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What does courage look like when there is no guarantee that a decision will work?In this fifth video essay from She Leads the Way: What Women Leaders Teach Us About the Leadership Higher Education Needs Now, Melissa Morriss-Olson draws from conversations with five women leaders who made consequential choices without the comfort of certainty.Kate Smith recalls the night she stood alone after speaking up at a campus forum. Carol Christ describes moving forward with plans to build student housing on People’s Park at Berkeley despite intense opposition. Pat McGuire reflects on opening Trinity Washington University to students from the city’spublic schools, even as critics accused her of abandoning the institution’s mission.Lisa Vollendorf shares what she learned while leading through devastating wildfires at Sonoma State University. Lori Carrell remembers leaving a safe and familiar teaching position, buying a truck, and driving the Alcan Highway alone toward an uncertain future.Their decisions were different, but they shared the same leadership discipline: moving before certainty arrived and accepting responsibility for what followed.At a time when higher education’s old playbooks no longer provide reliable answers, waiting can feel prudent. But delay is also a decision, and sometimes it is the more dangerous one.Read the full essay, “Decide, Not Delay”:https://ingeniousleadership.org/Hear the full conversations:Kate SmithCarol ChristPatricia McGuireLisa VollendorfLori CarrellAs Melissa concludes:“Courage in higher education right now rarely looks like certainty. The old maps for a lot of these calls don’t exist anymore, and waiting for one to appear is its own kind of choice, usually the wrong one.”Decide, not delay.She Leads the Way: What Women Leaders Teach Us About the Leadership Higher Education Needs Now is coming soon from IngenioUs Leadership Press and will be available on Amazon.About the seriesShe Leads the Way brings together ideas and voices from Melissa’s conversations with more than thirty women presidents and senior leaders featured on the IngenioUs podcast. Each essay asks what their experiences can teach us about the leadership higher education needs now.

In a time when higher education is facing profound questions about its value, purpose, and future, what does it take to lead with both clarity and conviction?In this episode of IngenioUs, I sit down with Dr. Summer McGee,president of Lenoir-Rhyne University—a dynamic and forward-thinking leader whose career has been defined by building: building programs, building strategy, and building institutions that grow and thrive.From her earliest days as a faculty member launching a new academic program to her leadership today as a two-time college president, Summer has consistently approached leadership with a builder’s mindset. In our conversation, she shares what she has learned across her leadership journey and how she is navigating one of the most complex moments in higher education.We explore:Why higher education leaders must once again articulate the value of a college degree The critical question every institution must answer: Why do we exist—and what do we do better than anyone else? What she learned from leading a major institutional turnaround at Salem Academy and College The invisible work of the presidency—and how she manages the weight of leadership How authenticity, relationships, and joy (including competitive pinball!) shape her leadership style Why data-driven decision making and storytelling go hand-in-hand What women need to know before stepping into senior leadership roles Throughout the conversation, Summer offers a powerful reminder that leadership is both deeply strategic and deeply human—and that the future of higher education will be shaped by those who can do both well.About the GuestDr. Summer McGee is the president of Lenoir-Rhyne University. A two-time college president and former founding dean, she is known for her expertise in academic innovation, enrollment growth, and institutional transformation. Her leadership is grounded in a commitment to student success, strategic clarity,and building organizations that are positioned to thrive in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.Key TakeawaysGreat leadership in higher education requiresbalancing heart and strategy Institutions must clearly define and communicate their distinctive value Transformation is possible—even in resource-constrained environments—when vision and alignment are strongAuthenticity and vulnerability are strengths, not liabilities, in leadership Sustainable leadership depends on support systems, boundaries, and moments of joy Connect & Learn MoreFollow IngenioUs for more conversations with innovative leaders shaping the future of higher education.

In this episode, David J. Staley reads from his latest University Design blog entry, Educable, where he explores a provocative new concept drawn from Leslie Valiant’s recent work: that what truly distinguishes humans is not intelligence—but educability.What if education is not simply about acquiring knowledge or skills, but about undergoing a fundamental “state change”—a transformation in how we think, act, and understand the world? And what if this idea reshaped how we assess learning, design degrees, and even imagine the future of artificial intelligence?Staley challenges us to reconsider long-standing assumptions about education versus training, the purpose of higher education, and what it really means to be “educated” in a rapidly evolving world.Key Ideas ExploredEducability vs. Intelligence: A new framework for understanding human uniquenessEducation as “State Change”: Learning as deep cognitive transformation, not just information transferRethinking Assessment: What if grades reflected the degree of transformation rather than performance?Education vs. Training: Why education prepares us for the unforeseenArtificial Educability: A bold vision for the future of AI beyond current modelsThe Future of Teaching: Imagining new methods for educating both humans and machinesWhy This MattersAt a time when higher education is under pressure to demonstrate value and relevance, this episode invites us to think more expansively. If education is truly about transformation—about changing who we are—then our current systems of grading, credentialing, and ranking may be missing the point.Staley’s reflections open the door to a more ambitious vision of higher education—one centered on human development, adaptability, and lifelong learning.📖 Read the Full Blog👉 Educable by David J. Staley🎙️ About the AuthorDavid J. Staley is a higher education philosopher, strategist, futurist, and designer. He serves as an Honorary Faculty Fellow in Innovation at CHELIP and is the author of Alternative Universities, The AI Symposium, and other works exploring the future of higher education and knowledge systems.🔗 About the SeriesThis episode is part of the University Design series, published under the IngenioUs blog label, which explores bold, forward-thinking ideas about the future of higher education.

In this episode of the IngenioUs Leadership Podcast, Melissa Morriss-Olson sits down with historian and higher education leader Carol Quillen, former president of Davidson College and now President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.Carol brings a historian’s lens to leadership—one grounded in humility, courage, and a deep respect for the power of community and place. Over the course of the conversation, she reflects on her leadership journey from growingup in a small historic town in Delaware to leading one of the nation’s most respected liberal arts colleges.Carol shares insights about what leadership really means, why she believes it is fundamentally about helping communities create the conditions for change, and what she learned about guiding an institution through moments of uncertainty, including the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.The conversation also explores her current work with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she is thinking deeply about how historic places can help Americans reconnect with the complexity of their shared history. At a time when public conversations often feel abstract and polarized, Carol argues that standing in the places where history actuallyhappened can open the door to more thoughtful dialogue and renewed civic understanding.This episode is a thoughtful reflection on leadership, community, and the enduring importance of place in shaping how we understand ourselves and one another.Key Themes from the ConversationLeadership as Context BuildingCarol describes leadership not as a title or position but as the work of helping a community create the conditions it needs to live up to its highest aspirations.Courage and Humility in LeadershipTwo qualities she believes are essential for leaders navigating complexity and uncertainty.Listening and Trust BuildingHow leaders create environments where people can speak honestly, disagree respectfully, and work together toward shared goals.Leading Through CrisisReflections on guiding Davidson College through the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of transparency when decisions must be made with incomplete information.The Power of Institutional CultureWhy understanding the history and identity of an organization is critical when leading change.The Power of Place in Civic LifeHow historic sites—from Gettysburg to Monticello to immigrant tenements—help us confront the complexity of American history and foster deeper conversations about our shared future.Advice for Emerging LeadersCarol encourages young leaders to focus less on career planning and more on doing the work that is right in front of them.About Carol QuillenCarol Quillen is President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the former president of Davidson College, where she served for eleven years.A historian by training, Carol previously spent many years on the faculty at Rice University and held several administrative leadership roles there. She is widely respected for her thoughtful approach to leadership, institutional change, and civic engagement.Her current work focuses on the role historic places can play in strengthening communities and fostering dialogue about the nation’s shared past and future.About the IngenioUs Leadership PodcastThe IngenioUs Leadership Podcast explores how leaders createsolutions to complex challenges in higher education and beyond. Through conversations with innovative and thoughtful leaders, the podcast highlights ideas, experiences, and perspectives that help listeners think differently aboutleadership today.

In this episode, David J. Staley reads his latest CHELIP: University Design column, “Interestingness,” inspired by Kenneth O. Stanley and Joel Lehman’s Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective.What if the pursuit of clearly defined objectives is actually the enemy of breakthrough innovation?Drawing on the intellectual journey of urban theorist Jane Jacobs, insights from computer science, and examples from the history of invention, Staley challenges one of higher education’s most sacred assumptions: that learning must always be guided by predetermined goals and measurable outcomes.Instead, he explores a radical idea — that interestingness, not objectives, may be the true engine of discovery.In This EpisodeWhy Jane Jacobs’ “directionless” intellectual wandering shaped one of the most influential urban thinkers of the 20th centuryHow experiments in artificial intelligence reveal the limits of goal-driven designThe paradox of innovation: why the stepping stones to major breakthroughs rarely resemble the final outcomeThe hidden cost of learning objectives and overly structured curriculaWhy students who feel “undecided” may actually be operating from a deeper intellectual instinctThe case for reimagining Liberal Studies as a major in “interestingness”Key Ideas1. Greatness Cannot Be PlannedMany transformative discoveries — from microwave ovens to airplanes to early computers — emerged not from direct goal pursuit, but from exploratory work aimed at entirely different problems.2. The Danger of Objective ThinkingAmbitious goals can create tunnel vision. When we fixate on outcomes, we may overlook the very stepping stones that would lead us there.3. Interestingness as a CompassNovelty acts as a detector of possibility. Interesting ideas open new pathways — even when their ultimate purpose is unclear.4. Are Universities Designed for Discovery?With tightly defined learning objectives and structured degree pathways, are we unintentionally suppressing intellectual exploration?5. Not Having a Plan Can Be a Very Good PlanFor students drawn to curiosity rather than credentials, exploration may not be aimless — it may be the most innovative strategy of all.About David J. StaleyDavid J. Staley is an Associate Professor in the Departments of History, Design, and Educational Studies at The Ohio State University and serves as an Honorary Faculty Fellow in Innovation with CHELIP. His research explores digital history, historical methodology, and the intersection of technology, scholarship, and the future of higher education. A prolific author and curator of digital and physical exhibits, Dr. Staley brings a deep interdisciplinary perspective to conversations about innovation and institutional transformation. A Question for ListenersAre our institutions designed to produce graduates with objectives — or graduates with curiosity?What might change if we structured higher education around interesting questions instead of predetermined outcomes?

This episode features a brief video reflection introducing a recent CHELIP blog essay by Melissa Morriss-Olson, Ph.D. that examines one of the quietest—and most consequential—forces shaping leadership culture: silence.The video frames the essay within a broader exploration of why innovation and change so often stall in higher education. Rather than focusing on a lack of ideas or commitment, it points to familiar leadership habits that make uncertainty, risk, and discomfort difficult to sustain. The reflection then turns to an even subtler dynamic—the unspoken rules leaders learn about what feels safe to say and what does not.The accompanying blog essay, The Cost of What We Don’t Talk About in Leadership, explores how silence becomes embedded in leadership culture over time. Leaders learn to read the room, soften language, and avoid naming persistent patterns in the name of professionalism or stability. While this restraint may feel responsible in the short term, the essay argues that it often comes at a cost—diminishing clarity, slowing learning, and quietly sustaining unresolved challenges .Rather than assigning blame, the reflection emphasizes clarity: what becomes possible when leaders are able to speak honestly about the realities they are navigating. The video serves as an entry point into a larger conversation about leadership culture, candor, and the conditions required for meaningful change.📖 Related blog essay: The Cost of What We Don’t Talk About in Leadership🎥 This episode accompanies a short video introducing the themes behind the essay

In this episode of University Design, David J. Staley reflects on the ideas behind his new book, The AI Symposium (Innovation Press, 2026), using this month’s column—and its accompanying recording—as an opportunity to explore a provocative rethinking of AI, dialogue, and learning in higher education.Rather than revisiting familiar debates about banning AI or defining its “ethical use” in the classroom, Staley invites listeners to step back and ask a deeper question: if large language models were explicitly designed to generate language, what does it really mean to treat that function as a problem? And what new possibilities emerge if we stop defending against AI and instead design with it?Drawing on the work of David Graeber and Mikhail Bakhtin, this episode reframes thinking itself as dialogic—something that arises between voices rather than inside isolated minds. From this perspective, the traditional student essay begins to look less like a timeless measure of understanding and more like a historically contingent form of assessment.Staley introduces The AI Symposium as both a conceptual experiment and a pedagogical provocation. In the project, multiple large language models are prompted to engage directly with one another in sustained dialogue, with the human designer acting as a “procedural author.” The result raises unsettling and generative questions: Can AI participate in dialogue in a meaningful way? Does dialogic exchange suggest a form of synthetic understanding? And what might this mean for how we assess student learning?The episode ultimately looks forward, imagining a future in which students design and host their own AI symposia—selecting participants, framing questions, and interpreting dialogue—as a richer demonstration of understanding than the traditional essay.In this episode, you’ll explore:Why debates about “ethical AI use” often miss the pointDialogue as the foundation of human thoughtThe limitations of essay-based assessment in an AI-enabled worldThe concept of the human as “procedural author”What happens when AI systems engage one another in dialogueHow the symposium could replace the essay as a primary form of assessmentThis episode accompanies David J. Staley’s University Design column and is inspired by his new book, The AI Symposium, which expands on these ideas and their implications for education, technology, and the future of thinking itself.