The average tenure for an advancement professional today is just five years. To keep staff on board, our workplaces need to be flexible, empathetic, inclusive, and transparent. Here, two researchers share what they’ve discovered about human-centered talent management and the key steps to retain staff: align talent to mission and values; engage the whole person; and recognize colleagues’ impact.  

Chandler LeBoeuf, Vice President of Education for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and Executive Director of the LCTCS Foundation, has been part of the System since 2012, going from student affairs to advancement. Through public-private partnerships, he leads innovative workforce development programs, which work to get individuals credentialed in high-demand fields and into the workforce. Learn more about his career path ad advice on building similar programs. 

These are strange times, and, for many of you reading this, they are also scary times. For our colleagues in California, especially around Los Angeles, the January wildfires destroyed lives, neighborhoods, homes, and a sense of stability that most of us take for granted every day. For those of you across the country whose work focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, and/or federal funding—including those on our Federal Funding Task Force—there’s no clear path forward. 

James Clear, author and speaker on productive habits, says these three time-management tips will keep you on track and help you work more efficiently.   

In its first four weeks, the Trump Administration has issued a flurry of executive actions that have wide-ranging implications for schools, colleges, and universities. At the same time, Congress is gearing up to consider major tax reform legislation that could include proposals that help and hinder institutional advancement offices.

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.

Emails are a big part of any advancement professional’s toolkit. But with 360 billion emails being sent every day—about 70 emails for every person online—how can your organization’s emails break through the inbox clutter? Here are some things to keep in mind when writing an attention-grabbing email.

Depending on how you approach them, one-on-one meetings can be very effective. By removing some common pitfalls, you can be sure to get the most out of them.

Following the U.S. elections in November 2024, the CASE Library has curated this selection of CASE content, news coverage, and commentary on how the incoming Trump Administration and new Congress are affecting the K-12, higher education, and nonprofit sectors.

Melissa Farmer Richards (2025)
Item number: 29785