On this episode of the RAISE Podcast, Brent hosts Chip Edmonds, president of Lycoming College and a longtime advancement and enrollment leader at his alma mater.
Chip reflects on how a positive high school experience, a nudge from his soccer coach, and a visit to campus led him to Lycoming. He shares why he pursued a rare trio of majors in history, music, and business administration, and how living in multiple communities – the classroom, choir tours in Europe, and the athletic field – shaped his belief in interdisciplinary learning and seeing the world through different lenses.
Chip traces his path into advancement through a series of invitations: from supporting a trustee as a young staff member, to his first formal role in annual giving at Duke, to major gift work at Yale and Lycoming. He talks about the autonomy and entrepreneurial mindset required of frontline fundraisers, how that experience influenced the way he designs portfolios, and what it was like to step into the vice president for advancement role at a relatively young age. He also shares his leadership philosophy around hiring capable people, giving them clear direction, getting out of their way, and stepping in to remove hurdles.
Throughout the conversation, Chip returns to the tension between specialization and exploration, and why being “comfortable being uncomfortable” is essential for students, faculty, and leaders. He describes addressing first-year students about doing hard things, talks about enrollment as “everybody’s business,” and explains why stories that highlight the impact of higher education are so important in the face of negative headlines. Chip also recalls a powerful gift story from a Lycoming alum who became governor of the state of Puebla in Mexico, whose family established a seven-figure scholarship for students who are “very poor, but also very bright.”
Chip closes by reflecting on mentorship, including the influence of Reverend Dr. Greg Jones, how advancement prepared him for the presidency, Lycoming’s history of innovation, and why he expects more presidents in the future to come from advancement backgrounds.
