Author Paul Tough Visits Arrupe College

On October 21, 2019, Fr. Steve Katsouros, S.J., Founding Dean and Executive Director of Arrupe College, hosted a reception and conversation with New York Times Bestselling Author Paul Tough. Nearly 60 people attended the event, where Tough discussed his new book, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us​, and shared his thoughts on the higher education landscape and why Arrupe College is a model that should be replicated across the country.

As Tough shared that night:

 “Arrupe is showing…that unlikely college students can succeed and not just at the skilled trades, but in a liberal arts education that is going to prepare them for jobs in the knowledge economy. I feel like Fr. Katsouros would be the first to point out, Arrupe has not answered all of these questions, has not solved all of these problems yet; but I think both the initial results and progress that is being made here is really encouraging and important.”

Tough’s The Years That Matter Most tells the stories of students trying to find their way through the application process and into college. Drawing on new research, the book reveals how the landscape of higher education has shifted in recent decades and exposes the hidden truths of how the system works and whom it works for. And it introduces us to the people who really make higher education go: admissions directors trying to balance the class and balance the budget; College board officials scrambling to defend the SAT in the face of mounting evidence that it favors the wealthy; researchers working to unlock the mysteries of the college-student brain; and educators trying to transform potential dropouts into successful graduates.

Prior to the event, Katsouros and Tough were featured on WGN Radio where they highlighted the sense of belonging students feel at Arrupe College.

To watch the entire conversation from the event, click here.