National Council on Competitiveness appoints Marquette University president to co-chair new University Leadership Forum

June 20, 2019

President Michel R. LovellMILWAUKEE — The Council on Competitiveness, a national, nonpartisan group of business, academic, labor and scientific leaders working to enhance U.S. productivity, competitiveness, spur innovation and raise the standard of living for all Americans, has appointed Marquette University’s President Michael R. Lovell to co-chair its new University Leadership Forum.

Officially launched on June 18 in Washington, D.C., the Council on Competitiveness University Leadership Forum will enable leaders from America’s top academic institutions to join forces with business leaders and national laboratories to understand the changing innovation landscape, impact policymaking related to science and technology, and prepare tomorrow’s workforce.

As part of its initial work plan, the University Leadership Forum will address challenges and opportunities in three broad areas:

  • “extreme innovation” to help solve the world’s greatest challenges;
  • partnerships between universities and industry; and
  • the fusion of the humanities and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.

“I’m thrilled to be co-leading this impressive group of visionary academic leaders who will help develop solutions to current and future challenges to U.S. competitiveness,” President Lovell said. “Jesuit education is steeped in a tradition of innovation, based on St. Ignatius of Loyola’s philosophy that we should ‘live with one foot raised’ in order to confidently change and adapt to meet the needs of any situation.”

The University Leadership Forum includes senior leaders from Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, the University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame, among others. Jere W. Morehead, president of the University of Georgia, is co-chairing the forum with President Lovell.

About Lynn Griffith


Lynn Griffith

Lynn is assistant vice president of university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Lynn at (414) 288-4719 or lynn.griffith@marquette.edu.