Kelley, Makhijani join CEE as fundraisers

Two new Major Gift Officers (MGOs) joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in January. John E. Kelley, Director of Advancement, and Nishant Makhijani, Assistant Director of Advancement, are both familiar faces to the CEE family. Kelley worked as CEE’s Director of Advancement from 2006-2012. Makhijani is a former CEE student, having graduated with his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2014.

“We are delighted to welcome John and Nishant to CEE’s advancement team,” said Benito Mariñas, professor and Head. “We have much work to do in the coming year, securing gifts and pledges for Phase II of our CEE Modernization Plan, the expansion of the Hydro Lab. I look forward to working alongside John and Nishant to make contact with our alumni and secure their support for this exciting, much-needed project.”

Kelley returns to CEE after a three-year stint in engineering administration as Director of Advancement Operations. His accomplishments include serving as the department’s sole MGO during the fundraising phase for the M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Student Center in Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory.

“Professor Mariñas has a bold vision for the future of the department and is passionate about making it a reality,” Kelley said. “The best part of advancement is working directly with alumni and friends to help them realize their philanthropic objectives as they invest in students and faculty. It is an honor to call CEE home once again.”

During his time as a CEE student, Makhijani was involved in numerous alumni outreach activities such as networking events and hosting tours during Homecoming and Engineering Open House. He was a student leader in the department, serving on the CEE Student Committee and as president of the U.S. Green Building Council student chapter. Since his graduation from CEE, Makhijani has worked on campus at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and the Environment.

“I am excited to come back home to CEE and work with alumni and friends to empower faculty and students to work on innovative projects that will solve the grand challenges of engineering,” Makhijani said.

Contact information for Kelley, Makhijani and the rest of the CEE advancement team is located on the Advancement Staff Directory page.