Public service and higher education depend on leaders who can connect institutions with the communities they serve, securing resources, building partnerships and ensuring that opportunity reaches the students who need it most. For Dee Dee Mozeleski, senior vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement, Communications and External Relations, that work is grounded in a lifelong commitment to service and a belief in the transformative power of public education.
Dee Dee Mozeleski. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mozeleski.
Mozeleski oversees a wide range of responsibilities that shape how CCNY engages with its community and partners. Her office manages fundraising, communications, strategic partnerships, and external relations, all of which help advance the college’s mission and expand opportunities for students.
“I never saw myself as wanting to be a ‘leader’,” Mozeleski explained. “I’ve always been very happy being behind the scenes, supporting my boss or organization”.
Her path to leadership was shaped by a series of personal and professional experiences that emphasized service and community.
Mozeleski was the first person in her immediate family to attend college, navigating higher education largely on her own after leaving home at a young age. She moved to New York at 19 and began working in the nonprofit sector, starting at an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The experience exposed her to the realities of social services and reinforced her desire to pursue work that focused on helping others.
Her personal background played a significant role in shaping that perspective. Mozeleski grew up within the Jesuit tradition, where community responsibility and service were central values. She also spent time in the California child welfare system, an experience that continues to influence her work today.
“I’ve always been committed to being in service to others,” Mozeleski said. “It’s why I’ve thrown myself into the building of the food pantry and gardens, and it’s why I was so grateful to be able to help build out our emergency support systems on campus. Leading the College’s Foundation has given me the opportunity to work closely with dedicated partners to support and reshape every area of campus, and that work extends out into our local community”.
Mentorship also played a significant role throughout her career. Early roles in nonprofit fundraising introduced her to experienced leaders who encouraged her to take on new challenges.
At the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, mentor Tova Friedler helped Mozeleski develop fundraising strategies and institutional planning skills. Later, while working at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, mentor Richard Kearns pushed her to step beyond behind-the-scenes work and test her own leadership abilities. Those experiences eventually led Mozeleski to launch a consulting business advising nonprofit organizations on fundraising and development strategies.
She describes joining CCNY in 2012 as the most transformative moment in her career.
“I’ll be honest, when I applied, I thought I would never get my first job here,” Mozeleski described. “I was sure half of the city was applying!”
A conversation with CCNY President Vincent Boudreau (then the director of the Colin Powell Center) about the role universities can play in addressing society’s most pressing challenges was what ultimately convinced her to continue her application and join the institution.
“He said that there was a time when if you wanted to solve the most challenging issues in America, or the world, you partnered with universities, but that we had gotten away from that as a society,” Mozeleski said.
Mozeleski with CCNY President Vincent Boudreau. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mozeleski.
That vision resonated with her immediately. She went home that night and told her daughter that if she were offered the job, she’d take it without hesitation.
Today, Mozeleski’s work requires balancing many priorities at once, from donor relations and strategic planning to student support initiatives and public events.
Her workday often begins early and includes meetings with donors, elected officials and internal teams across campus. She also works closely with programs that provide direct support to students, including Benny’s Food Pantry and emergency assistance services.
Despite the demanding pace, Mozeleski says the work remains deeply fulfilling.
“I have never had one regret about this decision,” Mozeleski said. “Charlie Rangel once said that he never had a bad day because he loved what he did and I feel the same.”
Mozeleski has helped oversee significant growth in philanthropic support. When she joined the institution in 2012, the City College Foundation had just surpassed $100 million in assets. Today, the foundation is approaching $500 million.
The college is also pursuing an ambitious $1 billion fundraising initiative, the “Doing Remarkable Things” campaign, which supports academic programs, student initiatives, and research across the college.
Her office is also preparing for several major milestones, such as the college’s 180th anniversary in 2027. Additional projects include new facilities focused on life sciences research and workforce development.
Mozeleski remains excited about CCNY’s impact on its community and the world.
“I’m excited by the power our students, staff and faculty have in changing the world,” Mozeleski said. “I am always reminded that CCNY has made it through wars, through pandemics and through every kind of global crisis imaginable, and still we move the needle forward daily”.
Sofia is a graduate student at CUNY Brooklyn College, where she’s pursuing her M.S. in Media Studies. Her work centers on cultural affairs, capturing people’s lived experiences, and producing work that is not only compelling and polished but also intentional, inclusive, and aligned with meaningful public impact. In addition to writing for The RICC, she’s a dedicated writer for the Brooklyn News Service.