Mindset Matters: Redefining Talent in Higher Education

This Week on The Heart of Giving - Part 1: Aspen Institute President and Former Franklin & Marshall College President Dan Porterfield joins Art Taylor to discuss his book "Mindset Matters," exploring how colleges can nurture talent and growth mindsets in students from all backgrounds. Joined by F&M alum Robert Diggs, they dive into the transformative power of higher education.

Three illuminating moments:

"I view the best form of education as the one that helps the one and the many, that unlocks talent and sees talent in every corner and community. And that by investing in young people, whether financial aid or just as important in their learning and their formation, we make a better world." - Dan Porterfield

"We were willing to shake it up a bit and try out some even more particular qualities of talent - curiosity, resilience, saying yes to opportunity, and having a vision of the value of education. These qualities are equally represented across America." - Dan on redefining talent identification

"Not that the actual education part wasn't important, but it was the learning that happened around the education piece... It was really the third space or fifth space, being asked to step into co-leading the development of the college house ethos. All of that tracks back to how F&M goes about enriching the mind of young people." - Robert Diggs

Don't miss next week's conclusion where we meet Markera Jones, whose journey from Coatesville, Pennsylvania to clinical psychologist exemplifies the power of opportunity and growth mindset in action.

Last week, Ben Erwin of Charity Buzz shared how his organization has created a marketplace for unique experiences that benefits nonprofits of all sizes. By connecting celebrities, business leaders, and exclusive opportunities with affluent donors, they've generated over half a billion dollars for charitable causes. If you missed it, it's a fascinating look at innovative fundraising approaches that expand "the giving pie."