We Have a Moral Obligation, Not a Technology Problem - with Dr. Summer McGee, President, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts 
Spotify Spotify 
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio 
Youtube Music Youtube Music 
Audible Audible 
Amazon Music Amazon Music 
Pandora Pandora 
YouTube YouTube 
Overcast Overcast 
Castro Castro 
PocketCasts PocketCasts 
Castbox Castbox 
Podchaser Podchaser 
TuneIn TuneIn 
Deezer Deezer 
RadioPublic RadioPublic 
Podcast Addict Podcast Addict 
Anghami Anghami 
PlayerFM PlayerFM 
Goodpods Goodpods 
Audacy Audacy 
Castamatic Castamatic 
JioSaavn JioSaavn 
RSS Feed RSS Feed Key Takeaways
- Dr. Summer McGee emphasizes that higher education's current challenges with AI are a moral obligation rather than a simple technology problem.
- Aligning faculty adoption of AI requires moving beyond a standard business case to arguments centered on student impact and institutional mission.
- Lenoir-Rhyne University successfully doubled an incoming class record and developed an entirely new strategic plan in under four months.
- Maintaining joy in the university presidency is highlighted as a critical factor for surviving and thriving in what is often considered the hardest job on earth.
It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Summer McGee, President, Lenoir-Rhyne University
This episode, President Series #508, is powered by Ellucian - Higher Ed's AI-Enriched Platform!
This episode is sponsored by the InsightsEDU 2027 Conference - focused on attracting & retaining the modern learner - where we will be podcasting live from February 23-25 in Phoenix, AZ! Use code EDUP & save $100! Early-bird pricing ends December 15, 2026!
This episode is also sponsored by 2026 Arizona Community College Administrators Conference where we will be podcasting live from October 7-9 on the campus of Yavapai College!
This episode is brought to you by Beyond Survival: Reporting from the Front Lines of Higher Education’s War for Relevance is a documentary account from the front lines of the most consequential upheaval in higher ed in generations!
YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio
- Why does the business case for AI adoption fail with faculty, & what argument actually moves them?
- What does it take to double an incoming class record & write a whole new strategic plan in under 4 months?
- If the presidency is the hardest job on earth, why does Summer say joy is the key to lasting in it?
Listen in to #EdUp
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!
Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio
● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience
We make education YOUR business!
P.S. Want access to the only intelligence platform built exclusively from presidential conversations in higher ed? Well, we have an app for that!
Join EdUp Leadership!
America's Leading Higher Education Podcast
America's Leading Higher Education Podcast Network
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the guest on this episode of The EdUp Experience?
The guest is Dr. Summer McGee, President of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Why does the traditional business case for AI adoption often fail with faculty?
Traditional business cases often fail because faculty are driven by mission and student success rather than purely technical or financial efficiencies; framing AI as a moral obligation resonates much more deeply.
What major achievements did Lenoir-Rhyne University accomplish under Dr. Summer McGee's leadership?
Lenoir-Rhyne doubled its incoming class record and authored a brand-new strategic plan in less than four months.
