Cecilia Conrad, Ph.D. in Economics, is this year’s Commencement speaker for Oberlin College. She is the founding CEO of Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundation. Under her leadership, the nonprofit has facilitated partnerships between major donors and innovators in projects for social change in over 100 countries and has influenced $2.5 billion in grants. She is an emerita professor of Economics at Pomona College, and has also served Pomona College as the Associate Dean of the College, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, and Acting President. As an economist, she has led research that examines the racial and gendered dimensions of economic status.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’ve said that you became an economist to satisfy your interest in math and passion for solving social problems. What nurtured your passion for using your intellectual curiosity to address real-world problems?

I grew up acutely aware of racial discrimination and economic inequality. My parents, both in word and deed, instilled in me a strong sense of having a responsibility to my community. I knew that I wanted to find a space where I could make a difference. When I learned about the field of economics, it seemed to be an opportunity to put my skills to work.

You have traveled the circuit of prestigious colleges and universities as either a professor or a top administrative executive. Now, you’re the CEO of a philanthropic nonprofit. What inspired you to move from higher education to philanthropy, and do you have a set of principles that guide how you engage in your multifaceted work?

I had a wonderful career in academia, but I was worried that I was starting to assume that I knew everything that there was to know about a selective liberal arts college, and that’s a dangerous mindset. I needed to disrupt that and try something new. I needed a change.

Lever for Change has influenced over $2.5 billion in funding for philanthropic projects throughout over 100 countries. What have been some of the most exciting projects that you have come across?

At the moment, I am very excited about the finalist projects in two open calls that were U.S.-focused: Trust in American Institutions and the Gulf Futures Challenge.

As someone who’s spent years basically assessing what projects are likely to make the largest impact on society, what questions do you hope to see changemakers work to address in the future?

I don’t make that assessment. We have created a process at Lever for Change that leverages multiple forms of expertise to make that assessment. Most open calls begin with a participatory review process where applicants score and provide feedback on the applications of other applicants. Then, we have an expert panel review. We help the funder choose a project from among the top-scoring applicants. 

I will answer a slightly different question. What are the problems I hope donors will support — what open calls would I like to see happen? I‘ve got a list: sustainable food systems, early childhood, curbing human trafficking, and ocean health.

In your research, you have corrected misconceptions about the costs of affirmative action and worked to predict the economic impact of the University of California’s decision to end race-based affirmative action. In 2026, what work is demanded of people who are passionate about addressing historical inequities in higher education?

We need to revive the idea that higher education has a public benefit and should lead to a redefinition of what constitutes “merit.” I argued that educational resources should be allocated based on where the net marginal public benefit is greatest. Test scores, grades, and even teacher references are imperfect proxies for this.

What about Oberlin influenced your decision to be the College’s Commencement speaker?

One, I love pomp, circumstance, and wearing my cap and gown. I don’t get to do that so much in my new career. Two, my friends who have gone to Oberlin are amazing people who are deeply loyal to the school. Even friends who are former faculty feel deeply loyal. And, I am impressed by the exceptionally creative people, especially the MacArthur Fellows, it counts among its graduates.