Quick Nav

Annual Appeal Kicks-Off

Annual Appeal Kicks-Off
Posted on 11/05/2020
Rich Rau

As Director of Advancement for Immaculate Conception School and Immaculata High School, Rich Rau ’89 has come “home.” An Immaculata graduate who married a classmate and sent their son to Immaculata, Rau is thrilled to be applying his professional skills to his beloved alma mater. “Starting this job in the midst of the COVID pandemic has given me a front row seat to experience the trademark excellence of both schools. The entire nation is grappling with educational challenges and I am so impressed with how our faculty, students, and parents have partnered to allow both schools to function on a five-day-a-week, full day schedule.“

That successful collaboration inspired the theme for this year’s Annual Appeal. “This season we will concentrate on initiatives for enhancing our school’s academic potential,” says Rau. “To do so, we must recognize our true front-line educational heroes and assist them with increased technology, educational resources, and professional development.” 

In this newly created role, Rau oversees the functions of development, marketing, admissions, communications and alumni relations. “Rich comes with substantial knowledge as a volunteer in our school community,” said Head of School Joan M. Silo. “As a full-time staff member, he can expand our philanthropic efforts and deepen the culture of giving at our schools. His connections to so many alumni provide a great head start in fostering positive reengagements with the Immaculate Conception and Immaculata communities.”

With more than 20 years of fundraising experience Rau has worked with some of the country’s most well-known not-for-profits, including the Salvation Army, Covenant House, and the United Nations Foundation. In addition, he has supported educational institutions, such as St. John’s University, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Molloy College with their fundraising/ marketing efforts. Rau is recognized as a development systems expert in fundraising, including prospect identification, cultivation, strategic planning and solicitation strategy.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be home,” says Rau. “Although these are incredibly challenging times for enrollment management and fundraising for Catholic schools, our schools’ history, tradition, and alumni successes are more far reaching that I was even aware.”

Immaculate Conception School and Immaculata High School enjoy a superb tradition with more than 11,050 outstanding accomplished alumni. Our schools educate students from 7 counties, 47 parishes and more than 60 municipalities throughout central New Jersey. Ninety two percent of Immaculata seniors receive acceptance to their first choice colleges. For more information about Immaculate Conception School, please visit www.icsschool.org. For more information about Immaculata High School, please visit www.immaculatahighschool.org.