Commencement always makes me think about what our graduates are walking into. This year, with the Class of 2026, the real answer was a hard one: trust in our institutions—government, the media, business, higher education—is at a low.

What does a university owe its graduates when it comes to their careers? It’s a question I hear constantly—from fellow presidents, employers, politicians, and families at admitted students events—and I don’t think higher education has answered it clearly enough.

I recently shared in The Wall Street Journal what it will take to restore trust in higher education, and the response confirmed what I already believed: people are hungry for action, not just words.

As December winds down and we pause for year‑end reflection, I’m especially focused on our students. The health and resilience of our students are prerequisites for rigorous learning and constructive dialogue.

With public trust in higher education under pressure, it’s easy to focus on what needs fixing. But the greater challenge—and opportunity—is to strengthen what’s working…

From slowed hiring in once burgeoning sectors, to early impacts of corporate AI adoption, and an unemployment rate among recent graduates reaching its highest level in years, it’s no surprise many are asking: is college still worth it?

This commencement season, I send my heartfelt congratulations to all graduates of the Class of 2025. And as they step into the world and the leadership roles they’ve been preparing for, I leave a piece of advice: remember to distinguish values from opinion…

Last month, I had the opportunity to engage global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos and came away feeling more certain than ever before about the following about higher education…

Polarization in America is not new. In fact, at Dartmouth’s Polarization Research Lab, Professor Sean Westwood and his team have been applying science to the study of polarization and democracy since 2022. But, what is of growing concern is our confidence in being right…