Clayton State University’s Social Mobility Summit provides a meaningful platform to evaluate the role of higher education as a key driver of social mobility and to identify ways that institutions of higher education can best partner with community stakeholders to promote social mobility. This Summit is designed to discuss common determinants of social mobility while also looking at the unique barriers present in the greater metro Atlanta area. The Summit will include panels, workshops, and discussions focused on issues related to social mobility, such as access to education, economic opportunity, and student success. This Summit is part of Clayton State University’s ongoing commitment to advancing social mobility on our campus, in the broader community, and throughout the state of Georgia.
Register for the 2025 Social Mobility Summit
Second Annual Social Mobility Summit
June 25, 2025
Planning is underway for the Clayton State University Second Annual Social Mobility Summit. We are pleased to announce the 2025 Social Mobility Summit, taking place on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, on our campus in Morrow, Georgia. We invite you to submit a session proposal and join this important conversation focused on advancing opportunity through partnership. Below you will find additional information. We look forward to seeing you in June.
Call for Programs
Clayton State University invites proposals for the 2025 Social Mobility Summit, a gathering of educators, policymakers, community leaders, and changemakers committed to expanding access, opportunity, and upward mobility through cross-sector partnerships.
Summit Theme: "Bridging Partnerships, Building Futures"
This summit will explore the power of partnerships—between higher education, K-12 community agencies, and industry—in advancing social mobility and addressing the complex issues facing students and communities today.
Session Topics May Include the Following:
- Higher education and K-12 alignment
- Collaborations with community agencies and nonprofits
- Equity gaps in college access and completion
- Workforce development and industry partnerships
- Systemic barriers to student success
- Innovative models for cross-sector collaboration
- Data and policy solutions driving social mobility
Session Formats:
- Workshops
- Panel Discussions
- Roundtables
- Lightning Talks
- Posters
- Interactive/Innovative Presentations
Proposal Guidelines – Please include a brief abstract (250 words or fewer), describing the purpose, content, and intended audience of your session. Proposals should highlight how the session aligns with the summit theme and contributes to advancing social mobility.
Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025
Submit your proposal to dstansberry@clayton.edu.
Questions? Contact Don Stansberry at dstansberry@clayton.edu for more information.
Join us in shaping bold, innovative solutions that create real impact—for students, communities, and future generations.
Keynote Speaker – Dr. Mahnaz Charania, Chief Transformation Officer, TNTP
As Chief Transformation Officer, Dr. Mahnaz Charania drives innovation and growth by aligning leadership, expanding partnerships, and leveraging data to drive innovations and yield improved educational outcomes and economic and social mobility for all learners. She leads a dynamic team overseeing the organization’s national research agenda, leveraging evidence to design and scale TNTP's services, and ensuring the organization’s strategies remain adaptive and impactful in the evolving education ecosystem.
Prior to joining TNTP, she served as the founding Executive Director of the Rozhar Education Collaborative, where she partnered with PK-16 schools, districts, nonprofits, and intermediaries to enhance their capacity for courageous, systems-level leadership and implement innovative practices that support student success.
At the Clayton Christensen Institute, Mahnaz co-directed a multi-year, $1.5 million field-building initiative aimed at scaling innovative practices and education technology tools to expand students’ social capital through career-connected pathways, civic education programs, and place-based learning. Known for bridging the gap between research and practice, Mahnaz excels at designing meaningful, data-driven learning experiences. Previously, at Fulton County Schools, she established the inaugural Department of Research and Program Evaluation, led the district’s 2017 strategic planning process, and played a pivotal role in rolling out personalized learning across 96 schools.
Mahnaz holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Experimental Social Psychology from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a Pahara Fellow and a sought-after speaker on strategies for measuring non-academic outcomes and scaling innovative practices that support learners toward social and economic mobility.
Read TNTP's published research:
"Paths of Opportunity: What it Will Take for All Young People to Thrive."
2025 Summit Schedule
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. |
Check-in & Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Opening Session |
| 9:10 a.m. |
Panel 1 - Students & Alumni Share Their Story |
| 10:00 a.m. |
Keynote - Dr. Mahnaz Charania, Chief Transformation Officer, TNTP |
| 11:15 a.m. |
Panel 2 - Community Partners |
| 12:00 p.m. |
Lunch |
| 1:00 p.m. |
Educational Sessions Supporting First Generation Students Designing Cross-Sector Pipelines |
| 2:00 p.m. |
Resource Fair & Energy Break |
| 2:45 p.m. |
Panel 3 - Community Agency Partners |
| 3:30 p.m. |
Closing Remarks |
Summit Executive Committee
- Don Stansberry, Chair of Social Mobility Summit, Vice President of Student Affairs
- Virginia Bonner, Professor of Film Studies
- Deborah Deckner Davis, Professor of Psychology
- Taralyn Keese, Senior Lecturer, Social Work Minor Program Coordinator
- Michael Little, Executive Director of Government & External Affairs
- Jada Mitchell, Executive Director of Student Success
- Matthew Sansbury, Associate Professor of English, Director of First-Year Writing & The Writers’ Studio