Interview with Ms. Elizabeth Brothers: Associate Vice President of Development

Authors

Elizabeth Brothers, Rollins College
Wenxian Zhang, Rollins CollegeFollow

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

6-16-2010

Biography

Elizabeth Brothers came to Rollins College in 1980 as Associate Vice President for Development. She is an expert in the fields of estate planning and deferred giving, with a special focus on finance handling for women.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Brothers graduated from Vassar College with an A.B. degree and a distinction in Spanish. She went on to pursue graduate work in business at the Latin American Institute. In time, she took a job as a secretary for the McCall Corporation in New York and eventually became a copy editor. Brothers then turned her ability as a fundraiser, which she discovered while volunteering with the YWCA and her church, into a new career path when she accepted a position at Mount Holyoke College for Women. During her tenure at Mount Holyoke, she completed a $40 million capital campaign and the annual alumnae fund doubled. During her thirteen years working at Rollins College, Brothers was a sought-after speaker, and her traveling educational presentation "Mastering Your Money" was widely received. She also developed a successful planned giving program at Rollins. As a result, the College received planned gifts totaling $21.7 million during her tenure. For her accomplishments in fundraising and supporting the Rollins community, she was recognized several times. In 1984, she was named Outstanding Professional Fund Raiser in celebration of her 22 years in development. The Brakeley Award for Creative Development Work was bestowed upon her in 1985. Additionally, the College awarded her the William Fremont Blackman Medal in 1993 and she was elected as the first female president of the University Club of Winter Park in 1999.

Brothers's publications include: "It Pays To Be Generous," "Does the New Tax Law Have a Silver Lining?," and "Women: Their Interests and Duties." She has also spoken at seminars for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the North American Council of Christian Philanthropy, and the Committee on Gift Annuities, among other organizations.

Recommended Citation

Brothers, Elizabeth and Zhang, Wenxian, "Interview with Ms. Elizabeth Brothers: Associate Vice President of Development" (2010). Oral Histories. 4.
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/oralhist/4