Dallas College Foundation hosts Dr. John B. King Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Education and current chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY)
June 6, 2025
Dallas College Foundation was honored to host Dr. John B. King Jr. this May. As the former U.S. Secretary of Education, current chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) and the author of Teacher by Teacher, Dr. King is a leading voice in education, and shared his experience, stories, and perspective with our community during two days of speaking engagements across Dallas.
Dr. King spoke at our second Dallas College School of Education BAS Cording Ceremony, where he encouraged over 200 graduating teachers with his inspiring story. Dr. King shared how his teachers supported him intellectually and emotionally, helping shape him into the leader he is today. He left our graduates with the challenge to show up each day for their students with heart, passion, and rigor.
The following day, Dr. King joined us at events hosted alongside our partners at the Commit Partnership and the Dallas Foundation, speaking on panels alongside our own Chancellor Justin Lonon, Educate Texas Executive Director Kerri Briggs, Commit CEO Todd Williams, Dallas College Foundation Executive Director Josh Skolnick, Commit Talent Consultant Maggie Huff, and Commit COO Abby (Mayer) Eelsen. Dr. King shared his perspective on the current educational landscape and the importance of robust student support and stakeholder alignment to improving student outcomes, touching on subjects ranging from testing to teacher preparation.
"I’m inspired by the way the Dallas community has real stakeholder alignment, and the urgency of improving education outcomes."
We’re grateful to Dr. King for sharing his time, expertise, and passion with us, and to all of our partners and community members who attended the events. The future of Dallas County’s education system is bright due to their investment!
John B. King Jr. served in President Barack Obama's cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and influential career in public education, he has been a high school social studies teacher, a middle school principal, the first African American and Puerto Rican to serve as New York State Education Commissioner, a college professor, and the president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization. King is currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation's largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Both of King's parents were career New York City public school educators. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, an education researcher and former teacher, and his two daughters.