Iowa State has appointed a new president to take over fund-raising efforts for the university.

Thomas J. Mitchell was named the president of the ISU Foundation last month. He will precede Murray Blackwelder, who is now serving as vice president of external affairs at ISU.

As president of the foundation, Mitchell will direct the fund-raising staff, which includes working with the people who do the actual fund-raising and the staff that supports fund-raising activities.

Mitchell will assume his duties on Feb. 1. His yearly salary is expected to be $120,000.

John Anderson, interim director of university relations, said, “In today’s environment, private funds play a very important role in helping the university obtain its goals.”

Anderson said, “That’s especially true now because we’re in the middle of the largest fund-raising campaign in the history of the university.”

The campaign, Campaign Destiny, is a project focused on providing funds for teaching, research and outreach so Iowa State can reach its goal of becoming the best land-grant university in the nation, Anderson said. The goal of the campaign is to raise $300 million by the year 2000.

“We are extremely pleased that Tom has agreed to lead the ISU Foundation,” Blackwelder said in a press release. “Tom has the ability and experience to direct this large campaign and enhance the foundation’s drive …”

Mitchell was previously at Northern Illinois University. During that time, he served as the vice president for development and university relations. He was also the university’s foundation president since 1994.

He has a B.S. in physical education and business administration from Southeast Missouri State University and a M.S. in educational administration from the University of Nebraska.

Mitchell is scheduled to complete his Ph.D. in leadership and educational policy studies from Northern Illinois University in 1997.