Jeffrey Selingo

Washington Post Columnist & Author

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Biography

Jeffrey J. Selingo is a best-selling author and award-winning columnist who helps parents and higher-education leaders imagine the college and university of the future and how to succeed in a fast-changing economy. Read More >

Selingo is a contributing editor at The Atlantic, and his writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. He is the author of three books, including the New York Times bestseller, Students Should Know About Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow, and There Is Life After College: What Parents. There Is Life After College (HarperCollins) explores how today’s young adults need to navigate school for the job market of tomorrow. Jeff is also the author of College (Un)Bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students, a New York Times bestselling education book in 2013, and MOOC U: Who Is Getting the Most Out of Online Education and Why. He is currently working on his next book about a year in the life of college admissions — who gets in and why — to be published by Simon & Schuster in 2020.

He is the former top editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he worked for 16 years in a variety of reporting and editing roles. Jeff is also a contributor to LinkedIn and an influencer, where you can follow his blog posts on higher education. He has appeared on ABC, CNN, PBS, and NPR. He is a special advisor to the president at Arizona State University, where he is the founding director of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership, a partnership between ASU and Georgetown University. Selingo is also a visiting scholar at the Center for 21st Century Universities at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jeff’s work has been honored with awards from the Education Writers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Associated Press. He has been the keynote speaker before dozens of associations and universities and appears regularly on regional and national radio and television programs.

Jeff received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in government from the Johns Hopkins University. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Washington, D.C. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

The Value of a College Degree

Life After College

College (Un)Bound

The Learning House

The Future of Higher Education

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Speech Topics

There Is Life After College: Making the Most of the Undergraduate Years for Success in Life

It’s not good enough anymore to simply gain admission to college and then roll into the job market a few years later. How students go to college—the undergraduate experiences they take advantage of on campuses—matters to how they launch into the job market. Based on research from his New York Times bestselling book and a national survey of twentysomethings, the audience will learn the three primary ways today’s graduates launch from college and how their experiences come to shape the beginning of their careers. This talk is aimed at college leaders, school counselors, employers as well as students and their parents. Among other things, the audience will: Read More >

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Gain insight into how young adults can better navigate the route from high school through college and into the economy where the world of work and jobs are changing.
Discover the fundamental experiences in and out of school that shape success in the job market today.
Learn the skills that prove most helpful, and why some students prosper, while others fail.
Hear a hopeful, inspiring blueprint to help alleviate anxiety about preparing for life after college.

2027: The Decade Ahead for Higher Education

What changes are in store for higher education over the next decade? It’s a question being asked by college leaders, faculty members, policy makers, and of course, students and parents. Higher education is on the cusp of far-reaching changes over the next decade where technology is playing a larger role and students, parents, and educators alike are asking what colleges should teach and how learning should be measured in an era of shifting needs in the economy. Drawing on research from his bestselling book, College (Un)Bound, and a follow-up report he authored for The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2016, the audience for this talk includes college leaders, faculty members, policymakers, and high-school administrators. Among their key takeaways: Read More >

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Discover the attributes of a new era of higher education, how it differs from the past, and what it means for the future of colleges and universities.
Learn about the students of the next decade, and hear about the demographic changes coming to campuses.
Hear about the numerous learning pathways that students might follow ten years from now and the credentials they’ll receive from that learning.
Understand the role technology will play and the value of the physical campus.

Testimonials

"It was great! He was so flexible and wonderful to work with. We had a wonderful dinner with amazing conversation. The book discussion was very thoughtful and well received, and the final session was solid as well. Thank you so much for all of your help making this happen. I think we will continue this campus conversation for a long time!"

- University of Wyoming

"Jeff was beyond knowledgeable and really provided a thoughtful leadership point of view for us and our attendees. We had folks tweeting out messages that Jeff had discussed. We also appreciated his panel moderation to which he lent expert opinion backed by fact that really increased a perception of credibility."

- Director of Corporate Communications, LiveText, Inc.

"Thank you to you and to all of your team members for helping to make Jeff Selingo’s participation at Campus Technology 2017 possible. We were delighted that he was able to join us in Chicago to share his perspective on “2027: The Decade Ahead for Higher Education” with our conference audience. Attendees were very engaged with his ideas and Jeff did a very effective job answering questions. He also stayed to chat with a few attendees after the talk, even though he had a very short time to spare until his travel to O’Hare for his return flight."

- Campus Technology Conference

"Jeff was fantastic! While the content is sobering, Jeff's delivery and knowledge make it easy to comprehend. Now it's up to us to make sure we innovate to meet the demands of a rapidly changing market. Thanks for your help in making Jeff's presentation so thought-provoking and inspiring."

- Vice President for Development & Alumni Affairs, Quinnipiac University

"It was a great keynote! He was an excellent addition to our conference. We heard great feedback from the audience—attendees felt like he understood issues that they were dealing with on a daily basis. The room was packed!"

- Association of College & University Housing Officers – International

"First of all I would like to thank you for your assistance. It was pleasure to working with you! Jeffrey’s session went very well and we were very pleased to have him on board. I have spoken to the Chair and few others who gave me positive feedback. Thank you very much again."

- Producer, Association & Communications Events

"Jeff did a fantastic job for us last week! He was completely in his element, relaxed and got on famously with the audience. He hit a home and, as always, was a delight to work with."

- Jenzabar

"Jeff was engaging and well-prepared, and provided the board some new things to consider. Thank you again for securing him for us!"

- Colorado State University-Global Campus

"Everything went very well - Jeff was perfect to kick off our retreat and did a great job of interacting with the presidents. Logistics were flawless."

- Ontario College Association

“It is good every now and then for those of us who work in higher education – both faculty and staff – to hear from someone who sees the role of colleges in universities through a different prism. Jeff Selingo did not disappoint. He delivered great information and keen observations based on solid research.”

- Edinboro University

"Jeff did a great job out our conference. Both our clients and our team really liked his presentation and the data he shared."

- AcademicWorks