Suggestions
Ben Wildavsky
Higher education strategist, writer, and consultant
Ben Wildavsky is a veteran higher education strategist, writer, editor, speaker, convener, and podcast host with decades of experience in journalism and education policy.4 He is currently a Visiting Scholar at the University of Virginia.5
Professional Experience
Wildavsky has held several notable positions throughout his career:
Higher Education and Workforce Consultant:: Since 2003, he has been working as an education writer, speaker, convener, and strategic planner for various clients, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Burning Glass Institute, and Lumina Foundation.1
Senior Vice President, National Engagement:: From January 2019 to April 2021, he worked at Strada Education Network, where he oversaw thought leadership and shaped strategy as part of the executive leadership team.1
Podcast Host:: Wildavsky is the founding host of "Lessons Earned," a podcast launched in March 2020 by the Strada Education Network, where he interviewed higher education and workforce leaders.1
Expertise and Contributions
Ben Wildavsky is known for his expertise in:
- Higher education policy
- Workforce development
- Education-workforce connections
He has contributed significantly to the field through various activities:
- Writing for publications such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes1
- Speaking at conferences like SXSWedu, ASU-GSV, and ACE1
- Authoring books, including "The Career Arts: Making the Most of College, Work, and Life"23
- Leading expert working groups and publishing reports on postsecondary education and the workforce1
Wildavsky's work focuses on improving connections between education and work, and he is recognized as a thought leader in the field of higher education and workforce development.5
Highlights
Maybe you should think twice before speaking your truth! In her latest Advice Obsessed column on Substack, my wise wife Rachel Wildavsky takes on Dear Abby (the 2.0 version) and the culture of confrontation. Sure, this approach may be the flavor of the month for the advice columnists Rachel has made it her mission to keep honest. But, she writes: "confrontation almost never helps. It just digs the confronter more deeply into self-righteousness. It forecloses learning, and ends the relationships it’s supposed to save." Yes, I'm biased, but Advice Obsessed is great and it's free to subscribe! Please sign up to read them all.
My latest guest on #HigherEdSpotlight, Anthony Jack, burst onto the national scene when he published "The Privileged Poor" in 2019. Now this pioneering sociologist of higher education is again turning his gaze to the struggles low-income students face at elite colleges. His new book, “Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price,” will be out on August 13 from Princeton University Press. Tony pays particular attention to how the Covid-19 pandemic amplified the external inequalities that affect the college experience of disadvantaged undergrads. In his blistering critique, he argues that the most selective universities, despite vast resources, often fail to support marginalized students. Tony contends that they prioritize performative diversity over substantive help, and offers specific suggestions for how they could reassess and improve their policies.
Tony was one of my very first podcast guests when I launched “Lessons Earned” for Strada Education Network four years ago. Now he’s my first-ever repeat guest over two podcasts and 63 episodes. I’m so glad we were able to speak again about his provocative and illuminating new book. Please listen to the full episode here: 👉http://tiny.cc/p0e2zz 🎧 Rate and subscribe if you’d like to be notified about new episodes!
