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The Entrepreneuring Frontier:
What Does the Future of Higher Education Look Like?

October 9-10

Niceville, Florida

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Keynote Addresses

Dr. Rufus Glasper, President and CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College

Devny Maguire, Head of Student Retention Strategies, Packback

Higher Education Evolving Alongside ChatGPT and AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT is impacting far more than just academic integrity for higher education; there are unique implications to student success, retention, and workforce readiness, and this is just the beginning. Join us as Dr. Rufus Glasper, CEO of the League for Innovation in the Community College, and Kasey Gandham, the founder of an AI teaching and learning organization servicing 10,000+ faculty, discuss the needs and opportunities facing institutions, faculty, and students in a mainstream-AI world.

Dr. Vince Kellen, Chief Information Officer for the University of California, San Diego

Will Higher Education Leadership Successfully Co-Evolve with IT?

ChatGPT has ushered in the most recent global discussions regarding AI and its impact on society writ large and higher education in specific. However, this new technology comes as just the latest in a never-ending stream of IT-induced changes and disruptions, mostly smaller, that in aggregate, are suggesting something different and perhaps more ominous for higher education. Will we adapt or perish? This presentation will discuss how evolution in IT is challenging the universities business model, notions of shared governance, and citizen-stakeholder perception, presenting university leadership with new threats, challenges, and opportunities.

Craig Stepien , Executive Director Strategic Transformation NextEra Energy

Disrupt or Be Disrupted

“Disruption” is a key buzz word in business and industry today.  Company CEOs know that they either have to initiate disruption in their organization or have their company be disrupted by outside forces.  In this interactive keynote presentation, Craig Stepien, the Executive Director—Strategic Transformation for NextEra Energy, will break down how and why disruptions occur all around us, and, most importantly, how a college president can unlock secrets to avoid becoming a personal victim to disruptions in the future.  Craig will provide valuable insights on disruption that are applicable to your college, your career, and to your personal life.  

Breakout Sessions

Dr. Deidre Price, NWFSC Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Sandy Arteaga, NWFSC Dean of College Pathways and Principal of Collegiate High School

Taking Charter Schools and Dual Enrollment to a New Altitude

The establishment of charter schools and participation in dual enrollment programs have been on the rise across the U.S. in the last few years, but not all models are created the same. To be successful, charter schools and dual enrollment options must extend beyond teaching fundamental concepts and use innovative learning models that prepare students for careers aligned with local industry needs. Charter schools and dual enrollment pathways can provide students with the option to gain associate degrees to transition to a university, and complete their bachelor’s in half the time, or to enter directly into the workforce, prepared with industry- recognized credentials. During this session, presenters will share their success with developing and implementing a high-performing, CTE charter school and new programs to expand enrollment in dual enrollment programs. A best practices checklist and research will be shared with participants who seek to start a new program or to strengthen a current program.

Dr. Terry Allcorn, President of Kentucky Christian University

Through the eyes of an applicant: My quest to remove roadblocks from the admissions process.

My journey began when I sat beside my daughter-in-law while she was applying to my university.  The application process was awkward at best and, honestly, a bit of an embarrassment.  Few of the questions applied to her and there were almost 10 short response questions that would have been incredibly frustrating to navigate on a handheld device.  Two years later, I feel much better about our process and our personnel.  But there is still much to do.  Join me for a conversation on some of the key roadblocks we have uncovered and how we are attempting to address them.

Mary H. Hemlepp, Communication Consultant and Former Higher Education System Chief Communication Officer

When YOU are the News

The news is full of stories about shootings, bomb threats and other crisis situations at educational institutions from elementary schools to colleges and universities. What if today, that crisis occurs on your campus? Are you prepared to deal not only with the situation, but also the many facets of communication that accompany such a tragedy?

In this session, you will learn from a veteran communicator what to expect and how to be prepared to communicate when a crisis occurs. The agenda includes:

  • Why a crisis communication plan is imperative.

  • How to prevent mistakes others have made with internal communication.

  • How to deal with the onslaught of media and social media.

  • Deciding who should speak for the institution. (Hint: The president might not be the best choice in every case.)

  • Creating key messages and soundbites.

  • What your nonverbal communication is saying.

Dr. Joe May, Chancellor Emeritus of Dallas College

Creating a Global Higher Education Mission-Focused Entrepreneurial Network

This presentation will highlight entrepreneurs' significant role in society, particularly in job creation, technology sector growth, and the generation of high-paying jobs. It will underscore the critical role of higher education in supporting entrepreneurs, focusing on the entrepreneurial ambitions among college students. It will also delve into the importance of university support for entrepreneurship, citing examples from leading universities like MIT, Stanford, and Harvard. This session introduces the GSV Mission Movement, inspired by the book "The Mission Corporation," which encourages startups to integrate a societal mission into their strategic blueprints. It will elaborate on the GSV Global Mission Network's complementary offerings, including the GSV Bootcamp, the GSV Global Mission Cup, and the GSV Global Mission Summit. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the GSV Global Mission Network's role in fostering purpose-driven entrepreneurship, enriching the entrepreneurial landscape, and shaping a future where profit and purpose coexist.

Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, Houston Community College Vice Chancellor Workforce Instruction and Southwest College President

The Workforce of the Future: How to Foster a Culture of Innovation that Results in Breakthroughs for Student Success in Workforce Education

Fostering and leading a culture of innovation at our community colleges is essential to meet the workforce needs of the future in an ever-changing labor market and post-pandemic environment. Community College Presidents are facing new challenges, with the need to adapt quickly, foresee the future, manage shrinking budgets, and provide a unifying inspirational vision that leads to student success. However, with no post-pandemic blue-prints, Presidents find themselves engaging in non-familiar territories and developing new, untried plans.   

With the institutional capacity transformations to online educational modalities in the last few years, combined with historical low unemployment rates, emergence of non-traditional employment models,  technological advances, and demographic changes, we must develop new messaging, rethink traditional educational models, and focus on innovative solutions. These are opportune times to actively seek and engage industry in strong partnerships for workforce education that will provide our students with opportunities for success. Learn how Houston Community College has developed new initiatives, new programs, and developed industry partnerships that are providing guidance and support in response to leadership and faculty involvement and leading to new opportunities for students.  

Lisa Marsh Ryerson, Provost at Southern New Hampshire University

Entrepreneurial Innovation: Charting the Course for SNHU's Future

Recognizing the ever-changing landscape of higher education, the Provost Office at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has evolved to become the intersection of the full student experience by integrating the work of various teams to align priorities, innovate and strengthen the collective work of the university.

 

Over the past year, under the leadership of Lisa Marsh Ryerson, the SNHU Provost team has come together to unite academic experience, student experience, and academic quality across the university – in classrooms on campus, online, and in the many places that faculty and staff support learning. By coming together, the Provost team is now the heartbeat and pulse of SNHU’s ability to transform the lives of learners through high-quality, affordable and innovative pathways to meet their unique needs. By focusing on initiatives currently underway and seeking innovative opportunities, the Provost team is committed to working together to expand access to education and improve outcomes for students today and the learners of tomorrow.

 

In this session, you will learn more about the tremendous power in aligning work for the benefit of learners and greater community.

Dr. Charla Long, President for the Competency-Based Education Network

Competency-Based Education: The Future of Learning In An Age of Digital Transformation  

The future of learning and work is happening now, yet many institutions and systems rely on analog approaches to prepare learners for a digital age. A global pandemic and AI have accelerated innovation in education, yet learners and the workforce need a future-proof approach to reskilling and upskilling rooted in uniquely human competencies. Learning leaders, employers, and systems must work together to build the future work-learn ecosystem alongside the competencies and skills needed in this new world. This session ties together how competency-based education models and the future of learning can work in tandem to ensure that learners can thrive in roles that are yet to be created. 

Gordon Freedman, GoEducate President

John Hadad, GoEducate Director of Business Partnerships

Dr. Frances Winters, GoEducate Chief Learning Officer 

Dr. Hector Balderas, President, Northern New Mexico College

Dr. Ivan Lopez, Provost, Northern New Mexico College. 

Shaping the Future Workforce through Regional Talent Acceleration: Why Adapting Higher Education Programs to Meet Regional Talent Needs is Imperative  

In a rapidly evolving job market and competitive global economy, the need for higher education institutions to adapt their programs to meet regional talent needs has never been more crucial - for learners, for the college’s survival and for the regional economy.  

 

The session aims to highlight how to optimize the relationship between higher education institutions, recruitment, retention and placement in regional economies, emphasizing the importance of aligning educational programs with the evolving needs of local industries to benefit learners and communities. It delves into the pressing question of why adaptation is imperative for the survival of both higher education and the local economy, and how GoEducate’s Regional Talent Accelerator platform can address the following topics; Creating Learner-Jobseeker Agency,  

Credential Currency, Bridging the Skills Gap, Engaging Industry Stakeholders, Fostering Collaboration, Nurturing Job-Ready Graduates, and Case Studies and Best Practices. 

 

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the steps required to shape the future workforce and foster sustainable economic growth through collaboration, adaptation, and innovation. 

Panel Discussions

The Future Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education Leaders.

Moderator: Dr. Devin Stephenson, President, Northwest Florida State College 

  • Panelist #1: Dr. Randy Hanna, President, Florida State University—Panama City

  • Panelist #2: Dr. Dionne Rosser-Mims, Vice Chancellor, Troy University—Phenix City Campus

  • Panelist #3: Dr. Henry Mack, Lead Higher Education Consultant and Lobbyist, The Southern Group

  • Panelist #4: Dr. Larry Ferguson, Acting President, Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Creating a Seamless Pathway for Students from High School to College to Career.

Moderator: Jay Box, Chief Leadership Innovation Officer, HEI

  • Panelist #1: Dr. Devin Stephenson, President, NWFSC

  • Panelist #2: Nathan Sparks, Executive Director, One Okaloosa Economic Development Council 

  • Panelist #3: Dr. Paul Hsu, Founder, Hsu Educational Foundation  

  • Panelist #4: Marcus Chambers,Superintendent, Okaloosa County School District 

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