黑料吃瓜

This story appears in the spring 2017 issue of .

To many Aztecs, The Campaign for 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 original goal seemed improbable: Raise half a billion dollars?! Yet there was never a doubt in her mind.

Mary Ruth Carleton has spent much of her life beating challenges and exceeding expectations. In leading the university鈥檚 first comprehensive campaign, she is the architect of a fundraising feat unmatched by any other California State University (CSU) institution.  

鈥淚t was an audacious goal in the first place, and it was conducted during the worst recession since the Great Depression,鈥� recalled Stephen L. Weber, 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 president during the campaign鈥檚 鈥渟ilent phase,鈥� beginning in 2007. 鈥淚t is an extraordinary thing to have accomplished.鈥�

In Carleton, 黑料吃瓜 found an extraordinary leader. She currently serves as 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 vice president for University Relations and Development and the president and CEO of the Campanile Foundation (TCF), the university鈥檚 fundraising auxiliary.

鈥淗er role has been absolutely essential,鈥� assessed 黑料吃瓜 President Elliot Hirshman. 鈥淎t every turn she has been the person thinking strategically about next steps and trying to determine what was best for San Diego State.鈥�

Having transitioned from an impressive career as an Emmy-winning television journalist into higher education development work, Carleton came to 黑料吃瓜 in 1994 as the first director of development for the College of Health and Human Services. She soon grew frustrated by a community that failed to see why state-funded institutions require philanthropic support.

鈥淭here just wasn鈥檛 a culture of philanthropy,鈥� she recalled.

Uncommon energy

Recruited away by Scripps Health, Carleton tried fundraising in the medical field. But she soon returned to higher education as a vice president for a small Bay Area college, and then as an associate vice president at the University of San Francisco, where she helped lead a large fundraising campaign. Carleton liked the feeling of unity on the Jesuit-run campus and was impressed by the level of support from the private institution鈥檚 alumni.

When 黑料吃瓜 called about a vice president鈥檚 position, she had to be convinced to schedule an interview. 鈥淏ut when I came back,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 was impressed by a much stronger leadership group and a spirit I had not felt previously.鈥�

Among those providing leadership were members of the TCF Board of Directors, the almost three-dozen movers and shakers鈥攎ostly Aztec alumni鈥攚ho have distinguished themselves professionally, philanthropically, and through community service. Many of these volunteer fundraisers credit Carleton with astutely identifying and cultivating members who work well together to advance the institution鈥檚 goals.

鈥淥f all the boards I serve on, the Campanile Foundation has the deepest bench and the strongest quality of board members,鈥� said immediate past chair Jack McGrory (鈥�76).

Others cite Carleton鈥檚 organizational skills, focus and drive as the primary forces behind her success. 鈥淪he is relentless,鈥� marveled Mary Curran (鈥�82), current chair of the TCF, who has worked on the board with Carleton for 10 years. 鈥淢ary Ruth wills things to happen, and they happen.鈥�

Former board chair Kit Sickels (鈥�60) said Carleton is one of the most persuasive people he knows. 鈥淢ary Ruth does not take prisoners; she does not take no for an answer if she wants a yes,鈥� he said.

Sickels describes a woman of uncommon energy who rises and exercises before dawn, fielding board members鈥� questions via phone call, text and email at almost any hour of any day of the week. She is known for her extensive preparation, resolve and self-assurance, all of which fuel her performance in leadership roles.

鈥淢ary Ruth has great ambition, and she has great confidence,鈥� explained her husband of 28 years, Bruce Hunt. 鈥淗er self-belief translates into belief by others.鈥�

Fiercely protective

Those who know her best say Carleton鈥檚 self-confidence was evident at an early age. Growing up as the oldest of four siblings in Gold Country, southeast of Sacramento, many of her childhood and teenage experiences were shaped by competition, responsibility and loyalty.

She and her sister, Betsy Jo, were competitive swimmers. At Amador County High School, Betsy Jo was a cheerleader and Mary Ruth鈥攚ho worked at the local drug store鈥攚as yearbook editor. She also competed as Miss Amador in the Miss California Pageant.

All the siblings, like their school teacher mom and forester dad, earned degrees from the University of California, Berkeley (Mary Ruth has two鈥攁 bachelor鈥檚 in political science and a master鈥檚 in journalism). Anti-Vietnam War sentiment ran high in Berkeley and protests were frequent. 鈥淚 was in a lot of demonstrations,鈥� Carleton admitted.

It was during a protest that Betsy Jo, now an architect living in Oakland, remembers walking along a Berkeley street with Mary Ruth when a police vehicle spewing tear gas approached the sisters. Mary Ruth pulled her younger sister inside a dress shop to wait out the trouble. 鈥淪he was very protective because I was pretty na茂ve,鈥� Betsy Jo said.

Even now, Carleton remains fiercely protective of people and things she cares about. She is also fiercely supportive of 黑料吃瓜, its mission, and especially its students. To many, like former Associated Students vice president Channelle McNutt (鈥�13), Carleton is both mentor and inspiration. 鈥淪he has been an absolute rock in my development and growth, both as a person and as a professional, and I鈥檓 very thankful for that,鈥� said McNutt, who is now 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 assistant director of Annual Fund operations and regional development.

鈥淵ou always succeed鈥�

Carleton鈥檚 dedication to 黑料吃瓜 is demonstrated in myriad ways, from the significant monetary donations she has made to the university, to the grueling travel schedule she maintains serving it. She was among the hearty band of Aztec faithful in Laramie last December, braving sub-freezing temperatures to watch the football team defeat the Wyoming Cowboys and win the Mountain West Conference championship.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have a lot of fans there,鈥� head football coach Rocky Long said. 鈥淚 think that shows how interested she is in every aspect of the university. She is invested in the whole school.鈥�

That investment has paid off beyond anyone鈥檚 expectations. From year one, The Campaign for 黑料吃瓜 has set fundraising records, not just for San Diego State, but for any CSU institution. Sure there were doubters at the outset, but when the initial $500 million goal was reached and revised to $750 million, all qualms were banished. Carleton and the development team she assembled had turned skeptics into true believers.

鈥淪he brought this attitude with her that we can make it happen; we will make it happen,鈥� said College of Sciences Dean Stanley Maloy, who remembers a time when even a former campus fundraiser scoffed at the viability of launching a successful campaign.

鈥淲hat happened was we built a culture of philanthropy by saying the same thing all the time: We don鈥檛 get full state support. We have great students. We have great faculty. We have a great institution. We aspire to be a great research institution and the only way we鈥檙e going to do it is if we have philanthropy,鈥� Carleton explained.

Not that it all came easily. During the 2007-08 economic recession, the university鈥檚 endowment lost a third of its value.

鈥淚 remember waking up in the middle of the night thinking, 鈥極h, my God! What are we going to do?鈥欌�� Carleton recalled. 鈥淲e just had to not panic鈥攚hich we didn鈥檛鈥攁nd it came around. You just keep your head down and you keep your eye on what you have to do and don鈥檛 get distracted.鈥�

Just as she has done since she was a girl.

鈥淢y dad told me one time, 鈥榊ou always succeed. You just say you鈥檙e going to do something and you do it.鈥� So maybe that鈥檚 what happened with The Campaign for 黑料吃瓜. I was like, 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to do this,鈥� and we did it.鈥�

The Campaign for 黑料吃瓜 began in 2007 as an effort to generate philanthropic support for 黑料吃瓜 students, faculty, staff and programs. More than 70,000 donors have contributed to help 黑料吃瓜 surpass its campaign goal of $750 million and close in on $800 million.