Florida State University Vice President for University Advancement and President of the FSU Foundation Marla Vickers will step down from her position this summer, according to a June 3 announcement.
Vickers, an alumna of Florida State and the first woman to serve in this role, joined the university in October 2022. She has led advancement and alumni engagement efforts during what was described as an important period for the institution. Her responsibilities included overseeing fundraising, alumni relations, donor engagement, and communications initiatives supporting academic, research, and student success priorities. She also provided executive leadership to the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees.
During her tenure, Vickers helped launch Florida State’s new comprehensive fundraising campaign and guided major philanthropic initiatives. Notable milestones include Anne Spencer Daves’ landmark gift to the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences—which resulted in renaming the college in Daves’ honor—and Dr. Herbert Wertheim’s $65 million investment in the College of Business. The latter marked the university’s largest endowment gift in its history.
FSU President Richard McCullough said, “Marla has provided exceptional leadership for University Advancement and the FSU Foundation during an important period for Florida State University. Her leadership was instrumental in advancing our comprehensive campaign and supporting transformative investments such as the renaming of Anne’s College and the Herbert Wertheim College of Business. As a Florida State graduate, she brought a deep understanding of this university and a genuine passion for its future. We are grateful for her service to Florida State and wish her all the best.”
Reflecting on her time at FSU, Vickers said, “Returning to Florida State to serve my alma mater has been one of the great privileges of my career. I am deeply grateful to President McCullough, our alumni, donors, volunteers, my team and colleagues throughout the university for their partnership and support. Together we have strengthened the foundation for Florida State’s future, and I will always cherish the opportunity to be part of the university’s continued growth and success.”
Before joining FSU in 2022, Vickers held advancement positions at Emory University—where she served as associate vice president—as well as Yale University; University of Chicago; George Washington University; Duke University; Georgetown University; along with earning degrees from several institutions including Georgia (bachelor’s), Florida State (master’s), George Washington (MBA), Vanderbilt (doctorate). The university announced it will conduct a national search for its next vice president for University Advancement, with information about interim leadership forthcoming.
