The Education Trust
Wil Del Pilar has a diverse work experience that spans various roles and organizations. Wil is currently the Senior Vice President for Higher Education at The Education Trust, a position they have held since April 2023. Before this, they served as the Vice President for Higher Education Policy, Practice, and Research at the same organization from July 2017 to April 2023.
Prior to joining The Education Trust, Del Pilar worked at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Wil held the role of Deputy Secretary of Postsecondary and Higher Education from August 2015 to July 2017, where they coordinated various departments within the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education. Wil also served as the Acting Deputy Secretary during the same period.
Del Pilar's work experience at the University of Florida includes their role as the Senior Director of Development for the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars/Student Affairs. Wil'sresponsibilities involved fundraising efforts for supporting the education of first-generation and low-income students.
Before their tenure at the University of Florida, Del Pilar held the position of Director of Development at Penn State University. In this role, they led fundraising efforts for Educational Equity, Student Affairs, and Undergraduate Education, raising significant funds to support access and student success initiatives.
Del Pilar began their career in 2007 at Penn State University as a Graduate Assistant, where they conducted research on factors affecting postsecondary access and retention, focusing on immigrant student populations.
Overall, Del Pilar has a strong background in higher education, with expertise in policy, research, fundraising, and access initiatives.
Wil Del Pilar earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from Penn State University, where they studied from 2007 to 2013. Prior to that, from 2005 to 2007, they obtained a Master of Education (MEd) in Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services from California State University-Dominguez Hills. Earlier in their academic journey, they completed their Bachelor's Degree in Communication, General from Chapman University, attending from 1991 to 1995.
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The Education Trust
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The Education Trust promotes high academic achievement for all students at all levels—pre-kindergarten through college. Our goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that consign far too many young people—especially those from low-income families or who are Black, Latino, or American Indian—to lives on the margins of the American mainstream. Although many organizations speak up for the adults employed by schools and colleges, we speak up for students, especially those whose needs and potential are often overlooked. We evaluate every policy, every practice, and every dollar spent through a single lens: what is right for students. We work alongside educators, parents, students, policymakers, and civic and business leaders in communities across the country, providing practical assistance in their efforts to transform schools and colleges into institutions that serve all students well. We analyze local, state, and national data and use what we learn to help build broader understanding of achievement and opportunity gaps and the actions necessary to close them. We participate actively in national and state policy debates, bringing lessons learned from on-the-ground work and from unflinching data analyses to build the case for policies that will help all students and schools reach high levels of achievement. Our Core Beliefs: We believe in the power of education to close the gaps that separate low-income students and students of color from other young Americans. We believe that schools and colleges, appropriately organized, can help virtually all students master the knowledge they need to succeed. We believe long-standing gaps in opportunity, achievement, and attainment have roots inside and outside of schools. And though we know these gaps are stubborn, we also know they are not inevitable. We believe a strong education improves the lives of young people, is vital to sustaining our democracy, and strengthens America.