The mission of Institutional Advancement at the University of West Alabama is to provide leadership, expertise, support and implementation in the areas of fundraising, donor relations, alumni relations and communications. In accordance with our University mission, Institutional Advancement is committed to finding the appropriate resources to help UWA meet the state’s educational needs, particularly in the West Alabama region.
Meet Our Staff
Office of the Vice President
Dr. J.J. Wedgworth
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Lynda Harwell
Foundation Accounting Specialist
Alumni Affairs
Banks Gordy
Director of Alumni Affairs
Hayden McDaniel
Alumni Philanthropy Coordinator
Development
Amanda P. McRae
Director of Development
UWA Foundation Scholarships, Major Giving, Special Projects
Kathleen Upchurch
Stewardship, Donor Engagement & Research Coordinator
Strategic Communications
Betsy Compton
Director of Strategic Communications
Savannah Williams
Web Content Coordinator
Sponsored Programs, Research & Outreach
Rodney Granec
Director of Sponsored Programs, Research & Outreach
Chris Theriot, CFRE
Director of Grants and Resource Development Liaison
Hoda Hassan
Grants Specialist
University Stakeholders and Goals
Board: Maintain a collaborative relationship with the Board
Faculty: Recruit and maintain highly qualified faculty, especially from diverse ethnic and geographic backgrounds
Staff: Attract and retain highly qualified and diverse staff
Graduates: Provide quality online and on campus programs that are accessible to qualified students, particularly those who seek to enhance their professional credentials
Undergraduates: Raise student retention and graduation rates through enhanced quality of residential life and extracurricular experience
Potential Students: Work toward a comprehensive recruitment plan to communicate the value of a UWA education to targeted audiences
Alumni: Engage alumni to encourage more involvement in and support for the University
Government: Aggressively pursue relationships that help UWA communicate the value of the institution to the region and the state and the nation
Community: Continue to address the major enducational, social, and economic issues of the region through research and service and engage community as partner in reaching University goals
International Partners: Develop and expand cooperative education programs with select institutions in other countries.
Business and Industry: Continue to partner with business and industry to bolster economic development in the Black Belt as well as to improve the general quality of life through the region.
Athletics: Continue to improve academic performance of student athletes and improve the institution’s ranking within the Gulf South Conference.
Planning and Assessment
The University of West Alabama uses WEAVEonline® for all planning and assessment documents. Follow the link below and use your UWA account information to log onto WEAVEonline®: https://app.weaveeducation.com/login/uwa
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Retention has developed the UWA Planning and Assessment Guide and WEAVEonline User’s Manual that includes important information on the planning and assessment process at UWA and step-by-step instructions on how to enter data into the WEAVEonline® system. If you have questions or need help with planning and assessment, contact Bliss Adkison at badkison@uwa.edu.