Crouch, Davis join advancement office
Special to The Gazette
Originally published 06:00 a.m., November 22, 2007
Updated 02:18 p.m., November 21, 2007
Two new faces have joined the development staff of the ESU Advancement Office — Mike Crouch and Blake Davis.
Crouch began in early November as a development officer. The Emporia native earned his bachelor’s degree from ESU in 2004, and has returned to his alma mater after serving as executive director of Emporians for Drug Awareness.
One of his first major tasks is to organize the third annual John Blaufuss Memorial Run/Walk in the spring.
“I’d like to see us grow this into a community-wide event,” Crouch said. “John Blaufuss was instrumental in the success of the university, but also in the community, and honoring him in this way, by reaching out to the community, is a good thing.”
Crouch, who will focus on corporate and business fundraising at ESU, is in the middle of serving a 4-year term on the Emporia school board. He and his wife Kimberly (BSB 1997) have three children, ages 11, 9 and 2, with a fourth on the way.
Davis started in early October as the associate director of annual programs, managing the call center, direct mail, the faculty and staff campaign, and more. Davis graduated from high school in Smith Center and from the University of Kansas, where he worked in the KU call center, before moving to Virginia to work in annual programs at George Mason University. Now he’s back in his home state.
“I’m happy to be back to Kansas,” Davis said. “There’s an atmosphere that you can only find in the Midwest. It’s a family atmosphere, sort of like what the Annual Fund is meant to do. It provides for students in a variety of ways, and once you leave Emporia State, you’re a part of our family.”
One of Davis’s projects is developing the new Black and Gold Society, a membership-based presidential giving group. “The society is a chance for those who feel truly invested in ESU to interact with the president and other leaders as they develop major projects at ESU, and also to impact students through the society’s scholars program. Members will be in on the ground floor of these efforts,” Davis said.
In another personnel change, Linda Pease has shifted into the role of chief development officer, overseeing Davis and Crouch while retaining her role as the director of planned giving.