Holly Hull Miori will serve as UMSL’s new associate vice chancellor for development. (Photo courtesy of Holly Hull Miori)

The University of Missouri–St. Louis has tapped Holly Hull Miori to serve as its new associate vice chancellor for development, and she will begin her new position on Dec. 16.

Miori, who holds a PhD in public affairs and is a certified fundraising executive, has spent the past 11 years working at the University of Texas at Dallas in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, including the past three years as a senior director of development. She did her doctoral research on Millennial philanthropy and is a sought-after speaker on the topic as well as the author of “Millennial Philanthropy: Next Generation Fund Development for Professionals and Nonprofits,” published with Palgrave Springer in 2023. She also has a wealth of experience working on comprehensive campaigns.

“We are thrilled to have Holly joining our team in University Advancement,” said Lisa Capone, UMSL’s vice chancellor for advancement. “She has 20 years of experience in fundraising, much of it in higher education, and has done extensive research on how to engage a new generation of supporters and donors. Her passion for fundraising and experience in campaign development will be great assets as we work to build support and shape a stronger future at UMSL.”

Miori’s appreciation for philanthropy began at a young age, watching her parents contribute to the local arts community in her hometown of Corsicana, Texas, and she landed her first nonprofit job while still an undergraduate at Austin College in Sherman, Texas.

Austin College launched a comprehensive campaign during her freshman year, and she found numerous learning opportunities while assisting with the campaign throughout her four years as a student. It reinforced her passion for philanthropy and fundraising.

“I always love watching people getting excited about investing in things that matter to them,” Miori said. “Nothing has brought me more joy than seeing people’s backgrounds and interests match up with either their alma maters or other meaningful places where I’ve been across my career.”

Miori had internships working at a local railroad museum in Dallas and the Washington Performing Arts Society in Washington, D.C., and she’s held jobs with the United Way, American Red Cross, American College of Emergency Physicians and Presbyterian Communities and Services Foundation.

She joined the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at UT Dallas in 2013, first serving as the director of development for the Center of Vital Longevity and has since worked with the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology and the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies. She’s been involved in the university’s current fundraising campaign, “New Dimensions: The Campaign for UT Dallas.”

Miori, who received a master’s degree in theological studies from Texas Christian University in 2007, had already been thinking about pursuing graduate studies in philanthropy when she arrived at UT Dallas, and she followed through, earning her master’s degree in public affairs and her PhD in 2021.

“I really think our industry needed to professionalize more,” Miori said. “We have only really started professionalizing in the last two to three decades, really having a technical side and a science behind it. I really love studying it.”

Since completing her PhD, she also teaches courses on philanthropy and fundraising. Her focus on Millennial philanthropy grew out of her own experience as an elder Millennial.

“Nonprofits were blowing off 75 million Millennials, and I really wanted to make sure that we were thinking about a whole generation as volunteers, as board members and, most importantly, as donors,” she said. “Millennials are acquiring wealth and they’re being promoted to executive roles, and we want to celebrate that.”

Miori believes the Millennial generation of alumni and donors will play an integral role in the future of UMSL.

She was attracted to the university’s long history of providing access and opportunity to students from a variety of backgrounds, including first-generation students, and the strong connection it has to the St. Louis region. She’s looking forward to engaging with alumni and community partners to support initiatives they’re passionate about.

“People want to be part of the mission and the vision and have their voices heard,” Miori said. “The message that I want to keep homing in on as I’m getting ready for this new role is that every dollar matters, no matter its size, and we want to celebrate that.”