0 Karl Sisson

Karl Sisson

Karl Sisson

Karl Sisson

Vice President for Advancement and External Engagement

Karl Sisson has served as the Vice President for Advancement and External Engagement, leads a talented and dedicated team whose primary goal is to inspire and actively engage alumni and friends in the mission and future of Houghton University.

A seasoned development and marketing professional with nearly 30 years of advancement-related experience and father of two current Houghton students, Mr. Sisson is passionate about the transformative Houghton experience and the lasting value of a high-quality, Christ-centered liberal arts education. He has served at Houghton University since 2014.

Education

  • B.S. in Business Administration | Roberts Wesleyan College

In May 2025, Houghton University announced a $10.4M lead gift secured by Mr. Sisson to renovate its oldest existing residence hall, Gillette/East Hall. The $11.6M 15-month construction project is completely donor funded. This gift is the first step in a multi-year effort to renew residence halls across campus.

Under the leadership of Mr. Sisson, and in response to the exceptional efforts and commitment of his Advancement team, the Houghton University endowment has grown from $35M to more than $91M. Houghtonโ€™s endowment is comprised of 350+ endowed scholarship funds, programmatic funds, chairs/professorships, athletics, undesignated general endowment, and more.

Mr. Sisson provided effective vision and leadership to Houghtonโ€™s largest campaign to date โ€“ IMPACT: The Campaign for Greater Houghton โ€“ which was completed in May 2020. This comprehensive campaign successfully surpassed its $70M goal while enabling donors to invest in three key strategic areas: Access and Affordability; Strategic Campus Enhancement (which included construction of the Equestrian Event Center and renovation of the Paine Center for Science); and Academic and Experiential Investment.

A native of Gerry, NY (in nearby Chautauqua County), Karl and his wife, Laura, live in Houghton with their four children (Carter, Zach, Isaiah and Lily) where they are actively involved on campus and in the community they love.

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