The theme of this year’s conference is College: Michigan’s Foundation, Michigan’s Future. Since the establishment of the first university in Michigan in the early 1800s, higher education has shaped Michigan’s economy and culture through education, research, community investment, and countless other contributions. Today, a vast network of colleges and universities across the state is training Michigan’s students for the jobs of tomorrow.

Even those who haven’t earned a degree or certificate have benefited from the contributions of higher education. Advancements in areas like medicine, science, technology, engineering, communication, and humanities improve the lives of Michiganders in countless ways, seen and unseen, as innovative ideas developed at our colleges spread across the state.

This year’s theme will highlight these shared benefits of higher education — not just to individuals, but to communities, the workforce, and the state. In alignment with Michigan's Sixty by 30 attainment goal, we’re working to ensure communities that are underrepresented on college campuses — especially those who would be the first in their family to go to college, people from low-income backgrounds, and people of color — have access to and the resources to succeed in college, strengthening and expanding the reach of these benefits to all corners of our state.

We hope you can join us in Traverse City as we look for innovative ways to build on Michigan’s educational foundation and create equitable, sustainable systems that are ready to meet the challenges of the future.