Beyond the Walls Forum Session 3: Culture That Carries
- 30 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Building on our earlier conversations around essential skills and cross-sector partnerships, the third session of the Beyond the Walls Education & Industry Forum focused on a critical, often overlooked factor in preparing young people for the future: culture.
Held at Augustine Prep’s North Campus, Session 3 explored “Culture That Carries: Creating Clarity, Trust, and Belonging Across the Pipeline.” The discussion centered on culture not as a set of stated values, but as something we practice daily — the behaviors, expectations, and norms that either reduce friction or create barriers as young people move from K–12 to higher education and into the workforce.
The session opened with an impactful keynote from Erin Robertson, who spoke about building cultures that support success through trust, psychological safety, and belonging.
Her message challenged participants to consider how identity and workplace dynamics influence how people show up, contribute, and thrive.
Following the keynote, Luke Harrison moderated a candid cross-sector panel featuring:
Kelsey Brenn, Chief People Officer, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
Kris Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering, Marquette University
Daniel Klingelhoets, Talent Manager - Global Onboarding & Exit Experience, Kohler Co.
Panelists shared honest stories about building culture within their organizations — including early missteps, lessons learned, and how they identified cultural friction points that affect readiness, retention, and performance.
Participants then moved into a Culture In Action Workshop facilitated by Dan Schiller, where education and industry professionals worked together to name real challenges, test assumptions, and identify practical behaviors that can better support young people moving through the education-to-work pipeline. Each participant left with one specific cultural behavior they committed to practicing differently to create clarity, build trust, and foster belonging.
Following the forum, guests got a sneak peak tour of the new Augustine Prep North Campus.
Session 3 reinforced a powerful idea: when education and industry intentionally align around culture — clarity, trust, and belonging — we create stronger pathways for young people to succeed.
The conversation continues as the Beyond the Walls Forum works to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and build systems that truly support the next generation.