Educators, policymakers, and advocates from across Pennsylvania gathered in Arcadia University’s Commons Great Room for the 2025 Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable (PCPR) Spring Symposium. This year’s theme, “Bracing for Change: The Road to Student Success in Uncertain Times,” tackled the urgent challenges facing higher education amid shifting political, financial, and policy landscapes.

Arcadia University President Ajay Nair welcomed guests to campus and encouraged attendees to continue fighting for the protection of higher education and education as a whole.

“We are here today because we believe in a future where higher education remains a force for progress, civic engagement, and social mobility, not for division or control,” said President Nair. “So I invite you to listen deeply, speak boldly, and leave today with renewed purpose. The challenges are real—but so is our capacity to meet them. Let us be a reflection of the world in which we want to live, and keep students at the center of all that we do.”

The symposium included a keynote address by Assistant Vice President of National Engagement for the American Council on Education Heidi Tseu, Esq., titled “Higher Education in a Changing Political Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities;” a presentation by Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education Dr. Kate Shaw titled “Update on Pennsylvania Higher Education Plan;” a panel discussion titled “Navigating Policy Landscapes: Insights from Elected Officials;” a special tribute to the late student advocate Michael Gaynor; and a lunchtime resource fair.

A higher education leadership panel titled “Navigating Higher Education: Creative Strategies for Student Success in Turbulent Times” followed, featuring enrollment and student affairs experts, including Arcadia’s Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students Dr. Donavan McCargo, who shared insights on Arcadia’s approach to managing funding changes and ensuring the student stays at the core of our mission.

“We need to be thinking about ways we can realign our resources. When institutions say things are important, we have to put our money where our mouth is, right?” said McCargo. “We made the initial investment of saying we want these programs here, we can’t say now we don’t want them here because the federal government or state government says we can’t afford to provide support to you.

“There are so many opportunities for us to be cross-collaborators internally; we can’t be great cross-collaborators externally until we get that part right. If you have a need, don’t just think about your need, think about the needs of the institution, and more importantly, think about the needs of the student.”

Participants also explored challenges around FAFSA changes, support for undocumented students, and strategies to make higher education more affordable. The event closed with a call to action, urging attendees to continue their advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.