Why Your Voice Matters: Introducing the NACRO Career Exploration Survey
By Terah Archie, CFRE, East Carolina State University
If you’ve ever tried to explain what a Corporate Relations Officer (CRO) does — and realized it sounds a little different at every university — you’re not alone.
Those of us who build and manage partnerships between academia and industry know just how complex and varied our roles can be. That’s exactly why NACRO has launched our inaugural Career Exploration Survey — to capture and better understand the true landscape of our profession.
As one of the survey’s co-authors, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be when our community shares its collective experience. This survey isn’t just a data collection effort — it’s a step toward defining and elevating who we are as professionals.
By gathering peer-to-peer insights across institutions, we can create a clearer picture of how CROs are positioned, compensated and supported — and, more importantly, how we can advocate for ourselves and our teams.
By participating, you’ll help NACRO and your peers:
- Establish benchmark data on titles, structures and salaries.
- Identify career paths and professional development needs unique to our field.
- Highlight emerging trends in staffing, metrics, and engagement models.
- Strengthen our collective ability to make the case for resources and recognition.
All responses are confidential, and results will be aggregated to inform a comprehensive report available to NACRO members.
Whether you’re new to corporate relations or a seasoned leader, your insights will shape the future of how our profession is understood and valued.
We encourage you to share this survey with your colleagues — including those outside NACRO — because the more voices we include, the more meaningful our story becomes.
Take the NACRO Career Exploration Survey today and help define the future of our profession.
Terah Archie, CFRE, is Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations with East Carolina University |
