LEANING IN:
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE
By Mike Connell
As I settle into the permanent role of Vice President of Advancement and CEO of the WSU Foundation, I want to thank President Schulz, Lisa King, Shelly Spangler, and all of our volunteers, university and academic leaders, and my advancement colleagues for the confidence and support you have shown in me.
I am passionate about WSU and our efforts, and it’s a great privilege to work with the incredible Cougar family to grow our land-grant mission for education, research, and service. I am optimistic and energized about all that we can accomplish together in the months and years ahead.
As we prepare to turn the page into a new year, we will have the opportunity to build on our positive trajectory as we accelerate our campaign planning and develop a strategic plan for WSU Advancement. We will share regular updates on both of these fronts with our university and academic leadership partners, volunteers, and advancement staff throughout the next six months. All of this work will pave the way for FY23 and beyond.
We also heard loud and clear the desire to get our Advocates and Advocates Emeriti to work on a variety of critical projects that will help us take our philanthropic engagement to the next level.
This holiday season, as we reflect on an incredible year and look forward to new opportunities in the next, I wish all of you and your loved ones—and the entire Cougar family—a happy and safe season!
Go Cougs!
Mike Connell
Vice President of Advancement and
CEO, WSU Foundation