Leadership Transition in University Advancement

Dear Members of the CMU Community:

I write today to share the news that Scott Mory, vice president for University Advancement, will be leaving Carnegie Mellon University after a successful nine-year tenure. Scott will be returning to his alma mater, the George Washington University, to serve as senior vice president and chief of staff.

Since joining CMU in 2015, Scott has led the division of University Advancement through a period of remarkable growth in fundraising and engagement. In Fall 2019, we launched Make Possible: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University and in Spring 2023 we announced that CMU had already surpassed its $2 billion goal — 18 months ahead of schedule. To date, more than 66,600 unique donors have made more than $2.3 billion in new philanthropic commitments to CMU, benefitting every part of the university.

Campaign supporters have made an incredible impact, including the creation of 62 new endowed faculty chairs, including four endowed deanships; more than 420 new endowed scholarships and fellowships; and new world-class facilities like the Tepper Quad, the Alan Magee Scaife Hall of Engineering, the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics, and the planned Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, which will also be a new home for CMU’s Institute for Contemporary Art.

Our campaign success has been the result of an effective partnership between University Advancement and CMU’s academic leadership. Working with the deans, Scott established the position of chief advancement officer for each academic college and has ensured that each college has an effective advancement program. This was part of an overall effort to grow CMU’s fundraising capacity, with enhancements to all parts of CMU’s advancement program.

During his tenure Scott has also spearheaded several initiatives to elevate and celebrate Carnegie Mellon and our impact in the world. He led the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the merger of Carnegie Tech and the Mellon Institute in 2017. Under his leadership, we’ve also launched marquee programs such as Tartans on the Rise and Faculty Dialogues, and we have hosted several successful tours to meet alumni, parents and friends around the world, including several highly successful virtual programs during the pandemic. If you have been to an on-campus event, one of our regional gatherings or to Commencement, you have witnessed firsthand Scott’s leadership of University Events and his guidance of the team who make these gatherings so memorable. Through these and many other programs and forums, Scott has made CMU’s on-campus culture, as well as our relationship with alumni, parent and partner communities, stronger than ever.

Beyond his leadership of Advancement, Scott has also played a role in supporting our engagement with our trustees, leading our partnership with the Tony Awards, launching the Summit for CMU Senior Leaders, staffing the Honorary Degree Committee, as well as serving on the Total Compensation Committee and numerous vice president and dean search committees. Scott also serves on the boards of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and of the Andy Warhol Museum.

Returning to GW is a homecoming for Scott, as he is a double alumnus, former trustee and former head of alumni relations there. GW’s recognition of the contributions Scott will make in his new role is also a great reflection of the impact of his time here. And while we will miss him here, I know he will thrive in this new role and I could not be happier for or more proud of him.

It is impossible to adequately capture the impact Scott has made on this university and our community. With his exemplary leadership, remarkable creativity and unwavering commitment to always deliver the very best for Carnegie Mellon, Scott has made this institution better and stronger in so many ways. On a personal note, I will always be profoundly grateful for his partnership, which has created so many opportunities for CMU, and for his friendship, which I know will endure.

Regarding the future leadership of University Advancement, I am pleased to share that Pam Eager, senior associate vice president for University Advancement, has agreed to serve as interim vice president. She has been a close colleague to Scott during his tenure, and with the support of the rest of the division’s leadership, University Advancement and its team of dedicated and capable staff are in good hands. We will be launching a search for the next head of UA immediately and I look forward to sharing those details shortly.

Scott will be with CMU through the end of the semester, and we look forward to opportunities to celebrate his contributions to CMU. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating Scott!

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair