Karen Eye Named New Director of Development For David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts

This week, Western Carolina University announced that Karen Eye, a former staff member in the Division of Advancement, will serve as the new director of development for the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts. The appointment is effective Monday, March 9, said Kathleen de la Torre, assistance vice chancellor for advancement. Eye previously served as director of development for the College of Education and Allied Professions from December 2023 through April 2025.  

“During that period, she built strong relationships across the college, partnered closely with academic leadership to advance philanthropic priorities and helped raise more than  $3.2 million,” de la Torre said. “Karen also consistently maintained a high level of donor engagement and demonstrated a deep commitment to relationship centered fundraising.” 

“Since leaving WCU, Karen has continued to strengthen her development and relationship building skills and has remained an engaged member of the arts community as a Friends of the Arts supporter,” de la Torre said. “Her passion for the mission of the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts and her enthusiasm for Western’s philanthropic vision make her an exceptional fit for this role.” 

In her new position, Eye will work closely with the college’s leadership team and with its faculty and staff to advance fundraising priorities and continue cultivating meaningful donor relationships that support the creative and academic endeavors of the Belcher College. She will report to Ben Kees, senior director of development. 

Among Eye’s early priorities is meeting with leaders across the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts, she said “Each school – Stage and Screen, Music, and Art and Design – has its own unique fundraising priorities that are essential to achieving its mission, and I look forward to learning about those needs firsthand. Beyond the units, I’m also eager to understand priorities like supporting the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band and other initiatives that engage students and the community,” Eye said. “I also feel honored to work alongside the Friends of the Arts, whose long-standing dedication has made a meaningful impact on the college. Building on the organization’s momentum, I hope to foster relationships that advance the college’s vision and ensure its programs continue to thrive,” she said. 

Eye is rejoining the Division of Advancement in the home stretch of the university’s “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to garner a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for enhancements to the overall student experience – including academics, community and global engagement, and athletics. 

“Philanthropy is vital to the success of a regional comprehensive university like WCU. Gifts from alumni, community members and friends of the university help remove barriers for students, enhance programs and sustain facilities that allow faculty and students to excel,” she said. 

“For a college focused on the arts, philanthropy plays an especially critical role. Support from donors helps provide the resources needed for performance spaces, exhibitions, scholarships, student travel and community engagement initiatives,” Eye said. “It allows the college to be a gateway to the broader region, drawing people to campus, fostering cultural enrichment and ensuring that arts education remains vibrant and accessible to all.” 

Eye said she believes her previous experience at director of development for WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions will help her transition seamlessly into her new role. “I look forward to working with colleagues, students and supporters to build on the college’s strong foundation and help ensure its continued growth and impact,” she said.