Why have three Secretaries of Education visited SEGL?

In the spring of 2018, SEGL welcomed former Secretary of Education Rod Paige for our annual "Family Day" festivities.  Speaking before a packed room, Paige’s intensity and passion were memorable and meaningful.  Among other topics, he defended the No Child Left Behind Act, his signature initiative, while acknowledging what in hindsight he might have done differently.  

Last month, the Fall 2025 DC cohort hosted current Secretary of Education Linda McMahon for a 45-minute discussion about civil discourse, student loans, and the future of the Department of Education.  McMahon was direct and funny, and came armed with plenty of anecdotes.  Even though many students disagreed with her views, her arguments struck them as authentic.

Last weekend, a third Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, joined SEGL Weekend for a robust and wide-ranging keynote conversation. Some schools are lucky to host one Secretary of Education.  At SEGL, we have hosted three.

Why is this?

Perhaps it is the scheduling acumen of our Ethics and Leadership team, which works tirelessly to bring in the best possible speakers on three continents.  Perhaps it is a bit of luck.  

I like to think it is because our model motivates education experts.  At a time when public and independent education faces existential struggles, SEGL provides a complementary alternative.  And at a time when civil conversation seems like an archaic and naive notion to some, SEGL places "growth discourse" model at the heart of its curriculum.  As we are fond of saying, "All views shared in good faith are welcome at SEGL."  Indeed, when asked a difficult question during his session, Secretary Paige noted our values and decided to give a more authentic answer than he otherwise would have.  The reason?  "I feel welcome here," he said.

Whether the Department of Education remains a part of the federal government or not, SEGL will continue to welcome educational thought leaders and policy makers to campus in the years ahead.  Just as those leaders impact our students, our students and model also impact our guests - and, we hope, education around the country gets a bit better as a result.