What happens when the President of the United States puts college presidents in the crosshairs—and suddenly, the name of your alma mater’s president is front-page news?

In this riveting episode of Unconventional Times, host Richard Gordon sits down with Mark Gearan, a two-time college president, White House veteran, and former Director of the Peace Corps, for a candid conversation about the future—and fragility—of American higher education. Together, they pull back the curtain on the unprecedented political and social pressures facing colleges today, with Mark Gearan offering a rare insider’s perspective on everything from contentious congressional hearings to student activism in the age of polarization.

Key highlights include:

• Why being a college president has become “front-page news”—and how it feels to be thrust into political firestorms.

• The real impact of declining public trust in higher education, and why college campuses are now ground zero for America’s culture wars.

• The evolving relevance of college—why Mark Gearan still passionately defends its value, but admits higher ed has a long road to regain the public’s trust.

• Striking a balance between diverse stakeholders: students, faculty, alumni, and the local community—while confronting pressures from donors, government mandates, and national protests.

• Inside stories on fostering “dialogue across difference”: bringing together unlikely political pairs—like James Carville and Chris Christie—and teaching students the value of encountering opposing views.

• Predictions about the next decade of higher ed: Will campuses as we know them survive the wave of online learning, AI, and political oversight?

Whether you’re a student, parent, policymaker, or just someone concerned about America’s future, this episode will make you question what colleges are for—and who gets to decide.

Episode Overview:

• [00:00:01] Introduction: College presidents under scrutiny and the politicization of higher education

• [00:03:04]

  Mark Gearan

  returns to Hobart and William Smith Colleges: Why come back, and what's changed in campus culture?

• [00:06:04] The COVID effect: Shifting attitudes and expectations among today’s students

• [00:07:00] Decline of public trust in higher ed—and why political agendas matter

• [00:08:02] Student activism: Hope, skepticism, and how young people are transforming movements today

• [00:13:46] Why institutions—colleges, FBI, courts—are losing respect, and what it means for democracy

• [00:16:14] Are colleges too “woke”? Navigating political polarization and promoting dialogue across difference

• [00:20:50] The new spotlight on college presidents: Costs, culture wars, and campus controversies

• [00:24:05] Balancing multiple stakeholders as a college president

• [00:29:37] Is college still relevant?

  Mark Gearan

  makes the case for higher education’s enduring value

• [00:33:10] The roommate effect: Diversity, growth, and the “social experiment” of campus life

• [00:37:13] How are technology and AI reshaping the future of college?

• [00:42:06] The decline of humanities—and why losing them could hurt our society

• [00:44:33] Blending business, entrepreneurship, and liberal arts: The Meli Institute story

• [00:47:01] President Trump, executive orders, and federal pressure on higher ed

• [00:51:01] The rising influence of wealthy donors—and protecting the student experience

• [00:53:03] Affirmative action, Supreme Court decisions, and the changing face of admissions

• [00:55:26] The Peace Corps: Its global and domestic impact explained

• [01:01:01] Peace Corps vs. USAID: How do these agencies work together?

• [01:01:15] Personal reflections:

  Mark Gearan

  shares favorite career moments—and the lasting impact of working with young people

• [01:03:24]

  Richard Gordon

  ’s closing thoughts and a call to defend the “envy of the world” that is American higher education

Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at the most unconventional—and consequential—issues facing college campuses today!