ACE, Other Experts Gather at Howard University to Discuss Higher Ed’s Economic Impact

Higher education leaders, advocates, and researchers came together at Howard University Monday for the launch of ACE's new Economic Impact of Higher Education in America tool.

Held at Howard's Oliver Building, the event drew nearly 100 people eager to explore how more thorough data can highlight higher education's positive impact and value, not only for students but also for the economy of local, state, and regional communities.

The program featured remarks from senior leaders and policymakers, a technical overview of the new tool, and an analysis of the broader value of higher education during a panel of policy analysts, researchers, and institutional leaders. ACE President Ted Mitchell opened the program by emphasizing how the new tool captures the far-reaching value of higher education.

Ted Mitchell gives Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick a "Higher Education Builds America" cap (Photo courtesy of Cedric Mobley for Howard University).

"As we say at ACE, higher education builds America, and we believe that this tool will help us understand that in some detail," Mitchell said.

Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick also welcomed attendees to campus and underscored Howard's deep commitment to advancing opportunity and economic mobility, describing how higher education has impacted him personally.

"You cannot talk about American exceptionalism without recognizing that our American colleges and universities have been a cornerstone of that exceptionalism," Frederick said.

Reps. Burgess Owens (R-UT) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) each provided prerecorded video remarks, commending ACE for spotlighting higher education's economic role and sharing their perspectives on the value of higher education. ACE's Emmanual Guillory and Danielle Melidona then unveiled the new Economic Impact tool and walked the audience through its development, data sources, and potential applications.

Following the presentation, Inside Higher Ed Editor-in-Chief Sara Custer moderated a discussion on how these data can inform public understanding and policymaking. Panelists included Jared C. Bass of the Center for American Progress; Andrew Flagel of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area; Alex Ricci of the National Council of Higher Education Resources; and Mamie Voight of the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Panelists weighed how to consider higher education as both a private and public good simultaneously, while highlighting how institutions serve as economic anchors and major employers in communities across the country. They also examined how transparent and accessible data can shape decisions about investment, workforce policy, and institutional strategy, while stressing the importance of remembering that behind the data are individual people.

The launch of the Economic Impact of Higher Education in America tool marks another milestone in ACE's ongoing effort to strengthen public understanding of higher education's value through research and innovation and communicate the many ways that higher education builds America. The tool, available here, offers policymakers, journalists, and campus leaders an accessible way to explore how institutions power economies and communities nationwide.