The Presidents Dinner
The 8th Annual Presidents Dinner
The 8th annual Presidents Dinner, hosted by Bucknell University and President John Bravman, took place on Sept. 4, 2025, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Attendees included 30 members of the national and higher education media and 11 college and university presidents. Attendance at the Presidents Dinner is by invitation only.
Media attendees
- ABC News
- Associated Press
- Bloomberg News
- Boston Globe
- The Christian Science Monitor
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Inside Higher Ed
- MarketWatch
- Money
- The New York Times
- NPR
- Open Campus
- POLITICO
- Trusteeship Magazine
- U.S. News & World Report
- USA TODAY
- The Wall Street Journal
- The Washington Post
Presidential attendees
- Garry W. Jenkins, Bates College
- John C. Bravman, Bucknell University
- Alison Byerly, Carleton College
- Vincent D. Rougeau, College of the Holy Cross
- Doug Hicks, Davidson College
- Steven Tepper, Hamilton College
- Julie Kornfeld, Kenyon College
- Carmen Twillie Ambar, Oberlin College & Conservatory
- G. Gabrielle Starr, Pomona College
- William C. Dudley, Washington and Lee University
- Maud S. Mandel, Williams College
Topics of conversation, among others
- Affordability initiatives
- AI
- Antisemitism
- Athletics
- Campus protests
- Career preparation for students
- Civic engagement
- College/university closures and mergers
- Demographic forecasts
- Department of Education diminished
- Discount rates/net tuition revenue
- Divestment demands and decisions
- Endowment tax
- Enrollment trends
- Federal funding mechanisms
- Federal agency overreach
- Financial aid trends
- Fiscal responsibility
- Freedom of speech
- Higher ed legislation
- Institutional financial stability
- International student support
- Public perceptions of higher education
- Research funding
- Rethinking college admissions
- Role of college presidents
- Socio-emotional support for students
- State of diversity, equity and inclusion
- Student outcomes
The Presidents Dinner 2024
Bucknell Makes Headlines Around the World
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS 2023-24
Bucknell nearly doubled its global media reach in 2023-24, appearing in media outlets in 56 countries, 25 more than in the preceding year. Bucknell faculty and University leaders appeared nearly 3,000 times across media channels, including stories in The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education and on the cover of National Geographic. Learn why Bucknell experts are sought for their expertise on issues of global interest in our annual collection of media highlights.