Lauren  
 
 

Lacy 
517-930-0789 
 
lacy.laur@gmail.com

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Illinois State University / ​Bachelors of Arts, English Education 
Education 
Projected graduation 2021 
 
  GPA of 4.00 
   
  University of Chicago / ​Masters of Arts, Social Science 
  Emphasis in History 
  October 2012 - August 2013, Chicago, IL 
  GPA of 3.75 
 
  University of Michigan ​/ Bachelors of Arts, History 
 
Cognate in Medieval and Early Modern Studies 
 
September 2007 - June 2011, Ann Arbor, MI 
GPA of 3.58 

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Experience  McLean County Arts Center / ​Director of Development 

October 2018-August 2019, Bloomington, IL 
● Worked with Executive Director and Board of Directors to build a fundraising 
infrastructure and develop a long-range plan 
● Developed and delivered targeted communications to members, donors, 
students, and community partners 
● Cultivated relationships with donors, members, and community groups 
● Developed multiple fund drives and manage membership program 
● Analyzed donor trends and data to maximize fundraising efforts 
McLean County Museum of History / ​Director of Development 
April 2016 - August 2018, Bloomington, IL 
● Developed and delivered targeted communications (including mailings, email 
messages, press releases, and letters of solicitation) to more than 1,650 
recipients to maintain the Museum's public presence.  
● Developed social media and website content for an audience of more than 4,400 
followers. 
● Cultivated relationships with Museum members, volunteers, community groups, 
elected officials, local businesses, and corporate sponsors to solidify the 
Museum's reputation as a valued community resource.  
● Managed over $1M annual Museum funding, over $350,000 of which I 
generated via both public and private funding, including grants, in Fiscal Year 
2018. 
● Secured funding and assisted in event planning for annual events (such as the 
History Makers Gala and Evergreen Cemetery Walk) to create memorable 
experiences for the public.  
● Analyzed donor activity and researched the latest trends in charitable giving to 
 maximize Museum funding opportunities. 
● Fostered collaborations between Development and other Museum departments 
to ensure efficient operations.  
● Edited general Museum publications (including the quarterly newsletter and 
monthly mailer) to provide high-quality communication. 

McLean County Museum of History / ​Development Assistant 

July 2014 - May 2016, Bloomington, IL 
● Retained and grew Museum membership using the Abila Fundraising 50 
database, gift acknowledgement, and soft-skills-based relationship building. 
● Assisted the Director of Development with funding solicitations, event planning, 
and clerical tasks to ensure smooth operation of the Development Department.  
● Researched and co-developed proposals to assist in obtaining over $7,000 in 
grant and sponsorship funding for the Museum.  
● Composed annual fund drive letters to promote Museum sponsorship to current 
and prospective members.  

Rain Dog Books / ​Assistant 

February 2014 - February 2016, Bloomington, IL 
● Used BookTrakker and SixBit software to maintain accurate and up-to-date 
inventory of books, art, and other items.  
● Executed research to create accurate and comprehensive listings for rare, 
historical, and/or obscure items. 
● Received and processed orders from a variety of websites to ensure an 
accessible web presence for the organization. 
● Performed clerical and manual tasks as needed to provide an organized, 
welcoming space. 

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Skills  ● Outstanding written and oral communication skills, including professional and 
academic writing. 
● Qualitative and quantitative research, including advanced knowledge of textual 
database analysis and experience with SPSS. 
● Writing and publication skills, including editing, proofreading, photo editing, and 
publication design. 
● Event planning, public speaking, and customer service skills. 
● Donor and sponsor solicitation, following best practices in fundraising relations 
● Managerial experience with teams of 10 or more. 
● Over 4 years experience with Microsoft Office suite, 4 years using a variety of 
database software including Abila Fundraising 50 and BookTrakker, and social 
media literacy, including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. 

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Community  English Education Student Advisory Committee/​Chairperson 

Involvement  October 2018 - Present 
Worked with fellow members of the Representation Project subcommittee to establish a 
&  grant program for Illinois English teachers to bring diverse texts into the classroom. 
Volunteer Work  Helped select professional development workshops for English Education majors. 
Designed graphics and posters for events. 
Bloomington Rotary ​/ Member 
 March 2018 - December 2018, Bloomington, IL 

Bloomington-Normal Jaycees ​/ Member 

April 2015 - February 2019, Bloomington, IL 

Bloomington-Normal Jaycees ​/ Secretary 

January 2017 - December 2017, Bloomington, IL 

Connect Transit / ​Secretary, Board of Trustees 

October 2016 - November 2017, Bloomington, IL 
Appointed by the Mayor of Bloomington 
 
Newberry Library / ​Volunteer Docent 
November 2013 – January 2016 
Led visitors on an hour-long public tour through the Newberry Library, focusing on the 
history of the Library and its present-day functions. Researched and wrote own tour 
script. 
 

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Awards and  Recipient, Helen and Shirley Highland Scholarship 

Academic  Fall 2020 

Achievements  Recipient, Helen and Shirley Highland Scholarship 

Fall 2019 
 
Co-Author, “What Becomes Possible: Teaching as Advocacy and a 
Collaborative Act” 
Co-authored with Colleen Keefe 
Published in ​Illinois English Bulletin ​v. 106 n. 2-3 
Spring 2019