May 22, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
David Rubenstein Forum

LSI Closing Symposium

Join us as we celebrate the meaningful work of the LSI Fellows and initiate the next stage of their living and leading with purpose.

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Overview

The Leadership & Society Initiative (LSI) Closing Symposium is a retrospective of the learning journey of the LSI cohort alongside showcasing their visions for their next chapters of living and leading purposefully. The event includes a series of presentations and discussions on key themes that drive personal growth and societal contribution in this chapter of life, as well as individual Fellow’s roadmaps for their next stage of enrichment, connection, and purposeful impact. As the Fellowship year concludes, this symposium represents the start of each Fellow’s next chapter as the LSI community considers together the big questions that drive our sense of purpose and the opportunity to activate leaders at the peak of their wisdom in service of society.

Agenda

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Welcoming Remarks

9:45 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. | Culture, Enrichment, and Understanding

Throughout the LSI curriculum, Fellows were encouraged to reflect on the elements that contribute to a meaningful and well-rounded life, and how culture, identity, and experience shape our own worldviews and can create shared values across diverse communities and constituencies. The coursework emphasized values such as practical wisdom, social solidarity, and epistemic humility as essential to fostering a healthy, thriving society. This session highlights how these themes continue to shape Fellows’ thinking and action, offering a glimpse into how they plan to work across narrative formation, the arts, and civic institutions to address societal enrichment, foster trust, and expand shared awareness.

Psychological Richness – Panel Discussion

Shige Oishi, Marshall Field IV Professor, Department of Psychology
Howard Nusbaum, Stella M. Rowley Professor, Department of Psychology
Moderated by: Rita Carroll, LSI Fellow ’25

Fellow Presentations

Rita Carroll
Beyond the Resume: Living a life of Wisdom, Epistemic Humility, and Psychological Richness

Pamela Narins
Seeing a Pattern within the Chaos: Finding Future Purpose Through Past Stories

Larry Rodgers
Rabbit Holes, Thunderbolts, and Universities

Marc Berkson
The Stories We Tell

Jon Butcher
Where’s Aristotle When You Need Him? — Music as Medicine and for Cognitive Development

Constance Filling
Rediscovering a Purpose that was There All Along

10:55 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Networking Break

11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. | Economic Vitality and Mobility

Across the LSI curriculum, Fellows were invited to explore the foundations of economic security and vitality as essential components of a just and thriving society. The coursework emphasized the importance of opportunity, innovation, and equitable access to resources—alongside values like stewardship, inclusive growth, and systems thinking. Fellows examined how economic systems impact communities and how thoughtful leadership can help bridge persistent gaps. This session reflects how these insights are informing Fellows’ next steps as they work to advance economic opportunity and mobility in ways that create lasting, inclusive impact.

Fellow Presentations

Tim Lanai
Improving Communities in Chicago by Helping Small Businesses

Anthony U. Martinez
The Next Best Thing…

Duane DesParte
A Purposeful Life—My Ongoing Quest

Terry Ransford
Mapping My Next Chapter for Social Good

12:10 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. | Lunch

1:15 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. | Health & Wellbeing

The LSI Fellowship invites Fellows to examine health and wellbeing as interconnected personal and societal concerns, and it’s no surprise that many are passionate about health issues at the public and individual scales. Fellows engaged with topics such as aligning lifespans with healthspans and how to prepare for a new era of longevity. The curriculum emphasized prevention, targeted intervention, and structural change as key levers for improving health outcomes. This session highlights how Fellows are carrying these insights forward to promote healthier, more resilient individuals, communities, and systems.

Healthy Aging – Panel Discussion

Harry Davis, Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Distinguished Service Professor of Creative Management Emeritus, Booth School of Business
David Gallo, Professor, Department of Psychology
Moderated by: Alice Davison, LSI Fellow ’25

Fellow Presentations

Alice T. Davison
Connecting to People and Purpose

Jim Franczek
Healthy Aging Isn’t for the Weak of Heart

Janet Foutty
Why Women’s Health Matters—And What I’m Doing About It: A Personal Learning Journey

Ray Stainback
Harnessing the Power of Nature to Improve Health

Deborah Bennett
Healing Blooms

Catherine McCarthy
From London to Chicago – A Journey of Learning, Growth and Purpose

Michael Walsh
Generative AI as a Tool for Truth

2:35 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Networking Break

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Community Development and Service

The LSI Fellowship explores how strong communities are built through trust, collaboration, and sustainable investment in local assets, relationships, and quality of life. Topics included place-based strategies, cross-sector partnerships, and the role of public service in improving quality of life across communities. This session explores what it can mean to support thriving communities in their next chapters. From localized development to well-informed citizens, from small business owners that are the backbones of communities to healthy environmental conditions that are a prerequisite to livelihood, Fellows share myriad approaches to improve livelihood and access to opportunity across communities.

Fellow Presentations