OFIC Attends 2025 Mackinac Roundtable on Talent
Leaders from across higher education and industry came together June 22–24 at the iconic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for the 13th annual Mackinac Roundtable on Talent, presented by Dynamic Campus. Among them were OFIC President Bill Spiker and Melanie Garrabrant, Director of Talent Connections, representing Ohio’s independent colleges and universities in national conversations around student success and workforce readiness.
Bill Spiker, OFIC President, Brian Reed, OFIC Trustee, Melanie Garrabrant, OFIC Director of Talent Connections
The Roundtable is a national platform for cross-sector collaboration, bringing together college and university presidents, corporate leaders, and workforce professionals to explore how institutions—especially small, private colleges—can better prepare students for the modern workforce.
This year’s event welcomed over 300 individuals from 35 states, including:
96 campus leaders
12 association leaders
48 sponsors
20 corporate leaders
More than 120 college and university presidents participated, representing a shared commitment to strengthening student outcomes.
Highlights from the Program
Attendees heard from nationally recognized speakers and participated in sessions focused on actionable strategies and real-world challenges. Topics included:
New Approaches to Experiential Learning
Curriculum Development for Student Outcomes
Technology & AI in Career Services
Cultivating Career Skills through Athletics
Leadership Reflections and the Role of Presidents in Talent Development
Featured speakers included Peter Boumgarden (Washington University), Ruth Watkins (Strada Education Foundation), Darrell Williams (Hampton University), Ashley Finley (AAC&U), and Leonard Taylor (Indiana University/NSSE), among others.
“It was energizing to hear directly from campus and industry leaders who are facing the same challenges we see at OFIC institutions,” said Melanie Garrabrant. “We’re excited to bring some of these ideas—and hopefully some of the speakers—into future OFIC programming.”
Looking Ahead
OFIC is exploring ways to bring content and speakers from the Mackinac Roundtable to a future Insider Innovations event in late January, helping connect national conversations to the work happening across Ohio’s independent colleges and universities.