Working in academia has long been a dream role for many scholars, practitioners, and working professionals (Larsson & Alvinius, 2019). We asked a group of leaders from institutions of higher education what compelled them to work in a college or university setting. Their responses included seeking to recreate the transformational experience they had as students, to emulate the professors they learned from in the classroom, and “to make a difference.” After all, the typical college setting has historically had an aura of prestige: it’s been a place with community recognition where academic freedom is protected, new ideas emerge, and the next generation of critically thinking students are molded into thoughtful participants within society.
Character (Still) Counts: Moral Injury and the Case for Character Education
Many academic leaders remember the Character Counts! initiative from the 1990s and early 2000s. It was visible in schools and youth programs nationwide, emphasizing as core values the Six Pillars
Teresa Maggard Stephens
June 15, 2026
