Reading, Pa. – Albright College President Lex McMillan was recently honored with the Arthur V. Ciervo Award for his lifelong commitment to and advocacy of higher education.
The award is bestowed by CUPRAP-College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals, a voluntary organization of communications professionals from colleges, universities and independent schools dedicated to advancing the understanding of higher education and enhancing the professional development of its members.
The Ciervo Award is given annually to a public relations professional, president, higher education advocate, public official or outstanding faculty or staff member who exemplifies CUPRAP’s mission. The award is named in honor of Arthur V. Ciervo, founder and first president of CUPRAP.
McMillan received the award at CUPRAP’s spring conference in Hershey in March.
“I am deeply honored by this award by an organization that I have long admired for its mission and especially because I began my career in higher education as a director of public relations, and have thus always felt that being an effective advocate for higher education was the taproot of my work,” said McMillan.
McMillan, who will retire this spring, has spent his career working tirelessly to advance higher education by promoting its benefits, raising funds to support it, and speaking and writing publicly in its defense.
Under his leadership as Albright’s president, a position he has held since 2005, the College has enjoyed numerous academic achievements and recognitions, facilities upgrades and fundraising successes. Albright has launched new academic programs, expanded its pioneering Accelerated Degree Programs to additional sites in Pennsylvania, and earned the recognition as a top 25 school for artistic students by Newsweek. The College has also opened the doors to a new Science Center, the Schumo Center for Fitness and Well-Being, and the John K. Roessner III ’61 Hall: The Center for Business and Civic Leadership.
McMillan has brought his considerable fundraising experience and expertise to bear on a pair of comprehensive campaigns, and led the College to record-setting fundraising levels. The current campaign, That Their Light May Shine: The Campaign for Albright College, recently surpassed its $55 million goal, four months ahead of schedule.
Prior to joining Albright, McMillan served as vice president for college relations at Gettysburg College, where he was responsible for external affairs, alumni and parent relations, and resource development programs. He previously served as executive director of development at his undergraduate alma mater, Washington and Lee University, and was director of development and director of public relations at Randolph-Macon College.
A civic leader as well as an academic one, McMillan serves on the President’s Council and Joint Legislative Steering Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and is a member of the advisory council of the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Wye Seminars. He is a former member of the boards of the Council of Independent Colleges, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, and the United Way of Berks County. He also formerly chaired the Higher Education Consortium of Berks County and the Middle Atlantic Conference.
Founded in Pennsylvania in 1980, CUPRAP has nearly 350 members from 100 institutions drawn from many states.
