Welcome

Leadership Panel: What Does It Take to Serve the Work Force Now?

Colleges today need to make sure graduates have a clear connection to work, serve more adult learners looking to increase their skills or earn a degree, and adapt to new technologies that are rapidly changing the workplace. In this session, speakers will explore what Louisiana is doing to better connect education and work, and also learn what the rest of the world can teach the United States about apprenticeships and other models.

Speaker | Kim Hunter Reed
Commissioner of Higher Education, State of Louisiana; former Deputy Undersecretary, U.S. Department of Education

Speaker | Ben Wildavsky
Visiting Fellow, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Author, The Career Arts: Making the Most of College, Credentials, and Connections (Princeton University Press)

Interviewer | Eric Kelderman
Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Sponsor Segment presented by Texas A&M University

How can higher education deliver graduates who are truly ready to lead, innovate, and serve in a rapidly changing work force? At Texas A&M University, that challenge drives action. In this conversation, Cindy Lawley, assistant vice chancellor for academic and outreach programs in the College of Engineering, reveals how Texas A&M is building scalable pathways — from regional apprenticeships to statewide partnerships — that directly align academic excellence with labor-market needs. Guided by its land-grant mission and Aggie Core Values, the university is forging collaborations that upskill communities, meet employer demands, and create lasting economic impact. Attendees will walk away with replicable strategies and a fresh perspective on how institutions can turn vision into results.

Speaker | Cindy Lawley Reed
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Engineering Workforce Programs, Texas A&M University

Interview: Can Colleges Really Teach Skills?

Colleges are being told to adapt to the emerging “skills economy” and that employers have started to value the degree less than the demonstration of skills. But what does it really mean to teach skills, and is higher education prepared for that shift? This session will look critically at these questions, extending a conversation that started in our newsletter, The Edge.

Speaker | Matthew T. Hora
Associate Professor of Adult and Higher Education, University of Wisconsin at Madison; Founder and Co-director, Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions; Author, Beyond the Skills Gap: Preparing College Students for Life and Work (Harvard Education Press)

Interviewer | Scott Carlson
Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Co-author, Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter — and What Really Does (Johns Hopkins University Press)

Interview: The Hidden Utility of the Liberal Arts

As students and pundits put a greater emphasis on the career outcomes of a college degree, the value of the liberal arts seems to get lost. Humanities and social-science disciplines are in alarming decline. What can professors and academic administrators do to better highlight and translate the utility of such an education?

Speaker | Scott Carlson
Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Co-author, Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter — and What Really Does (Johns Hopkins University Press)

Interviewer | Ian Wilhelm
Deputy Managing Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Sponsor Segment presented by Axim Collaborative

Roundtable: Rethinking the College-Employer Relationship

Colleges have to develop deeper ties with employers to fuel the work force in a rapidly changing economy. But what does that look like? How does it require colleges and employers to think and act differently?

Speaker | Jaimie M. Francis
Vice President for Policy and Programs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Speaker | Pam Eddinger
President, Bunker Hill Community College

Speaker | Aaron Olson
Executive Vice President, Aon

Interviewer | Katherine Mangan
Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Closing Remarks

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