Dale Wright, Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement and Interim Senior Vice President of the Foundation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), has been a leading figure in university advancement for over 26 years. Under his leadership, the With Illinois campaign raised $2.7 billion—exceeding its original goal of $2.25 billion—and helped strengthen alumni engagement and philanthropic support across the university. 

Dale's impact extends beyond UIUC. He has served as a faculty member and speaker at over 22 CASE conferences, co-chaired two major CASE events, and contributed to the advancement field as a member of the CASE Commission on Philanthropy and a CASE Laureate. His excellence as a teacher and mentor was recognized with CASE’s Crystal Apple Award for teaching. 

Dale played a key role in securing transformational gifts for UIUC, including a $100 million gift to name the Grainger College of Engineering, a $50 million to $112 million expansion of the Jump ARCHES partnership, and the launch of the IBM Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute—the largest corporate partnership in the college’s history. His strategic leadership has enhanced UIUC’s reputation as a national leader in engineering and innovation. 

“Dale embodies the principles of servant leadership—generously sharing his knowledge and experience with the advancement community in a way that is both authentic and deeply heartfelt,” said Rashid Bashir, Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering. “That authenticity has earned him tremendous respect within the two universities he has served and among colleagues across the globe.”