Montclair State University President Talks Higher Ed and Leadership

Steve Adubato goes on-location to the 2017 Montclair State University Annual Scholarship Dinner and spoke with the school's president, Dr. Susan Cole, about the state of higher education as well as the leadership lessons she has learned.

5/25/17 #2040

Excerpt:

"Hi folks, this is Steve Adubato. More importantly, we're at the Kasser Theater at beautiful Montclair State University. This is in fact this crowd behind us is gathered for the 2017 Montclair State University Scholarship Dinner. And we are honored to be speaking with Dr. Susan Cole, the President of Montclair State University. Describe for folks watching us on every conceivable platform why all these folks have gathered tonight. They have gathered tonight to help us raise the money that we need for scholarships for students. One of the things that is real in today's world is that even in public universities, and remember 75 percent of Americans go to public universities, the government has so abandoned support that students struggle to pay even public university tuitions. Let's talk about this a little bit. This night, and by the way, to disclose, I've been honored, I'm a graduate of Montclair State University, class of 1980. Do the math. But the other thing is that I've been honored to host this event many, many years, and the amount of money is extraordinary, but the scholarships for these students, it can change their lives, Doctor Cole? Right? It does change their lives. What it really means is that a student who is studying science, who is studying chemistry, or studying physics, can actually spend time working in the laboratory and studying, instead of trying to work two jobs at the mall in order to pay their tuition, buy their computer, and eat their food. It gives them the opportunity to realize their potential. Let's try this. The other question is about leadership. Dr. Cole and I have a lot of conversations about leadership. If you were to say what the number one leadership lesson you have learned as the president of this institution, that you would want to share with the students as well as everyone watching right now, what would that be? I think the primary thing, I believe, about leadership from years of having been a president is that it is never about yourself. Never about yourself. It is always about the mission. If you know what it is you're trying to accomplish, and why you're trying to accomplish it, then what you do is you convince other people that this is an important mission, and that they have something to contribute to it. You have to make it belong to the people who are actually going to realize the goal. Dr. Cole, let's talk a little bit about the state of higher education today. You've been with us many times on public television talking about the challenges that, not just professionals like yourself, leaders in higher ed face, but students as well. The state of..."