President Marva Johnson Appoints Marcus Burgess as SVP of Enterprise Partnerships & Innovation
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida A&M University President Marva Johnson, J.D., announces the appointment of Marcus H. Burgess, Ed.D., as senior vice president of Enterprise Partnerships & Innovation, effective September 29. He will drive cross-sector partnerships, institutional innovation, and strategic alignment across major operational units.
“Dr. Marcus Burgess is a seasoned leader in higher education with more than two decades of experience in institutional advancement, strategic fundraising, and administration,” said President Johnson. “His expertise will assist us as we coordinate our internal efforts to expand FAMU’s corporate, philanthropic, governmental, and higher education collaborations.”
In this role, Burgess will develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to expand the University's public and private partnerships. This effort includes advising the president and senior leaders across the enterprise on emerging opportunities and challenges related to partnership development, funding, and institutional positioning. These efforts are strategically aligned with institutional priorities, with a strong emphasis on performance, innovation, and impact.
“I am deeply honored to join President Johnson and the FAMU community in this important role,” said Burgess. “Florida A&M University has a storied legacy of excellence and impact, and I look forward to building transformative partnerships that expand opportunity, drive innovation, and strengthen the University’s position as a national leader in higher education.”
Most recently, Burgess served as interim president of Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he led the university through a remarkable financial turnaround, improved national rankings, and secured reinstatement of accreditation. Under his leadership, the university saw a 96% faculty retention rate and an 18% increase in graduates, marking the largest graduating class in over a decade.
Prior to this role, Burgess was vice president for Institutional Advancement at Claflin University, where he oversaw fundraising, alumni affairs, and marketing. His efforts resulted in over $18 million in private funding, a $25 million increase in endowment, and Claflin becoming the first official Zoom Video Communications Partner School. He also maintained the highest alumni giving rate among HBCUs at 40%.
Burgess has held advancement leadership roles at Florida Memorial University, Voorhees College, and York Technical College, consistently securing record-breaking gifts and forging strategic partnerships. His work has led to over $124 million raised for higher education institutions, including an $18.5 million HBCU Capital Finance loan and a $3.4 million single gift—the largest in Florida Memorial’s history.
He holds a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Arts in education administration from The Citadel, and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Claflin University.
A respected voice in philanthropy and leadership, Burgess has contributed to numerous professional development programs and served on various boards and committees, including CASE District III and the Delta Rho Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. His capstone publication, Getting the Job Done, explores the resources available to offices of Institutional Advancement at HBCUs.
Burgess continues to champion student success, institutional sustainability, and inclusive leadership across the landscape of higher education.
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