By Lorenzo Perez 

For Matt Erskine, his new job as president of the College Foundation marks a welcome return to familiar grounds. Over the last three decades, Erskine has been a regular presence at UVA and through his deep connections to his alma mater.  Erskine graduated in 1992 as an Echols Scholar who studied history, government, foreign affairs (and a little music) in the College, as well as business. He went on to earn his MBA from the Harvard Business School. Erskine’s professional career includes senior roles in management consulting, mission-driven nonprofits, and the public sector at the state and federal levels, including as Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. 

Erskine and his wife, Kathryn, have three children: Avery, Anna, and Matthew. Avery, the eldest, is a Double ‘Hoo from Arts & Sciences and a Miller Arts Scholar with a B.A. in English and Drama and an M.A. in English. 

In a recent conversation, Erskine shared memories of his formative experiences as a UVA undergraduate and his perspective on how they prepared him for his new role at the Foundation, the independent nonprofit organization established in 2000 to raise funds in support of the academic mission of College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and to advise the Dean. 
 

Q: Take us back to the beginning of your ties with UVA. Growing up in Northern Virginia, how seriously did you consider other schools for college? 

A: UVA was the only school I applied to, and I was fortunate to be accepted early decision. My first experience with UVA was in the Summer Enrichment Program way back as a rising 7th grader, and I just fell in love with the University. I remember the first time I stood looking out over the Lawn from the Rotunda, and it just clicked. I think it resonated with me even then how truly special a place it is. 
 

Q: As a first-year student and Echols Scholar, you jumped right in to a lot of extracurricular activities, including getting elected to the first-year judiciary council and pledging a fraternity. What was the moment or experience on Grounds that convinced you that you had found a home at UVA? 

A: I knew early on that I wanted to contribute to the University community. Being selected for the first-year judiciary committee gave me a nice entree into working with other student leaders, including upperclassmen on the University Judiciary Committee, Honor Committee, Student Council, University Guides, and so on. Finding that connection with other student leaders and with my fraternity helped to introduce me to UVA’s broader community, and that’s when I really felt like, ‘OK, this is the beginning of feeling at home in a very special place.’ 
 

Q: Your career path began in management consulting but has also included tenures in state government and work with the Commerce Department, including a stint as acting assistant secretary. How has that range of experience prepared you for this new role? 

A: I’ve always had an interest in finding the nexus between best business practices and a commitment to something larger than myself. I’ve had the opportunity to do that at the state level and at the federal level, through volunteer board work, and also working with several nonprofits.  

I’m not a career fundraiser, but I have done significant fundraising for the nonprofits I’ve worked with. In addition, I’ve done extensive business development in the private sector and senior relationship management across sectors. The common elements that are relevant include working effectively with multiple stakeholders and constituents and understanding what's important to them. Because at the end of the day, that's the business we're in: developing meaningful long-term relationships. In terms of my role with the College Foundation, it's about recognizing what our donors are interested in. Where do they want to make the impact? What do they want their legacy to be?  
 

Q: How have you maintained your connections to UVA over the years? 

A: I've tried to stay engaged since I graduated. I made it a point over the years to come back to UVA to speak to students and serve on reunion committees. When I lived in Atlanta, I worked with the Jefferson Scholars Foundation and chaired the regional selection committee. Most recently, I was privileged to be selected for the Board of Managers for the Alumni Association, and I did a three-year term, which just ended on June 30.  

Serving on the Board of Managers was an amazing experience, because it gave me a pan-University perspective and insight into the value of alumni engagement. I think that prepared me well for this job, which requires understanding what alumni are looking for, how they want to be connected to the University, and from our standpoint, connected to Arts & Sciences.   
 

Q: Your eldest daughter is a Double ‘Hoo, with an undergraduate degree as well as a master’s in English. How has that enhanced your insight into UVA? 

A: Being a parent of a student in the College and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences offers another notable perspective. You’ve had your own UVA journey, and to then be able to see the UVA experience through your child's eyes is also very powerful. Because Avery was involved in the dramatic arts at UVA, her experience was different from mine. It was helpful for me to see her love of UVA from a completely different perspective, and that has reinforced how welcoming the College is to students with a variety of interests. We have a number of non-alumni parents and alumni parents with whom we have strong relationships and who are generous supporters of the College and the Graduate School. So, I think it helps me — being a fellow UVA parent — to connect with them through that shared experience of seeing one’s child chart their journey here. 

Q: Why is this the right time in your career for you to return to UVA? 

A: As a fourth year, I was selected to be a student member of the College Foundation’s predecessor, the Arts & Sciences Alumni Council. That experience was a huge eye opener for me: to meet passionate alums and see first-hand the importance of philanthropy to making Arts & Sciences the best it can be. 

Over the course of the search process for the Foundation President position, I learned more about the Foundation’s impact and about Dean Christa Acampora’s strategic priorities. That was exciting and inspiring: the powerful vision for Arts & Sciences and the important role that the Foundation plays in supporting that. It reinforced that if we are truly aiming to be the best public university and one of the best universities in the world, then Arts & Sciences is the heart and soul of that mission. The philanthropic support and alumni engagement that the Foundation provides are so key to that. 
 

Q: You’ve had to hit the ground running. How have you been spending your first months on the job? 

A: It’s been a complete immersion, starting with getting to know our volunteer leadership on the Foundation’s different boards, nationally and regionally. Getting out on the road to meet them and other alumni stakeholders, while also working to form a relationship with Dean Acampora and the senior leadership team in the Dean’s Office has been inspiring. My operating principles for my transiton are listen and learn, build trusted relationships, and then — given his 16 years of building and leading the Foundation — honor and celebrate past president Gene Schutt.  
 

Q: The Foundation and the College are coming off a record-setting fundraising campaign. What comes next? 

A: This year is a special one, because it's the first time in 12 years that the University has not been in a major campaign, so I'm excited to focus our energy on new thinking and innovation. We’ve got this tremendous success and legacy on which to build. As we look forward, it's going to be critical for us to think about where we want to be five years from now, 10 years from now, and what do we need to be doing at this moment to build for success long-term. Are we positioning ourselves for next-level fundraising success and to build the philanthropic support that's going to be necessary to support the big things that Arts & Sciences wants to accomplish? Are we doing everything we can to create that rich connectivity and engagement with our alumni base and our non-alumni parents?  
 

Q: What are your nostalgic spots to visit on Grounds and around UVA? 

A: Definitely my Lawn Room. When my daughter was a graduate student here, she was selected to live on the Range. She knew my Lawn room was 39 West Lawn, so she wanted to be in 39 West Range. That was very special. 

Also, the Dome Room, and I recently took a walk through Old Cabell, where I took History of Jazz and attended so many other events and performances. It just always has that really special feel because of its history. 

I’m also a big runner, so whenever I'd come to Charlottesville, I always made sure to run down the Lawn and around Grounds.  
 

Q: Speaking of running, endurance races seem like a huge outlet for you outside of work. 

A: Absolutely. I love running trails. From ultramarathon races to the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim. I also love open-water swimming. Just last month, I competed in the annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim. 

I’m pretty slow, but I enjoy the challenge of seeing how far you can push yourself. I endeavor to bring that passion for the relentless pursuit of progress and excellence to the team at The College Foundation and to our mission of supporting Arts & Sciences.