Monica Taylor to lead development, alumni relations

Monica M. Taylor, formerly executive director of external affairs of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, is UD’s new vice president for development and alumni relations.

President Patrick T. Harker announced her appointment in August, and she began work in the position Sept. 10.

“Monica brings excellent credentials and a wealth of experience and leadership to this important post,” Harker says. “She led a record-breaking fundraising campaign for the Wharton School, while at the same time overseeing Wharton’s worldwide alumni relations programming. I look forward to working with her here, as we build on UD’s past successes to achieve even more.”

“This is an exciting time at the University of Delaware,” Taylor says. “It is an honor for me to join such a talented and committed team of development and alumni relations professionals. I look forward to working with President Harker, the board, the volunteers, alumni, faculty and staff to continue to strengthen and enhance the academic experience at UD.”

During her tenure as executive director, Taylor managed the overall direction and strategy for the Wharton School’s development operation, exceeding fundraising goals and increasing annual giving. She also oversaw alumni relations programming worldwide for Wharton’s 81,000 undergraduate and graduate alumni.
Earlier, she managed the operations for the Wharton School’s Campaign for Sustained Leadership, the largest campaign in the business school’s history, which raised more than $445 million.

Before joining Wharton in 1999, Taylor served as regional director in central development for the University of Pennsylvania. She previously worked for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, the U.S. Olympic Committee and Georgetown University’s alumni and university relations office.

A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds a law degree from the James E. Beasley School of Law at Temple University.

Taylor volunteers as a board member of Partners for Sacred Places, a national, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization devoted to helping congregations and their communities sustain and actively use older and historic sacred places.

At UD, she succeeds Robert R. Davis, AS ’71, AS ’79, who retired Aug. 31 after 30 years with the University. Davis served as vice president for development and alumni relations since 1999 and as assistant vice president for the two preceding years.

Previously, he held a number of positions at the University, including director of alumni and University relations, director of University relations and director of research and records in the development office. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from UD, in political science and art history, as well as a master’s degree in education administration from Bowling Green University. 

Davis began a new position as director of development at Winterthur Museum & Country Estate on Sept. 1.