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. It also honors District II’s immediate past board chair and his work to support diversity and equity both for CASE members and at The College of New Jersey, where he is associate vice president for development and alumni engagement.
“CASE District II has a history of developing and supporting under-represented minority professionals working in educational advancement. Chuck Wright has been at the forefront of these efforts for nearly two decades,” says Lisa Grider, District II chair. “ In creating this award, it was obvious to the DII board that Chuck’s commitment to developing and sustaining opportunities for, and inclusion of, minority professionals has set the standard. It is our hope that by naming this award for Chuck that we will celebrate his incredible impact and challenge others to follow his lead.”
For Brigette Bryant, Wright offered invaluable assistance when she asked him how she might better serve CASE. He helped bring her onto to the District II board, where she is now chair of Opportunities and Inclusion.
“Like a good advocate would, he made a path for me as he has done for countless others throughout his career. Opportunity can often be elusive, access even more difficult, but when Chuck is a champion, all things are possible,” Bryant says. “I have deeply appreciated the door he opened for me and the kindness he showed me as I made my way through it.”
All CASE District II current members are eligible for the award. Nominations are due by Oct. 11, and winners will be announced at the annual conference Feb. 23-25, 2020 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. See the District II pages for more information on how to apply for the award.
Wright discussed the award and why promoting diversity today is more important than ever.
What was your response when you heard the award will be named for you?
I was shocked but certainly honored. CASE has been amazing to me and my career; being able to connect with other folks in my profession is enormous. I don’t think many professions can say they have as much support as we in advancement do.
I hope I’ve encouraged others who look like me to think about advancement as their career — seeing me as a board member and chair, as chair of a conference — and to know that there’s a place for them in the profession and at CASE. Because [diversity and inclusion] is a such a tough topic to talk about, I’m always afraid it will be pushed to the back burner, but I know those working at CASE won’t let it be.
Why is it important to recognize those in colleges and universities working to support inclusion and opportunities?
Now more than ever, it’s important that people stand up — especially those from diverse backgrounds. They need to have a voice and need to be supportive of each other. We all need to fight the good fight. In our hearts we may all feel the same way, but we need people to be vocal and take action.
Being involved in conferences and on the board, I’ve tried to bring new folks into the fold to make sure the board of directors is representative of the country and the schools we support. When I got into the business, I didn’t see anyone like me, a gay black man. There were no mentors of color. As I was able to move up in my career, I knew it was my responsibility to be that mentor, either directly or indirectly.
What can advancement professionals do to help ensure there’s more focus on diversity and inclusion?
Mentorship is extremely important. The dial has not been moved that much [on race and diversity]. There are difficult conversations, and people are still fearful of having them. An open dialogue would be helpful. We must be open and honest about the need for diversity at an institution.
I always hear, “We can’t find anyone of color.” There’s a lot of us out there. Advertise in publications geared toward diverse people. Once in the job, if there’s no support you’re not going to stay. You have to walk the walk, and put the infrastructure in place so there’s support and affirmation for these professionals.
What are some strides your own institution has made in this area?
We have a Minority Executive Council, which is a group of faculty and staff that lead the charge. It has events throughout the year, happy hours and social gatherings for people of color and LGBTQ. TCNJ’s president is fully committed to it. We have never had a vice president for equity and inclusion and are hiring for that now. We’re putting our money where our mouth is.