The Future Series
The Future Series was a series of dynamic summits that set the conditions for our disciplined work together. Each summit featured broad participation by our students, faculty, and staff.

In addition, they included pre-readings and resources, a keynote address, facilitated activities, and opportunities for reflection that were designed to help us arrive at understandings and to generate ideas that position our liberal arts mission and our public good as a state college as both guide and ballast throughout this process.
The Future of Thought: Strategy & Uncertainty | November 2021
- Monday, November 15, 2021 | 1:00PM-2:15PM | Trustees Pavilion

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Laura Potter, Deputy Chief of Staff G-2, poses for her official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va, Sept. 15, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by William Pratt)
- Keynote Speaker: Lieutenant General Laura Potter, US Army. LTG Potter is the highest ranking military officer in the US Army.
- Program:
- I. Welcome; II. Fireside Chat with Keynote Speaker and President Jebb; III. Question & Answer; IV. Small Group Facilitated Activity and Report Out; V. Closing Remarks
- Pre-readings/Resources:
- Good to Great for the Social Sector by Jim Collins ()ÌýÌý
- Courtney, H. Kirkland, J., Viguerie, P. (2005) Strategy Under Uncertainty. Harvard Business Review. (
- Small Group Facilitated Activity (get activity)
- Pre-registration was required by November 12.
The Future of Society: Conflict, Culture, & Character | December 2021

Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D.
- Thursday, December 2, 2021 |1:00PM-2:15PM | Trustees Pavilion
- Keynote Speakers: Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., Dean Emerita of the Howard University School of Education and Professor of Education Policyand H. Patrick Swygert, J.D., President Emeritus of Howard University and Professor of Law
- Program:
- I. Welcome; II. Fireside Chat with Dr. Fenwick, Mr. Swygert, and President Jebb; III. Question & Answer; IV. Small Group Facilitated Activity and Report Out; V. Closing Remarks
- Pre-readings/Resources:
- Good to Great for the Social Sector by Jim Collins ()Ìý

H. Patrick Swygert, J.D.
- Gallagher, T. (2021). The Democratic Imperative for Higher Education: Empowering Students to Become Active Citizens. AAC&U. Liberal Education Magazine. ()
- Interview with Yuval Noah Harari: The Power of Data, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of the Human Race. (Oct.31, 2021) 60 Minutes. )
- The Importance of Character in Education featuring Lorraine Abbott. (July 2016). TEDxPutneyHighSchool. ()
- Cultural Competence: An Important Skillset for the 21st Century (Feb. 2016). NebGuide.
- Small Group Facilitated Activity (get activity)
Roundtable: Reflecting on the Future of Thought & the Future of Society | December 2021
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021 |12:00PM-1:00PM | Trustees Pavilion 1
The Future of Learning: K-12 Insights | February 2022
- Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 1:00PM-2:30 PM | Trustees Pavilion
- This summit focused on:
- Arriving at a better understanding of the experiences and needs of New Jersey’s K-12 students and K-12 districts
- Identifying strategies the College may deploy to support students’ academic pursuits and well-being
- Learning more about ways in which Ramapo College and K12 school districts may partner for the mutual benefit of our students, our institutions, and the teaching profession
- Panelists:
- Ms. Melanie Alston-Balaputra, Vice Principal, Bergen County Technical School, Paramus
- Dr. Rui Dionisio, Superintendent of Schools, Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District
- Mr. Antonio Garcia, Principal, Passaic County Technical Institute
- Dr. Thomas Gorman, Superintendent, Ridgewood Public Schools
- Ms. Eileen Shafer, M.Ed., Superintendent of Schools, Paterson Public Schools
- Pre-readings/Resources:
- Good to Great and the Social SectorsÌýby Jim Collins; 2005 ()
- Accelerate Recovery: Stop the College Readiness COVIDÌýSlide by Ryan Reyna, Education Strategy Group; May 2020 ()
- COVID Harmed Kids’ Mental Health and Schools are Feeling ItÌýby Christine Vestal, Pew Charitable Trusts; November 2021 ()
- Impact of COVID19 on the K-12 Education Workforce: One Year Later,ÌýMission Square Research Institute,;August 2021 ()
- Leadershift 2020: Reinventing our Schools for Extraordinary and Uncertain TimesÌý(excerpted) by Brian Chinni, Glenn Nowosad, Nicky Mohan, Ian Jukes; 2020 (get excerpt); full text available atÌý
- History and Evolution of Public Education in the US,ÌýCenter on Education Policy at George Washington University; 2020 ()
- Small Group Activity (get pdf)
The Future of Work: Learning & Labor | March 2022
- Monday, March 7, 2022 | 1:00PM-2:45PM | Trustees Pavilion
- Keynote Speaker(s): Pat Wadors ’87, Chief Talent Officer, Procore

Pat Wadors ’87
Chief Talent Officer, Procore
- This summit focused on change management and explored the factors favoring change at Ramapo and in the workforce at large. It also discussed “integrated understanding” as a strategy to develop “work readiness.”
- ÌýPre-readings/Resources:
- Good to Great and the Social SectorsÌýby Jim Collins; 2005 ()
- AACU Getting Ready: Liberal Arts & Sciences in Post-Pandemic WorldÌý(get excerpt)
- Future Work Skills 2020: Drivers and Key ShiftsÌý(get infographic)
- Talent on Tap | Why We Need to Rethink Hiring for Cultural FitÌý()
- Future(s) of Work and LearningÌý(get excerpt)
- Top 10 Job Skills/How Long it Takes to Learn ThemÌý()
- The Five Minds for the FutureÌý()
- Small Group Facilitated Activity (get pdf)
Roundtable: Reflecting on the Future of Learning & the Future of Work | March 2022
- Thursday, March 24, 2022 |1:00PM-2:15PM | SC 157-158
The Future of Ramapo: Readiness & Resolve | April 2022
- Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 1:00PM-2:15PM | SC 156-8
-
Program:
-
This summit reflected on the learnings from the previous fourÌýFuture SeriesÌýprograms and moved us towards the establishment of a strategic posture statement to shape the future of Ramapo.
-
What is a strategic posture statement? “Fundamentally, posture defines the intent of the strategy relative to the current and future state of an industry…A posture is not a complete strategy. It clarifies strategic intent but not the actions required to fulfill that intent.” (Courtney, Kirkland, and Viguerie, 1997).
-
The summit involved primarily group work aimed at generating the essential components of the statement.
- Pre-readings/Resources:
- Good to Great and the Social SectorsÌýby Jim Collins; 2005 ()
- Small Group Facilitated ActivityÌý(get pdf)
Strategic Posture Statement Roundtable Sessions | May 2022
Faculty, staff, students, and friends attended these sessions in person and virtually to provide input on a draft strategic posture statement.ÌýThe posture statement served as the foundation from which the Strategic Plan Writing Team developed the draft Plan.
-
- Session 1: Monday, May 2, 2022 | 1:00PM-2:15PM | Trustees Pavilion & WebEx
- Session 2: Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM | York Room, Birch Mansion
- Program:
- Welcome by President Jebb
- Presentation of greenlit Needs Statement Proposals
- Reflection and input on the draft posture statement
- Next Steps
Follow Ramapo