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Blake Davis joined Florida Atlantic on June 1, 2026. Previously, he served as the vice president for development, principal and major gifts at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Davis brings more than 20 years of diverse experience in higher education development, serving both leading public and private universities. He has played a pivotal leadership role in multiple billion-dollar comprehensive campaigns, consistently driving results through a combination of strategic vision, relationship-building, and disciplined execution. Davis was at SMU since 2019 and helped double annual fundraising commitment production, including the oversight of more than 285 gifts over $1 million during SMU’s $1.65 billion comprehensive campaign. He also managed, cultivated and solicited individual portfolios of more than 250 high net worth prospects toward the university’s philanthropic priorities that begin at the $1 million gift level, resulting in the highest principal gift production in SMU’s history. During his career, Davis has held numerous development leadership positions at other top higher education institutions such as the University of Chicago, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, The University of Washington, and George Mason University. He earned an MBA from Emporia State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas.