Keynote for October 15, 2026
Next Frontiers for Community College Innovation: Redesigning the Student Experience for Educational and Career Success
Drawing on a decade of research on guided pathways reforms and their new book, More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success, CCRC researchers Davis Jenkins and Hana Lahr will explore the next frontiers for helping community college students succeed—not only in college, but in careers and further education after they complete. They will highlight five areas for further innovation and take a deeper look at how colleges can redesign recruitment and onboarding so that every student develops a purposeful educational plan aligned with their interests, strengths, and aspirations.
Keynote for October 16, 2026
The Great Mismatch: AI, Demographics, and the Work That Needs Doing
The unemployment rate may barely move over the next year, but that doesn’t mean the labor market is standing still. Beneath a calm headline number, the architecture of work is shifting fast: AI is reshuffling white-collar and technical jobs rather than hollowing them out, while an aging population pulls demand toward care, health, and the hands-on roles that are hardest to fill. Drawing on Indeed’s real-time hiring data – national and right here in North Carolina – this keynote looks at where the work is moving, which jobs are being rebuilt, and why community colleges sit at the very center of helping workers reach the opportunities that need doing.
Prior to joining Indeed, Laura served as a Senior Regional Economist and Senior Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, primarily focused on research related to higher education and workforce dynamics. For over a decade, Laura was an economics professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Winthrop University. Her research interests include higher education, community college policy, labor participation, and the economic impact of local development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Georgia and a master’s and doctorate in Economics from the University of Tennessee.