UNLV President Len Jessup has appointed Scott Roberts to lead the university’s fundraising and alumni programs, following a national search for the vacant position. Roberts, the new Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, previously served as UNLV’s associate vice president for development since 2010.
Roberts has strong ties to the Las Vegas community and brings a decade of higher education development leadership experience to the position. As vice president, Roberts will oversee all fundraising for the university, serve as the fiduciary representative for the UNLV Foundation, and have responsibility for the Office of Alumni Relations. The position brings the development and alumni offices together as the university prepares to engage in its second-ever capital fundraising campaign.
“Scott is a rising star in the development community and has a clear vision for building and integrating strategies for the UNLV Foundation and Alumni Association as we enter a critical point in our university’s history,” said UNLV President Len Jessup.
As associate vice president for development, Roberts led fundraising efforts for UNLV’s 16 academic colleges and schools, numerous university programs, and its annual giving program. He also worked closely with UNLV Athletics and with campus leadership on major gifts. Private giving is on the rise at UNLV. The university raised $75 million in private giving in fiscal year 2016, and its two-year total of $150 million is the most since its last capital campaign wrapped in 2009.
“UNLV is a vibrant and growing university with visionary leadership that follows the theme upon which this city was built: anything is possible in Las Vegas,” said Roberts. “Private giving is more important than ever in public higher education, and UNLV’s forthcoming capital campaign will be the most ambitious ever undertaken in Nevada. I’m excited to continue working with community leaders, the university, and the 100,000-plus alumni as we continue our ascent into one of the nation’s top public research universities.”
Prior to joining UNLV in 2010, Roberts was director for university development at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas (2007-2010). There he oversaw a comprehensive $120 million capital campaign for the university, which was recognized in 2010 by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Roberts also served as a major gifts officer at Pittsburg State (2004-2007) and as a regional executive for Boy Scouts of America (2002-2004). Roberts is actively involved in CASE – the leading organization for advancement professionals in education – currently serving on the board of directors for District VII.
Roberts earned a master’s degree in public administration from UNLV's School of Public Policy and Leadership, and a bachelor’s degree from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. From 1999-2000, Roberts played professional basketball in Sweden and Germany.
