Dear NACRO Members,

It is a privilege to serve as your Co-Presidents as NACRO enters its 20th anniversary year. As we look toward the 2027 celebration in Baltimore, we are focused on honoring the past and building an agile, sustainable and enduring platform for our profession.

This year marks the launch of our 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. This plan is designed to empower our members by growing our community, strengthening our impact and utilizing data to drive our decisions.

Our success relies on our collaboration. We are eager to hear your ideas and work together to advance our mission. Thank you for your continued commitment to NACRO.

With appreciation,

Tammy Eickhoff & Jason King 

NACRO Co-Presidents

For this month's "Quick Text With . . .," we're delighted to feature Abby Randall, Director of Corporate Relations & Giving with the Bemidji State Alumni & Foundation!

NACRO: “Hi Abby! Hope you’re having a great start to the new school year. Checking in to see if you have a CR project or related good news at Bemidji State.”

Abby: “Things are really starting to gain steam at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College! We're launching a new quarterly President, Provost & VP of Advancement Strategy Session to strengthen alignment around our highest-priority relationships, while also rolling out our new 'Corporate Partners Program' framework."

NACRO: “Thank you Abby – great to hear about all of this activity!”

In the NACRO Blog this month, Mark Nolan, founder of J. Mark Nolan Consulting and formerly AVP of Corporate Engagement with Georgia Tech, shares insights from his NACRO 2026 Annual Conference panel discussion on moving corporate engagement from the transactional to transformational — including the critical role of campus leadership, holistic metrics, strong campus partnerships and a willingness to embrace change.

Nolan’s perspective center on what it takes to build a truly sustainable corporate engagement strategy. Read more.

For NACRO’s white paper — "CORPORATE RELATIONS REIMAGINED: How Academic Institutions Can Build Sustainable Industry Partnerships" — we're highlighting each month one of our "seven essential elements" for successful corporate engagement.

#7 (NEW) — Evaluating Corporate Relations Offices: The specific measures used to evaluate the corporate relations program must now consider the comprehensive nature of the 21st Century corporate relations paradigm. The intensely collaborative nature of this activity makes the traditional, individual-based measures of performance unreliable indicators of productivity and effectiveness of the entire process. Read more.

Baptist Health Innovations South Florida - Senior Innovation Licensing Specialist

Johns Hopkins University - Associate Director, Corporate Engagement for Education (Corporate & Global Affairs)

University of Florida - Assistant Director of Development

University of Oklahoma Foundation - Director of Foundation Relations - Tulsa

University of Notre Dame - Assistant Director of Corporate Relations

Job posting forms are due to Jessica Hutchins no later than the 1st of the month to be included in that month's NACRO News. The newsletter goes out the second Tuesday of every month.

Our Strategic Plan outlines NACRO’s priorities for 2026–2029 and reflects the organization’s commitment to strengthening the profession, supporting its members and positioning NACRO as a leader and convener within higher education advancement and engagement.

The plan provides a clear framework for organizational decision-making while allowing the flexibility necessary to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges. Read more.

UNC Charlotte has appointed Charlotte entrepreneur and alumnus Christopher Moxley to help lead the university’s corporate partnerships, bringing his extensive experience building relationships between businesses and community organizations to the role. As co-owner of 704 Shop, Moxley has developed partnerships with organizations including UNC Charlotte, the City of Charlotte and major sports and business entities. His new role will focus on expanding connections between the university and corporate partners, creating opportunities that support students, workforce development and the region’s business community. Read more.

The University of Michigan is reporting a record-breaking year for research commercialization, with 195 new corporate-sponsored research awards totaling $75.8 million secured through its Corporate and Foundation Research Alliances team. The broader results are equally high-impact: U-M researchers reported 726 inventions, launched a record 40 startups, and attracted $796 million in venture capital. The results highlight how strategic university-industry relationships are helping to move research from the lab into the marketplace while creating new opportunities for innovation and economic impact. Read more.

West Virginia University (WVU) has named Kelsey Staggers, a Fairmont, WV native and two-time WVU graduate, as its new director of corporate relations and strategic engagement. Staggers brings experience in business development and economic development to the role, where she will help strengthen relationships between WVU and corporate partners. Her appointment reflects the growing importance of dedicated corporate engagement leadership in connecting WVU with industry and creating opportunities that advance institutional and regional priorities. Read more.

AURP and IEDC Release Joint White Paper on Economic Rebirth and the Future of Innovation Districts

Building Better Partnerships: UC San Diego Reimagines Industry Engagement

How UMSL is helping build St. Louis's workforce through corporate partnerships

Technology Powers University-Industry Research Partnerships

Collaboration and Partnerships Become Crucial to HBCUs

Ohio State students gain global business experience through internships

Illinois Tech Announces $76 Million in Philanthropic Commitments to Advance Student Success and Academic Transformation

A Simple Equation: Corporate and Foundation Partnerships + Auburn = Meaningful Impact

We would like to extend a big welcome to our newest members and welcome back those that stepped away for a bit but have recently returned to NACRO!

Stefan Amrine, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Doug Bourassa, Ketterington University

Liz Burger, Johns Hopkins University

Wayne Davenport, University of Illinois-Springfield

Sophie Hargrave, Collin College Foundation

Jonathan Jessen, Southern Methodist University

Bryce Killingsworth, Oklahoma State University

NACRO has launched one of our most frequently requested member resources – a member-only discussion forum, hosted as a private, unlisted LinkedIn group.

NACRO members can request to join the group by clicking on the link below.