Phil Castleberry
Vice President for University Advancement
Phil Castleberry
Vice President for University Advancement
Bio
Mr. Phillip D. Castleberry, a 20-year veteran of higher education advancement and fundraising, became vice president of University Advancement for Rochester Institute of Technology in February 2020.
In this role, Phil provides strategic vision and operational leadership for all aspects of the university’s development and alumni initiatives. He leads a team of approximately 100 professionals focused on cultivating a culture of philanthropy and engagement with RIT alumni and friends across the region, the nation, and the globe. He also oversaw the largest fundraising effort in the university’s history, “Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness,” which raised over $1 billion and brought the university’s 2025 Strategic Plan to life.
Before coming to RIT, Phil was vice president for institutional advancement at St. John Fisher College. In this role, he oversaw development, alumni and constituent engagement, corporate and foundation relations, government affairs, advancement services, stewardship, and events. He grew philanthropic giving exponentially at St. John Fisher and was the architect of “Fisher Forward,” the most ambitious comprehensive campaign in the college’s history with a fundraising goal of $100 million.
Prior to St. John Fisher, Phil spent seven years at the University of Rochester, serving most recently as associate vice president of university advancement. Before that, he held a variety of development and advancement roles of increasing responsibility with such institutions as Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Missouri—St. Louis, William Jewell College, and his alma mater, the University of Central Missouri.
In the News
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November 29, 2023
Transformative Campaign propels university to new heights
More than $200 million has been given to Transforming RIT to support scholarships and the student experience to ensure the best and brightest minds can attend RIT regardless of their financial circumstances. The campaign, launched publicly in 2018, is bringing RIT’s strategic plan to life by investing in student success, creating world-class facilities, advancing research and discovery, and innovating careers of the future.
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October 16, 2023
Gala marks successful conclusion of Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness
Nearly 300 people gathered on Friday evening at the beginning of Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend as RIT officials marked the successful conclusion of Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness. RIT’s largest-ever fundraising campaign raised $1,059,581,463 to propel the university forward in its pursuits at the intersection of technology, the arts, and design.
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June 21, 2023
Latest round of donors pushes Sentinel Society past 500 members
Alumnus John Dahms ’71 remembers the photo scavenger hunt of 1970, where he and a team of other photo science students were tasked with uncovering the identity of an unmarked roll of color movie film and which film processing chemistry to use. Unforgettable learning experiences like that have been the driving force behind Dahms’ desire to give back to RIT.