For marcomm leaders, it’s key to articulate where you want your team’s work to go—but then bridging the gap between intention and transformation takes a structured approach. That’s where a gap analysis framework comes in. It allows leaders to identify barriers to growth and develop clear, actionable paths to overcome them.

As you read this issue of Currents, with its focus on intersectionality, I hope you have a chance to reflect on your life journey and your professional journey, and how those experiences shape our important work.  

Collaborative relationships between colleges or universities and their communities can contribute to an improved quality of life for everyone involved. From economic growth and development to attracting diverse talent to addressing inequalities, town-gown relations can enhance all aspects of a community. 

Monash University explored a century of history to honor the lives of alumni who served in World War I.

A new documentary underlines the importance of community at a variety of institutions and organizations, including Amarillo College.

The executive director of Equity in the Center talks about how equity is "trendy" and why institutions don’t approach this work like any other initiatives.

In too many organizations, advancement is lagging on diversity, equity, and inclusion when it should be leading—and leading proactively. To build inclusive cultures and achieve real success in DEI objectives, advancement teams have to move from awareness to assessment to understanding. It's action with accountability. In this book excerpt, Angelique Grant and Ronald J. Schiller share key steps for leaders to do that.

The University of Illinois Foundation's chatbot, silent reading parties for UCLA alumni, Minecraft graduations, virtual potlucks for advancement staff, and more.

Healthy accountability is at the core of successful advancement enterprises, but establishing and nurturing a culture of positive accountability can be difficult. Leaders have to be willing to have difficult conversations and find a way to promote performance metrics that empowers employees, avoids micromanagement and leverages an institution’s strategic goals and mission. Team members need to feel like they can rely on their peers and have difficult, even vulnerable, conversations. And individuals must have a clear understanding of expectations and the confidence that all employees are being held to the same standard. 

This month marks an important moment in our CASE history. We have fully transitioned into a reimagined organization with one legal board. We've moved away from a complex governance structure involving 11 different legal boards, active across time zones, countries, oceans, and hemispheres. The model now has volunteers at its heart, with a structure that is maximising the immense value that each and every one of them provides.