Matt Astleford Named Vice President for Advancement

Throughout his career, Matt Astleford has been mission driven. From his work aiding constituents as a U.S. Senate staff member to raising funds as a development officer for Catholic health care organizations, he’s always aimed to make an impact.

He now brings that goal to the University of Saint Mary as the vice president for advancement.

“All my positions have made me feel like I’m making a difference in the world,” he said. “During my career, I’ve been able to work with donors and generous individuals who were really invested and wanted to make a difference as well. That continues at Saint Mary. You can tell the work we do here has a lasting impact on the lives of students.”

Astleford arrived at Saint Mary in June 2018 to lead alumni and institutional engagement. He was promoted to a vice president role in August and oversees all Office of University Advancement operations. During his first year, SpireFest raised record-breaking scholarship dollars and the university completed the Campus for Tomorrow Campaign, the largest fundraising initiative in USM history.

Astleford came to Saint Mary from Green Bay, Wis., to be closer to family in southeast South Dakota. He previously served as a development manager at Hospital Sisters Health System and Prevea Health. He is an alumnus of Buena Vista University, a Certified Fund Raising Executive, and on track to earn an MBA from Saint Mary in 2020.

“I’m happy to be part of the Saint Mary family,” he said. “Saint Mary means many things to a lot of people. It’s a great community to be a part of. Together, we can move the mission forward and help the next generation of students.” He can be reached at 913-758-6523 or Matt.Astleford@stmary.edu.