CSUSM to Welcome New Vice President of University Advancement

Cal State San Marcos President Ellen Neufeldt announced the appointment of Jessica Berger as the university’s next vice president of University Advancement and executive director of the CSUSM Foundation.

Berger currently serves as assistant vice president for development at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in Claremont, where she leads a team of talented professionals and oversees all development-related activity in the Office of College Advancement. In her role at HMC, she has launched new initiatives to strengthen donor stewardship, worked to enhance HMC’s visibility and fundraising efforts, and collaborated across the college with faculty, staff and deans to implement successful giving campaigns, contributing to the success of HMC’s recent $175 million comprehensive campaign.

“Jessica is a people-focused advancement professional who will bring a fresh lens to our advancement operations, strategy and infrastructure to further support and elevate our efforts to build a culture of philanthropy on campus and in our region,” Neufeldt said. “At this critical juncture in our institutional history, as we finalize our institutional strategic plan and repopulate our university following over a year of virtual learning and working, Jessica will play a large role in our efforts to broadly share the important work of our university and build meaningful relationships. I couldn’t be more excited for Jessica to join us.”

Even during the global challenges of the last year, Berger was able to launch new initiatives to strengthen stewardship and donor retention. In addition, she worked closely with trustees and campus leaders as HMC begins preparing for its next major philanthropic campaign.

“Jessica and her team have been instrumental in helping the college surpass its fundraising goals despite the many disruptions caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic,” HMC President Maria Klawe said. “I am very grateful for her many contributions to the college over the last seven years. While Jessica’s strong leadership, collaboration and dedication will be missed, we share her excitement for this next chapter at CSUSM, where we know she will make a great impact.”

A native of Ohio, Berger earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Wittenberg University and her Master of Social Work from Cleveland State University.

“I am honored to be joining a collaborative community that is invested in the success of every student and committed to ensuring pathways for students to achieve their dreams,” Berger said. “As a first-generation college graduate, the mission and values of CSUSM resonate with me deeply. I’m excited for the opportunity to work together toward a shared vision and transformational goals. I look forward to building upon the accomplishments of the advancement program and to creating compelling engagement and philanthropic opportunities in partnership with university students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.”