Charles A. Wright Opportunity and Inclusion Leadership Award
The Charles A. Wright Opportunity and Inclusion Award recognizes an advancement professional who displays leadership in fostering inclusion and diversity within the profession, on their campus, and/or within the surrounding community.
For more than 16 years, Chuck Wright has been a role model, a tireless advocate, and a relationship facilitator for hundreds of African-American, LatinX, and LGBTQ advancement professionals. Chuck’s own career success in the field of educational advancement provides him with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented minorities in our field, particularly when it comes to leadership roles. As a dedicated leader within District II, Chuck advocated for resources to mobilize minority professionals and to create programming that moved beyond “diversity” to true inclusion. Beyond his professional contributions, Chuck has served as a mentor and trusted sage to a generation of minority advancement professionals. From presenting at conferences to being a friendly voice on the telephone or socializing at the end of the day, Chuck’s warm heart, quick wit, and solid advice have inspired many professionals to take the next step in their careers. For his unstinting efforts to identify, recruit and retain minority professionals to this industry and for convincing others that inclusion strengthens the fabric of our entire organization, the District II Cabinet created the Charles A. Wright Opportunity and Inclusion Leadership Award.
Chief Executive Leadership Award
This award recognizes a District II member institution's highest ranking officer for outstanding efforts in promoting the understanding and support of education. Nominees must demonstrate the ability to create vision and inspire others; establish a positive image of his/her institution's stature in the community; and encourage innovations and risk-taking among employees. The nominee also must be known as an active and supportive participant in significant advancement efforts.
Professional of the Year Award
This award recognizes a District II institutional advancement professional who has demonstrated exceptional achievement in the development of an institutional advancement program or innovative execution of programs within an area of advancement; contributed to the profession through work with CASE; and volunteered in service to the community or charitable organizations.
Robert L. Payton Award for Voluntary Service
Given annually to an individual who demonstrates leadership in advancement programs, the furtherance of the philanthropic tradition, and public articulation of needs, goals, and issues in education.
About Robert L. Payton
Robert L. Payton was a pioneer in the field of philanthropy and played a leading role in establishing philanthropy as an academic discipline. Payton was the nation's first full-time professor of Philanthropic Studies and the first full-time executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
An active CASE volunteer, he served on the CASE Board of Trustees and on the CASE Commission on Senior Professionals and was a frequent speaker and author. He received the CASE Distinguished Service to Education Award in 1984.
In retirement, Payton spent a significant amount of his time writing and lecturing on the subject of philanthropy for foundations, community groups, scholars, and students. He died in 2011.
Learn more about submitting a nomination.
Individual Achievement Awards Co-Chairs
Jennifer Burns
Assistant Head of School
Advancement & External Affairs
Solebury School
Jennifer Harris
Director of Parent Engagement and Giving
The Hun School of Princeton
Rising Star Award
This award recognizes a professional, with less than five years of advancement experience, who demonstrates the potential for leadership in the areas of Advancement Services, Alumni Relations, Philanthropy, or Communications and Marketing. It honors the accomplishments of those whose early success demonstrates their enthusiasm for and commitment to the profession, and an understanding of the needs and goals of the philanthropic tradition.