Weekly Wisdom | Pam Eddinger on the Future of Higher Education Reform
Apprenticeship programs offer models for how colleges can build stronger partnerships.
In this Weekly Wisdom episode, Portland State University president Ann Cudd joins our CEO, Bridget Burns, and Sara Custer from Inside Higher Ed for a candid conversation about what it takes to lead a public urban university during disruption, activism and transformation.
Cudd reflects on her academic roots in philosophy, what drew her to PSU and how mentors, unexpected challenges and a deep belief in the power of higher education to foster belonging and agency have shaped her leadership.
In this episode, we discuss:
✨ How a single philosophy article launched her academic career
✨ The moment college became “worth it” for her
✨ Leading through campus protest and how she approaches free speech and safety
✨ What she learned from higher education luminaries like Kim Wilcox and Michael Crow
✨ Why PSU’s social mobility mission resonates with her values
✨ How orientation and graduation restore her sense of purpose
✨ Advice for navigating presidential leadership in year one
💬 “I want everyone to feel that sense of belonging, that they can achieve at least some of their dreams. And I’m convinced higher education can do that.”
Sponsored by Mainstay and Carnegie Corporation of New York.
