At its annual conference in November, the Georgia Educational Advancement Council (GEAC) named Dr. Paul “Rocky” Kettering, CFRE, vice president for university advancement at Columbus State University, as its 2022 Outstanding Educational Fundraising Award recipient.

Kettering has devoted more than two decades to fundraising and alumni relations programs. Since 2016, he has directed CSU’s fundraising efforts while leading a professional staff that includes development, alumni engagement and advancement services. Concurrent with his vice-presidential duties, he serves as executive director of the CSU Foundation and in other capacities supporting the CSU Alumni Association, CSU Athletics Association and CSU Foundation Properties. As a direct report to the university president, he serves as a member of Columbus State’s Executive Leadership Team.

Nominated by his entire team for this honor, his coworkers referred to him as “the epitome of a fundraiser” while crediting him with building rapport and trust among the university’s alumni and friends—and enthusiasm among his team.

“Everyone who meets [Rocky] instantly becomes a friend and major contact for the university,” the nomination read. “His catchphrase is ‘We are in the business of saying yes.’ Rocky helps say yes to any area that needs support or a student who needs to find a scholarship to stay enrolled. Rocky is a champion for CSU and leads by example. Everyone on staff takes that same attitude of ‘yes’ in their daily work.”

When Kettering arrived at CSU, the university was in the middle of its $100 million “First Choice” comprehensive campaign. Through his leadership and style of rapport-building, the campaign wrapped on schedule after exceeding its goal by $20 million. Annually, Kettering and his team now raise more than $6 million in annual gifts and have grown the university’s endowment from $60 million in value to a watermark of $100 million—making it the fourth-largest endowment among the University System of Georgia’s 26 colleges and universities. 

Prior to his role at Columbus State, Kettering has led and supported advancement work within nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools and higher education institutions. This has included serving as vice president of development, marketing and sales at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi; vice president of advancement at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas; vice president of advancement at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas; associate executive director of development at the University of Southern Mississippi; director of institutional advancement at Mount Vernon School in Atlanta; and director of development at Cathedral School and St. Mary Basilica in Natchez, Mississippi.

He holds a bachelor’s in English from Louisiana State University, a master’s in philanthropy and development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is also a Certified Fundraising Executive through CFRE International.

Founded in 1972, GEAC, Inc. is a statewide organization for public and private college and university professionals who work in educational advancement. This includes the areas of alumni relations and engagement, fundraising development, and public relations, public affairs and communications. For more information, visit geac.org.