Morehouse Newsroom

Morehouse College Welcomes Back Richard Ammons as Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Written by Morehouse College | Sep 30, 2026, 2:54:32 PM

Richard Ammons, a veteran higher education fundraising executive, has returned to Morehouse College to serve as Interim Vice President of the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA).

Ammons brings more than 40 years of distinguished advancement leadership to his new role. The son of a Morehouse graduate, Ammons previously served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement in the 1980s, where he led fundraising efforts that strengthened the College’s endowment, expanded scholarship access, and broadened philanthropic support.

Ammons returns to OIA as Morehouse faces the last stretch of its historic $500 million comprehensive fundraising initiative, the “Making Men of Consequence” Campaign, which has raised more than $376 million to date. The Campaign for Morehouse College is driving investment in student scholarships, innovative academic programs, campus improvements, athletics, and faculty research and recruitment.

“Returning to Morehouse at such a defining moment in its history is an honor and a profound responsibility,” Ammons said. “My mission is to build upon the College’s extraordinary legacy of leadership and excellence by strengthening the resources, relationships, and opportunities that will carry that legacy forward.

“This means elevating fundraising, expanding corporate partnerships, and deepening alumni engagement through the collective contributions of time, talent, and resources,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside our alumni, donors, and campus community to create greater institutional impact and ensure that Morehouse continues to equip, inspire, and empower rising Morehouse Men to lead with purpose and transform the world.”

Throughout his philanthropy career, Ammons has designed and executed multi-million-dollar capital campaigns, deepened corporate and foundation partnerships, and fostered meaningful relationships with alumni and donors across major institutions. He brings a proven record of aligning institutional missions with meaningful donor impact.

In addition to his tenure at Morehouse, Ammons, who earned his MBA at Stanford University, also served as Vice President of Development at both Macalester College and Colby College. At Colby, he managed a staff of 43 and led the College’s $370 million comprehensive campaign. Ammons is the former associate dean of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and was an advancement leader at Johns Hopkins University.

Since his appointment in July 2026, Ammons has led OIA fundraising initiatives, stewarded alumni and stakeholder relationships, and positioned Morehouse for sustained philanthropic momentum as the comprehensive campaign continues. The College is currently conducting a national search for the next Vice President of Institutional Advancement in partnership with the firm Isaacson, Miller.