Leadership isn't a destination. It's a journey. 

That's a key lesson Fritz Schroeder has found to be true in his 30 years in advancement.

"You have to keep moving and growing," says Schroeder, who's served as vice president for development and alumni relations at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore since 2012, and has been at Hopkins for nearly 25 years. 

Commitment to learning, self-awareness, strategy: all of these are essential for a leader's journey, he says, and all are foundational to the new CASE Academy, for which Schroeder is a faculty member. Launching Nov. 4, CASE Academy is unique, eight-month learning opportunity for rising advancement stars. 

Here, Schroeder shares his best advice for leaders and what makes advancement rewarding.

CASE: You’ve been at Johns Hopkins since 1996. How did you get your start in advancement before that?

Fritz Schroeder​​​​​: I started working as a senior in college at James Madison University. I was as student worker in the annual fund office, helping to run the volunteer student phonathon and the senior class gift. When I graduated, I was lucky to get a job at the University of Maryland in the annual giving office, and eventually was the director for several years before coming to Johns Hopkins.

What’s the thing you love most about what you do?

It will sound so predictable, but I love the role that we get to play in helping people connect to something that they care about deeply: Johns Hopkins. To play a small role in helping alumni, volunteers, grateful patients, and friends express their passion for Hopkins through a gift or a commitment of time is just great fun.

I grew up in a university environment, so the other parts that I love are the rhythm, the traditions, and the role that knowledge and learning play in making us all better as individuals.

How did you first get involved with CASE?  

Fun memory: My senior year at JMU, I was sent as a student delegate to the CASE District III conference at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. It was the biggest hotel I had ever been in, but more importantly, I was so inspired by the people I met and their willingness to engage about this profession.

CASE Academy is a unique leadership development opportunity. What are you looking forward to most about it?

For more than 30 years in this field (ouch), I have benefited from the chance to connect with leaders in the profession and learn from their experiences. I have mentors who have had a huge impact on my choices, how I lead, and how I think about our work. With the challenges of COVID-19 and remote work, I think CASE Academy is simply a way of continuing that trend. We have smart people (leaders in the field) talking about topics that are incredibly relevant to our work, and making small group, personal connections to rising stars.  

At CASE Academy, you’re presenting on the building blocks of leadership. What do you see as the three key traits a leader needs today?  

Self-awareness, strategic intent, and a commitment to continued growth. Leadership is a journey, and you have to keep moving and growing.

CASE Academy, and many CASE programs, are about learning and growing as a professional. What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

There are so many that it's hard to select one. But I have to share several conversations that stand out. To summarize:

• While it may feel important in the moment, rarely does it really matter which meetings you’re included in and which you are not. Don’t waste time worrying about that.
• People look to leaders to set an example. Be mindful that your team is looking to you for signals about everything: work ethic, timeliness, sense of humor (appropriate versus not), empathy, temper, positivity, managing stress, hard work, and personal values. It all sets the tone for the organization.
• Even if you’re a smooth talker, people need to know that you can back up the talk with action. Never lose sight of that.