Founder and Co-CEO of CoGenerate, expert on the multigenerational future
March 2026 – Drew University will welcome CoGenerate founder and Co-CEO Marc Freedman as its commencement 2026 speaker and award him an honorary doctor of humane letters.
CoGenerate is a non-profit organization that works to bridge generational divides by uniting younger and older people to solve social issues, including loneliness, polarization, and mental health. Freedman was a featured speaker at the “Wisdom Meets Innovation: How AI Will Transform Education and Connect Generations” convening last spring, an event co-hosted by Drew University and the Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation.
Freedman was also the founding faculty director of the Yale Experienced Leaders Initiative and has twice been a visiting scholar at Stanford University.
The author of five books, Freedman has received praise from the Wall Street Journal for his latest work, How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting Generations, naming it one of the year’s best books on aging well.
Freedman originated the concept of encore careers, linking second acts to the greater good. To help promote the encore career idea, he co-created the Experience Corps (now the AARP Experience Corps), the Purpose Prize, and Encore Fellowships.
“We are so excited to welcome Marc Freedman as our commencement speaker,” said Drew President Hilary L. Link, PhD.
“Marc is not just a thought leader, but a doer. Through his organization, his writing, and his teaching, he helps put into practice the ideas of lifelong learning and adding to the world’s good—two things that are integral to Drew University. As Drew leans into reimagining learning for the future as a lifelong arc, Marc and Co-Generate are important advisors and partners in this work, and we know his remarks will resonate with our graduates, their families and friends, and the entire Drew community.”
Freedman will speak at Drew’s commencement ceremony honoring graduates of Drew Theological School, Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, and College of Liberal Arts.
The ceremony will be held on Friday, May 15, at 1 p.m. on Mead Hall Lawn.
For all things Drew commencement, head to drew.edu/commencement.
