Brandon Busteed
CEO, Edconic
Webinar Description
Tuesday, February 3 at 2:00 PM (ET) | 11:00 AM (PT)
Colleges and universities are under immense pressure to demonstrate the value of a degree amid declining enrollment, rising costs, and a workforce rapidly reshaped by AI. Students, families, employers, and policy-makers are asking tougher questions about return on investment, career outcomes, and readiness for life after graduation, forcing institutions to rethink how they operate, engage students, and deliver results.
These challenges cut across the entire student lifecycle, from recruitment and enrollment to engagement, persistence, and career placement. Yet siloed structures, scarcity-driven decision-making, outdated engagement models, and ineffective advising functions often prevent institutions from delivering the experiences and outcomes today’s learners expect (and tomorrow’s workforce requires).
Join higher education’s foremost leaders and luminaries for a timely conversation on what it truly means to be future ready. Our expert panelists will explore the most urgent transformation priorities facing institutional leaders, including:
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Reclaiming the meaning and purpose of postsecondary education by preparing students with the mindset and human skills needed to succeed in their careers, communities, and lives beyond college.
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Transforming academic and career advising models by moving beyond major-centric pathways toward a field of study approach that produces graduates who are both broadly educated and specifically skilled.
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Elevating co-curricular and career-connected learning by focusing on work-based experiences and skills throughout the student journey, from college prospecting to job placement.
This panel discussion is designed for admissions, enrollment management, student success, and career services leaders seeking to strengthen outcomes, improve engagement and persistence, and tell a more compelling future-ready story about the value of their institution.
Panelists
Brandon Busteed is one of the world’s foremost experts on education and workforce development with a particular focus on work-integrated learning. He is the CEO of Edconic, a family-owned education company which delivers relevant, experiential courses taught by industry experts from globally recognized organizations. Edconic operates Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Vogue College of Fashion, The School of The New York Times and Manchester City Sports Business School.
Prior to Edconic, Busteed served as Chief Partnership Officer and Global Head of Learn-Work Innovation at Kaplan where he led all of Kaplan’s work serving universities and companies. Brandon was also Global Head of Public Sector at Gallup – serving higher education, government and foundations. He previously served as Gallup’s Executive Director of Education and Workforce Development where his teams led dozens of ground-breaking studies and consulted with hundreds of higher ed and workforce development organizations.
Brandon has strong entrepreneurial roots as the founder and CEO of Outside The Classroom, one of the country’s first successful Ed Tech companies which was acquired by EverFi in 2011. Its flagship online courses on alcohol abuse and sexual assault prevention have been taken by more than 15 million college students.
An internationally known speaker and author on education and workforce development, he has published more than 300 articles and keynoted more than 200 conferences. He is a LinkedIn “Top Voice” and one of the most read education contributors to Forbes.com.
Brandon received his bachelor’s degree in public policy from Duke University where he was also a two sport Division 1 athlete. He received an honorary doctorate from Augustana College. He is a trustee emeritus of Duke and has served on the Board of Visitors of the Sanford School of Public Policy. He currently serves on the board of trustees of Transylvania University and on the board of directors for the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).
Scott Carlson
Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Scott Carlson is a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education who explores where higher education is headed. Since 1999, he has covered a range of issues for the publication: college management and finance, facilities, campus planning, energy, sustainability, libraries, work-force development, the value of a college degree, and other subjects. He is the author of Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn’t Matter — and What Really Does, and he was the writer of The Chronicle’s column The Edge. Carlson has won awards from the Education Writers Association and is a frequent speaker at colleges and conferences around the country. His work has also appeared in The Baltimore Sun and Dwell, among other publications. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Frank Shushok Jr.
President, Roanoke College
Dr. Frank Shushok Jr. became the 12th president of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia in 2022. He collaborates with the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and regional partners to position the College as an agile, innovative, and learner-centered institution. Under his leadership, the College launched Imagine Roanoke, a strategic plan that includes creating four transdisciplinary schools and transforming the residential campus into a 21st-century learning laboratory. The plan’s signature initiative, Roanoke College–Roanoke Valley (RC-RV), expands access to continuing education and workforce development. The College has launched new programs, begun construction on the McConnon Discovery Center, and revitalized student life. President Shushok came to Roanoke College with over 30 years of experience in higher education.
Immediately prior to coming to Roanoke College, Shushok served 13 years in several executive roles at Virginia Tech, including Vice President of Student Affairs. He was also a tenured professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Science. Early on, he served at his alma mater, Baylor University, in several capacities, including dean for student learning and engagement, associate dean for Campus Living and Learning, and was a faculty member and program director for the graduate program in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Shushok holds a B.S. in history from Baylor University, an M.A. in higher education and student affairs administration from The Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education policy, planning and analysis from the University of Maryland, College Park. He and his spouse, Kelly, have three adult children and two dogs.
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