Hastings College President Dr. Rich Lloyd and Dave Rippe, director of the College’s Scott Scholars Program, are set to join a series of public conversations hosted by the Flatwater Free Press on Friday, April 10, at the World Theatre in Kearney.
The Flatwater Forum: Tri-Cities features six panels designed as “journalism on stage,” bringing together farmers, medical providers, educators and newsmakers to discuss the primary issues impacting Central Nebraska. Lloyd and Rippe are participating in two separate panels focused on the evolving landscape of higher education and entrepreneurship in central Nebraska.
The Future of the Degree
At 2:15 p.m., Lloyd will participate in a panel titled, “The Present and Future of a College Degree.” Alongside leaders from other regional colleges and universities, the panel will discuss a number of challenges facing institutions today, from tuition pressure and a rapidly evolving jobs market to the “demographic cliff”—a looming decline in the number of high school graduates. The group will also discuss how they are working to prepare the next generation of Nebraskans for the future.
Entrepreneurship and Growth
At 4:35 p.m., Rippe, who also owns Queen City Development Company in Hastings, will join the panel, “Beyond Main Street: Entrepreneurship as an Economic Engine.” This discussion moves past small-business nostalgia to examine how ventures based in places like Hastings pull dollars into the region from outside its borders. The group will explore the role of entrepreneurship in fueling growth and the structural challenges, such as capital access and talent retention, that affect local business momentum.
Event Details
The Flatwater Forum is free and open to the public. Doors at the World Theatre open at noon, and the program runs from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Following the panels, the Flatwater Free Press will host a mixer at the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
For more information or to register for the event, visit flatwaterfreepress.org/events/flatwater-forum-tri-cities.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.