President Donald B. Taylor served as a panelist at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2026 Detroit Policy Conference in January, contributing to a key discussion on Michigan’s education challenges and opportunities.
Taylor participated in the session titled “The House is on Fire: Solving Michigan’s Education Crisis,” which focused on improving education success rates across all student demographic groups in the state. The panel was moderated by WDET’s Stephen Henderson and brought together leaders from Michigan’s government, business and education sectors to continue this important conversation and explore solutions.
Joining Taylor on the panel were Michigan Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing); Jeff Donofrio, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan; and Greg Handle, chief education and talent officer for the Detroit Regional Chamber, as well as an esteemed UDM alumnus.
The discussion centered on strengthening student performance and completion rates in Michigan, while the state faces an alarming decline in per capita income, and the urgency for investment into programs that would reach all demographic groups.
Taylor emphasized Detroit Mercy’s mission-driven approach to addressing Michigan’s educational gaps, regarding them as opportunities to advance student success and expand access for all students. He highlighted the University’s commitment to innovation in higher education and transformative initiatives that support first-generation and low-income students, such as the Titan Edge program.
For more on this session, please visit https://www.detroitchamber.com/the-house-is-on-fire-solving-michigans-education-crises/
The Detroit Policy Conference brings together leaders from across Michigan to address critical policy and economic issues impacting the Detroit region and the state.