MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. - The Mackinac Policy Conference is an annual gathering of government, political and media professionals who will talk about all things Michigan at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. It is hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber.
Warrior Way Back program forgives debt
One of the first announcements made at this year's Mackinac Policy Conference saw Wayne State University launching a program to help former students who left without a degree to come back and finish their education.
Known as WSU's Warrior Way Back, the program involved debt forgiveness for students who left early due to financial hardship.
The Warrior Way Back program offers former students with an outstanding balance of less than $1,500 a chance to re-enroll and “learn” away their past debt and earn a degree. Such students will reduce their past-due balances by one-third at the end of each successfully completed semester until the debt is eliminated.
“This innovative approach exemplifies Wayne State’s role as a leader in college access,” said WSU Provost Keith Whitfield. “No other school offers the level of support that we provide to students on the scale at which we do. In everything we do, we remain compassionate and committed to student success, making us the destination school for those who work hard to achieve more.”
The program is just one small part of a much broader effort aimed at helping more Michiganders prepare for the work and jobs of the future -- a major theme of this year's Mackinac Policy conference.
By John Gallagher
State offers $8 million in transport grants
The State of Michigan will distribute $8 million in grants to spur ideas on how to help transport seniors, people with disabilities and veterans with autonomous vehicles and other connected technology.
The Michigan Mobility Challenge was announced Wednesday by Gov. Rick Snyder and other top state officials at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference.
The money will partially fund an unknown number of projects of varying size across the state. The first round of projects will start by the fall.
Snyder says the state is not interested in “science projects” that require years of research and instead wants “near-term real things” that can be launched.
Officials say interest is high, as more than 200 people from companies, advocacy groups and other organizations attended an initial workshop.
The Associated Press
Who actually attends the conference?
Last year's totals give an idea. There were 1,669 total attendees last year at the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual event. That included 451 that the Chamber called "top tier" executives, 144 government officials, and 145 media from print, broadcast and digital outlets.
This year's totals will resemble those. Among this year's top speakers: Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Peggy Noonan and of course a bevy of gubernatorial candidates, six of whom are slated for a main-stage debate on Thursday.
Some highlights on the schedule:
Gubernatorial debate
5:30 p.m. Thursday. Candidates scheduled to appear:
Democratic Candidates: Abdul El-Sayed, Shri Thanedar, Gretchen Whitmer
Republican Candidates: Brian Calley, Patrick Colbeck, Bill Schuette
Keynote speakers
Thursday
John Boehner, former speaker of the House of Representatives, 9:15 a.m.
Peggy Noonan, best selling author and Wall Street Journal columnist, 11:10 a.m.
John B. King, Jr., former secretary of education, 2:45 p.m.
Gov. Rick Snyder, 3:15 p.m.
Sessions of note
Thursday
10:30 a.m.: Not Open for Business: Why Disinvestment in Michigan Cities Is Hampering Economic Opportunity
1:05 p.m.: The Mobility State: Perspectives on Policy and Regulation
1:50 p.m.: Opioids in the Workplace: Impacting Michigan
Interested in seeing all the details, check out the full agenda.
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