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As Pressures Mount, Hundreds of Higher Ed Leaders Gather to Shape What Comes Next

June 9, 2026

Eduventures Summit 2026 will spotlight urgent conversations on class-conscious admissions, workforce readiness, AI, student well-being, and institutional leadership.


BOSTON, MA – June 9, 2026

Eduventures Research — the research division of Encoura, a data science and educational technology organization — announced today a stellar line-up of speakers for Eduventures Summit 2026, higher education’s annual premier thought leadership event, taking place June 15-17 in Chicago.

At a moment of mounting political pressure, economic scrutiny, technological disruption, and deep questions about campus culture and public trust, this year’s Summit challenges college presidents, provosts, and vice presidents to consider: What would it mean for higher education to take the initiative on some of the most strategic and contested topics at the top of the sector’s to-do list? 

The Eduventures Summit lineup features keynote speakers who will spark conversation around these urgent topics, including: 

  • Class-Conscious Admissions: Dr. Richard Kahlenberg, Director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute
  • Higher Education, Workforce Development, & AI: Dr. Michael Horn, co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation and author of Job Moves: Nine Steps to Making Progress in Your Career
  • Navigating Trump 2026: Jonathan Martin is the politics bureau chief and senior political columnist at POLITICO
  • A New Campus Climate: Dr. Eboo Patel is the Founder and President of Interfaith America
  • Community as Medicine: Dr. Elizabeth Markle is the Founding Executive Director of Open Source Wellness and “Community As Medicine” and Community Mental Health Professor at California Institute of Integral Studies
  • Higher Education in America’s 250th Year: Dr. Jane Kamensky is the President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
  • Strategic Storytelling: Kindra Hall is President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective

“The question for college and university leaders today is not whether to respond to public discussion around higher education, but how to lead it,” said Eduventures Chief Research Officer Richard Garrett. “The mission of Eduventures Summit has always been to inform, inspire, and empower leaders and this year’s event is especially important. This summer, higher ed leaders will be tackling head-on the industry’s biggest issues of our day in order to take the initiative in the public narrative. We need to recommit to fundamentals, reframe contested issues, and find a firmer footing in our fracturing world. The future of higher education still holds great promise.”

In addition to keynote sessions, Eduventures analysts will present new research and proprietary market data on the latest higher education trends. The Eduventures team will also announce the winners of the annual Innovation Awards, honoring a handful of colleges and universities as leaders in:

  • Next Generation Recruitment (Traditional Students)
  • Adult Learner Recruitment (Adult/Graduate)
  • Student Success
  • Excellence in AI
  • Program Innovation

The annual event is drawing leaders from across the sector to connect, exchange best practices, and reimagine the future of higher education.

Register to attend this year’s Eduventures Summit at https://summit.encoura.org. 

About Encoura, LLC

Encoura is an educational technology, marketing, and research organization serving over 2,000 higher education institutions across the nation. Since 1972, Encoura has been a leading provider of strategic consulting, data science, and engagement solutions that connect institutions to the communities they serve. In 2025, Encoura expanded its capabilities with its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL). This combined expertise now spans enrollment, marketing, student success, and advancement, providing institutions with comprehensive solutions to achieve their goals throughout the student lifecycle.

For more information, visit encoura.org.

Members of the media can contact Todd Boullion at toddb@encoura.org.