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Advancing Public Purposes

Friday Breakfast Roundtables

Table 7: Amplifying Student Impact: Developing Thought Leaders Who Impact Communities

Friday, January 23, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Marquis Salon 5 - Level M2

    Primary Presenter(s)

  • GB

    Gretchen Busl

    Professor of English
    Texas Woman's University, United States

    • Co-Presenter(s)

  • AA

    Anna Anderson

    Graduate Assistant (MA in English)
    Texas Woman's University, United States

  • RB

    Renee Blanchard

    Coordinator of Field Experience & Assessment
    Texas Woman's University, United States

  • Elizabeth Brownlow

    Public Scholarship Specialist
    Texas Woman's University, United States

Learn from the experiences of four different roles involved in a university-wide initiative to wed the public purpose of higher education to career readiness, democratic participation, and community leadership. Born out of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), "Amplify Your Impact" is a multipronged, collaborative initiative that fosters a culture of thought leadership for community well-being across a three-campus university system. A QEP director, graduate student researcher, staff instructor, and public scholarship specialist will share their lessons learned from the first three years of this initiative. Join us to talk about how to harness the power of public communications thinking to help students, faculty, and staff root their career journeys and educational pathways in personal and professional purpose and the challenges of such an undertaking.