Clarkson President to Share Innovative Ideas on Future of Higher Education at CFES Brilliant Pathways Global Conference

The accelerated pace of change in higher education is forcing leaders to rethink the entire college experience to meet the needs of a new generation. CFES Pathways Brilliant is inviting Clarkson University President Marc P. Christensen, Ph.D., PE and three college presidents from distinctly different institutions to share their innovative ideas and plans at the 2022 “New Beginning” Global Conference on November 7-8.

Many colleges and universities were struggling to attract and retain students long before COVID-19 saw a record drop in enrollment. The pandemic exacerbates these issues, forcing institutions to adopt new models with a focus on career education, virtual resources, and private companies to provide internships and graduate jobs.

“This is a unique opportunity to learn from the leaders of four very different institutions about what’s happening in higher education and how educators, students and families can prepare for success,” said CFES President and CEO Rick Dalton.

The presidents of the “New Frontiers in Higher Education” panel bring over 100 years of combined higher education and private experience, and include Nicholas Hunt-Bull of Paul Smith College, Kristine Duffy of SUNY Adirondack, Parwinder Grewal of Vermont State University, and include Marc P. Christensen Clarkson.

Duffy had extensive higher education experience before joining SUNY Adirondack in 2013. The small, multi-campus, community college’s offerings of 6,000 students in degree, certificate and short-term training opportunities have expanded, heavily factoring into the decision. .

Hunt-Bull was named president in 2022 at the private, non-profit residential college known for its culinary, hospitality, forestry and natural science programs. He joined Paul Smith in 2015 to oversee the addition of new programs in psychology, disaster management, and business integration programs.

Grewal has been named president of the newly created Vermont State University, comprising Castleton University, the University of Vermont, and Vermont Technical College, in 2022. He previously served in leadership roles at the newly created University of Texas Rio Grande, the University of Tennessee and The. Ohio State.

Christensen was named president of Clarkson University in July 2022 after a distinguished career at Southern Methodist University. He has served as dean of SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering and is an expert in photonics research and technology and other microsystems research.

The 31st CFES Pathways Brilliant Global Conference brings over 3,000 virtual participants and 300 on-site participants to discover new student and career development strategies at the Sagamore Resort in Lake George (NY). The conference’s new principles will provide leaders in education, business, community, and philanthropy with the skills, information, and resources they need to promote student success in the new college and career readiness paradigm.

Click here for information on CFES’s Brilliant Pathways Conference.