Sodexo Unveils 2017-2018 President to President Thought-Leadership Series on the Challenges Faced in Higher Education

This year’s series offers perspectives from those paving the way for the next generation on campus with forward-thinking strategies aimed at challenging the future of traditional colleges and universities.
Oct 2, 2017 9:00 AM ET
The 2017-2018 edition is the second series published by Sodexo

GAITHERSBURG, Md., October 2, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, published its 2017-2018 edition of President to President, a thought leadership series offering perspectives from university presidents for university presidents on the challenges faced in higher education. This year’s series, titled “How Disruptive Innovation is Shaping the Next-Gen Campus and Enabling Student Success,” will focus on how institutions are innovating in order to secure the future and ensure positive business outcomes, all while enhancing the student experience on campus.

The thought-leadership series brings insights from 10 university presidents, who will share their first-hand experiences in a chapter published online each month. The esteemed authors represent a range of colleges and universities from all over the country, each with its own unique culture, operating landscape, and vision for the future. Despite their differences, each author shares one important trait: being a notable thought leader whose institution is at the forefront of innovative philosophies and practices.

“This year’s report introduces the idea of disruptive innovation and how it can help institutions set themselves apart in the ever-evolving landscape of higher education management,” said Tom Goral, report contributor and senior editor of University Business magazine.

The first chapter, “Engineering a 21st Century Higher Educational Model: Guidelines for Leading the Work,” by Paul L. LeBlanc Ph.D., President of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), is available online at president2president.com. The chapter highlights the growing importance for colleges and universities to step up their innovation efforts.

“My hope is that the incumbent institutions often most threatened by innovation, and the new technologies and delivery models that are emerging, will be willing to engage with and help drive the innovation,” said LeBlanc.

Each month, one chapter will be distributed and promoted electronically, as well as posted on www.president2president.com.  At the end of the series, the foreword and chapters will be published into a thought-provoking collection on the topic and made available as a reference resource. Frequently published higher education authors Scott  D. Miller, Ph.D., president, Virginia Wesleyan University, and Marylouise Fennell, Ed.D., special council, Council of Independent Colleges and past president, Carlow University, serve as editors for this series.

Sodexo USA is an American business that is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Delivering more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life, Sodexo is a leading provider of sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations. It employs 123,000 Americans at 12,500 sites across the country and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional U.S. jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $30 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger.

Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.