Defining Public Purpose: Finding a Dynamic, Regionally Specific Approach

Thursday, January 22, 2026

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: George Washington - Level M1

Primary Presenter(s)

Harold Mock

Director of Leadership Programs and Assistant Professor of History
Georgia College & State University, United States

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Co-Presenter(s)

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Kevin Bucholtz

Associate Provost
Georgia College & State University, United States
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Susan McCracken

Vice Provost for Community Engagement
East Tennessee State University, United States
Dennis McCunney

Associate Director, Center for Student Success
East Carolina University, United States
Carla Ortega-Santori

Strategic Initiatives Manager
Doerr Institute for New Leaders, Rice University, United States

In an era when higher education's public value faces increasing pressure, colleges and universities in the American Southeast are reimagining how career preparation, civic engagement, community involvement, and student well-being can work synergistically rather than in isolation. This integrated approach is proving essential not only for student success but also for rebuilding public trust and demonstrating higher education's indispensable contribution to regional prosperity and democratic resilience. In this complex regional environment, where demographic change is reshaping traditional community structures and economic opportunities vary dramatically between urban and rural areas, universities discover that their public mission effectiveness relies heavily on personal relationship-building and individual trust networks rather than institutional frameworks—reflecting a regional culture where authentic community engagement often depends more on who one knows and trusts personally than on formal organizational partnerships. We contend that public purpose is a dynamic concept, defined in concert with the communities our institutions serve.