Michael J. Morsberger, chief executive officer of the University of Central Florida Foundation and vice president of Advancement, was chosen this week as one of two recipients of the 2020 CASE Commonfund College and University Foundation Award. The award, one of the fundraising industry’s most prestigious national honors, recognizes valuable contributions through best practices, distinguished service and leadership.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education picked Morsberger and Clark Cropp, senior vice president at the Kansas University Endowment Association, for the award. Both have more than 30 years of experience in the advancement field.
Morsberger came to the UCF Foundation in 2015, where he oversees management of UCF’s $175 million endowment and a diverse portfolio of assets.
Morsberger came to the UCF Foundation in 2015, where he oversees management of UCF’s $175 million endowment and a diverse portfolio of assets. When he arrived at UCF, the university was in the fourth year of its most comprehensive capital campaign, with $200 million having been collected toward a goal of $500 million.
Morsberger, who previously directed development teams at five major universities, reorganized and united the UCF advancement team. The campaign successfully closed in 2018 with more than $531.5 million raised in gifts and commitments, and a new downtown campus built with philanthropic, university and state funds.
“We are fortunate to have someone with Mike’s experience and commitment leading UCF’s philanthropic efforts, which help us transform lives and create a better society,” says President Alexander N. Cartwright. “The results of his hard work can be seen everywhere: a robust donor base, an engaged Foundation board, and a university with an established and increasing capacity to raise funds that enable us to be one of America’s leading metropolitan research universities.”
Morsberger is an active member of CASE, an international association of educational institutions, and has spoken at numerous of its conferences.
The awards are underwritten by Commonfund, which provides fund-management services and investment advice to nonprofit organizations.
