Skip to main content
2026 AAC&U Annual Meeting Main banner
Final Program


PDF Program Schedule
Starred Sessions
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.

Advancing Public Purposes

From Bolted-On to Built-In: Integrating Career Readiness in Liberal Arts Institutions

Friday, January 23, 2026
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Catholic University - Level M1

    Primary Presenter(s)

  • Susan Hasseler

    President
    Muskingum University, United States

    PDF

    • Co-Presenter(s)

  • Marcheta Evans

    President
    St. Catherine University, United States

  • Damian Fernandez

    President
    Warren Wilson College

  • Ashley Finley

    Vice President for Research and Senior Advisor to the President
    American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), United States

As higher education institutions face increasing demands for return on investment, this session will explore how career readiness can be embedded in the curriculum in ways that integrate liberal education values. University presidents from three different institutions will share how their institutions transitioned from separate career services models to integrated approaches grounded in mission and access. Panelists will detail how cross-campus collaborations, data-informed redesign, the integration of adult and traditional undergraduate programming, and structural support shifted the narrative from “career readiness as an add-on” to a shared institutional goal. Attendees will leave with specific strategies for engaging faculty and staff, aligning with workforce needs, and partnering with employers and alumni in creating relevant and responsive educational programs.