DePauw Stories

A panel of postsecondary leaders, including DePauw President Lori White, this morning discussed how their institutions adapted to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of several presentations made over the two-day Reagan Institute Summit on Education.

Dubbed “RISE 2022,” the Network: The Quest for Connectivity conference focused on connectivity in two ways: Its literal meaning – that is, broadband and infrastructure – and the individual and systemic connections students need to thrive.

White was among several educators invited to speak in a lineup that includes U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett; three governors, including Eric Holcomb of Indiana; and several current and former federal officials from the Education and Labor departments. 

This was the fifth annual RISE conference, a production of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. It was presented in a hybrid format, with online and in-person events.

“We created RISE five years ago to offer a platform for experts to engage in civil discourse where common ground can be explored, mutual goals identified and steps forged to collaborate, said Janet Tran, director of the Reagan Institute’s Center for Civics, Education and Opportunity. “RISE elevate the conversation around education and works toward preparing our country’s next generation for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”