MARCH 22, 2025
Richard Reeves
ARE BOYS FALLING BEHIND?
TONIGHT’S LEAD PATRON
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Richard Reeves
ARE BOYS FALLING BEHIND?
MARCH 22, 2025
OPENING MUSIC The Sugar Hollows
OPENING REMARKS Heather Mullins Crislip Executive Director The Richmond Forum
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION Anthony J. Conte
Senior Relationship Manager, Healthcare, Higher Education, and Nonprofit Banking Wells Fargo
PRESENTATION Richard Reeves
INTERMISSION The Sugar Hollows Submit your questions via Slido
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS Richard Reeves with L. Robert Bolling Chief Executive Officer ChildSavers
The Richmond Forum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Tonight’s presentation may not be recorded or photographed by attendees by any means for any purpose. Heather Crislip was styled tonight by local fashion designer and member of the Richmond Forum Board of Directors, Daphne Maxwell Reid.
RICHARD REEVES
TONIGHT’S SPEAKER
THE FUTURE CANNOT BE FEMALE. NOR, OF COURSE, CAN THE FUTURE BE MALE. THE FUTURE HAS TO BE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, EVERY BOY AND GIRL. WE HAVE TO RISE TOGETHER.
RICHARD REEVES IS THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR BOYS AND MEN, an organization with a mission to raise awareness about the problems of boys and men and advocate for effective solutions. In 2022, he published his book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It,” which The New York Times described as a “landmark” and The Economist and The New Yorker named a book of the year. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where he previously directed the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and the Center on Children and Families. His research focuses on boys and men, inequality, and social mobility.
Reeves’ previous roles include director of strategy to the United Kingdom’s Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, from 2010 – 2012; director of the political think tank Demos; principal policy advisor to the U.K.’s minister for welfare reform; social affairs editor at The Observer ; and economics correspondent for The Guardian. He is a contributor to The Atlantic, National Affairs, Democracy Journal, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times
In 2017, Politico named Reeves one of the top 50 thinkers in the United States. His other books include “Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do About It” (2017) as well as “John Stuart Mill: Victorian Firebrand” (2007).
Reeves sits on the board of Jobs for the Future and is an adviser to the American Family Survey and the Equity Center at the University of Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree from Oxford University and a doctorate from the University of Warwick.
Tonight, Reeves will explore the economic and social factors contributing to boys and men’s systemic struggles, unveil the challenges and paradoxes inherent to navigating masculinity in the modern age, and offer a vision for a future where all can flourish.
Are Boys Falling Behind?
Richard Reeves
March 22, 2025
L. ROBERT BOLLING
TONIGHT’S MODERATOR
L. ROBERT BOLLING IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CHILDSAVERS, a 100-year-old nonprofit agency that provides child mental health and child development services. During his tenure, ChildSavers has expanded its once-local reach into twothirds of Virginia, serving 38,000 children.
Bolling previously served as executive director of the William Byrd Community House, a community-based agency addressing the needs of children and families in the tradition of the settlement house movement of the early 19th century. He has also served as director of finance and development in the nonprofit sector.
Bolling graduated from Amherst College with a degree in political science. He studied leadership and governance at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
Recently, Bolling co-led RVA Giving Black, an effort to highlight the philanthropy of the Black community. He is also co-founder of African American Nonprofit Leaders, a group of executives seeking to uplift the role of Black leadership in the nonprofit sector.
He is secretary/treasurer of the Virginia Credit Union Board of Directors and trustee emeritus of the Groton School in New England. Robert has a passion for mentoring young people and “seeks each day to find peace.”
? HAVE A QUESTION FOR RICHARD REEVES?
Head to slido.com to submit a question for the Q&A. You can also endorse questions submitted by fellow audience members, both in the theater and online, to increase the chance of them being asked.
Your question is more likely to be selected when you include your name!
THE SUGAR HOLLOWS
TONIGHT’S MUSICIAN
WITH TWANGY VOCALS, TASTEFUL GUITAR RIFFS, a groovy rhythm section, and fun yet introspective lyrics, The Sugar Hollows are “some kind of rock band” from Richmond, Virginia.
The band formed in 2020 when Mike (lead vocals, acoustic guitar) and Gabe (lead guitar) heard each other playing music through a shared wall in their apartment complex. What started as a few jam sessions quickly turned into several cover gigs across Virginia and North Carolina. Within two years, the duo was writing original songs and recruiting other members to join them on their journey as a full rock outfit.
In 2023, The Sugar Hollows embarked on a maiden tour of the East Coast to promote their selftitled debut album. Their sophomore album “Radio Waves” drew inspiration from their travels on the road together and was released the following year.
Lovingly described as “coastal country” or “beach folk” by fans, the band has shared the stage with national acts like Boy Named Banjo, Sam Bush, Michigan Rattlers, and Virginia Man. They’re scheduled to perform at several major music festivals this year while they work on a third LP and continue making a name for themselves.
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. & Mrs. Baxter W. Perkinson, Jr.,
students and faculty from Trinity Episcopal School have the opportunity to attend The Richmond Forum in a special program designed to connect the classroom, the community and current events. Trinity and The Forum are grateful to the Perkinsons for their continued support.
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RICHMOND FORUM
SUPPORTING BOYS
RICHMOND-AREA ORGANIZATIONS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
FROM THE GREATER RICHMOND AREA to all corners of Virginia, many organizations, schools, and public initiatives are working to address the unique struggles boys and men face in today’s world. Richard Reeves outlines those struggles in his book “Of Boys and Men,” as quoted in this article, and will discuss them in detail on tonight’s stage.
Promoting Men in HEAL
"The share of men in HEAL occupations—health, education, administration, and literacy—remains stubbornly low. 'Women are always saying we can do anything that men can do,' observed Gloria Steinem. 'But men are not saying they can do anything that women can do.' More men can certainly do HEAL jobs. And given the trends in the labor market, they must."
The UVA School of Nursing has been named one of the American Association for Men in Nursing’s “Best Schools for Men in Nursing” two years in a row. This designation recognizes a nursing school or college that’s made significant efforts to recruit and retain men in nursing, provide a supportive educational environment for men, and educate faculty, students, and the community about the contributions men have and continue to make to the nursing profession.
The school’s MAN (Men Advancing Nursing) Club organizes events, lectures, and meet-and-greets to encourage Charlottesville-area youth to consider a path in nursing.
Redshirting Boys
"I propose that all boys be redshirted by default. Introducing a one-year chronological age gap would reduce the developmental age gap between boys and girls. In other words, it would be more equitable…The gender gaps in learning open up early, but the biggest differences, in terms of brain development, occur in adolescence. The main reason for starting boys later is not so that they will be a year older in kindergarten. It is so they will be a year older when they get to middle and high school."
At Richmond’s all-boys Seven Hills School in Northside, students who may benefit from “redshirting” — the practice of postponing school to allow more time for personal development — can enroll in the Bridge Program for one year before jumping into sixth grade. This accelerated transition year, which serves as a “bridge” between elementary and middle school, is open to boys who have completed either fourth or fifth grade.
Students learn primarily under the care and guidance of a single teacher in an intentionally small and tight-knit cohort, giving them time to adjust to the rigors of middle school while feeling safe and supported. Students continue to sixth grade after the completion of their Bridge year.
Empowering Dads
"The old model of fatherhood, narrowly based on economic provision, is unfit for a world of gender equality. It has to be replaced with a much more expansive role for fathers, one that includes a much bigger caring element and is on an equal footing with that of mothers."
The Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia is a nonprofit that champions active fatherhood as a cornerstone of strong communities. The organization regularly offers “New Dad 101” classes where fathers-to-be learn practical tips for caring for babies and postpartum partners, grow confident in their own ability to be a great parent, and find support from experienced dads.
The foundation also runs an InsideOut Dad® program to teach incarcerated fathers the necessary skills and strategies to prepare them for release.
Get Involved: Mentors Needed
"When a [mentorship] program relies heavily on a close one-to-one relationship, matching the gender of the provider and recipient may be important. This is consistent with research showing that when the racial or gender identities of teachers and learners or mentors and mentees match, results are often better."
As Reeves reports, boys are less likely than girls to finish high school or obtain a bachelor’s degree. Mentorship programs can help provide additional support in a boy’s academic life and may be linked to increased mental health outcomes. There are many mentoring organizations throughout the Richmond region, but few focus solely on boy-centered support.
Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Virginia (BTMVA) is a group mentoring organization serving middle and high school boys in the Greater Richmond and Tri-Cities area. They offer a safe place for boys to talk about their lives and surround themselves with a community of mentors and peers who listen, support, and influence positive decision-making. BTMVA’s goal is to give young men a variety of positive male role models who show up consistently and talk honestly about their struggles as men. The organization reports that participants see improved classroom behavior, increased school attendance, and decreased academic issues.
For more information on how to become a mentor, visit btmva.org .
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
Do you agree with Reeves that work needs to be done to encourage boys to enter into HEAL industry jobs?
What do you see as potential opportunities and challenges to redshirting boys?
How have you seen the role of fathers evolve in recent decades?
SPORTS BETTING & YOUNG MEN
A REPORT FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR BOYS AND MEN
The following is a summary of the working paper “The Financial Consequences of Legalized Sports Gambling” by Brett Hollenbeck, Poet Larsen, and Davide Proserpio.
SPORTS BETTING IS NOW LEGAL IN 38 STATES. Accurate data on participation is hard to come by, but one survey finds that nearly two-thirds of men and half of women have made at least one bet. Another shows that 27% of men have an online sportsbook account.
Is sports betting just harmless fun? Or can it have negative consequences? If so, for whom?
The bottom line: Sports betting is leading to financial harm, and initial evidence suggests the effects are strongest among young men living in poorer areas. States that legalize sports betting see aggregate negative impacts on:
Credit Scores: Down by 0.3% in states with any form of legalized sports betting. With access to legalized online sports betting, this effect is nearly three times as large.
Bankruptcy Rates: Up 25 - 30% within three to four years after online betting has been legalized, translating to roughly 30,000 more bankruptcies in the U.S.
Debt Collections: Increased by 8%, with $30 more debt per consumer in states with online sports betting access.
Debt Consolidation Loans: Directionally up by 10% in states with legalized general and online sports betting.
Auto Loan Delinquencies: Increased by 9% in states with any legalized betting and 5% in states with online betting.
Secured to Unsecured Credit: Usage increased by 4% in states with online betting.
Credit Card Limits: Reduced by 3% in states with online betting.
While these impacts may seem small when averaged across the entire population, they mask the much larger effects on specific individuals. The fact that we can detect statistically significant changes at the overall population level suggests that the negative consequences for directly affected participants must be substantial.
Our analysis also revealed certain differences in how sports betting impacts various demographic groups. In particular, we noticed directionally greater economic distress for young men under 45, especially those in lowincome counties.
These results suggest that young men, and especially those living in low-income counties (counties with below median wages) experience negative impacts from online sports betting, including:
Greater declines in credit scores: Young men see a 0.5% decline in credit scores.
Higher bankruptcy rates: Young men in low-income areas see a 0.023% increase in the probability of bankruptcy. This is roughly twice the average increase we observe among the population.
Greater use of consolidation loans: In low-income counties, young men see a .044% increase in the probability of holding these loans.
Larger decreases in credit limits: Young men see a 4% decrease in credit limits.
These sub-group estimates are noisy, but the directional pattern is persistent: If there is economic harm, young men in below-medianincome areas appear to be the hardest hit.
There may be other factors that explain both legalization and worse economic outcomes. For instance, there could be concerns that the states choosing to legalize sports betting might be doing so due to existing budgetary problems, making them less capable of providing social assistance during economic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic. We run statistical tests to address this issue and do not find evidence to support these concerns, thus strengthening the interpretation of our results as causal.
Previous studies have shown that excessive gambling is associated with serious financial difficulties, like debt accumulation. But the causal pathways, as well as the demographic effects of sports betting, are less well understood. One recent paper by Taylor et al.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
(2024), found that the legalization of online sports gambling increased overall gambling rates, and more calls to problem gambling hotlines. But there was no data (at least that we are aware of) on gender differences until this most recent study. In a similar working paper by Baker et al. (2024), the authors found that online sports betting is leading to greater financial distress among households, particularly those that are already financially constrained prior to online sports betting legalization.
It is early days, of course, and the need for more research is clear. But the results of our study suggest that policymakers should pay close attention to the impact of sports betting, especially online, and especially for the most economically vulnerable young men.
Beyond negative financial impacts, how might engaging in sports betting at a young age impact adolescent boys socially or emotionally?
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2024-2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE
Teresa Downs, Chair Altria*
Ellen E. Spong, Immediate Past Chair AtlanticUnionBank*
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VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity*
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VirginiaStateUniversity*
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CWAdvisors,formerlyAgili*
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THERICHMONDFORUMSTAFF
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1987
January Ted Koppel
RICHMOND FORUM SPEAKERS
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March General Brent Scowcroft with Diane Sawyer
April Charles Kuralt
1988
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April Art Buchwald
1989
January Sam Donaldson
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1990
January Paul Duke, Howard Fineman and Charles McDowell
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April Alistair Cooke
1990–1991
October Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
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1991–1992
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1992–1993
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1993–1994
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1994–1995
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1995–1996
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1996–1997
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1997–1998
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1998–1999
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1999–2000
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2000–2001
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2001–2002
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March Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
April Madeleine Albright and James Baker with Gwen Ifill
2002–2003
November Ken Burns
January Rudolph Giuliani
February PM Benazir Bhutto and Queen Noor with Gwen Ifill
March Louis Freeh
April Senator Fred Thompson
2003–2004
November Cal Ripken, Jr.
January Robert Shiller and Jeremy Siegel
February Candice Bergen
March President Mary Robinson
April Thomas L. Friedman
“Revolutionizing Education in America (2012)”
On April 21, 2012, we welcomed two positive perspectives on education from leading education visionary Sir Ken Robinson and 1992’s National Teacher of the Year Rafe Esquith . The pair addressed the many issues and conversations facing the American education system, including standardized testing and the No Child Left Behind Act.
“The reason so many people drop out of education is because it doesn’t speak to them,” Robinson said. “The problem is that we’ve developed systems of education which are essentially impersonal. They’re not about the children. They’re about the data and the performance.”
“Our job as teachers is to come in every day and be outstanding role models,” Esquith said. “To be the people we want the children to be.”
Robinson is featured in the book “Yes, Boys Can! Inspiring Stories of Men Who Changed the World (2024),” which Richard Reeves co-authored with Jonathan Juravich.
2004–2005
November General Tommy Franks
January Michael Beschloss and Walter Isaacson
February Tim Russert
March Dr. Fareed Zakaria
April Frank Gehry
2005–2006
November Robert Redford with Pat Mitchell
January Sherry Lansing
February General Colin Powell (Ret.)
March Tom Wolfe
April Rick Wagoner
2006–2007
November Burt Rutan
January Malcolm Gladwell and Alvin Toffler
February B.B. King
March Jim Lehrer
April Dr. Jared Diamond
2007–2008
November President Vicente Fox
January Carly Fiorina
February Michael Douglas
March Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
April David Brooks
2008–2009
November PM Tony Blair
January Reza Aslan and Jon Meacham
February Smokey Robinson with Daphne Maxwell Reid
March Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long
April Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan
2009–2010
November Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
January Greg Mortenson
March Steve Forbes
April Condoleezza Rice
May David Plouffe
2010–2011
November President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
January Laura Bush
February Anderson Cooper
March Dr. George Church
April David Blaine
2011–2012
November Dr. Robert Ballard
January Robert Gates
February Quincy Jones with Tim Reid
March Charles Krauthammer and Robert Reich with John Donvan
April Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith
2012–2013
November Platon
January Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin with Tim Reid
February President Bill Clinton
March Captain Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords
April Dr. Jane Goodall
2013–2014
November Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Maajid Nawaz with John Donvan
January Dan Buettner
February President George W. Bush
March PM Gordon Brown
April Steve Martin and Martin Short
2014–2015
November Diana Nyad
January Garry Trudeau
March Ben Bernanke with Paul Solman
April Dr. Daniel Levitin and Rosanne Cash
May General Keith Alexander and Robert Mueller with John Donvan
2015–2016
November Michael Sandel
January Alan Alda
February James Balog
March PM Julia Gillard
April Russell Wilson and Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.
2016–2017
November Nate Parker
January Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham with Steve Inskeep
February Krista Tippett
March PM Ehud Barak and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei with Robin Wright
April Ron Howard with Linda Holmes
2017–2018
November President Barack Obama
January Glenn Close
February Peter Diamandis
March Ambassador Samantha Power
April Joe Scarborough and Newt Gingrich with Mara Liasson
2018–2019
November Captain Scott Kelly
January Tina Fey with Linda Holmes
February Dr. Sanjay Gupta
March Ian Bremmer
April Dr. Temple Grandin with John Donvan
2019–2020
November Bob Costas
January Dave Isay, Catherine Burns and Brandon Stanton with John Donvan
February Peggy Noonan
2020–2021
November José Andrés
January Theresa May
February Esther Perel
March Bryan Stevenson
April Vijay Gupta
2022
January Bob Iger with Kara Swisher
February Gloria Steinem with Zainab Salbi
March Erik Weihenmayer
April Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
May Rhiannon Giddens
June Michelle Obama
2022–2023
November Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (USA, Ret.)
January Maria Ressa
February Ella Al-Shamahi
March John Lithgow
April Dr. Cornel West and Thomas Chatterton Williams
2023–2024
November Isabel Wilkerson
January Joel Sartore
February Liz Cheney
March Dr. Anthony Fauci
April Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel
2024–2025
November Baratunde Thurston
January Dr. Amber Straughn
February Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewzski
March Richard Reeves
April Martha Stewart with Soledad O’Brien
Explore our past speaker archive and share your Forum memories at richmondforum.org/speaker.
SPEECH & DEBATE
NSDA VIRGINIA DISTRICT QUALIFIERS
RICHMOND STUDENTS ARE HEADED TO IOWA!
Forty-two percent of Virginia’s 2025 National Speech & Debate Association Tournament qualifiers are from the Richmond region. Last month, 213 students from across the state competed in the Virginia District Qualifiers, hosted at James River High School in Chesterfield County. Competing in a wide range of events from Congressional Debate to Humorous Interpretation, our students are ready to make their mark on the national stage.
Congratulations to our qualifiers! They are paving the way to show the nation what Richmond region students can do when we host the 2026 National Tournament here next June.
Qualifiers from the RFSDI Circuit
CLOVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL
Coaches: Hunter Clark, Nic Barker, Ethan Clark
Andrew Haskin
Matthew Wang
COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
Coaches: Shannon Castelo, Laurel Maughan
Jake Apelt
Hollyn Borich
London Dandridge
Avi Soin
Jai Spicer
COSBY HIGH SCHOOL
Coaches: Jaclyn Clark, William Waddell, Scott McKeag
Reagan Goldsmith
Maya Shuman
DEEP RUN HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Sheryl Gibson
Shelly Purser
Leyton Rafeal Schwartz
JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL
Coaches: Jessica Sanchez, Nick Whelen
Evelyn Gayle
Matthew Gosselin
Bridget Higgins
Rowan Milton-Benoit
Leah Wood
L. C. BIRD HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Melissa Ligh Henry Price
MONACAN HIGH SCHOOL *
Coach: Sanchez Tucker Izel Mendoza
*New to RFSDI this school year
Qualifying students from Collegiate School
Tomorrow is Virginia Speech & Debate Awareness Day!
Sunday, March 23 marks the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry's pivotal “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech delivered in Richmond at St. John's Church. Read the governor's official proclamation to commemorate the speech's impact.
The National Speech & Debate Tournament is coming to Richmond in just over a year!
Ten thousand competitors, judges, coaches, and families will descend upon the region from June 14 - 19, 2026. Students will compete at Chesterfield and Henrico County middle and high schools and the Richmond Convention Center. Finalists will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform right here on our stage at the Altria Theater.
THANK YOU TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS
Help us prepare more local students to earn their spot on the Nationals stage and to roll out the red carpet for the best and brightest students in the country. To sponsor the tournament or sign up to volunteer, contact sandra@richmondforum.org.
MIKE "COACH K" KRZYZEWSKI
AT THE RICHMOND FORUM FEBRUARY 15, 2025
“AGILITY, ADAPTABILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
— those lead to a winning attitude. You can have that in a family, in an organization, in a city, and it doesn’t cost a darn thing.”
If there is one thing Mike Krzyzewski, better known as “Coach K,” knows, it’s a winning attitude. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time, having led the Duke University Blue Devils to 13 Final Fours — the most of any coach in the game — and five national titles, as well as bringing home three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team.
Speaking to a packed Forum audience, Coach K reflected on all he has learned from his celebrated coaching career and revealed the game plan to drive any team to success, whether on or off the court.
“A lot of people feel a good leader is someone who solves problems. That’s a good leader. That’s not a great leader. A great leader is somebody who never has those problems,” Krzyzewski said. “The preparation to win is more important than the will to win.”
He shared several stories about how he prepared the U.S. national team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, with anecdotes about some of the biggest names in basketball: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and
Jason Kidd. With a star lineup of “alpha dogs” coming together to represent the nation, the team’s managing director, Jerry Colangelo, told the players to “leave their egos at the door.”
Krzyzewski disagreed. “Why would I want them to be less of who they are?” he asked. “Bring your egos in.”
He told the A-listers to put all their egos together under the “ego umbrella” of Team USA. “If we do that, we’ll beat everyone in the world.” They did — not just that year, but for three Olympics in a row. In Krzyzewski’s eyes, confidence inspires confidence, and “talent makes talent better.” He certainly has the gold medals to back it up.
After coaching hundreds of players across multiple decades and generations, he’s changed the way he communicates with them. Not only have attention spans gotten shorter and learning styles evolved, but the climate of
collegiate basketball is vastly different today than when Krzyzewski entered the profession.
Today, the NCAA transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals are positioning student-athletes more like professionals, and Krzyzewski is wary about the direction the sport is taking. “The intended consequences are all good — freedom of movement and athlete [compensation],” he said. “But because it wasn’t put under a certain structure of transparency and governance, it’s just kind of run wild.”
For Krzyzewski, the solution lies in leadership. He believes the NCAA must step up to establish a clearer, more sustainable framework for college basketball. “We’re in bad shape,” he said, pointing to rising attrition rates among coaches, including the University of Virginia’s Tony Bennett. “This is the time for change.”
Coach K's philosophy offers a blueprint: agility, adaptability, and accountability. “Accountability is meeting the truth head on,” he said, reinforcing the values that defined his career. “My two standards have always been: We look each other in the eye, and we tell each other the truth immediately. If we do that, we build trust.” And in any game — on the court or in life — trust is the foundation of every championship team.
THEG.O.A.T.DIDNOTDISAPPOINT.LOVED THELESSONSINLEADERSHIPFROMUSMA TODUKETOTEAMUSA.THAT’SALIFETIME OFLEARNINGRIGHTTHEREONTHATSTAGE. AWESOMEPROGRAM. -ForumSubscriber
1) Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski answers audience questions from Michael Phillips, the evening's moderator. 2) Coach K on stage at the Altria Theater. 3) Coach K visits the Student Room to talk with local high school students. 4) Teresa Downs of Altria, the evening’s Lead Patron, introduces the speakers. 5) No BS! Brass provides musical entertainment. 6) Guests of Hourigan Group, the Host Patron for the evening.
UP NEXT AT THE FORUM
APRIL
26, 2025 MARTHA STEWART WITH SOLEDAD O'BRIEN THE LIFE BEHIND LIVING
For more than four decades, Martha Stewart has helped make everyday living a little easier, more beautiful, and more inspiring. From crafting the recipe for your favorite frittata to pioneering an eponymous lifestyle empire, her influence has touched millions of homes across America.
Whether running a multi-million-dollar company or gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated at the age of 81, Stewart stands as a testament to the power of reinvention. In conversation with award-winning broadcast journalist and producer Soledad O’Brien, Stewart will share stories and lessons learned from every era of her life, from her early ambitions to her triumphs over adversity. No chapter will be left unexplored.
(Format: Conversation with Q&A)
Who will stand here next?
Our 2025 - 2026 season speakers will be announced at the April program.
Uncommon supporT
“The economic reliance of women on men held women down, but also propped men up. Now the props have gone, and many men are falling behind.”
Just like Richard Reeves, we believe in equity for all and support our students and their success wholeheartedly. Offering round-the-clock counseling for anyone who feels they’re falling behind in school, or life in general. In other words, when it comes to being a world-class support university, we prop our students up 24/7.
VCU. We are the uncommon.
Photo credit Paul Morigi