Louis Glazer

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Michigan Future Inc. President Louis Glazer: Being a leader is figuring out how to make a difference at scale. It is not accepting what is or how things have been done. It is being willing to start from a clean sheet and figure out how best to meet a challenge, solve problems, and make a difference.

A college degree gives a young adult a real opportunity to realize the American Dream. Every urban youth, regardless of their social class, should have the opportunity for prosperity, success, and upward social mobility achieved through hard work.

 
What is your dream for kids?
My dream is for urban kids to earn college degrees at scale. A college degree gives a young adult a real opportunity to realize the American Dream. Every urban youth, regardless of their social class, should have the opportunity for prosperity, success, and upward social mobility achieved through hard work.
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
Successful states know the importance of strongly focusing on preparing, attracting, and retaining young people to continue to grow their knowledge economy. If our state doesn't see that as a priority and increase efforts to keep young, educated people in the state, Michigan will suffer the consequences. Creating internship programs that get students involved in the community before they graduate is an example of how successful communities are retaining talent.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
Progress means students in the high schools we invest in being on track to enter college without the need for remediation. This is what open enrollment urban high schools around the country are struggling with. We are struggling too. But we are dedicated to working creatively with the schools we invest in to figure out how to achieve this ambitious goal.
 

Progress means students in the high schools we invest in being on track to enter college without the need for remediation.

What are you most proud of?
I am proud of helping to open four brand new open enrollment high schools serving Detroit in two years. Two more are on the way for this fall. That is lots of scale in a very short period of time.
 
What role have networks played in your professional career? How have those networks, both personal and private affected the work you are able to do?
I don’t think of those I work with as networks. Obviously the wide variety of folks I have had the chance to interact with and work with over a long career have greatly influenced what I do and how I do it. I believe nothing can be accomplished at any scale alone.