Colorado State University Names Michael Davis New Executive Director of Alumni Programs Following National Search

Michael W. Davis, an experienced alumni relations professional with a strong background in management, marketing and public relations, has been named executive director of the Colorado State University Alumni Association.

Davis, who has worked at the University of Nevada-Reno and other universities for 11 years, will oversee a staff of six and will direct programs serving some 116,000 Colorado State alumni. Selected after a national search, he will begin his duties Sept. 1.

He will continue efforts to form an ongoing partnership with the greater Colorado State University community, bring these partners together and encourage and support the overall goals and objectives of Colorado State University.

"I am delighted that Michael Davis will be helping to lead Colorado State’s alumni program and I am excited about adding a person of his integrity and enthusiasm to our advancement team," said Stanton E. Schmid, interim vice president of university advancement. "His experience in creating, nurturing and operating alumni programs is both broad and deep. He has unparalleled energy, commitment and dedication and will work hard with our alumni board to make sure we offer alums even more opportunities to maintain their ties with Colorado State."

A 1984 graduate of the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Davis earned a master’s degree from Kansas in 1991.

"As a native of Colorado, I’m delighted to be returning to my home state. Colorado State offers a wonderful professional challenge to meet the lifelong educational needs of our alums and to provide relevant and enjoyable ways to meet, share and interact with the university and the community," Davis said. "Colorado State is a great place with a lot to offer, and I’m happy to be joining the community. I look forward to working with alumni and with the university community."

Davis, director of alumni relations and records at the University of Nevada-Reno from early 1994 until last summer. He planned and implemented programs involving alumni, developing annual and long-range plans, working with a 41-member Alumni Council, supervised budgets, directed the university’s annual fund program and supervised the association’s Student Alumni Association and the university’s 21-member cheerleading team.

Davis also worked with volunteers, college development officials and alumni chapter officials to direct various alumni programs and events. He helped establish new chapters in areas where interested alumni lived.

He began his career in alumni work with the Kansas Alumni Association, serving as coordinator of membership development from 1986 to 1990. He created various programs that helped increase alumni membership 17 percent and brought about a 19 percent revenue increase.

Davis also served as director of constituent programs, overseeing membership and developing programs for alumni of 12 distinct professional or constituent groups, before joining the University of Idaho at Moscow in January 1991 as associate director of alumni relations.

At Idaho, he managed homecoming, family weekend, commencement and other special activities; directed the Parent’s Association and Parent’s Fund; advised the Student Alumni Relations Board; oversaw services, merchandise and group travel activities; and helped edit Idaho’s alumni magazine.

Colorado State’s Alumni Association, based at 645 S. Shields St. in Fort Collins, organizes or sponsors more than 130 programs and events each year of benefit to alumni, students and the University. The association uses volunteers for programs and services, including chapters, reunions, a travel program, the Alumni Center, career services, financial services and more, and encourages alumni involvement and support.