Few aspects of modern life are as closely scrutinized as higher education, and no wonder: Though most Americans believe that a college degree leads to better jobs, many also think it costs too much and may not be worth the time and money.
“The U.S. is an example of frogs in the boiling water when it comes to talent,” said Jamie Merisotis, chief executive of Lumina Foundation.
Artificial intelligence, the fastest-growing force of change in society today, has captured the imagination and concern of leaders in fields such as education, economics, defense—and even religion.
The executive behind Lumina’s Captain Ahab-like chase of a number is Jamie Merisotis. After his interview pitch to board members, Merisotis joined the foundation in 2008 as CEO and president.
Colleges and universities are doing a better job lately explaining the value of their degrees, and increasingly they’re getting important help in making that case.
Critics of higher education have a point: Average inflation-adjusted tuition has gone down, but remains too high. Degrees pay off, but too many grads struggle finding good jobs.
“The people on this list are not just leaders in their fields; they are champions for their communities and catalysts for progress across Indiana. One of our key goals is to foster connections among them, amplifying their collective impact for all Hoosiers.”
In a time of tense scrutiny of higher education, it helps to be reminded why college matters.
Jamie Merisotis talks with journalist Paul Fain about the history of the attainment movement and what comes next. See their discussion from the 16th annual ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego.
