Awards and Scholarships
Institutional Awards
More Ways to Win—and a Simplified Nomination Process
We’ve combined the best of the District II Awards with the Circle of Excellence Awards to create a single, streamlined program that offers even more opportunities for recognition. When you enter the Circle of Excellence Awards, your submissions are also automatically considered for Best of District II honors—at no additional cost.
Award categories and judging criteria are regularly updated to reflect the latest best practices in advancement, and several categories are now tailored by staff size to ensure fair and meaningful recognition for institutions of all sizes.
Charles A. Wright Opportunity & Inclusion 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.
Chief Executive Leadership Award
The Chief Executive Leadership Award celebrates CASE member institutional chief executive officers, college and university system heads, and trustees for outstanding efforts in promoting the value of education and supporting advancement at their campuses. Recipients, through their ability to create a vision and inspire others, have established a positive image for their institution while leading it to even higher levels of success.
Distinguished Service Award
The CASE Distinguished Service Award celebrates inspirational advancement professionals whose accomplishments and longtime service to CASE have made a significant impact on institutional advancement. The award acknowledges individuals whose embodiment of the spirit of CASE, particularly generosity in sharing knowledge with the community of practice, have earned the respect and admiration of fellow colleagues.
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
- 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.
Rising Star Award
This award recognizes a District II professional who has:
- less than five years of advancement experience
- 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.
Scholarships
CASE will offer scholarships for qualified members to attend the CASE District II Annual Conference 2025, February 9 - 11, in New York City, NY.
The scholarship covers the conference registration fee.
All CASE members are welcome to apply. Preference for scholarships will be given to people who meet any of these criteria:
- Never attended a CASE conference.
- New to educational advancement.
- New to a leadership role.
- Student who is planning a career in educational advancement.