As part of this season’s “New Topics New College” series, alumnus William Dudley ’71 will be giving a talk entitled “Challenge and Response: Facing Hard Choices in a Time of Economic Crisis” at 5 p.m. Thurs. Nov. 12 via Zoom.
A senior research scholar at Princeton University’s Griswold Center for Economic Policy Studies, Dudley served as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2009 to 2018. He was also the vice chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee.
In 2019, Dudley spoke about the nation’s record-breaking economic expansion. Shortly after, the pandemic cut that short. His lecture will cover how the United States economy has plunged from recent heights to the deepest recession in decades.
“What is Dudley’s prescription to bring the patient back to health? What choices must be made to jumpstart a recovery? How long will it take to turn things around? Depending on our choices, Dudley will define the best-case and worst-case scenarios,” the event description stated.
Beyond being an economic and financial leader, Dudley is also a fierce advocate of New College. He was recently featured in a series of videos for New College’s “More than Just a Number” campaign, which highlighted alumni and students who discussed how the College transformed their lives.
In his video, Dudley said:
“I started out going to Columbia my freshman year—an ivy league school—but it didn’t really suit me. Then I found New College, and that’s stood me in extraordinarily good stead. It taught me how to read and think critically. It helped me understand how to tackle new issues and problems creatively. And that broad education, I think, stood me in very good stead subsequently. I think New College is extraordinarily unique. It prepared me extraordinarily well for the world I faced during the great financial crisis. I don’t think I could have done the job I did in 2009 when I took over president of the New York Fed without a New College education.”
Dudley’s insights in the “New Topics” event are likely to be illuminating for students, alumni and the entire campus community. The lecture series itself is a collaboration between New College and the New College Foundation. To mark New College’s 60th anniversary, this year’s lineup features multiple noteworthy alumni whose New College experience prepared them for careers of exceptional impact.
The series runs until March and tickets are $10. Reservations can be made here or by calling the New College events hotline at 941-487-4888. Tickets are free for New College students, faculty, staff and alumni. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.
For more information on this and other “New Topics New College” events, visit ncf.edu/alumni-and-friends/the-foundation/ntnc-tickets/