UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Paul J. Clifford, chief executive officer of the Penn State Alumni Association and associate vice president for alumni relations at Penn State for the last nine years, has announced he is leaving the University to pursue other opportunities, effective Jan. 2.
As the Alumni Association’s 11th chief executive in its 154-year history, Clifford oversaw the largest dues-paying membership organization of its kind worldwide, with nearly 173,000 members. He guided Penn State’s alumni relations strategy, including engagement initiatives with the Alumni Association’s members and almost 300 affiliate groups; managed a 55-member staff; and leveraged the Alumni Association’s broad range of programs, benefits, services and resources, including a $13 million annual operating budget.
The Alumni Association’s mission is to connect alumni to the University and to each other; provide valued services to members; and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service.
“Leading the world’s largest alumni association alongside our dedicated volunteers and connecting my fellow alumni to their alma mater has been the highlight of my career,” Clifford said. “Our alumni are passionate about Dear Old State, and it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve them.”
A Pennsylvania native, Clifford came to Penn State from the University of Oregon in January 2016, where he served as associate vice president of advancement and executive director of the University of Oregon Alumni Association.
Under Clifford’s leadership, the Alumni Association’s endowment has seen a 58% increase, as he and his team negotiated affinity and sponsorship relationships yielding almost $25 million in guaranteed revenue for the organization over a 10-year period. During his tenure, the organization set new milestones in alumni engagement annually, allowing the Alumni Association to provide more value to Penn State while utilizing fewer institutional resources. He also revamped the membership program to enhance member value by including affiliate group membership in the price of the Alumni Association membership.
"Over the past nine years, Paul Clifford has been so much more than the CEO of the Penn State Alumni Association — he has been a visionary leader, a trusted friend, and the true embodiment of the 'We Are' spirit,” said Anand Ganjam, president of the Penn State Alumni Association. “His time at Penn State has been defined by his ability to foster meaningful connections and opportunities for alumni, and instill a deep sense of pride — all driven by his clear and unwavering love for Penn State. While Paul will be deeply missed, I wish him and his family all the best as they begin their next chapter and have no doubt his legacy of service to Penn State will continue to inspire future generations of Penn Staters.”
Since 2016, the number of University endowments that support the Alumni Association increased by 156%, growing from 16 in 2015 to 41 in 2024. For its contributions to the community and impact on the alumni network, Penn State named the Alumni Association the 2020 Renaissance Fund honoree, the first and only organization to receive such recognition.
Additionally, during Clifford’s tenure, the Alumni Association’s leadership agreed to contribute $3.5 million to Penn State to support Renaissance Scholarships, the Student Emergency Fund, Class Gifts, Trustee Scholarships, and THON. In fact, Clifford’s passion for THON drove the organization to find innovative ways to support the cause, including bringing the WHITE OUT to the THON Pep Rally and leveraging the Alumni Association’s affiliate groups to raise millions of dollars to support the Four Diamonds Fund.
Under Clifford’s leadership, the Alumni Association also increased investment in the Black Alumni Reunion, yielding record attendance numbers in 2022 and 2024. For its work in championing equity and inclusion under Clifford, the Alumni Association was awarded the 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education.
Clifford earned his bachelor of arts degree in history from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a master of higher education from Penn State.
Prior to his service at the University of Oregon, he was associate vice chancellor for alumni relations at East Carolina University and the president and CEO of the East Carolina Alumni Association — positions he held from 2004 to 2014. Previously, he was director of alumni outreach at the University of Connecticut Alumni Association, director of alumni affairs at SUNY New Paltz, and assistant director for alumni communications and student programs at James Madison University.
For more than 150 years, the Penn State Alumni Association has provided alumni with a strong and welcoming community representative of the Penn Staters it proudly serves. The Alumni Association keeps alumni connected to the University and to each other, while upholding Penn State traditions and supporting the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. The Alumni Association also produces the award-winning Penn Stater magazine and other publications, and offers alumni and friends volunteer opportunities, educational programming, and many other services. For more information about the Alumni Association, visit alumni.psu.edu/youbelong.