Maria Mike-Mayer, formerly of the Texaco Foundation, has been appointed Director of Corporate Relations at Yale University, according to an announcement by Provost Alison Richard and Vice President for Development Charles Pagnam.

In the newly created post, Mike-Mayer will work to cultivate and strengthen Yale's associations with its corporate investors, with an emphasis on building long-term strategic relationships. She will also coordinate University-corporation activities campus-wide. Mike-Mayer will report to both the Provost and the Vice President for Development.

"Like institutions of higher education nationwide, Yale's relationships with its corporate partners have changed significantly in recent years," says Richard. "There has been an increase in the number and types of University-corporation interactions -- from sponsored research to scholarship funds to student recruitment -- as well as a change in the expectations of those businesses that make contributions to Yale."

Mike-Mayer is an "outstanding" choice for the new post, notes Pagnam. "Maria brings nearly 15 years of experience as a corporate foundation professional to Yale," he says. "She not only understands how corporations view their relationships with institutions of higher education, she has helped to develop the strategies that drive these new partnerships. In fact, among her peers, she is viewed as a corporate philanthropy mentor."

In her dual roles as secretary of the Texaco Foundation and manager of corporate contributions, Mike-Mayer was responsible for both the strategic direction and the day-to-day operations of Texaco's corporate giving activities. In 1998 alone, the foundation gave $11 million to support higher education, diversity, the environment and the arts. Mike-Mayer worked closely with Texaco's operating units around the globe to develop giving programs, and met with development officials at college and university campuses nationwide to evaluate and expand the foundation's partnerships in higher education.

"I'm thrilled with this opportunity to use the skills and experience gained on 'the other side of the table' to guide Yale's efforts as a leader in the university-corporate partnership arena," says Mike-Mayer. "I look forward to working both with Yale's faculty and administration, and with corporate representatives to build long-term, mutually beneficial alliances."

A native of Hungary, Mike-Mayer spent her childhood in Italy before emigrating to the United States with her family as a teenager. Although she could not speak English when she arrived in America, she went on to earn a B.A. in English summa cum laude at Hunter College and a M.A. in comparative literature at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Mike-Mayer first joined the ranks of Texaco when she was a graduate student, working in its personnel division. After earning her master's degree, she was named supervisor of the philanthropic support department 1979-82. She served as donations manager in that department 1982-85, and was named secretary of the Texaco Foundation in 1984 and manager of corporate contributions in 1985.