Northwest Missouri State University and the Northwest Foundation have announced the appointment of Mitzi Marchant to the position of vice president of university advancement and executive director of the Northwest Foundation.

Marchant joined Northwest in 1999 and has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a master’s degree in higher education leadership. During her time at the institution she has filled the roles of vice president of university relations, chief public relations officer, director of advancement communication, director of information and marketing, and communication assistant. She also served as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Communication and Mass Media, teaching courses in public relations. Most recently, she was Northwest’s director of donor engagement as well as director of corporate and foundation relations.

Prior to joining Northwest, Marchant was the community development and special projects coordinator for the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments in Maryville. She also has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor and for an advertising agency.

“We are ecstatic about Mitzi’s leadership as her Bearcat roots and performance are strong and central to advancing the institution,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “Being well-known and highly respected in our community, we look forward to her leadership in closing our spectacularly successful Forever Green campaign and what lies beyond as we advance all things Northwest.”

Dr. Bob Burrell, the president of the Northwest Foundation, added, “The Foundation could not be happier to have Mitzi assume the VP position. The Forever Green campaign is experiencing great success, and Mitzi has been a driving force in our efforts. I know she has the full support of the Foundation and the University Advancement team as she takes on her new role. We look forward to great things ahead for the Foundation and for Northwest.”

The Northwest Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, develops and stewards philanthropic resources for the benefit of the Northwest Missouri State University and its students. It is governed by a 35-member volunteer board and staffed by members of Northwest’s Office of University Advancement.

The Northwest Foundation is in the final stages of its Forever Green comprehensive campaign, which launched publicly in October 2019 with a goal of raising $45 million for University initiatives centered on academic excellence, scholarships, student life and other donor-directed gifts. To date, the Forever Green campaign has raised more than $53 million, and includes the completion of two major capital fundraising projects – the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse opened in 2018 and the Agricultural Learning Center, which is on pace to open this summer.