The UConn Foundation welcomes its newest president, who had previously worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Photo by Eric Wang / The Daily Campus
The 2019-2020 academic year will be the first at the University of Connecticut for new UConn Foundation President Scott M. Roberts.
Photo courtesy of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas website
Roberts comes to UConn from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he served as president of the UNLV Foundation and vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement, according to a recent press release.
“The Foundation plays a critical role in the future success of the University and the availability of resources to fulfill its mission,” Roberts said. “I am honored to lead that effort.”
Roberts was selected to lead the UConn Foundation in early May. Former President Susan Herbst and current President Thomas Katsouleas were both involved in the interview process, the press release said.
“I was very impressed with Scott’s energy and formidable analytical skills,” Katsouleas said. “He is personable, enthusiastic, and a very strategic thinker who will be highly effective across the board, including one-on-one with donors and in leading a large and complex organization. In Scott, UConn snapped up a rising star in the field of higher education philanthropy before he could be recruited elsewhere. Scott is an ideal choice to lead the UConn Foundation forward, and I am excited to work closely with him and his team.”
When Roberts was with UNLV, the UConn Foundation equivalent at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, his team set an all-time fundraising record of $93 million in fiscal year 2017, the press release said.
Roberts replaced John Fodor who served as interim president and CEO since August 2018, the press release said.
The UConn Foundation’s mission statement is “strengthening UConn one relationship at a time,” the UConn Foundation website said.
“This is accomplished by providing quality programs and services for its alumni and supporters, and by serving as the primary fundraising vehicle for the University,” the website said. “The Foundation solicits, administers, and invests private funds for the sole benefit of the University and its mission of pursuing excellence in teaching, research, and public service.”
Luke Hajdasz is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at luke.hajdasz@uconn.edu.
