About us

Mission

The mission of VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations is to maximize philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders with our institution working in partnership with all VCU schools, programs and campuses as one development and alumni relations community and implementing the best practices and efficient strategies to achieve a comprehensive development program.

Office of Development and Alumni Relations Leadership Team

Members of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations Leadership TeamPhoto with person name, title and link to biography.
Photo with person name, title and link to biography.
Jay E. Davenport

Jay E. Davenport, CFRE
Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations (Jay’s bio)

Magnus Johnsson 2015

Magnus Johnsson (M.P.A.’10/GPA; Cert.’10/GPA)
Senior Associate Vice President for Development (Magnus’ bio)

Samantha Wheeler Marrs Samantha Wheeler Marrs
Senior Associate Vice President for Development Operations (Samantha’s bio)

Thomas Maness, M.P.A.
Associate Vice President for Development - Health Sciences/MCV Campus (Tom’s bio)

Michael Morelius
Associate Vice President for Development - Monroe Park Campus (Michael’s bio)

Elizabeth Bass

Elizabeth Bass (M.S.W.’03/SW)
Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations (Elizabeth's bio)

Photo of Ann Deppman

Ann Deppman
Assistant Vice President of Gift Planning (Ann’s bio)

Melanie Irvin

Melanie Irvin (B.S.’96/MC)
Assistant Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Engagement (Melanie’s bio)

Chad Krouse, Ed.D. (Ed.D.’18/E)
Assistant Vice President for University Development (Chad's bio)

Julia Ayscue

Julia Asycue
Director of Talent Management

Laura Kottcamp headshot Laura Kottkamp
Executive Director, School of Business Foundation and Corporate Relations, and Executive Director, VCU Foundation
Margaret Ann Bollmeier CORRECT April 2016 Margaret Ann Bollmeier
President, MCV Foundation


Departments within the Office of Development and Alumni Relations

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations provides all VCU development offices in schools and units with central services.

Office of the Vice President 

Led by Jay E. Davenport, the Office of the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations provides the leadership and specialized knowledge necessary to promote and expand private gift support. Meet the Office of the Vice President team.

Development Operations

The department serves the vice president of DAR, as well our stakeholders and colleagues, by building the architecture to enhance a culture of philanthropy across VCU and VCU Health. Meet the Development Operations team.

Advancement Solutions

Advancement Solutions manages the fundraising database, RADAR, to ensure it meets the needs of all DAR staff. This includes the accuracy and relevancy of the data as well as the overall functionality and configuration of the database. In addition, Advancement Solutions manages the pipeline of projects and enhances and expands the fundraising services offered through RADAR. Meet the Advancement Solutions team.

Advancement Solutions comprises Gifts and Records Management, Prospect Development and Information Systems.

  • Gifts and Records Management: GRM oversees gift processing, data integrity and gift stewardship. GRM continuously reviews processes, identifies service gaps and updates policies and procedures to work more efficiently and to become more donor-centric while complying with IRS and CASE standards. Meet the GRM team.
  • Prospect Development: Prospect Development creates and disseminates prospect research materials (profiles, capacity ratings, employment info, etc.) and provides prospect management service and consultation and data analytics (descriptive and predictive). Meet the PD team.
  • Information Systems: DAR Information Systems provides support services for all VCU staff engaged in fundraising, foundation services and alumni programs. This includes managing RADAR, online services, email and account and network services. The department works with 111 staff and end users to continually improve RADAR and to meet ever-changing fundraising needs. Meet the IS team.

Strategic Marketing and Engagement

Strategic Marketing and Engagement provides coordinated and strategic engagement for all DAR constituents. SME manages universitywide donor events and stewardship, the annual giving calendar of solicitations and all universitywide messaging to alumni, donors and internal constituents. Meet the SME team.

The department comprises Annual Giving, DAR Communications, Digital Engagement and Donor Relations and Events.

  • Annual Giving: The Office of Annual Giving cultivates annual giving to the university through increased participation by alumni and friends. The office assists campus partners with their annual fundraising to increase gift support for the university. At VCU, annual giving includes gifts of less than $50,000 given by alumni and friends on a regular basis. Meet the Annual Giving team. 
  • DAR Communications: DAR Communications develops and implements comprehensive, strategic communications that engage alumni and donors and increase participation through giving. Meet the DAR Communications team.
  • Donor Relations and Events: The Donor Relations and Events office informs donors about the ways their gifts are being used, involves them in the life of the university and thanks them for their contributions in distinctive, visible and memorable ways. Meet the Donor Relations and Events team.
  • Digital Engagement: The Digital Engagement team creates, executes and measures cutting-edge initiatives to drive digital engagement and giving among alumni, donors, students, faculty/staff and other constituencies. Meet the Digital Engagement team.

Talent Management

The DAR Office of Talent Management is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to recruit, select, develop and retain exceptional development and alumni relations professionals. The office partners with key DAR and campus leaders to identify and plan for current and future talent needs. Meet the Talent Management team.

Budget and Finance

The Budget and Finance office is responsible for systematically aligning resources with strategic needs and goals. Meet the Budget and Finance team.

Alumni Relations

Alumni Relations, through VCU Alumni and its constituent organizations, nurtures lifelong relationships with and among current and future VCU alumni. Meet the Alumni Relations team.

Principal Giving

The office collaborates with campus partners in identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of significant gifts that often cross the university. The principal giving program serves donors and prospects with the capacity and affinity to make transformational gifts to any area of VCU. Meet the Principal Giving team.

Principal Giving comprises Corporate and Foundation Relations, Planned Giving and University Development.

  • Corporate and Foundation Relations: The Corporate and Foundation Relations office secures private support for university priorities by fostering relationships with corporations, foundations and other philanthropic organizations. Meet the Corporate and Foundation Relations team.
  • University Development: The Office of University Development supports the fundraising and engagement goals of DAR while creating value through two distinct services: building a pipeline of major gift prospects through discovery and qualification work in key regions for all campus partners and leading the planning and execution of presidential/senior academic leadership engagement within those regions. Meet the University Development team.
  • Gift Planning: The Office of Gift Planning supports development staff and assists alumni and friends of the university as they consider the impact they would like to make at VCU and how best to achieve those philanthropic goals in a tax-wise manor through current gifts, planned gifts and estate gifts. Meet the Gift Planning team.

Organizational chart

Vice President’s Office organizational chart