Thomas Friedman Joins World Savvy For ‘Future of Work, Future of Schools’ Panel

The discussion will focus on the future of work and how K-12 education can prepare our youth, and will include senior advisor for the Biden Administration, Hamse Warfa

MINNEAPOLIS (April 20, 2023) — On May 4, World Savvy, a national K-12 educational nonprofit partnering with schools to create inclusive and future-ready learning environments, will host a panel discussion on the future of work and how K-12 schools can prepare our youth. Panelists will include columnist and best-selling author Thomas Friedman, senior advisor for the Biden Administration and former deputy commissioner of workforce for Minnesota Hamse Warfa, and CEO and co-founder of World Savvy Dana Mortenson.

Megatrends, including globalization and rapid technological progress, are transforming the nature of work. How jobs will be carried out and who carries them out are shifting, creating an increase in demand for competencies like critical thinking and problem-solving. During “Future of Work, Future of Schools: A Critical Conversation with World Savvy,” the panelists will address questions including “What will be the future of work?” and “What can K-12 education do to best prepare youth for this future?” 

“I am happy to be joined by these distinguished panel members to discuss workforce trends and their impact on education,” said Dana Mortenson, CEO and co-founder of World Savvy. “Globalization and technological advances are changing how we work and who performs what jobs, making skills like critical thinking and problem-solving absolutely essential. Leaders in K-12 education recognize that a focus on developing competencies over rote memorization is key in preparing graduates to thrive in rapid change. I am excited about the opportunity to bring these ideas and issues together in one place as we reimagine ways to better prepare our students to be future-ready.”

Middle school students from Ella Baker Global Studies and Humanities Magnet School in Minneapolis Public Schools will also be attending the event. The students are expected to ask the panelists one to two questions during the live event. Ella Baker Global Studies and Humanities Magnet School has engaged in a multi-year partnership with World Savvy to embed global competence into the learning environment and create a more future-ready school community. 

The event will be held from 12–1:30 pm CDT, at the Machine Shop, located on 300 2nd Street Southeast in Minneapolis. The panel will be moderated by Dr. William Gaudelli, the Dean of the College of Education and Vice Provost for Innovation in Education at Lehigh University. With a career spanning 35 years as a classroom teacher, researcher, professor, and administrator, Dr. Gaudelli is a prominent international scholar with research areas focusing on global citizenship education and teacher education. He has published more than 85 scholarly pieces and four books, the most recent entitled Pedagogy of the Global Event.

Tickets to attend the panel have already sold out. Media members who would like to attend should contact Lisette Gushiniere to reserve their spot. 

A recording of the discussion will be available following the event. For more information, visit WorldSavvy.org/future-ready-schools.

About World Savvy
World Savvy is a national K-12 education nonprofit partnering holistically with schools to reimagine education and create more inclusive, student-centered, and future-ready learning communities. We do this by partnering with schools to embed global competence into the strategic vision, school environment, and teaching and learning practices. Since 2002, the organization has reached over 810,000 students and 6,900 educators across 45 U.S. states. By 2035, World Savvy’s goal is to engage 10,000 K-12 schools across the U.S., reaching an estimated 5 million students. Learn more at WorldSavvy.org. 

Media Contact:
Lisette Gushiniere
Strategist, PRP Group
Lisette@prp.group