For the past 14 years, the Washburn & McGoldrick consulting team headed to New York City every January for our annual client conference.
We eagerly anticipate this annual event to serve our clients with substantive, relevant content and to connect them one to another.
Last fall, when we realized we wouldn’t be able to gather in person, we did what all our clients have been doing in the past 11 months: we started planning a virtual conference for January 26, 2021. We were so gratified by the turnout at this first-ever virtual edition. Almost 150 leaders from 48 independent school, college, and university clients joined us to hear seven exceptional speakers, chat about the important topics the speakers raised, and network virtually with their colleagues.
Themes of inclusion, access, leadership, and mindfulness were woven through all our speakers’ and attendees’ comments.
The Pathway to College Post Pandemic: New Norms in Admissions & Financial Aid
In our first session, Dr. Marcia Boyd, a director at the U.S. Department of Education for more than eight years and Jeff Selingo, author of Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, described how the pandemic has reshaped many policies and processes in college admissions and financial aid. Almost all of our clients have told us[1] that they increased their efforts to raise funds for scholarships and internships in the past year, so hearing the speakers talk about ways to increase access and accessibility gave us all fresh perspectives to communicate this funding priority to alumni, parents and friends. (And we’re pretty sure that everyone in the audience who has struggled to fill out a FAFSA form, for themselves or for their children, was pleased to hear that it has been streamlined!)
When asked what further changes they would like to see to admissions and financial aid Dr. Boyd’s response captured it well:
I wish I had a magic wand without limits
“I wish I had a magic wand without limits to help eliminate the racial, ethnic, and class disparities in higher education access, persistence, and achievement. I would wave my magic wand and provide equal college opportunities to all members of our society. I would improve college affordability by providing significantly more federal and state grant aid for students and families. I would eliminate student indebtedness. I would improve academic preparation in both K-12 and college. I would create a program schools could use that would ensure equitable access and completion of programs. I would improve the first-year college experience, increase student internships, and ensure students’ safety and civil rights are protected. My magic wand would be extremely busy.”
Jeff Selingo added for his magic wand wishes:
I would really focus on college preparation during high school
“I would really focus on college preparation during high school, not only around advising about where to apply and the financial aid piece of it, but also advising about which courses to take, and the grades you get in those courses. I saw so often when I was sitting in admissions offices that the courses you take in freshman year of high school, determine what you take in junior year and senior year. And that’s what really leads you to a set of colleges that tend to be more selective. And not everybody has to go to selective colleges but if we want to increase access to more selective colleges, then that’s the way we’re going to have to do it. I’d want everybody to start earlier in the pipeline.”
[1] through our quarterly Advancement Moving Forward surveys
Flourishing and Resilience During Chronic Too-Muchness
Our program concluded with a session on mindfulness by Dr. R. Kelly Crace, Associate Vice President for Health & Wellness and Director, Center for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence (CMAX) at William & Mary. Dr. Crace spoke about stress versus strain and gave the group tips for flourishing in stressful times.
Advancement folks are a group who chronically deals with too-muchness
“Advancement folks are a group who chronically deals with too-muchness. We can function under stress, but when stress turns to strain, it’s unsustainable. We need to be intentional and mindful to be able to ensure that we can flourish. Flourishing means a consistent level of productivity, fulfillment and resilience. How do we flourish during these times? Striving for work-life balance doesn’t lead to flourishing. When we try for it, we are constantly trying to equalize it, and it’s impossible. It implies that work is not part of life, yet work is an important part of our life. Those who flourish strive for harmony, not balance.”
Lessons from The Pandemic: Advice from Four Campus Leaders
In our second session, we heard from four campus CEOs – Sonya Stephens, President, Mount Holyoke College Adam Weinberg, President, Denison University; Randy Woodson, Chancellor, North Carolina State University; and Katherine Windsor, Head of School, Miss Porter’s School. They shared the ways they led their campuses through 2020. Common themes included their intense focus on what was best for their students, their desire to find ways to preserve their communities despite social distancing, their ongoing efforts to make education more affordable and accessible, and their leadership of campus-wide anti-racism efforts. They spoke frankly about the tough discussions and decisions they had to make last year and into this new one. They also shared some key leadership lessons learned:
The Power of Resilience
“Resilience needs to sit within this sense that not everybody is experiencing this moment in the same way. Not everybody has experienced the same loss, not everybody has the same reaction to risk and to danger. I think that being sensitive to the range of views within a leadership team, within a campus, and within your alumni community is important. And think about whether you’re meeting the needs of all of your constituents and doing so in different ways.”
Agility and Adaptability
“Something I hope we’ll keep on the backend is to be agile. If I had to name the attributes that I most love about Denison or any great private residential liberal arts college, agility and adaptability wouldn’t always be at the top of the list, but this year we learned to do that. We learned to change our plans on the fly, to adapt and to listen.”
Communication is Key
“I think the biggest leadership lesson, one that I’m continuing to learn and put into practice is that when you’re in this kind of crisis, you cannot over-communicate. It’s just almost impossible to overcommunicate. The leadership lesson for me: when I’m not out and moving around on campus, and hearing things as a result of those happen-chance interactions, I have to make room for them some other way. You have to be more intentional about the way you listen to your constituents, and it’s harder.”
Keep the Door Open So You Can Continue to Move Forward
“I hope that leaders will see this moment not as something they want to put behind them, but underneath them as a foundation for the work before them. The problems that were taking up our time and energy before these dual pandemics came so sharply into focus, haven’t gone away. They haven’t been solved because another set of problems are taking our focus and our attention.”
For the past 14 years, the Washburn & McGoldrick consulting team headed to New York City every January for our annual client conference.
We eagerly anticipate this annual event to serve our clients with substantive, relevant content and to connect them one to another.
Last fall, when we realized we wouldn’t be able to gather in person, we did what all our clients have been doing in the past 11 months: we started planning a virtual conference for January 26, 2021. We were so gratified by the turnout at this first-ever virtual edition. Almost 150 leaders from 48 independent school, college, and university clients joined us to hear seven exceptional speakers, chat about the important topics the speakers raised, and network virtually with their colleagues.
Themes of inclusion, access, leadership, and mindfulness were woven through all our speakers’ and attendees’ comments.
The Pathway to College Post Pandemic: New Norms in Admissions & Financial Aid
In our first session, Dr. Marcia Boyd, a director at the U.S. Department of Education for more than eight years and Jeff Selingo, author of Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, described how the pandemic has reshaped many policies and processes in college admissions and financial aid. Almost all of our clients have told us[1] that they increased their efforts to raise funds for scholarships and internships in the past year, so hearing the speakers talk about ways to increase access and accessibility gave us all fresh perspectives to communicate this funding priority to alumni, parents and friends. (And we’re pretty sure that everyone in the audience who has struggled to fill out a FAFSA form, for themselves or for their children, was pleased to hear that it has been streamlined!)
When asked what further changes they would like to see to admissions and financial aid Dr. Boyd’s response captured it well:
I wish I had a magic wand without limits
“I wish I had a magic wand without limits to help eliminate the racial, ethnic, and class disparities in higher education access, persistence, and achievement. I would wave my magic wand and provide equal college opportunities to all members of our society. I would improve college affordability by providing significantly more federal and state grant aid for students and families. I would eliminate student indebtedness. I would improve academic preparation in both K-12 and college. I would create a program schools could use that would ensure equitable access and completion of programs. I would improve the first-year college experience, increase student internships, and ensure students’ safety and civil rights are protected. My magic wand would be extremely busy.”
Jeff Selingo added for his magic wand wishes:
I would really focus on college preparation during high school
“I would really focus on college preparation during high school, not only around advising about where to apply and the financial aid piece of it, but also advising about which courses to take, and the grades you get in those courses. I saw so often when I was sitting in admissions offices that the courses you take in freshman year of high school, determine what you take in junior year and senior year. And that’s what really leads you to a set of colleges that tend to be more selective. And not everybody has to go to selective colleges but if we want to increase access to more selective colleges, then that’s the way we’re going to have to do it. I’d want everybody to start earlier in the pipeline.”
[1] through our quarterly Advancement Moving Forward surveys
Lessons from The Pandemic: Advice from Four Campus Leaders
In our second session, we heard from four campus CEOs – Sonya Stephens, President, Mount Holyoke College Adam Weinberg, President, Denison University; Randy Woodson, Chancellor, North Carolina State University; and Katherine Windsor, Head of School, Miss Porter’s School. They shared the ways they led their campuses through 2020. Common themes included their intense focus on what was best for their students, their desire to find ways to preserve their communities despite social distancing, their ongoing efforts to make education more affordable and accessible, and their leadership of campus-wide anti-racism efforts. They spoke frankly about the tough discussions and decisions they had to make last year and into this new one. They also shared some key leadership lessons learned:
The Power of Resilience
“Resilience needs to sit within this sense that not everybody is experiencing this moment in the same way. Not everybody has experienced the same loss, not everybody has the same reaction to risk and to danger. I think that being sensitive to the range of views within a leadership team, within a campus, and within your alumni community is important. And think about whether you’re meeting the needs of all of your constituents and doing so in different ways.”
Agility and Adaptability
“Something I hope we’ll keep on the backend is to be agile. If I had to name the attributes that I most love about Denison or any great private residential liberal arts college, agility and adaptability wouldn’t always be at the top of the list, but this year we learned to do that. We learned to change our plans on the fly, to adapt and to listen.”
Communication is Key
“I think the biggest leadership lesson, one that I’m continuing to learn and put into practice is that when you’re in this kind of crisis, you cannot over-communicate. It’s just almost impossible to overcommunicate. The leadership lesson for me: when I’m not out and moving around on campus, and hearing things as a result of those happen-chance interactions, I have to make room for them some other way. You have to be more intentional about the way you listen to your constituents, and it’s harder.”
Keep the Door Open So You Can Continue to Move Forward
“I hope that leaders will see this moment not as something they want to put behind them, but underneath them as a foundation for the work before them. The problems that were taking up our time and energy before these dual pandemics came so sharply into focus, haven’t gone away. They haven’t been solved because another set of problems are taking our focus and our attention.”
Flourishing and Resilience During Chronic Too-Muchness
Our program concluded with a session on mindfulness by Dr. R. Kelly Crace, Associate Vice President for Health & Wellness and Director, Center for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence (CMAX) at William & Mary. Dr. Crace spoke about stress versus strain and gave the group tips for flourishing in stressful times.
Advancement folks are a group who chronically deals with too-muchness
“Advancement folks are a group who chronically deals with too-muchness. We can function under stress, but when stress turns to strain, it’s unsustainable. We need to be intentional and mindful to be able to ensure that we can flourish. Flourishing means a consistent level of productivity, fulfillment and resilience. How do we flourish during these times? Striving for work-life balance doesn’t lead to flourishing. When we try for it, we are constantly trying to equalize it, and it’s impossible. It implies that work is not part of life, yet work is an important part of our life. Those who flourish strive for harmony, not balance.”
Until Next Year
We are grateful that we had the opportunity to connect with our clients through the 2021 virtual conference. The lessons from our speakers will guide us all well through this year of transition to post-pandemic time. Like you, we will continue to be digitally-forward but will always value the opportunity to gather our client community in person!
See you in New York City in January 2022!
