BOONE, N.C. — William James Sears Jr. has been appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at Appalachian State University, announced Chancellor Heather Norris on Friday, May 2. The appointment is effective July 1.

The vice chancellor of university advancement reports to the chancellor and is responsible for leading and coordinating all aspects of the university’s fundraising, alumni relations and donor engagement efforts — advancing and promoting the university’s mission and vision by providing leadership; planning, developing, managing and implementing strategies to increase financial support; and cultivating relationships with alumni and donors.

“I am confident Will is the leader we need in this role to take the university’s fundraising to the next level,” said Norris. “Will is recognized for relationship-building and the ability to translate donor vision into institutional impact, and he has earned a strong reputation as a highly collaborative fundraiser, working with leaders across the university to take the university to record-breaking fundraising heights.”

Sears has served as App State’s interim vice chancellor of advancement since May 2024. In the last year, under Sears’ leadership, App State experienced its best fundraising year to date — $46 million in fiscal year 2024 — and, according to Norris, is on pace to exceed that record by an additional 30%, with $60 million expected as the total for the current fiscal year. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the university mounted a fundraising effort that resulted in over $4 million in disaster relief funds for App State’s students, faculty and staff.

Prior to being named interim vice chancellor, Sears held the position of senior associate vice chancellor of development at App State for more than three and a half years. He served as director of development in the Walker College of Business for more than eight years prior to that, joining the App State Advancement division after nearly two decades in pharmaceutical and real estate sales.

Sears earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from App State in 1994, majoring in finance, risk and insurance, and real estate.

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About University Advancement

Appalachian State University’s Division of University Advancement supports and encourages the university’s mission by engaging alumni, friends and the greater community. University Advancement staff help connect these constituents with Appalachian through one-on-one contact and special programming, thereby securing the resources necessary to create the best possible learning environment for Appalachian students and to positively impact the community, region and state. The division incorporates the offices of Alumni Affairs, Development and the Appalachian State University Foundation Inc. Learn more at http://give.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.