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Gen Z students are looking for more than a college experience wrapped in legacy traditions; they are looking for a high-value launchpad. Expectations for the student experience encompasses holistic well-being support including mental health services and coaching; trust-building relationships including mentorship and radical transparency; and most importantly, career readiness with a clear line of sight from the classroom to a paycheck, including experiential learning and internships.

With so many priorities, how can colleges and universities build this high-impact student experience ecosystem for cohesive student success? Kaplan is hosting an insightful conversation with higher education leaders that will bridge executive strategy with accessible, community-wide application.

Learn how to deliver what today’s students value across their academic journey. You will gain actionable programming you can implement on your campus today to unlock Gen Z’s full potential.

What the panelists will be chatting about:

Key mentorship models and relationship-building strategies that turn a campus into a true support system.
Integrating hands-on, practical learning opportunities throughout the student journey to meet Gen Z's desire for practical action and career readiness.
Navigating campus programming to better align with a generation focused on personal values and self-discovery.

Can't attend the webcast? You should still register—all registrants will receive a recording of the webcast and a copy of the presentation slides.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | 2 p.m. E.T.

Building a Student Experience Designed for Gen Z

PANELISTS

Kristin Olbertson, Ph.D.
Professor and Pre-Law Program Coordinator at Alma College

Kristin Olbertson earned her J.D. and Ph.D. (history) from the University of Michigan and has taught history at Alma College for the last twenty years. She has also served as pre-law program coordinator since 2013. Dr. Olbertson is passionate about innovative and inclusive teaching and learning strategies and is a longtime advocate for supporting mental health and accessibility in higher education.

Johnny Graham, Ph.D.
National Executive Director of the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship

Dr. Johnny Graham is an innovative and impact-driven leader committed to helping entrepreneurs launch, scale and acquire successful ventures. Dr. Graham currently serves as the national executive director of the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship, a consortium and leading resource hub for entrepreneurship opportunity at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) around the country. Through this initiative, Dr. Graham directs national engagement, education and programming efforts that have impacted students, faculty and staff from over seventy HBCU institutions to date, as well as engaged entrepreneurs from the broader community.

Danielle Archambault, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President of the Office of Student Success at Delaware State University

Dr. Archambault is a higher education scholar-practitioner specializing in student success, retention and inclusive teaching. Drawing on a doctorate in higher education from Wilmington University and advanced training in English, she has designed and taught a wide range of courses supporting first-generation, probationary and STEM-intending students, with a strong focus on academic recovery and transition to college-level work. Certified in Effective College Instruction (ACUE), Mental Health First Aid and higher education customer service, Dr. Archambault is a proud recipient of the 2026 Delaware ACE Women’s Network (DAWN) Visionary Award and is committed to creating affirming, data-informed learning environments that help diverse learners thrive. Currently, she serves as the associate vice president of student success at Delaware State University.

Elza Ibroscheva, Ph.D.
Associate Provost at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Dr. Elza Ibroscheva is associate provost for accreditation, assessment and academic planning and professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. An experienced higher education leader, she oversees institutional accreditation, academic planning, program development, assessment, and initiatives focused on student success and academic quality. She previously served as associate dean of the School of Communications at Webster University and as chair of SIUE’s Department of Mass Communications. A scholar of international and political communication, gender and media, and Eastern European media, Ibroscheva is the author and co-editor of several books and has published extensively on media, politics, gender and nationalism. She is particularly passionate about creating innovative, student-centered approaches to higher education.

MODERATOR

Brittany Wampler
Director of All Access License at Kaplan

Brittany Wampler is an innovative leader in higher education, with a career devoted to expanding access and career readiness for students nationwide. Currently, as the director of All Access License at Kaplan, she champions solutions that bridge academic preparation with real-world skills, supporting institutions across the U.S. in fostering comprehensive student success. Brittany’s 18 years in public higher education at institutions such as Kent State, Miami University, The University of Akron and Cleveland State University have been marked by a steadfast commitment to student-centered strategies.