St. Francis College is proud to welcome all alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff to join us at the 26th annual Volpe Lecture. Named after Thomas J. Volpe, Chairman Emeritus of the College’s Board of Trustees, the Volpe Lecture Series brings renowned experts and talent from multidisciplinary industries to St. Francis College.

This year, the U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal, shares his personal story, insights into the future of higher education, upcoming trends and more.

RSVP is required.

James Kvaal was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Education on September 14, 2021. Kvaal is the former president of the Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a research and advocacy non-profit dedicated to affordability and equity in higher education. TICAS is nationally recognized for its research and policy recommendations on student debt.

Previously, Kvaal served in the Obama Administration as the deputy domestic policy adviser at the White House and deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education. He led efforts to cut student loan monthly payments, hold career colleges accountable for excessive debt and make community colleges tuition-free. He helped organize the White House Summit on College Opportunity, which featured more than 100 college presidents and other leaders committing to actions to help more students graduate from college.

Kvaal also has served in senior roles in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He has taught at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy and graduated with honors from Stanford University and Harvard Law School.