Jay Davenport, VCU vice president for development and alumni relations since 2017, to take same post at Penn State

By Grant J. Heston

After eight years at Virginia Commonwealth University, Jay Davenport, vice president for development and alumni relations, will leave this semester for the same role at Pennsylvania State University. 

Across VCU and VCU Health, Davenport’s tenure has seen fundraising increase by 275% and total giving exceed $1.5 billion. He successfully completed the Make It Real campaign in June 2020 and publicly launched the Unlocking Potential campaign this past September.

“We are grateful for Jay’s eight years of service to VCU’s development operations, which is a significant commitment to any institution. Jay and the development team have made a tremendous impact at VCU and VCU Health during this time with us,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “I have worked closely with Jay to increase VCU’s fundraising and alumni engagement, and I am sincerely grateful for his leadership, innovation and professionalism. We wish Jay and his family the very best in this next chapter of his career.”

Davenport, who joined VCU in fall 2017 from Wake Forest University, will remain with VCU through February. The university will share interim plans in the coming weeks. 

Davenport built VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations into a modern operation to better serve the university and health system. During his tenure, DAR launched the first VCU Giving Day, created an enterprisewide planned giving office, organized the 50-member VCU Alumni Council and expanded the foundation relations and corporate relations teams. 

“I am immensely proud of what the VCU community and the Development and Alumni Relations team have been able to achieve over the past few years,” Davenport said. “Dr. Rao’s vision attracted me to VCU, and I am happy to have played a role in strengthening the institution for future students and patients. VCU’s donors, supporters and alumni are some of the most generous in the country, and I will cherish the friendships and memories at VCU forever.” 

VCU and VCU Health set fundraising records in seven of Davenport’s eight years. In 2022, he helped secure the largest gift VCU has received: $104 million to support the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health.  

Davenport also launched VCU Magazine: For Alumni and Friends, which in 2024 won the Magazine of the Year award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.