Willimantic, Conn. – On Oct. 7, Nicholas Donofrio, chairman of the Board of Regents (BOR) for Higher Education, spoke at Eastern Connecticut State University about innovation and the future of technology, and how a liberal arts education has value in this changing world. Eastern President Elsa Núñez said of Donofrio — who is the former executive vice president of innovation and technology at IBM — “We are happy to have someone with his vast experience helping to lead the higher education system in Connecticut.”
Donofrio charged the crowd to think about “change,” “value” and “innovation,” and to recognize that the world as we know it is moving faster than ever. “Innovators start with the problem,” he said. “Anyone can be an innovator; it’s not a specially endowed job.” Donofrio also mentioned the value of having a broad education. “The innovators of the world aren’t ‘I’ shaped, they are ‘T’ shaped,” suggesting that, knowledge-wise, one must be both “broad and deep.”