CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – James C. Schroeder has been named vice chancellor for institutional advancement at the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois. He also becomes senior vice president of the U. of I. Foundation. The appointment, which the U. of I. Board of Trustees approved at its March 26 meeting, is effective March 27.
Schroeder (pronounced SHROW-duhr) will report jointly to Richard Herman, the chancellor of the Urbana campus, and to Sidney Micek, the president of the foundation, serving as the campus’s chief development officer and coordinator of the development, alumni relations, and public relations efforts.
“I am very pleased to welcome Jim Schroeder back to the Illinois family,” Herman said. “Throughout his career, he has established himself as a leader who can design and complete significant campaigns. He is the right person for this job, and I look forward to working with him to achieve our advancement goals.”
Schroeder will lead a staff of 36 people charged with raising the public profile of the university and the campus and engaging with the university’s 400,000 alumni. Schroeder also will play a key role as the U. of I. strives toward its $2.25 billion capital campaign goal.
“I am delighted that Dr. Jim Schroeder will be joining the university-foundation advancement team,” Micek said. “Jim has had a distinguished career as a development professional, and he brings a wealth of experience to this new position as well as an excellent understanding of how the campus and the foundation work together to secure private gift support for the university.”
Schroeder previously held appointments at the Urbana campus in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as associate dean for development (1982-1998), associate dean for planning and budget (1978-1982) and assistant dean for administration (1972-1978).
Schroeder planned and implemented the college’s first capital campaign in 1987, and implemented collegewide and department-based annual giving programs that grew to more than $1.5 million annually. In cooperation with the foundation, Schroeder also managed the public phase of the university’s Campaign for Illinois capital campaign (1979-1984).
Most recently Schroeder served as vice president for development and president of the Ohio State University Foundation (2003-2008). His previous appointments also include chair of the department of development at the Mayo Foundation (2001-2003) and executive director of external relations for Harvard Business School (1998-2001).
Schroeder earned a doctorate in higher education administration (1972) and a master’s degree in political science at the University of Toledo (Ohio), and a bachelor’s degree in political science/history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
The elevation of this position to the vice chancellor level signifies the growing importance of securing private support for the campus and the university, and additional leadership responsibilities for strategic communications and alumni relations.
