The FutureX Podcast

Whether enrollment is the hot topic on campus, or it’s about increasing revenues through non credit learners, brand matters. For decades, higher ed has been able to live off students knocking on (and often breaking down) the door. But the new constituents - especially the lifelong learner has numerous options to choose from, and marketing becomes a mission-critical area of excellence at each institution. In this episode two of the Beyond partners discuss the current state, and why it is so important to have a conversation about the transformation of brand at most schools. 

Historically the IT department in Iran has sat in the back taking orders from every other department on what needs to be ordered, what needs to be fixed, and what strategy to implement. That is a broken approach that will not lead to a sustainable future. In this episode the beyond partners discuss why that’s the case. 

Why this transformation is so important and urgent:The great resignation is taking its toll on all industries, but higher ed’s talent pool is not as deep as most. We’re not in the tech or sports entertainment lanes - where there is an abundance of talent pouring in. Every person we lose to another industry is an exponential loss. No matter how good a school’s technology strategy, enrollment strategy, brand, or location is, if we can’t keep good people happy - especially those with deep institutional knowledge - continuity and sustainability are at risk.People spend a majority of their waking hours at work. If they can’t find fulfillment, appropriate reward, and opportunity in that work, they deserve better. So it’s just a matter of whether your school will get (or keep) the best people in this next 3-8 year battle for talent, or if you’ll be left with the ones who just care enough to show up and punch a clock. 

Chancellor Gonzalez (1/4)Necessity is the mother of invention. When resources are limited, schools like Maricopa County Community College have started to look elsewhere for not only funding. But this was not only a financial necessity, it was also an opportunity for the school to partner with industries that could set their students up for success after graduation. Listen in as Chancellor Steven Gonzalez talks about this new approach.--In January of 2020, Dr. Steven Gonzalez assumed the role of Interim Chancellor for the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college systems in the nation, serving nearly 200,000 students with the support of 10,000 faculty and staff across 10 colleges. He has nearly 25 years of instructional and administrative experience in higher education. He served as the eighth president of Gateway Community College, one of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges. Dr. Gonzalez has also served on the National Community College Hispanic Council, as an executive board member, the community college Survey of Student Engagement as a member of the Board of Directors, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development, and the Arizona Post Secondary Education Board of Commissioners. He has recently published an article in the New Directions for Community Colleges Journal.

Doing something different takes unconventional thinking and bold ideas. But how do these qualities meld with the ideas of courage and confidence? Those who believe they can get by on courage alone may be misleading themselves in that they know they’re not taking the right path. This can translate into students who go through college, and complete their courses to the best of their abilities, but still feel lost while entering the workforce.  In this episode of the Changemakers series, Chancellor Ben Nelson of Minerva University speaks about the perception of courage, confidence, and problems in education regarding disconnection from the classroom and the working world.--Chancellor Ben Nelson is the founder of Minerva with a passion to reinvent higher education. Prior to Minerva, Nelson spent more than 10 years at Snapfish where he helped build the company from startup to the world's largest personal publishing service. Prior to joining Snapfish, Nelson was president and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities. Nelson's passion for reforming undergraduate education was first sparked at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he received a Bachelor of Science in economics. After creating a blueprint for curricular reform in his first year of school, Nelson went on to become the chair of the Student Committee on undergraduate education, a pedagogical think tank that is the oldest and only non-elected student government body at the University of Pennsylvania.

President Santa Ono (4/4)As the prices of tuition in domestic universities rise, many face the challenge of being priced out of higher education. But there may be hope beyond their country’s borders. The emerging student — specifically international students — may begin looking very different than just another affluent student seeking to learn abroad. In this episode of the Changemaker series, President Santa Ono of the University of British Columbia discusses how emerging international students may seek more affordable opportunities at universities in other nations, and what this means for nations with conflicting political interests.––President Ono is a president of a Canadian school and a former president of a U.S. school which brings an enlightening perspective to the conversation around global education. President Ono was the 28th President of the University of Cincinnati, and today, he is the 15th President of the University of British Columbia.

Chancellor Ben Nelson (1/4)If the goal of Higher Ed is to prepare its students to make a positive global impact, we cannot do so by cutting off our universities from the rest of the world.In this episode of the Changemakers series, Chancellor Ben Nelson of Minerva University discusses the importance of inclusivity and diversity in higher education.--Chancellor Ben Nelson is the founder of Minerva with a passion to reinvent higher education. Prior to Minerva, Nelson spent more than 10 years at Snapfish where he helped build the company from startup to the world's largest personal publishing service. Prior to joining Snapfish, Nelson was president and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities. Nelson's passion for reforming undergraduate education was first sparked at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he received a Bachelor of Science in economics. After creating a blueprint for curricular reform in his first year of school, Nelson went on to become the chair of the Student Committee on undergraduate education, a pedagogical think tank that is the oldest and only non-elected student government body at the University of Pennsylvania.

President Mark Lombardi (4/4)Is your organization more afraid of success than it is of failure?Executing on innovation in higher education requires finesse, knowledge, and intense drive. But above all, it demands courage. In this episode of the Changemakers series, President Mark Lombardi of Maryville University concludes his guest appearance with a discussion around the courage to fail and the importance of creating a safe environment in which to do so. He also talks about how finding the most courageous people in your organization and putting them in a room together can create a magnetic pull that can inspire your entire university to take action toward innovation.--Dr. Mark Lombardi has served as president of Maryville University since 2007. In that time, Maryville has achieved unprecedented growth and earned national distinction for leading a digital revolution in higher education.

Chancellor Nelson (2/4)In this episode of the Changemakers series, Chancellor of Minerva University, Ben Nelson, discusses the university's manifesto and how it directly relates to the value of the education they provide to not only their students but also to the people those students will eventually lead and serve.Minerva's manifesto is made up of four core values: critical wisdom, amplified potential, meaningful creation, and purposeful integrity.--Chancellor Ben Nelson is the founder of Minerva with a passion to reinvent higher education. Prior to Minerva, Nelson spent more than 10 years at Snapfish where he helped build the company from startup to the world's largest personal publishing service. Prior to joining Snapfish, Nelson was president and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities. Nelson's passion for reforming undergraduate education was first sparked at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he received a Bachelor of Science in economics. After creating a blueprint for curricular reform in his first year of school, Nelson went on to become the chair of the Student Committee on undergraduate education, a pedagogical think tank that is the oldest and only non-elected student government body at the University of Pennsylvania.

President Santa Ono (3/4)The value of a traditional college degree has come heavily under fire. It is a raging debate, not only in America but around the world. Affordability is at the center of this discussion as enrollment declines and alternative credentialing models emerge. This all raises the question: What is the value of a degree?According to President Santa Ono of the University of British Columbia, there is much value, though it is mostly in the things not related to classes. The opportunity to socialize, become activists, and simply grow as human beings still hold immense value for today’s students.Still, they won’t pay any price for it, nor should they have to. The privileges of being a college student should not only be for the privileged.--President Ono is a president of a Canadian school and a former president of a U.S. school which brings an enlightening perspective to the conversation around global education. President Ono was the 28th President of the University of Cincinnati and today, he is the 15th President of the University of British Columbia.

Chancellor Ben Nelson (1/4)How much has your education really taught you?When a student’s education, and their degree earned thereafter, is more aesthetic than applicatory to the jobs they will enter into, the negative implications go far beyond just the individual. Society suffers from the uneducated, or rather the miseducated. The systems in place must change. That’s where Minerva University comes in.In this episode of the FutureX Changemakers series the Founder and Chancellor of Minerva University, Ben Nelson, talks about where higher education went wrong, and how we can get back on track. He discusses the mission of Minerva—one of the most innovative universities in the country—and what the school is doing to reshape Higher Ed.--Chancellor Ben Nelson is the founder of Minerva with a passion to reinvent higher education. Prior to Minerva, Nelson spent more than 10 years at Snapfish where he helped build the company from startup to the world's largest personal publishing service. Prior to joining Snapfish, Nelson was president and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities. Nelson's passion for reforming undergraduate education was first sparked at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he received a Bachelor of Science in economics. After creating a blueprint for curricular reform in his first year of school, Nelson went on to become the chair of the Student Committee on undergraduate education, a pedagogical think tank that is the oldest and only non-elected student government body at the University of Pennsylvania.

President Mark Lombardi (3/4)Faculty consensus is about focusing on the end goal, not the problems that may arise. It is about empowering faculty to shape the process and deliver. When you do that, people are no longer wary of innovation—they’re excited for it.In episode 5 of the Changemaker series, listen as President Mark Lombardi of Maryville University speaks about how he implemented a 1-to-1 iPad plan ahead of schedule by engaging and empowering the faculty with the resources they needed to get the job done.--Dr. Mark Lombardi has served as president of Maryville University since 2007. In that time, Maryville has achieved unprecedented growth and earned national distinction for leading a digital revolution in higher education. Stay tuned for more from President Lombardi in upcoming episodes.

President Santa Ono (2/4)Institutions that put themselves on an island where they are isolated from government and industry cannot survive. Collaboration and cooperation is the key to a more valuable education for both students and the companies they work for.So, how do higher education institutions align with the demands of the workforce? In this episode of the Changemakers series, we’re back with President Ono of the University of British Columbia. His answer to this question: Cooperative education; shared and accessible education; and collaboration with both government and industry.--President Ono is a president of a Canadian school and a former president of a U.S. school which brings an enlightening perspective to the conversation around global education. President Ono was the 28th President of the University of Cincinnati and today, he is the 15th President of the University of British Columbia.

President Mark Lombardi (1/4)President Mark Lombardi of Maryville University asks some disruptive questions in this episode of Changemakers. He talks about the dangers of consensus-driven change and warns institutions driven by tradition that they may not survive in the 21st century if they refuse to adapt.--Dr. Mark Lombardi has served as president of Maryville University since 2007. In that time, Maryville has achieved unprecedented growth and earned national distinction for leading a digital revolution in higher education. Stay tuned for more from President Lombardi in upcoming episodes.

President Santa Ono (1/4)In the first-ever episode of the FutureX Changemakers series, President Santa Ono of the University of British Columbia talks about the importance of truth and reconciliation when it comes to the injustices endured by indigenous people during colonization, not only in Canada and the US but also across the world. Located on Musqueam land, the campus does what it can to honor that history with an indigenous strategic plan and courses centered around indigenous people and the true history of injustice.--The University of British Columbia is home to the 4th largest medical school in North America and conducts large amounts of research across several fields—it is undoubtedly a major player on the global stage. Their academic and societal contributions are helping to change the world.

President Mark Lombardi (2/4)Ivy League fans beware—this episode is not for you.The high tuition rates, selectivity, and exclusivity of Ivy League schools and other "brand name" institutions are inherently elitist, leading to the exclusion of students from underserved and underrepresented communities. These traditional values are irrelevant to the quality of education and only contribute to the continuation of classism, racism, and sexism in Higher Ed. In this episode of Changemakers, President Mark Lombardi of Maryville University discusses these issues and what his institution is doing to lead the change, starting with the remodeling of cost structures.--Dr. Mark Lombardi has served as president of Maryville University since 2007. In that time, Maryville has achieved unprecedented growth and earned national distinction for leading a digital revolution in higher education. Stay tuned for more from President Lombardi in upcoming episodes.

Michael Russell, President of Higher Ed User Group and CIO at Virginia Community College System joins us for an visionary conversation about the future of campus technology, the future of work on campus, and the future of community in higher education. 

What Higher Ed’s role is in preparing students for the future of work?What does the future of learning look like?What role does an entrepreneurial mindset play in Higher Ed?How does the word “consensus” fit into times of existential change?These are just a few of the discussion points in this episode as Joe gets a refreshing perspective from one of the most innovative leaders in higher education, Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc, President of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). You will leave this episode inspired, intrigued, and optimistic about the future.

What's keeping Presidents and senior leaders of higher education institutions up at night these days?Is it any different now than before the pandemic hit?What should leaders in Higher Ed be considering in times of existential change?These are just a few of the questions we cover in this segment with the CEO of The League For Innovation In The Community College Dr. Rufus Glasper. Dr. Glasper also shares insight into what questions we need to be asking about our "innovation readiness" and culture within the campus staff.