Michigan Fundraiser, Terrel White, Honored as Outstanding Young Professional

(Arlington, Va.) Terrel White, newly named director of advancement at The Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Charlottesville, Va., after spending years in Michigan, has been recognized as one of five Outstanding Young Professionals by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

The award recognizes fundraisers under the age of 31 who display excellence in raising funds, inspiring donors, managing campaigns and dedication to the charitable sector.

“Winning this award is a great honor. In my community alone, I work with some incredibly dynamic and inspiring young professionals, so to have been selected amongst a global audience feels epic,” said White. “It feels fantastic to be seen and supported by colleagues who recognize my passion for my work and what I do, even outside of work.”

White has served as a fundraising professional for 12 years, building his frontline fundraising career by supporting nursing education initiatives at the Wayne State University College of Nursing. During his time there, White transformed the college’s Giving Day campaign and Nurse’s Week event programming and implemented new initiatives that significantly increased donor engagement and donor-centric solicitations. He will be taking these experiences and successes into his new role at The Center for Nonprofit Excellence.

Prior to Wayne State University, White worked as a program center manager with Ruffalo Noel Levitz and served as a fundraising consultant to support various annual fund programs for institutions of higher education, most notably, the University of Nebraska Foundation, as well as Washington University in St. Louis.

“On behalf of everyone at AFP, I want to offer my congratulations to Terrel White, one of our amazing Outstanding Young Professionals this year,” said Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, president and CEO of AFP. “He embodies a wealth of knowledge, commitment and passion to philanthropic fundraising that’s impressive and admirable. We look forward to showcasing his impact and dedication at AFP in Las Vegas later this year, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for what he’ll do next in his professional career.”

White is a member of the AFP Greater Detroit Chapter, where he has served as a member of both the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Committee and the National Philanthropy Day Committee. As an IDEA Committee member, he led the Membership Advocacy Working Group and coordinated efforts to embed IDEA principles into other AFP committees.

Outside of the AFP and fundraising communities, White is actively engaged in LGBT Detroit and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, where he serves as a board member, and volunteers for the      The Children’s Center and the Rotary Club of Detroit. White also plays an active role in several Wayne State University groups, including its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, where he serves as Council Co-Chair, and an active member of the Black Faculty and Staff Association and the Queer Faculty Staff Association.

“Fundraising, and community service, two things I tie together pretty closely, have always been activities I’ve engaged in – whether I knew it or not,” said White. “When I came to engage in these activities more professionally, I realized how much I loved them and that they were part of my core values. The ability to connect with people, support marginalized groups, and help others find fulfillment—these three things are what I love about fundraising. When I do my job, that’s what I’m doing, and it brings me joy.”

White will receive his award at AFP ICON 2022, the largest conference of fundraising professionals in the world. For more information, contact Michael Nilsen at (425) 241-4674 or Michael.Nilsen@afpglobal.org.

Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been the standard bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The association works to advance effective and ethical philanthropy by providing advocacy, research, education, mentoring, collaboration and technology opportunities for the world’s largest network of professional fundraisers. AFP’s nearly 26,000 members raise more than $100 billion annually for a wide variety of charitable organizations and causes across the globe. For more information, visit afpglobal.org.