Peril & Promise: A Conversation on College Leadership
Open to Everyone
On Monday, November 3, 2025, the Trotter Multicultural Center, in partnership with the Central Student Government and the National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID), will host Peril & Promise: A Conversation on College Leadership in Rackham Auditorium at the University of Michigan. This of a kind event will bring together two esteemed leaders in higher education:
- Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, president emerita of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University, and a nationally respected voice on equity, access, and institutional change.
- Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, psychologist, and best-selling author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
This public conversation—moderated by Dr. Earl Lewis—will explore the promise and challenges of leadership in complex times, with particular attention to the role of student activism, institutional memory, and courageous decision-making. Both speakers bring firsthand experience navigating public discourse, student advocacy, and the responsibilities of institutional leadership across public and private contexts.