Starting off, Sandi Bliss thought she wanted to become a counselor, but ultimately found her calling working in nonprofit and grant funded positions.
This led her to the job of vice president of advancement at University of Texas Permian Basin.
After earning a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s degree in family science from Oklahoma State University, Bliss got into counseling, but realized it would be difficult to be in the field and separate herself from those she was working with.
“I would have brought those problems home with me every day and found my way working with 501c3s (nonprofits) and loved it. That’s what led me to start working a grant funded position with OSU Center for Health Sciences,” Bliss said.
That was a grant funded and matching gift program which also involved health-related policy change. From OSU, she went to the University of Miami as the inaugural provost fundraiser. She then went to Virginia Tech as the chief advancement officer.
“While I was at University of Miami, my father had a second bout with cancer and I lost him. After I lost him, I wanted to do something to honor his military legacy and I have friends who knew that’s what I wanted to do so somebody connected me with Virginia Tech. It was a really great opportunity for me to work with a military entity,” Bliss said. “Most of the people that are the most supportive and have the highest allegiance to the university were graduates of the Corps of Cadets and that’s what brought me to Virginia Tech; no family in Virginia; no connection; no connection other than just wanting to honor my father,” Bliss said.
Bliss grew up in Sand Springs, Okla. She and her husband, Ron, have two children. She had traveled quite a bit in West Texas visiting donors and alumni, so she was familiar with the area before moving here. Like many UTPB students, Bliss is a first-generation college student.
“I love how caring and compassionate everyone that I’ve encountered here (is). I think the biggest piece is everybody wants to make a difference. They want to do something to help the university be everything it needs to be. For the community, it has so much capacity to be even more than it is right now. I love that the majority of the people that I’ve worked with, they’re not from this area, and they want to see it be better and that’s the same vision I have,” Bliss said.
Personally, she has a hard time asking for money, but working for universities, she’s asking for students like her.
“Every little resource that you get as a first-generation student makes all the difference in the world. And for me, getting in touch with a university that understood first-generation college students, and we’re getting better at it all the time, that’s everything,” Bliss said.
She has a lot of goals for her new position, but the biggest one is enabling students to get to UTPB.
“It’s one thing to get here. It’s another to be able to afford to stay here. I think you could easily say well, the tuition so much less than it is at some larger universities. Well, if you’re first-generation that’s wholly unattainable for you. You may come from a family where they expect you to contribute versus go to college. If you are put in that situation, how can we help you work past that and still achieve your dreams?” Bliss said.
She added that she would like to see UTPB in a position where it could help students at a greater level and give them an exciting place to be in terms of facilities and the types of programs offered.
“We have a really good product right now and it can only continue to get better through the facilities that we house these programs in and then the type of faculty and staff that we’re able to attract,” Bliss said.
Her job at UTPB includes fundraising for scholarships, facilities, programs, faculty, staff positions, chairs and professorships, among other things.
“Universities like UTPB have the ability to be something special for the community at large, whether it be through arts and sciences and how we extend ourselves out into the community. With the right programming and with the right funding, we’re able to do that to a greater extent where it doesn’t create a cost for the community to be involved with the university,” Bliss said.
She said she she has brought something from every university she’s served to her next position.
“I think the biggest piece is universities operate much differently than a regular company. I think when we have those on the outside that look at us like a company, we’re not going to operate like that because we are an educational entity and there’s a lot more creativity that goes into what and how you’re offering because you are offering a product and you want to make sure your customers, the students, have a really great experience,” Bliss said.
“It doesn’t matter how big the university is. Every university has the same goal to have a space where you’re learning and growing. We’re providing you the ability to be able to do that. But universities have another level, too. They are an important part of the community where they bring something special in healthcare, in arts, in science,” she added.
Young people, especially if they are first generation, are able to see a path as well.
“Maybe you attended something that the university offered in one of your primary grades and eventually that becomes the university you choose to go to school at, which we hope that’s what happens,” Bliss said.
She urged people to find a way to reach out and be part of their university.
“I promise you there’s a way to get involved. Time, treasure, talent; however you want to get involved we will find a way,” Bliss said.
There are people who might never have been to UTPB. Also, because it’s so local, people might think they know what’s happening, but they don’t necessarily, she said.
“All you have to do is get involved in one thing and then you realize, oh, wow, that wasn’t as hard as I thought. I promise you I was more scared than anyone. It is overwhelming when you don’t come from anyone who can guide you, other than here’s what you should do. So down the street doesn’t make a difference. … Stillwater was about an hour and 15 minutes from my house growing up, and it still felt big and scary,” Bliss said.
But the first step is the hardest.
“I think even for people who are really close and live here, having opportunities where your children can see a path, your parents can see a path, is life-changing. I’m this local kid from Oklahoma who grew up with nothing. I’ve lived in Miami. I’ve lived in Virginia. … These are all things I would not have done if I would have followed the traditional path of those in my family,” Bliss said.
When she sees somebody close to high school age, she always asks them if they are going to college and she gives them her business card and asks them to let her know so she can help guide them.
“It just takes one thing to hang you up in college. That’s what I love is that we’re really putting some things in place here that help support the student through their entire journey. If you get stuck, we have people for you to call. You have resources that help make that transition easier for you because it is a big transition,” Bliss said.
UTPB President Sandra Woodley said she’s happy to have Bliss on board.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sandi to the Falcon family. She brings years of experience in leading and executing strategic advancement efforts at the university level. Sandi will oversee all operations of the Advancement Office including alumni relations,” Woodley said. “As the university begins our 50th birthday celebration, Sandi will play a vital role in garnering financial support for campus transformation, Mesa Building renovations, academic programs, and UTPB’s athletics master plan.”
