Colleges and universities have been working on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for decades, but higher education leaders say the last two years have sparked a shift. The 2020 racial reckoning and Black Lives Matter movement, campus protests, and pandemic pressures have changed the conversation, expectations for, and nature of diversity leaders’ work. Here’s what advancement professionals should know about diversity leaders’ roles in higher education today—and the future of DEIB work for development.

Working as an academic bookseller for many years gave Fiona McMillan a chance to understand academics. In 2019, she transitioned to alumni relations and eventually business development at her alma mater, the University of Stirling in Scotland, forging connections across the university. Here, she shares more about her career journey, collaborating with colleagues, launching an initiative to support student mental health, and more. 

Many recent Circle of Excellence Awards entries touch on environmental issues. Ahead of Earth Day 2022 on April 22, learn about the latest environmental research with three facts about climate change from award-winning projects.

In 2020, a year of unexpected disruptions, staff at Singapore’s Nanyang Technical University found a way to use the changes for a good cause. NTU’s Leave Redemption and Donation Exercise gave faculty and staff a way to donate their unused vacation time to student aid funds.

Toni Buckley worked for years as a photographer. Community ties brought her to advancement and her current role as Director of Alumni Relations at Berkshire Community College in Massachusetts, U.S. Here, Buckley shares how creativity, storytelling, and community-building have all shaped her work in alumni relations.