Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

Co-op programs are trending these days, with many colleges looking to offer students on-the-job experiences while taking classes. Jeff and Michael talk with Robert McMahan, president of Kettering University, which has a long-running co-op program for all students. He argues that more colleges could incorporate and scale the approach. But there are obstacles, both cultural and logistical. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Chapters0:00 - Intro1:44 - An Unusual History of a Co-op Model3:28 - Kettering Presidents’ Path to University Leadership6:17 - Why Colleges Should Think of Employers as Their Customers11:23 - Why Colleges Can’t Learn Everything They Need On Campuses17:17 - How Kettering University’s Co-op Model Differs Than Others20:44 - Why Isn’t Kettering More Popular?24:44 - What Is Keeping More Universities From Doing Co-op Programs?29:30 - Sponsor Break31:05 - How More Colleges Can Move to a Co-op Model35:36 - Companies Don’t Have Enough Internships to Meet Demand39:08 - Could There Be ‘31 Flavors’ of Experiential Learning?41:50 - Will We See a Return of the Corporate University?45:52 - Lightning Round With Robert McMahanLinks“Colleges Teach Learning, but They’re Not Learning How to Survive,” by Robert McMahan in Fortune.“Former Governor Dishes on Connecting Work and College,” past Future U episode.Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads  Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn  Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Resist or Reform? Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Speaks Out

Should colleges actively resist the Trump administration or find ways to engage and compromise? Vanderbilt University’s chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, has emerged as a leading example of engagement — facing a mix of cheers and jeers in the academy. Jeff and Michael talked with Diermeier about why he thinks higher education needs to change, and his ambitions to grow his institution’s prestige and research impact. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Relevant Links:“Live from Milken: One-on-One with Bill Ackman,” preview Future U episode.“Arizona State’s President Is Pulling Out All the Stops to Get on Trump’s Good Side,” in The New York Times.“The Elite-University Presidents Who Despise One Another,” in The Atlantic.“The (Not So) Quiet Schism Among Academic Leaders,” in The Chronicle of Higher Education.“College-Age Jews Are Heading South,” in The Atlantic. Chapters0:00 - Introduction2:07 - Why Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Stands Out in This Moment4:46 - Is Vanderbilt Trying to Beat the Ivies?7:23 - Why Vanderbilt Chose Dialogue With Trump Administration10:06 - Did Higher Ed Get Too Comfortable?11:12 - Are Higher Ed Institutions Up to the Challenge of Responding to Trump?15:22 - What Daniel Diermeier Sees As Most Needed Reform for Higher Ed17:40 - Will 'Resistance" by Colleges Hurt Federal Funding Broadly?21:48 - Could the U.S. Lose the Lead In Higher Ed?23:25 - Why Jewish Students are Flocking to Vanderbilt - 26:58 - A Plan for Expansion to Other Cities29:03 - Sponsor Break 29:43 - Is Trump the Symptom or Cause of Higher Ed’s Challenges?34:37 - A Rift Over How to Respond to Skepticism of College37:40 - How Could the Research Process Be Reformed?39:41 - The Fallout from October 7 Protests43:40 - The Challenge of Political Diversity on Campus49:37 - Can a New Group of Campuses Unseat the Ivy League?52:06 - The Role of College Athletics in Campus Prestige53:06 - A Regional Shift in Prominence57:55 - Lightning Round With Daniel Diermeier Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads  Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn  Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Takeaways from 2025 and Predictions for Next Year

As the year comes to a close, Jeff and Michael step back to review some themes from recent episodes. They home in on how to build innovative campus cultures, and how colleges can respond to AI. And they look ahead, offering predictions for higher ed for 2026. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group, Adobe, and Butler University.Relevant Links“A Looming Crisis: New Analysis Shows Dozens of Well-Known Colleges Are Near Financial Trouble,” Michael Horn and Steven Shulman"The Financially Sustainable University,"Jeff Denneen and Tom DretlerChapters0:00 - Introduction4:22 - A Case for Massive Experimentation6:30 - Making Shared Governance an Asset10:00 - Building Innovation Into Campus Culture11:41 - Lessons From Silicon Valley13:17 - What Parents Are Asking About AI at Colleges14:54 - Importance of Experiential Learning18:40 - How Liberal Arts Can Be Taught Differently in the AI Age21:11 - Being Creative v. Being a Creator22:20 - Time for Colleges to Step Back and Strategize About AI28:00 - New Research Reveals Mid-Size Colleges Could At Financial Risk33:43 - Understanding the Details of New Student Loan Caps37:37 - Breaking Down the Latest Enrollment Numbers40:07 - Michael’s Predictions for 202641:56 - Jeff’s Predictions for 2026Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads  Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn  Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Rerun: Visiting Bowie State University: HBCUs, Employer Partnerships, and Student Engagement

On the latest stop of Future U.'s campus tour, hosts Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo visit Bowie State University to speak with President Aminta Breaux, as well as faculty and administrators at the Maryland institution about increased enrollment at HBCUs, partnerships with employers, and student engagement. With support from Salesforce.org.

Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee

When Marymount Manhattan College’s board of trustees decided last year to merge with Northeastern University, becoming a part of that Boston-based university’s global system, the vote was unanimous. As Jeff and Michael continue their ongoing exploration (some might say obsession) with mergers and acquisitions in higher ed, they talk to one of Marymount Manhattan’s trustees, Abby Fiorella, on this episode to get a board member’s perspective on how mergers can be strategic wins for smaller institutions, as well as key to protecting their core missions. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Relevant Links“God and Man at Yale,” by William F. Buckley."The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World," by Michael Smith,Mission statement of Arizona State UniversityMission statement of Southern New Hampshire University“Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger," our other episode this season about M&A in higher ed.Chapters0:00 - Why Do We Keep Talking About Mergers?3:50 - Introducing Our Guest, Abby Fiorella5:17 - How to Prepare a Board for a Merger9:19 - Deciding on Institutional Priorities12:44 - What Is Marymount Manhattan College Doing to Preserve Its Identity?17:17 - How Can a Board Come to Peace With a Merger?21:40 - How Can Boards Make Mergers Less Taboo?24:29 - Reframing Merging As an Opportunity27:01 - Closing Thoughts From a Trustee28:54 - Sponsor Break29:38 - What It Means for a Board to Be Responsible to a Mission36:21 - How Can Universities Put Mission Statements Into Practice?38:52 - Why College Mergers Require ‘Courage’39:21 - Making Time in Board Meetings for Strategic Planning44:56 - The Role of Communication Between Presidents and Boards in Considering Mergers47:59 - Why Most Boards Should Set Up Systems to Prepare for an Uncertain Future48:37 - Lightning Round With Abby FiorellaConnect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads  Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn  Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.