Meet Addie Peyronnin, Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations
Addie Peyronnin, Tyler's new Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations, brings diverse experiences in fundraising with a variety of arts and culture organizations in the Philadelphia area, including the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Barnes Foundation, and Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. Peyronnin shares some reflections on the impact that in philanthropy can have and her current focus for Tyler.
What sparked your passion for development and fundraising, and how long have you been in this field?
I’ve been in the development field since 2015, when I left my curatorial position at Wyck Historic House & Garden in Germantown. I’ve had the incredible good fortune to work in development at a number of cultural organizations in the greater Philadelphia region, including Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, and the Barnes Foundation. What I love most about my work is hearing stories from donors about their experiences with an organization, and then using those stories to connect them with giving opportunities that match their personal priorities. It’s fulfilling, both professionally and personally, to be able to facilitate gifts that have such immediate and meaningful effects not only on the institution and the people within it, but also on the donors.
Can you share some of the key goals and initiatives you're focusing on this year for Tyler’s development efforts?
My primary focus is increasing our support for students and faculty. We have several general scholarships, such as the Tyler General Scholarship Fund, to which individuals can contribute, but we are also happy to assist with setting up endowed scholarship funds that have a more targeted focus. We’re eager to create endowed Chairs and Professorships for our faculty—this kind of funding provides faculty salary coverage in perpetuity, lessens the burden on our general operating bottom line, and helps us to attract top-level faculty to our school.
Another goal is to continue to build strong connections with our alumni and donor communities, ensuring they feel a deep connection to Tyler’s mission and the important work being done here by our students and faculty. Philanthropy is about more than just funding; it’s about creating long-lasting partnerships that contribute to the continued growth and excellence of Tyler. Please contact me at addie.peyronnin@temple.edu to discuss these or other initiatives!
Can you share a memorable story from your past that taught you something valuable about giving?
I’ll share a personal reflection on an experience that was absolutely foundational to me: I was fortunate to be a Lois F. McNeil Fellow in the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware's Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, which provided two years of full graduate-level tuition, as well as an annual stipend, and it was an extraordinary honor and privilege. The gratitude for relief from financial burden that this provided me, as well as the opportunities for travel and research from other funds and sponsors, is something that I’ve carried with me into my professional life—especially here at Tyler. These gifts are transformational!
What’s the most unusual place you've brainstormed a successful fundraising idea?
I once joined a US-based Zoom meeting for a last-minute grant proposal from the juddering gangway connection between quiet cars on a train from Truro, Cornwall, to London. Also, I spend a lot of time hiking with my dog, and I am usually musing over ideas and strategies when I’m out on the trails!