After a nationwide search, Iowa State University has named a new vice president for external affairs — Murray Blackwelder.

Blackwelder, who has been assistant vice president for external affairs and president of the ISU Foundation since 1991, will fill the position left vacant last September when Reid Crawford, former vice president for external affairs, left ISU. Blackwelder has served as the interim vice president for external affairs since Crawford’s departure.

Blackwelder said in a prepared statement that he is excited about building a new marketing, communications and fund-raising plan that will support the new university strategic plan and make ISU the best land-grant university in the nation by the year 2000.

“Iowa State is definitely moving forward in these areas, as our progress in fund-raising and athletics shows,” Blackwelder said. “Our goal is to provide the kind of external support Iowa State needs to be successful in its quest to become the nation’s best land-grant university.”

As vice president of external affairs, Blackwelder will be paid $144,000. His job will include overseeing the Alumni Association, intercollegiate athletics, the Iowa State Center, the ISU Foundation, University Museums, University Relations and WOI-Radio.

ISU President Martin Jischke who named Blackwelder to the position said, “Murray Blackwelder is a very accomplished and professional man. He brings a high level of energy and creativity to the university and people enjoy working with him.”

Jischke said Blackwelder was chosen for the position because of “the combination of his breadth of experience, success in positions he’s had previously and the broad support of his ideas by people of the university. [These characteristics] all made him a natural candidate for this position.”

John Anderson, director of university relations, said the job of vice president for external affairs is responsible for all university relations with the external public.

“The external public includes the alumni, donors and people who attend entertainment and athletic events. This job is about dealing with the people of Iowa and beyond,” Anderson said.

While he was president of the ISU Foundation, Blackwelder led Iowa State in its largest-ever capital campaign, generating $214.5 million. Private fund-raising contributions have also more than doubled in the five years he has worked for the Foundation. Blackwelder’s appointment is effective July 1.