Presentations and Speaking Engagements

Dr. Donald guy Generals

Presentations and Speaking Engagements

2021

ThinkFest 2021: Educating Philly, from Pre-K to PhDs

Nov. 11, 2021

In the seventh session of Philadelphia magazine's ThinkFest 2021, editor Kate Dailey speaks with Dr. William Hite, outgoing superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, and Dr. Guy Generals, president of the Community College of Philadelphia, about what the arc of a public school education should look like. Watch the session.

2021 ACCT Leadership Congress

Oct. 13-16, 2021

Dr. Generals, Mayor Kenney and Jeremiah White, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, gave a presentation at the annual Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) conference, held Oct. 13 to 16. The session, titled “A Model City-College Partnership,” highlighted how the College and the City have collaborated to achieve better outcomes for Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents through three signature initiatives: the Power Up Your Business program, the Octavius Catto Scholarship, and the shared housing program in partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

Dr. Generals Addressing Challenges to Black Males

July 28, 2021

A free event hosted by the National Alliance of Community & Technical Colleges features panelists Dr. Generals; Derrick Perkins, director of the Center for Male Engagement; and Dr. William Hite, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. They will discuss the impact that the pandemic has had on Black male students, such as employment, college attendance and health care.

Fireside Chat: Honoring Black History Month

February 17, 2021

With dozens of College students, faculty and staff in attendance, Dr. Generals, Community College of Philadelphia’s president, held his annual Black History Month fireside chat on February 17. The event began as a rigorous examination of race and social stratification in the United States and eventually lead to a lively and multifaceted group conversation.   

2020

Celebrating 15 Years of Graduate! Philadelphia: Advancing Learning Pathways and Economic Opportunity

October 27, 2020

Dr. Generals will be a featured speaker at ED Talks: A Showcase of Learning and Innovation in the Era of COVID-19. How do we ensure advancement in career pathways, promote positive health outcomes and help adults prepare for the future? Hear directly from Graduate! Philadelphia and local educational and nonprofit leaders about how higher education and workforce development is a driving force behind our region’s economic, health and social recovery. This virtual event will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

B. PHL Fireside Chat

July 22, 2020

Dr. Generals was a guest on B. PHL's Fireside Chat series on July 22, which streamed on Facebook Live. He talked about the College as a vital educational resource in the city, how learning has changed with COVID-19 and how the College helps small businesses thrive through such programs as Power Up.

An Eco-system for a Poverty Action Plan: re-imagining, innovating and a call to action

July 9, 2020

Dr. Generals was featured as a guest speaker at a virtual event created by the Social Innovations Journal. He spoke on the issues that underly economic disparity in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia's Poverty Action Plan's promise to raise 100,000 residents out of poverty by 2024.

University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education roundtable: Inside Leaders’ Minds: Planning for the Uncertain Future

Philadelphia, PA, May 6, 2020

With peers like Dr. Julie Wollman, president of Widener University and Father Scott Pilarz, president of the University of Scranton, Dr. Generals participated in a roundtable to discuss issues and innovations in higher education. The roundtable is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s Visiting College Leaders Series.

City of Philadelphia Catto press briefing

Philadelphia, PA, March 3, 2020 

At his annual budget hearing, Mayor Jim Kenney proposed an important new anti-poverty initiative designed to put more Philadelphians on the path to success at Community College of Philadelphia. The program, named the Octavius Catto Scholarship, aims to make the transformative power of education available to students by providing funding and additional supports. Dr. Generals spoke about this new opportunity for community college students, saying. "We are thrilled that Mayor Kenney is proposing to invest in the city’s college, as the best partner to make the transformative power of education available to even more Philadelphians.” Read more about the Octavius Catto Scholarship here

The Conference on Poverty and Inequality at the Harvard Kennedy School

Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 29, 2020.

Dr. Generals served as a panelist on the session The Vision for Free College. The Conference on Poverty and Inequality is a student-run conference that focuses on social issues, public policy, and community activism related to social and economic inequality in the United States.

Black History Month-Racial Discrimination & Justice System

Community College of Philadelphia, February 25, 2020 

Dr. Generals provided closing remarks for a panel discussion that explored themes of racial profiling, coercive interrogation tactics, racial disparities in legal representation, racial overcharging and over sentencing, and prison culture and the challenges of re-entry. 

Black History Month Fireside Chat: The 1619 Project 

Community College of Philadelphia, February 20, 2020

Dr. Generals stood in from of a crowd of over 50 students, faculty and staff in the Winnet Student Life building. The topic of the chat was the New York Times 1619 Project, and Dr, Generals spent roughly an hour inviting audience members “to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.”

Live interview with WURD Radio, Regarding the 1619 Project

Community College of Philadelphia, February 20, 2020

Dr, Generals followed his fireside chat with a live interview on WURD Radio. Listen to the full interview here.

2019

The Future of Work: Creating Generational Wealth, WURD Radio Founder's Day

Philadelphia, PA, August 23, 2019.

To celebrate the life and legacy of WURD founder, Walter P. Lomax Jr. M.D., Dr. Generals took part in a panel discussion entitled Lively-HOOD: The Future of Work and Thriving Communities and spoke about creating intergenerational wealth for poor and marginalized families. In recognition of Lomax Jr.'s work as a physician and entrepreneur, the event featured a full day of wellness activities and education that focused on job readiness, workforce development, and entrepreneurship.

Building a Workforce System for Young Adults in Philadelphia, The Aspen Institute

Philadelphia, PA, April 24, 2019.

Dr. Generals took part in the Aspen Institute's Opportunity Youth Forum to discuss the College's part in Philadelphia's City Workforce plan. Watch a video of the full panel discussion on YouTube.

The Future is Now: Closing the Data Analytics Skills Gap Town Hall, Wharton School and Working Nation

Philadelphia, PA, February 26, 2019.

"Data analysis is driving today's business decisions in all industries, from financial services to healthcare, to marketing, to sports." According to LinkedIn and Glassdoor, it's one of the most in-demand jobs in America. But how is our education system preparing job seekers for the demands of the job market? Dr. Generals joined a panel of experts to talk about how the College has created initiatives like dual enrollment so that students in Philadelphia can begin access STEM and computer science education at an early age. Watch a video of this panel on YouTube.  

World Class Minds: Education in Philadelphia, Invest: Philadelphia Launch Panel

Philadelphia, PA, January 24, 2019.

"Philadelphia’s top constituents came out for Invest: Philadelphia's World Class Minds panel and launch conference, which was held as part of a celebration of the inaugural edition of Invest: Philadelphia Magazine"... "Dr. Michael Mittelman, president of Salus joined Craig Carnaroli, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania; and Dr. Guy Generals, president of the Community College of Philadelphia, on stage to discuss hot topics such as student debt and accessibility in higher education." Read the full article on this event, written by Salus University.

American Association of Community Colleges Pathways 101 Workshop Leaders Panel

New Orleans, LA, January 18, 2019.

Community College of Philadelphia implements a Guided Pathways model in order to help our students find success in education and the job market. Dr. Generals joined the American Association of Community Colleges to talk about how the College combines comprehensive academic programs with support services, and "instructional approaches [that] are redesigned and realigned to help students clarify their goals, choose and enter pathways that will achieve those goals, stay on those pathways, and master knowledge and skills that will enable them to advance in the labor market and successfully pursue further education." Read more about the AACC's Guided Pathways project. 

2018

The Future of Higher Education, A Conversation with College Leaders, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Philadelphia, PA, November 10, 2018.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing higher education today? To help answer this question, Dr. Generals joined presidents and provost of local universities at the University of Pennsylvania's homecoming weekend and spoke about how the College is planning for its future at a time when higher education is more essential to our communities than ever before.

Discussion on Incarceration

Episcopal Cathedral of Philadelphia, PA, September 25, 2018.

Changing the National Conversation: Inclusion and Equity Conference Keynote Presentation

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, September 20, 2018.

Dr. Generals joined an audience of community college presidents, minority-serving institutions, liberal arts colleges, and research-intensive universities to discuss methods for increasing diversity in higher education. Read more about this event on PennToday.

Economic Stability and Education, Social Determinants of Health Conference

Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, September 24, 2018.

Together with a variety of local leaders, Dr. Generals spoke at the Social Determinants of Health Conference, sponsored by the American Heart Association.  This conference brought together a diverse pool of experts to tackle issues like food deserts and lack of access to healthcare, education and safe spaces for psychical activity.

President’s Panel, Annual Conference on Teaching and Learning Assessment: Leading a Collaborative Revolution for Change

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, September 13, 2018.

Sitting on a panel of four Philadelphia college and university presidents, Dr. Generals spoke on "the future of higher education in light of advances in instructional delivery modalities, heightened federal regulatory compliance, enrollment troughs, budget compaction" and more. 

Healthcare and Higher Education in Philadelphia, City of Philadelphia Investor Conference

Philadelphia, PA, July 18, 2018.

Academic Advising: Examining Its Impact on Student Success, American Association of Community Colleges Annual Meeting

Dallas, TX, April 30, 2018.

Body, Mind and Soul: A Holistic Approach to Supporting Students, Arizona State University and Global Silicon Valley Summit

San Diego, CA, April 17, 2018.

Educate Philly hosted by the Philadelphia Education Fund

Philadelphia, PA, March 29, 2018.

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Community College Institute Keynote Presentation

Philadelphia, PA, March 3, 2018.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Symposium on Social Change Keynote Presentation

University of Pennsylvania African American Resource Center, Philadelphia, PA, January 24, 2018.

2017

How Colleges and Universities Impact the Social and Economic Environment of Philadelphia, Citizen Speaks: The University and the City

Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2017
Fellow panelists included presidents of University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University and Drexel University.