The H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education is an annual convening of Indiana students, educators, business, community and government leaders to share and discuss ideas that impact higher education and workforce development within the State.
2022 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Indianapolis Marriott North
3645 River Crossing Parkway
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Questions? Contact us at events@che.in.gov
CONFERENCE AGENDA
9:00 A.M. | Welcome
Mike Alley, Chairman, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
9:15 A.M. | Ensuring Value and Relevance of Higher Education
Chris Lowery, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education
Ruth Watkins, Ph.D., President of Strada Impact, Strada Education Network
10:30 A.M. | Breakout Sessions <choose one>
11:30 A.M. | Breakout Sessions <choose one>
12:30 P.M. | Lunch
1:15 P.M. | Closing Remarks
Chris Lowery, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education
Breakout Session Topics
Connecting Education and Industry
Presentation (presentation with video available upon request)
Todd Hurst, Ph.D., Executive Director for the Institute for Workforce Excellence
Sally Saydshoev, Assistant Director, Educator Engagement for Work and Learn Indiana
Facilitated by Barbie Martin, Assistant Commissioner for Outreach
EPIC Advantage Internship Program
Presentation (presentation with video available upon request)
Kristen Lainsbury, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Earlham College
Facilitated by Josh Garrison, Associate Commissioner for Legislation and Program Implementation
Academic Maps with Career Alignment
Presentation
Dhanfu Elston, Ph.D., Chief of Staff, Senior Vice President for Strategy, Complete College America
Facilitated by Ken Sauer, Ph.D., Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
Higher Education Value Campaign
Presentation
Francesca Brady, Senior Vice President, VOX Global
Facilitated by Charlee Beasor, Associate Commissioner for Communications and Outreach
2021 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Friday, April 9, 2021
Higher Education’s Opportunity in a State of Change
Virtual on Attendify
AGENDA (printable)
9:00 a.m. | Pre-Conference: Reaching Higher in a State of Change Overview
An optional session that will provide an overview of Indiana's strategic plan for higher education, Reaching Higher in a State of Change.
10:00 a.m. | Welcome
- Beverley Pitts, Chair, Commission for Higher Education
10:15 a.m. | Keynote: Higher Education’s Opportunity in a State Change
A panel discussion that will focus on how higher education is a force for innovation and economic transformation to address recent and future challenges.
- Welcome/Keynote Recording
- Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
- Mark Muro, Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution
- Ryan Streeter, Director, Domestic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
11:30 a.m. | Breakout Sessions
A series of breakout sessions will offer a deep dive on the strategic plan priorities.
12:30 p.m. | Closing: Reaching Higher in a State of Change
- 51st Governor of Indiana, Eric Holcomb
- Governor Holcomb Closing Remarks Recording
Questions? Please contact us at events@che.in.gov
2020 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 - CANCELLED
2019 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Supporting the Transition from Higher School to College and Careers
8:00 a.m. Registration & Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Welcome
- Chris LaMothe, Chairman, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
9:15 a.m. Keynote: Supporting the Transition from High School to College & Careers
- Matt Gandal, President, Education Strategy Group
9:45 a.m. Response Panel
- Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
- PJ McGrew, Director of Policy, Governor’s Workforce Cabinet
- Jason Bearce, Vice President for Education and Workforce Development, Indiana Chamber of Commerce
10:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
- Parents as Partners: Engaging Families Effectively to Drive Student Success
- Alfonso Vidal, Commission Member, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
- Jená Bellezza, Chief Operating Officer, Indiana Parenting Institute
- Building Intentional Pathways in High School
- Mike Alley, Commission Member, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
- Dwight Ashley, Principal, Parke Heritage High School
- Laura Hayes, Connections Coach, Ivy Tech Community College
- Ensuring Quality through Work-Based Experience
- Jud Fisher, Commission Member, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
- Tina Peterson, Chief Executive Officer, Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc.
12:00 p.m. Lunch Keynote: A Conversation with Governor Eric Holcomb
- Eric Holcomb, Governor of Indiana
- Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
1:00 p.m. Reflections & Closing
2018 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
The Future of Work
AGENDA
8:00 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - Welcome
9:15 a.m. - The Future of Work (Keynote)
Scott Carlson, Chronicle for Higher Education
The Future of Work: Will Our Children Be Prepared? (video)
9:45 a.m. - Response Panel
Pete Bitar, AirBuoyant, LLC
Tom Easterday, Subaru of Indiana Automotive
Chris Lowery, Ivy Tech Community College
Geoffrey Mearns, JD, Ball State University
10:45 a.m. - Breakout Sessions
Jobs of the Future
Voices of Employers | Road Trip Nation (video)
Future of Career Centers
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
12:45 p.m. - Closing
Danny Lopez, Chairman, Governor's Workforce Cabinet, State of Indiana
Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Blair Milo, Secretary of Career Connections & Talent, State of Indiana
2017 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Destination: Career Success - Charting Indiana’s path from education to employment
Conference Agenda
Full Agenda
8:00 a.m. - Registration
9:00 a.m. - Welcome
Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
9:15 a.m. - Keynote Address
Mike Marriner, Co-Founder, Roadtrip Nation
10:30 a.m. - Breakout Session
11:15 a.m. - Breakout Session
12:15 p.m. - Lunch
1:00 p.m. - Closing Remarks
Dan Peterson, Chairman, Commission for Higher Education
Eric Holcomb, Governor of Indiana
Breakout Session Topics
Intentional Career Planning
Integrating Workplace Experience
Streamlining Job Placement
2016 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Reaching Higher, Delivering Value
AGENDA
Full Agenda
8:00 am – Registration
9:00 am – Introducing Reaching Higher, Delivering Value
Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
9:30 am – Keynote Address
Mike Langellier, President and CEO, TechPoint
Keynote Presentation
Video
10:15 am – Q&A with Mike Langellier and Teresa Lubbers
10:45 am – Break
11:15 am – Breakout Session I
12:15 pm – Luncheon Address
Dennis Bland, Commission Chairman
Governor Mike Pence
1:00 pm – Breakout Session II
2:00 pm – Closing
Breakout Sessions Topics
Completion
Competency
Career
2015 H. Kent Weldon Conference for Higher Education
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Connecting College and Careers
AGENDA
8:30 – Registration and Breakfast
9:30 – Welcoming Remarks and Introductions
* Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher Education
* Sue Ellspermann, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
10:00 – Keynote Address
* Carol D'Amico, Executive Vice President, National Engagement and Philanthropy, USA Funds
11:15 – Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1
* Dr. William Katip, President, Grace College and Seminary
* Bob Vitoux, Vice President Commercial Operations US, Biomet Inc.
Breakout Session 2
* Dr. Paul Ferguson, President, Ball State University
* Mike Altendorf, Vice President of Information Technology, Do it Best Corp.
12:30 – Networking Lunch
1:30 – Reflection
* Gerry Dick, President and Managing Editor, Grow Indiana Media Ventures, LLC
2:00 – Closing Remarks
* Dennis Bland, Chairman of the Commission for Higher Education
Speaker Information
Keynote Address Presentation
Breakout Session 1
Networking Lunch and Reflection Questions
2014 and Earlier
April 10, 2014: Agenda
"The Value Proposition: Making Higher Education Matter… MORE"
April 2, 2013: Agenda
"Meeting Workforce Demand: Aligning Higher Education and Indiana's Economic Future"
April 16, 2012: Agenda
"Reaching Higher, Achieving More: A Success Agenda for Higher Education in Indiana"
- Reaching Higher, Achieving More, ICHE document link
- Reforming American Higher Education: Implications for a Vibrant Work Force and a Healthy Democracy, by Charles Kolb link
- A Stronger Nation Through Higher Education, a Policy Brief from the Lumina Foundation link
April 15, 2011: Agenda
"Defining College Success: Learning Outcomes Matter"
- Why Learning Outcomes Matter, Paul Gaston, Kent State University link
- Learning Outcomes for Work, Life, and Citizenship: What All Students Need for Meaningful Opportunity and Success, Debra Humphreys, AAC&U link
Handouts:
- Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP), Bill McKinney, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) link
- Degree Qualifications Profile, Marianne Wokeck, IUPUI link
- The State of Learning Outcomes Assessment in the United States, George Kuh, Indiana University link
- The State of Undergraduate Learning, Josipa Roska and Richard Arum link
- Reimagining Remediation, Stephen Handel and Ronald Williams link
- Degree Qualifications Profile, Lumina Foundation link
- FOCUS, Lumina Foundation link
- FAQS on Bologna and Tuning link
April 19, 2010: Agenda
"Challenges and Opportunities: Increasing College Productivity"
Presentations:
- Presentation by Nasser Paydar, Chancellor of Indiana University East link
- Presentation by Jim Applegate, Senior Vice President for Program Development and Organizational Learning, Lumina Foundation link
Handouts:
April 17, 2009: Agenda
"Degrees of Success: Creating a Culture of College Completion in Indiana"Featured Speaker: Dr. Richard Longworth, Senior Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and author of Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism
- Indiana's College Completion Agenda: Reaching Higher (Stan Jones)
- A Focus on Student Success: Research and Promising Campus Policies and Practice
- A Focus on Aligning State Resources: Supporting Student Success (Rich Petrick)
April 16, 2008: Agenda
"Reaching Higher: Strategic Directions for Higher Education in Indiana"April 30, 2007: Agenda
"Reaching Higher: Strategic Directions for Higher Education in Indiana"Presentations:
The Changing Agenda for Higher Education Access and Success--Dewayne Matthews
The State’s Economy and Higher Education--Charles Schalliol
The Spellings Commission and Indiana: Setting the Pace or Falling Behind? -- Kristin Conklin