As Chris Lowery wraps up his tenure as Indiana’s Commissioner for Higher Education, he sits down with Indy Politics to reflect on what’s changed, what’s worked, and what’s still left to do. From freezing tuition statewide for the first time ever to automatically enrolling low-income students in the 21st Century Scholars program, Lowery shares how Indiana has tried to make college more accessible and affordable — and what it will take to keep students here after graduation.

They talk geography and grit (yes, Indiana has the dunes), the power of mentorship, and why connecting business and higher education might be the state’s biggest untapped opportunity.