Educational institutions have always served as places where ideas and viewpoints have been explored and prodded, sometimes vehemently. The academy has encouraged this throughout history to advance knowledge and understanding. This elective session will explore how to ensure this fundamental aspect of our institutions remains steady even in a fraught public environment. Engage with leaders around how to set the tone and the parameters for disagreeing well at your institutions, and why it is vital to model civil – and civic – discourse in our communities.

The focus of this year’s CASE Insights Research Symposium in Partnership with Huron | GG+A Global Philanthropy will present two sessions focused on the latest trends and practices on donor pipelines. Part One will highlight academic research from the IUPUI Lilly Family School Of Philanthropy on giving patterns and building trust among diverse constituents. In Part Two, a panel of advancement leaders will then discuss why a diverse pipeline of donors is essential to your advancement future. The session will highlight the practical challenges of how we collect and utilize data and new approaches to engaging donors. This work is important not just to your annual fund or your campaign but the advancement profession as a whole.

Inspiring donors and raising philanthropic support for society's most complex issues - those where tangible outcomes and positive impact may not be realized for years - is a challenge facing nonprofits, including educational institutions, worldwide. From climate change to homelessness to racial inequity to social justice, philanthropy is critical to tackling society's most complex issues, and institutions that innovate and inspire philanthropic investment are best prepared to achieve substantive, positive change. In this session, we will address real-life challenges encountered when complex social issues are involved and provide creative solutions for addressing them.

Most leaders agree that the advancement sector is particularly vulnerable to high rates of employee turnover, with the typical tenure of a fundraiser averaging less than two years. This session will explore a new model for talent retention by sharing key insights from research conducted by the presenters, examining this important staffing challenge. We will explore employee tenure timelines, staff retention strategies, ingrained commitments to DEIB, and effective evaluation of retention efforts. The panel will provide insights into tackling "The Great Resignation"; commitments to work-life balance; reflections on current job alignment with long term goals; career development and advancement; remote work and location flexibility; burnout and stress; and cultural and generational influences. We will share insights on how to take a more transformational approach to retention, for both individual staff and the organization.

With the average tenure of a university president in the United States hovering at just 5.9 years, institutional leadership transition is not only a possibility, but an inevitability in the life of an institution. With increasing public demands to hear the campus’ position on state, national and global issues early and often, campus advancement leaders and communications staff must understand the risks and rewards of the chief executive weighing in or issuing a statement. Presidents in the spotlight can quickly move onto the hot seat, sometimes unexpectedly accelerating leadership transition. Stakeholder communication is critical for stewardship, but when is it appropriate or necessary? How should we be advising interim and new presidents to best engage? The presenters will share their research on these topics, gathered from 11 distinct American institutions. These findings also correlate to their professional experiences navigating leadership changes. This presentation will offer both practical and first-hand knowledge along with research-based conclusions and recommendations.

Join Dr. Cecilia Conrad as she shares her insights from partnering with some of our nations most generous philanthropists as well as identifying and tackling the world's most pressing challenges. With her unparalleled expertise in academia and philanthropy, Dr. Conrad has successfully directed billions in funding towards initiatives that address systemic and urgent issues such as social and racial justice, economic equality, and environmental sustainability. In this session, she will share her expertise on how academic leaders can navigate the ever-changing landscape of global needs and align institutional and advancement priorities accordingly. She will provide an update on the latest trends and insights she has garnered from partnering with philanthropists such as MacKenzie Scott and Melinda French Gates. Attendees will get direction on shaping academia’s response to evolving global challenges while hearing new perspectives on what foundations and private philanthropists hold as expectations for our sector. Don't miss this opportunity to obtain valuable guidance from a visionary leader who is reshaping the philanthropic landscape and the capacity for philanthropic investments to have lasting impact.

In a world marked by continuous disruption, the realm of advancement faces unprecedented challenges. Over the past five years, our society has been shaken by a series of critical events including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, heightened racial tensions, violence on campuses, among others. These factors have created a tumultuous landscape for professionals in our industry. Facing these challenges, it would have been understandable to concede defeat or resort to excuses. However, these advancement leaders steered their organizations through these turbulent times and managed to foster growth and effect transformative changes. This session will offer a candid conversation about the critical leadership lessons gleaned from their experiences including pivotal mistakes made and lessons learned, strategies for turning adversity into success, and insights into transformative leadership that can guide others in the field of advancement.

All MarCom offices are challenged with being efficient with limited teams and resources while trying to make a big impact for your school. A marketing maturity model is emerging as a strong tool for setting strategy and showing real results. Learn from two experienced pros who have put maturity models into action and have demonstrated outcomes that show the power of this tool. Whether you are searching for a way to build a more strategic approach to marketing communications or have begun using a maturity model and want to learn how to make the most of it, this session will help you transform your operation (no exaggeration!).

Advancement leaders are dealing with more stress than ever in their positions — working long hours; dealing with global and local crises; advising presidents, boards and donors; and having the weight of the institution's image and future resting at least partly on their shoulders. Join these courageous leaders who have learned they have to prioritize their wellbeing…or pay a steep price. Are you ready for a different kind of crucial conversation — one acknowledging the challenges of isolation in leadership and starting an open dialogue on solutions to honor your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing?