As Director of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Dr. Parish supports efforts to enhance bioeconomic development of the IGB and the University through implementing strategies to cultivate partnerships with private foundations and industry partners in support of research themes of the IGB. These activities include securing research funding and in-kind gifts, stewarding early discovery through the process of commercialization and providing opportunities for dialogue between IGB researchers and external partners around grand challenges facing our society. In addition, Dr. Parish collaborates with the IGB outreach and communication teams to support community engagement efforts and to broadly promote the impact of research and programming at the IGB.

As Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Dr. parish serves as a member of the College’s advancement team and is responsible for identification, cultivation, solicitation,and stewardship of corporate and foundation major gift grant prospects. This includes managing, developing and executing comprehensive engagement strategies and plans for select corporations and foundations with the College, managing relationships and facilitating discussions between the College and select corporations or foundations. In addition, Tracy facilitates matching corporate needs and foundation interests with the expertise of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in areas such as student engagement, instruction, research, philanthropy, professional development, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

As Director for Business Career Services, Tracy Parish leads a team of career development professionals to provide services and support for students in the College of Business through their career search process. Tracy serves on the leadership team for Business Career Services, providing guidance in the strategic planning process and serving as lead adviser for College of Business students in developing appropriate career management and job search skills. In addition, Tracy leads special projects and programs that provide career related support to undergraduate students in the College of Business.

As Associate Director, Tracy successfully develops relationships with corporate partners, campus student services and support units, registered student organizations, and alumni to develop, implement, and support diverse student engagement programs, creating targeted professional and personal development initiatives in collaboration with Business Honors, the Enrichment Academy, Advising, and Business Career Services. In addition, Tracy advises the Council of Presidents, a group of approximately 30 business-focused registered student organizations in the College of Business.Tracy also oversees financial planning and process management and improves efficiency and effectiveness of operations through delivering staff training and creating customized financial reporting tools for leadership team members. Specific duties include providing management information for financial and operational planning, developing and managing budgets, preparing financial reports, approving expenditures and property accounting transactions, processing requisitions and fund transfers, and overseeing the year-end closing process. Tracy serves on the college budget planning committee, advises assistant and associate deans on financial policy and procedures, and supervises civil service and student staff.

Conceptualization, development, and implementation of a variety of regional, national, and international public engagement, training, and corporate relations initiatives in collaboration with various external partners of the University of Illinois. Responsibilities include coordinating regional, national, and international conferences, managing grant programs, coordinating the Campus Charitable Fund Drive, developing and managing higher education training programs, chairing and participating in various campus committees, creating research reports, developing and updating websites, promoting programming and collaborations through social media, and developing various print and online publications among others.

Dr. Parish facilitates the planning and oversight of various outreach events sponsored by the School of Music. He is an active performer and has appeared in chamber ensembles and as a soloist at universities and music festivals in the United States and Europe. Mr. Parish has received numerous performance and academic awards including second place at the International Women’s Brass Conference trumpet competition, the Akron Summer Music Festival Emerging Young Artist Award, two University of Illinois Graduate Fellowships, and induction into Pi Kappa Lambda honorary music society. He currently serves as a member of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra trumpet section and as a music reviewer for the International Trumpet Guild Journal. His doctoral dissertation is the topic of a new book, The Late-Eighteenth Century Solo Concerto: Implications of Structure, Style, Aesthetics and Period Performance Practice.

Teaching a four course sequence of ear training as part of the music theory curriculum, serving as instructor of trumpet for all music majors and non-music majors, and participating as a member of the outreach and recruiting team for the Fine Arts Department.