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SUNY Canton Selects New Vice President for Advancement

Canton, NY (06/18/2025) — SUNY Canton and the Canton College Foundation are pleased to announce that Geoffrey C.S. VanderWoude has been appointed as Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Canton College Foundation.

"The Vice President for Advancement is a mission-critical position responsible for fundraising, alumni relations, donor stewardship and volunteer management," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "Geoffrey is experienced and highly skilled in these areas and has been an integral member of the SUNY Canton community for more than a decade, proving himself as a campus leader."

VanderWoude's appointment follows the retirement of Vice President for Advancement Tracey Thompson Hastings, who served the campus for six years. He will officially begin his new duties on June 19.

"Retirement is an exciting new adventure, but it also means saying goodbye to a fantastic team and a place that will always stay in my heart," Thompson Hastings said. "I'm delighted that Geoffrey will now take the lead because I know he will do so with talent, integrity and skill."

VanderWoude began his career as a gift officer and rose to senior director of development. In this role, he has raised more than $6 million for the college, including $3 million in planned gifts and secured more than 30 new student scholarships. He said he looks forward to working with his colleagues to move the Foundation's fundraising efforts to the next level of success.

"The Foundation is poised to accomplish great things in the years ahead," VanderWoude said. "We have a dedicated team guided by a solid Board of Directors, who are all committed to our faculty, staff and students. SUNY Canton also has a great story to tell. Putting it all together means we will be able to meet our future fundraising goals to support the college and ensure our students' continuing success."

Among other goals, VanderWoude aims to create student programs for all four years of their education, like the recent expansion in funding for senior-level capstone projects. "I aim to focus on increasing support for students throughout their entire college experience while continuing to create scholarships," he said.

VanderWoude earned his Master of Business Administration from Clarkson University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from SUNY Potsdam. In addition to working at the college, he plays in the band Dirty Red Bandana and serves as the President of the Frederic Remington Art Museum Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Bethany, live in Potsdam.

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 25 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.

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Geoffrey C.S. VanderWoude has been named as SUNY Canton's newest Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Canton College Foundation. VanderWoude was formerly the college's senior director of development.

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