and the institution.
“Alumni engagement and philanthropy go hand in hand,” McDowell said. “When graduates feel connected to an institution and see the impact of their involvement, extraordinary things can happen.”
10 THE ADVOCATE FALL 2026
Marjorie McDowell
Throughout her career, McDowell has built a reputation as a collaborative leader who works closely with deans, faculty, volunteers and alumni to advance institutional priorities.
Before her time at Maryland, she held advancement leadership positions at Towson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she helped launch strategic fundraising initiatives, expand scholarship support, strengthen advisory boards and cultivate a culture of philanthropy across campus communities.
Her experience spans higher education, healthcare, planned giving, and major giſt fundraising, but she says the opportunity to join AUWCL was especially appealing because of the law school’s mission and community.
“I was drawn to AUWCL’s commitment to justice, innovation and preparing leaders
who make a difference in the world,” she said. “The passion of its alumni and the impact they have across the legal profession make this an incredibly exciting place to be.”
As assistant dean of advancement, McDowell will lead efforts to strengthen alumni engagement and expand philanthropic support for the law school’s students, faculty, programs and strategic priorities. She also looks forward to meeting alumni across the country and learning more about the experiences that shaped their connection to AUWCL.
“Every alum has a story,” she said. “I am excited to listen, build relationships, and help create opportunities for alumni to remain connected and invested in the future of Washington College of Law.”
For AUWCL alumni, that future starts with a new partner eager to help them make an impact. — Keith Pierce
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