Campus Directory

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Biography

Adrian Aldrich joined Saint Xavier University in January 2025 as Vice President for University Advancement. He brings decades of experience in higher education philanthropy and is deeply motivated by the opportunity to integrate his Catholic faith with his professional calling. Inspired by the Sisters of Mercy, Aldrich is committed to advancing Saint Xavier’s mission to educate students to seek truth, serve compassionately, and promote human dignity and the common good. Aldrich began his career in student affairs at Aurora University before returning to his alma mater, North Central College, where he served in advancement leadership roles for nearly twenty years. As executive director, and later as vice president for institutional advancement, he managed the $150 million Brilliant Future Campaign, surpassing its goal and helping achieve an institutional high-water mark of $22.1 million in annual gifts and pledges in 2022. His work reflects a strategic, relationship-driven approach that blends the art and science of philanthropy.

A recognized thought leader in advancement for higher education, Aldrich has presented at the Oxford University Conclave on Global Higher Education and participated in the Council of Independent Colleges’ Senior Leadership Academy. He has also spoken frequently at CASE and statewide higher education conferences. He currently serves as chair of the Advancement Learning Community for the New American Colleges and Universities, a national consortium focused on integrating liberal arts, professional education and civic engagement.

Active in both civic and faith-based communities, Aldrich served for 11 years on the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, including one term as board chair. He previously served on a Catholic school board for three years and volunteers for the Diocese of Joliet and Loaves and Fishes in Naperville. Additionally, Aldrich serves as a eucharistic minister and lector for the St. Scholastica Parish in Woodridge, Illinois.

Aldrich holds a master’s degree in education from Grand Valley State University, with an emphasis on college student affairs leadership. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Central College, where he was a two-term student body president and member of three NCAA Division III national championship cross-country and track and field teams. Guided by his faith, he believes in relationships over transactions and that every person has a role in strengthening community, regardless of title or position.

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