The year 2026 is a very important one. Of course, July 4 marks the 250th birthday of the United States of America. A 250th anniversary of an event is called a semiquincentennial. We’ve been celebrating all year. It's been pretty amazing. On the weekend of the 4th, the day we know as Independence Day, there were celebrations from coast to coast. Music, fireworks, flyovers, and flags filled the air everywhere. It was a joyful occasion for most. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to celebrate two 50‐year anniversaries of our country. Mine are 1976 and 2026.
In our recurring “5 Questions with” series, the Recruiting and Retaining Adult Learners marketing column profiles a communications professional through a brief Q&A. This month, we introduce you to Lisa Bastuba, associate director of content strategy at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Much has been written about the first several weeks and months in a new university leadership position. Advice often centers around refrains like “meet a lot of people,” “enjoy the honeymoon and then make decisions,” and “take your time to listen and learn.”
In this conversation, Amy Kapp, an early childhood mental health specialist based in Michigan, reflects on over a decade of navigating the intersection of trauma, public education, and university partnerships.
Higher education is often described as a place of innovation — a space where new knowledge is generated and new ideas debated. Yet, when it comes to institutional change, colleges and universities can be remarkably resistant. In her essay “Are You Prepared to Lead Change,” Jennifer Askey, an academic coach and former advisor to the provost at the University of Alberta, argues that the challenge is not simply structural; it is cultural; it is human. And too often, leaders underestimate the relational work required to move institutions forward.
