Summit Follow Up Discussion: Join us on December 1, 2026 for a follow up discussion to see how you can take the information from this summit and practically apply it to your department. Facilitated by Dr. Michael Preston, this discussion will focus on identifying ideas for each individuals department, and opportunities for areas to partner for solutions to student barriers.
About the Elevate Student Success Summit
Overview
The Elevate Student Success Summit gathers students, staff, faculty, and university leaders to discuss trending topics in student success. This two part series, with part one in fall, and part two in spring brings groups together to hear from keynote speakers, learn from industry leaders, and dig deep into the student success work happening across college campuses.
Topic: First Generation Student Success
The topic for this Elevate Student Success summit will center on first-generation student success. Hear from leaders including keynote speaker, Dr. Richard Reddick Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at University of Texas at Austin on how to elevate awareness of TXST first-gen student retention, understand barriers and challenges experienced by first-gen students, and ways to identify and challenge barriers to student success.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Richard Reddick
Richard J. Reddick, Ed.D. is the Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). A Distinguished Leadership Service Professor in the College of Education, Reddick is also the faculty co-chair of the Institute for Educational Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He teaches courses in the Signature Course Program, Plan II, Black Studies, and Educational Leadership at UT Austin. Reddick has authored and co-edited four scholarly volumes, with his work featured on NPR, BBC, CNN, and in Fortune, Nature, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. A first-generation collegian, Reddick earned degrees in Plan II Honors at UT Austin and a masters and doctorate from Harvard University. During his undergraduate years (1990-1995), Reddick was awarded a full Texas Achievement Honors Award scholarship and a Pell Grant. He served as an Orientation Advisor, Resident Advisor, and student staff member in the Office of the Dean of Students.
A dad of two, husband, son, and brother, Reddick also co-founded the first public Montessori school in East Austin and co-hosts the Signal Award winning NPR podcast, Black Austin Matters. He has appeared on several game shows, including Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, and Trivial Pursuit. His recent TED talk, “Nurturing Relationships Across Difference,” was a 2025 Editor’s Pick and has received over 18,000 views. Reddick has been honored by UT Austin with the Outstanding Young Texas Ex award (2012), the Presidential Citation (2022), the Distinguished Alumni Award (2025), and the Silver Spurs Hall of Fame (2026).
Elevate Student Success Summit Schedule
All events are located in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Check-in and Refreshments |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Welcome Remarks & The Face of First Gen at TXST |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | |
| 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. | |
| 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. | |
Summit Follow Up Discussion
Join us on December 1, 2026 for a follow up discussion to see how you can take the information from this summit and practically apply it to your department. Facilitated by Dr. Michael Preston, this discussion will focus on identifying ideas for each individuals department, and opportunities for areas to partner for solutions to student barriers.