Keynote Session: Learning to Dream Again: Finding Solace in Unimaginable Futures

Are we living in the futures that we once dreamed? Our classrooms, campuses, departments, colleagues, and workloads may be far from what we had expected — where the weight of change, uncertainty, and exhaustion is hard to bear alone. In this climate, it can be easy to overlook the small pockets of good, the quiet gestures of care, and the steady returns of showing up everyday. This is the quiet hum behind the cacophony of chaos. This keynote is an invitation to slow down, take notice, and light the embers of possibility. We’ll reflect on the everyday practices that keep communities strong, the trust that makes real learning possible, and the power of staying connected—especially when the way forward isn’t clear. Rather than focusing on what brought us here and why, we’ll focus on where we can go next, even when we can’t quite imagine what comes next.