John N. Gardner
John is an educator, university professor, and administrator, non-profit organization chief executive officer, author, editor, public speaker, consultant, change agent, student retention specialist, first-year, sophomore, transfer, and senior year students’ advocate, and initiator and scholar of the American first-year and senior-year reform movements. He serves as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Gardner Institute. The Institute was founded by John and his wife, Betsy O. Barefoot, in October 1999. Since its inception in 1999, the Institute has received over $8,000,000 in support from its philanthropic partners, most recently from the Lumina Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.
The Gardner Institute works with colleges and universities to strengthen their resolve and processes to undertake assessment and other improvement actions to increase student learning and retention.