Scott Rava, a talented fundraising leader, has been named vice president for College Relations effective Aug. 1, Union President David R. Harris announced today. Rava has been serving as interim vice president for College Relations since May, during which a national search was conducted.
Rava joined Union’s College Relations team - which leads the College’s fundraising and alumni relations efforts - in 2001 and has served the College in a number of fundraising roles during his tenure.
He also was director of the successful “Powering Union” campaign, which concluded last year. That campaign raised more than $316 million for the College, eclipsing the $300 million goal, making it the largest fundraising campaign in Union’s history.
“Scott has earned the confidence of his colleagues and the College’s largest donors over his successful tenure at Union. I am delighted he has embraced the opportunity to lead the College Relations team,” Harris said. “Scott has the skills and experience, and the passion for Union’s mission, necessary to elevate our fundraising to new heights.”
In addition to serving as interim vice president, Rava has been assistant vice president for principal gifts since 2020. He began his Union career as associate director of annual giving and also has held multiple roles as a leadership gifts officer, stewarding some of the College’s largest donors. He played a central role in securing the two largest gifts in Union’s history – a total of $91 million from 1980 Union alumnae Mary and Rich Templeton to transform the College’s engineering and computer science programs within our liberal arts context.
“I am excited to continue to call Union my home,” Rava said. “The work we do in College Relations, connecting people to something they care about deeply, is very personal to me and I look forward to leading our talented team on behalf of the College.”
Rava, who resides in Niskayuna, is a graduate of Le Moyne College in Dewitt, N.Y. Prior to joining Union, he spent five years at the Harvard Business School in a variety of fundraising roles.
“This is an exciting time in Union’s history,” Rava said. “I want to start my new role by thanking all those who have supported the College regularly throughout the years for their generosity, and by encouraging others to join us as we all work to propel Union forward.”