ECMC Group at SXSW EDU 2023

March 8, 2023

ECMC Group participated in the 2023 SXSW EDU conference, sharing our perspectives in several sessions and connecting with attendees at an interactive booth featuring insights from our Question The Quo public awareness campaign. Click on the sessions below to watch a recording of the conversations we joined. Click each session below to listen to the audio recording.

Expanding Pathways in Postsecondary Education

The mindset that traditional college is the only path to success and a degree is the only proxy for knowledge is failing students, employers, and our economy. Young people want learning opportunities after high school that lead to well-paid, meaningful careers. Employers don't know how to evaluate candidates with career skills vs. those with degrees. Panelists discuss how we can help prepare students for career success and build a future-ready, diverse workforce.

Featuring:

  • Dan Fisher, president and CEO, ECMC Group
  • Hudson Baird, co-founder and executive director, PelotonU
  • Aisha Francis, Ph.D., president and CEO, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute Of Technology
  • Julie Lammers, senior vice president of advocacy and corporate social responsibility, American Student Assistance
  • Hari Sreenivasan, reporter, anchor and executive producer, Amanpour & Company (PBS)

The College Debate: Elevating Student Perspectives

Gen Z teens are questioning the status quo like never before when it comes to their education and career path after high school. This robust discussion shed light on the student mindset using newly gathered national data and perspectives from current and former students who are forging their own paths when it comes to their academic and professional journey.

Featuring:

  • Laura Telander Graf, senior director of public relations and thought leadership, ECMC Group
  • Justin Nguyen, CEO, Declassified College
  • Alessandra Ciuffo, current student (attending culinary school)
  • Tonia Bloomingberg, current student (attending community college)
  • Jayden Nguyen, current student (attending high school)

WANTED: Access to Career Connections for Teens

New national survey findings from ECMC Group and VICE Media reveal that 63% of teens wish their high school explained more about the different postsecondary education paths available to them. In addition, 40 percent of high schoolers don’t feel prepared for a job after high school. Middle school may seem too early to contemplate a future career, but research has shown that it is an optimal time to start exploring career options. That is why it is critical that tools are made available for middle school students and their supporting adults to aid in these discussions. Middle school is the time to start exploring career options and high school is the time to identify the way to make dreams a reality. Technology, when paired with high touch interactions, creates the ideal environment for students to explore and realize their postsecondary education and career dreams.

Featuring:

  • Heidi Johnson, chief of staff, ECMC Group
  • Tomika Brown, director, ECMC's The College Place-Richmond (VA)
  • Jennifer Kushell, founder and CEO, Exploring Your Potential™ (EYP)
  • Julie Lammers, senior vice president of advocacy and corporate social responsibility, American Student Assistance


Is College Worth It? Rebundling Higher Education

Half of Gen Zers believe they can be successful without a four-year degree, but 85% still think it’s necessary. Prospective students need to know: will a degree lead me to the job I want or should I look at other pathways? Over a decade into ‘unbundling’ higher education, it’s time to repackage college education and career preparation into programs that maximize students’ return on the time and money they invest in college. This panel explored models and principles to give students answers.

Featuring:

  • Laura Telander Graf, senior director of public relations and thought leadership, ECMC Group
  • Rusty Greiff, chief strategy and growth officer, Jobs for the Future
  • Geoff Watson, president, Minerva Project
  • Anjuli Gupta, head of academic partnerships, Outlier.org