Hillary Kupferberg ’15 started her philanthropic journey at Colgate as part of the Class Gift Committee her senior year. Today, she is a new member of the WLC. “When the opportunity to join the WLC came up, it was an obvious and logical next step for me,” she says.
Hillary grew up in Great Neck, N.Y., and had early lessons in philanthropy: her grandparents’ community engagement in Queens and her parents’ service in the local community and then on Colgate’s Parents’ Steering Committee. Coming from a service-minded background shaped her desire to continue a legacy of giving back to Colgate, where she sees her role as bridging a generational gap. She hopes to inspire recent graduates to support the University at any level. “Philanthropy is best when it is something you care about,” she says. “Colgate is an amazing place to start because you get back as much as you give.”
As an undergraduate, Hillary studied psychology. Recalling Professor Carrie Keating’s course on social bonds and interpersonal relationships, she feels that her Colgate education instilled resilience and creative problem solving that readied her for the real world, where she is currently Vice President of Performance Marketing at Exverus Media in Los Angeles. Hillary is also an active Member of the Board for two other organizations that value community and education.
“When I left Colgate, I really felt that I was prepared to approach any situation and navigate my way through it,” she says.
Hillary received support from alumnae as she built her career. She met Katie Finnegan ’05 at Sophomore Connections and was offered an internship at Katie’s startup, Hukkster Media. She later learned from Lauren Marks Smith ’10 about an opportunity at PHD Media, where she worked for eight years.
“The openness and the willingness of alumnae to help me is part of why I’m here to give back,” she said while she was on campus this January for SophoMORE Connections — this time as a panelist.
Hillary is impressed by the enthusiastic and dedicated women she has met since joining the WLC. “The members of this group stand out as leaders and contributors, both financially and with our involvement,” she says. “We will continue to show up for Colgate and be a key part of this community.”