How can campus leaders demonstrate higher education’s positive impact on the economy of local, state, and regional communities? A session at the ACE Experience 2026 (ACEx2026) will explore that question via ACE’s recently launched Economic Impact of Higher Education in America tool.ACEx2026, a multi-faceted, high-impact convening for college and university leaders is set for Feb. 25-28 in Washington, DC. Anchored by the ACE Annual Meeting, Feb. 26-27, ACEx2026 will empower campus leaders to foster innovation and resilience and champion higher education’s vital role in building our nation’s future.
The “Voices on Value: Impact Indicators in the Higher Education Ecosystem” during the Annual Meeting portion of ACEx2026 will showcase ACE’s Economic Impact tool and our work to tell the story—beyond the economics—that resonates with decisionmakers and provides resources to empower and activate the higher education community and our allies.
A panel moderated by Heidi Tseu, ACE assistant vice president of National Engagement, will look at how all this will drive the policy conversations of the future. The rest of the panel will feature:
- Northern Arizona University President José Luis Cruz Rivera
- Nicole Overley, commissioner of Virginia Works, the Commonwealth's Department of Workforce Development and Advancement
- UCLA Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy Matthew Malkan
- Jordan Matsudaira, director, Postsecondary Education & Economics Research Center; professor, American University School of Public Affairs
Among other major plenary and concurrent sessions, ACE President Ted Mitchell will kick off the Annual Meeting with a candid look at the forces pressing on our institutions and how higher education leaders can focus on advancing solutions and demonstrating that “Higher Education Builds America.” Following his address, Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and David Pressman, former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, will engage in a frank conversation about the rising tide of authoritarianism and its implications for higher education and democratic society.
Click here for more information about all of ACEx2026’s sessions and how to register.
