The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is pleased to announce that Kathy Schmidlkofer and Gretchen Wood are the recipients of the 2025 CASE Commonfund College and University Foundation Award.

Since 2014, Schmidlkofer has been President and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation. Under her leadership, the foundation has raised a record amount through its “Driven” campaign, doubling philanthropy for the University during her tenure. The foundation also manages a $5 billion philanthropic endowment and an extensive student housing and commercial property portfolio. Before joining the foundation, Schmidlkofer was Executive Vice President of GREATER MSP, a public-private partnership dedicated to growing the economy of the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. In addition, she worked for 25 years at General Mills in various financial leadership roles. Schmidlkofer holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. She serves on the board of the Nature Conservancy (MN, ND, SD chapter) and is a member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable. For CASE, she serves as a member of its National Committee for College and University Foundations and has presented at the annual College and University Foundation conference.

Wood is Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, and Executive Director of MCC’s foundation. She led the largest campaign in the foundation’s history, securing $52.5 million, and under her guidance, a record-setting $1.65 million in scholarships was awarded to support students for the 2023–24 school year. Wood holds a bachelor’s degree in English and English education from Syracuse University and a master’s in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from SUNY Brockport. She is active in CASE, presenting at conferences and serving on the CASE Community College Leadership Committee. She is also Immediate Past-Chair of CASE’s District II Cabinet. She has received several awards recognizing her contributions to the Rochester business community.

“Kathy Schmidlkofer and Gretchen Wood exemplify the very best of foundation leadership,” says Sue Cunningham, President and CEO of CASE. “Through their vision and dedication, they have strengthened their institutions and expanded opportunities for countless students. Beyond their extraordinary professional achievements, they have been steadfast champions of the advancement profession, generously giving their time and expertise to CASE and the broader higher education community. We are honored to recognize their leadership and impact.”

The CASE Commonfund College and University Foundation Award recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement, quality, and effectiveness of their foundations. The Commonfund Institute, which underwrites the award, is the research arm of Commonfund, which provides investment management services to nonprofit organizations and other institutions. 

Schmidlkofer and Wood will receive their award on March 31, 2025, during the CASE Conference for College and University Foundations in Chicago. 

 

About CASE

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a global, nonprofit association with a vision to advance education to transform lives and society.    

Encompassing 3,100 member institutions in 80 countries, CASE is the home for more than 97,000 advancement professionals in educational settings, including universities, colleges, and schools. These individuals work in the areas of fundraising, marketing, communications, alumni relations, government relations, development, and more. CASE also includes many partners who work closely with the educational sector.

CASE is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has regional offices in London, Singapore, and Mexico City.