June 1, 2026

Andrew Polter focusing on supporting Ferris State students, programs as new associate vice president of Advancement

Andrew Polter is a seasoned leader in community outreach and institutional development and plans to use those skills to make a Ferris State University education even more accessible and relevant.

Polter is the university’s new associate vice president for Advancement and executive director of The Ferris Foundation. He oversees the team that supports students and programs through partnerships and fundraising and connects with alumni across the nation and around the world.

“Andrew brings an impressive record of success in higher education advancement, and a deep understanding of the important role philanthropy plays in transforming students’ lives,” said Dr. Kathy Mullins, Ferris State’s vice president for Advancement and Marketing. “His experience, leadership and passion for building meaningful relationships will strengthen our efforts to support Ferris State students, academic programs and future growth. We are confident Andrew will make an immediate impact and help advance the university’s mission in exciting and meaningful ways.”

Polter held several leadership roles at the University of Cincinnati since 2018, most recently as executive director of Development, College of Medicine, for the Cincinnati Foundation. He previously served at Eastern Kentucky University as an assistant and associate director of Development.

Though his career accomplishments involve a lengthy list, including successfully building a fundraising team at Cincinnati that has grown to tens of millions of dollars raised annually, Polter said that serving on the CFRE exam writing committee is one of his most cherished experiences.

CFRE International’s committees are composed of certified fundraising executives who volunteer their time and expertise to uphold the integrity and effectiveness of the credential. Polter is one of the committee members who develops the exam for the Certified Fund Raising Executive Credential – the highest distinction in fundraising.

He has used his opportunities to encourage philanthropic investments and promote university development, all with the intention to build trust from the community.

Now focused on Ferris State, Polter has already begun outlining how to make the university a standalone competitor both statewide and nationally. The broad scope of his plan includes leaning on the university’s mission through fundraising and philanthropy.

“I’m looking forward to realizing the potential for philanthropy while building out a culture where our donors, volunteers, friends of the university can see themselves in our work, and that we can partner with them to elevate the success of the university,” he said.

He knows that his years of experience with the NCAA Division I institutions will allow him to apply the best “big school practices” to help Ferris State achieve exponential growth – all while treating the university with the same respect and outlook of any leading institution.

Whether it’s leaning into university administration or hearing from the community who wants to see Ferris State succeed, Polter will address any challenges or limitations within his first few months to start making that plan a reality.

“I want to learn the Ferris State story and reflect it back to the constituents we serve. … We’ll take some of the lessons learned since 1884 to really elevate the institution and bring it to a modern place,” Polter said.

Understanding how important the success of The Ferris Foundation and Advancement is to be benefiting current and prospective students is at the forefront of Polter’s focus.

He noted that having the opportunity to build on the existing infrastructure to create a broader impact for Bulldogs both in their academic and professional careers won’t be taken for granted.

“My intention is to invest in this university and the wonderful students, faculty, and staff, and I have every intention to leaning into Ferris State to become a strong member of the Bulldog family,” Polter said.

He’s thankful to be trusted to oversee the fundraising operation, as his conversations with campus leaders and staff are what helped him realize Ferris State was the right opportunity to continue making higher education available to all students, regardless of their background.

“To provide access to education for all, that is what I believe is needed in this country. … Education levels the playing field and makes sure we all have an opportunity in our society,” Polter said.