263: How Can Higher Education Better Prepare Today's Youth for Life?
“We have an obligation to serve more students, particularly the kind of students who we were designed to serve — students who are very curious, open-minded, and who love to solve complex problems.”
— Mike Magee, President, Minerva University
Subscribe to the "Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity" podcast.
Guest
Mike Magee is President of Minerva University since April 2022. Prior to joining Minerva, he was the founding CEO of Chiefs for Change, a non-profit organization supporting leaders of many of the nation’s largest and most innovative K-12 public education systems. Previously, Magee co-founded and was CEO of Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA). As CEO of RIMA, he built a statewide network of regional, racially, and economically diverse public schools while successfully advocating for sweeping changes to stat education policy.
Before starting RIMA, Magee taught American literature and philosophy for a decade at Haverford College, Wheaton College, and the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2004, his book, Emancipating Pragmatism won the Elizabeth Agee Prize in American Studies. He is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and for the past several years, has moderated seminars for both the Pahara Institute and the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Magee holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in political science and English from the College of the Holy Cross.
This is part of Minerva’s invitation to high school seniors to apply. What would you think of the school that approached you in this way? Can you figure out the pattern in the final line?
Summary
In this episode, Minerva University president Mike Magee and I explore why the school has been ranked the #1 innovative university in the U.S., which is initially evidenced by its unique invitation to apply for admission where prospective applicants are challenged to complete a puzzle. (See at right.)
The deeper answer lies in Minerva’s approach to education and people development. Listen for how its approach encompasses global cultural immersion, active learning, interdisciplinary curriculum, project-based learning, and a commitment to developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, ethical orientation, and diverse perspectives for successful workforce preparation — and of equal importance, its students' social and emotional development.
Links/References
Mike at LinkedIn
Show Credits
"Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It’s brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for.
"Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.