2025 Benchmarking Conference - Keynote & Special Session Speakers
June 16-18, 2025
Keynote Speakers
YouTube videos of Keynote Speakers
Josh Wyner, J.D.: Benchmarking Community College 3.0: Measuring Post-completion Student Success Outcomes
Cory Clasemann, Ph.D.: Lights, Camera, Data: Leveraging Narrative for Change in Higher Ed
Rory Tendore: Honoring Identity: Advancing Student Success at a NASNTI College
Special Session Speakers
YouTube videos of Special Session Speakers
Haley Hanson, J.D.: Policy, Compliance, and Risk: What Federal Shifts Mean for Community Colleges
Mickey McCloud, Ph.D.: Lights, Camera, Data: Leveraging Narrative for Change in Higher Ed
Monday, June 16, 3:15 - 4:30 PM - RC 101 C/D
Benchmarking Community College 3.0: Measuring Post-completion Student Success Outcomes
Josh Wyner, founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, shares how community college leaders and teams can use data to move towards a focus on post-graduation student success—what Aspen refers to as Community College 3.0. Josh will walk participants through the metrics used in the Aspen Prize process and discuss how excellent colleges benchmark progress to student success outcomes, using examples from Aspen Prize-winning colleges.
Tuesday, June 17, 8:30 - 9:45 AM - RC 101 C/D
Lights, Camera, Data: Leveraging Narrative for Change in Higher Ed
Having originally set his sights upon being a broadcast journalist, Clasemann describes the path of how he "fell" into the institutional research field. This includes his experiences using data to tell stories in a way that allowed for the piloting of new student success initiatives, while also evaluating their effectiveness and determining whether to continue them. Finally, he will discuss how he uses data in conversations with lawmakers and community leaders in two difference states to advance the agenda for student success.
Wednesday, June 18, 8:30 - 9:45 AM - RC 101 C/D
Honoring Identity: Advancing Student Success at a NASNTI College
Rory Tendore, a first-generation college graduate and student success leader from the Wind River Indian Reservation, shares her powerful journey from educator to advocate. Now serving as the American Indian Student Success Coordinator at Central Wyoming College, Tendore offers a heartfelt reminder of why the everyday work each of us does at our institutions, both visible and unseen, matters. Her story and her experiences underscore the power of education to transform lives, preserve culture, and build brighter futures.
Special Session Speakers
Tuesday June 17, 10:55 - 11:45 AM - RC 101 C/D
Policy, Compliance, and Risk: What Federal Shifts Mean for Community Colleges
Hayley Hanson, Partner at Husch Blackwell and nationally recognized leader in education law, brings more than 20 years of legal expertise supporting colleges and universities through today's most complex legal landscapes. As a trusted advisor to public and private institutions, she guides clients through compliance, governance, and campus operational challenges. In this session, Hayley will explore the implications of recent and proposed federal policy changes, offering practical insights into what these shifts mean for community colleges, how to anticipate compliance risks, and how legal strategy can support institutional effectiveness and student-centered outcomes. This session is relevant for all higher education leaders, staff, and faculty, as we all share in navigating today's evolving regulatory pressures.
Wednesday June 18, 1:00 - 1:50 PM - RC 101 C/D
Lights, Camera, Data: Leveraging Narrative for Change in Higher Ed
Leadership is not a destination; it's a journey shaped by every classroom taught, every program launched, and every decision made. Dr. McCloud shares his candid insights from a career that spans teaching high school English to leading academic affairs at one of the nation's top community colleges. Through stories, lessons, and practical advice, this session will inspire current and aspiring leaders to embrace opportunity, navigate change, and lead with authenticity. Special focus will be given to how data-informed decision-making, relationship-building, and resilience shape sustainable leadership in higher education.
Questions? Contact Michelle Taylor at michelletaylor@jccc.edu or 913-469-3831
Sponsors
