Catherine Bruch

Johns Hopkins is home to Catherine Bruch who grew up only a few miles from the Homewood Campus in Towson. One of Catherine’s early career experiences was at Hopkins. She returned in August 2023 as the associate director of development at the Whiting School of Engineering, where she reconnects alumni and friends to the university through philanthropy and alumni engagement opportunities.  

As a fundraiser who travels across the country to meet with alumni, Catherine, herself, is on her own journey to become a Johns Hopkins alumna. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in cultural heritage management through the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Advanced Academic Programs.  

“Embarking on my master’s degree while working full-time has been such a rewarding experience and an amazing outlet to continue my passion for public history and culture,” she says. Catherine earned her bachelor’s degree in history from Sewanee: The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. 

Below Catherine discusses her role at Hopkins and the importance of time management.  

What does your job involve that others might not realize?  

Once a week, I block time on my calendar to read The Hub and catch up on any engineering stories. JHU has many exciting things going on and it’s why I schedule intentional times to read about departmental research and news—this helps me paint a more holistic and exciting story during my alumni visits.  

What do you like most about your job?  

The shared passion and energy engineering alumni have for their work. I never leave a donor visit without learning something new.  

What accomplishment are you most proud of?  

It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience to help fundraise for the new Bloomberg Student Center. I toured the student center twice while it was under construction. It’s been a cool opportunity to see the building come together. I’m fortunate to work with alumni who are extremely passionate about the building and connecting them back to the university through this project has been such a joy. 

What do you like to do when you are not working?  

Right now, my focus is on completing my graduate degree. Cultural heritage management concentrates on preservation law, tourism trends, and sustainable-uses heritage. I have studied a wide range of topics: preservation policy, site management, and legal framework of heritage sites.  

Earning a master’s degree while working full-time has helped me become strategic with my time management skills. I often find myself having to get creative about when I can schedule a few hours to do my schoolwork while on the road meeting alumni, whether it be in a hotel room after a day of visits or at the airport waiting for a flight. I’m looking forward to finishing my studies in December and becoming part of the JHU alumni family.  

Please share something we don’t know about you.  

Growing up, I was a competitive equestrian. I started riding at 6 years old. I spent many weekends in middle and high school at horse shows scattered across the East Coast. I continued the sport in college as a member of Sewanee’s varsity equestrian team. I plan on picking it back up once I graduate.