Dr. Eric Gravenberg on Integrity and Change “The Role of a Leader Is to Inspire”

As a seventh grader, Eric Gravenberg gave a class report on becoming a rocket engineer—then his teacher told him he never would because he wasn’t good at math. Years later, he built a career leading colleges and helping young people find their way into higher education. On Layers of Leadership, Dr. Gravenberg and Dr. Michael Marion Jr. discuss how programs like Upward Bound opened doors, why colleges must change to serve students better, and how the Hawk Institute grew from a tragic loss into a mentoring program for young men. Gravenberg also shares a striking reminder from a student: “What took you so long to get to us? And are you going to be here tomorrow?”