At Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search, we believe that the higher education community is at its strongest when its leaders are willing to think out loud with one another. That belief is the foundation of our Let’s Talk Series — a space where we celebrate the wisdom, experience, and insight that lives within our community and invite its leaders to share what they have learned, observed, and come to believe through years of service at the highest levels of academic leadership. Each installment, we pose a single question worth sitting with — not because there is one right answer, but because the conversation itself has value.
This week, we are turning the page toward something foundational for progress: motivation. The start of a new academic year carries its own particular energy, and we suspect that the leaders in our community are heading into 2026–27 with plenty on their minds and plenty to look forward to. There is something special about this moment in higher education — a sense that the work matters deeply and that the people doing it are rising to meet it.
So here is our question for this installment:
What has you feeling particularly motivated about the 2026–27 academic year?
Maybe it is a new initiative finally ready to launch. A team that has come together in exciting ways. A shift in the broader landscape that has opened doors you did not expect. Or simply the renewed sense of purpose that comes with a fresh start. Whatever it is, we want to hear it.
We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments below. Your perspective has the power to energize and inspire the leaders around you — and that is exactly what this community is here for.
