Recently, I had the honor of delivering the keynote at the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) Conference in Lansing—and in many ways, it felt less like a speech and more like coming home. Not just to the state that shaped me, but to the very building where my own journey to college began.

When I stepped onto that stage, I could still picture my teenage self walking into the Lansing convention center for a college fair, nervous and uncertain, trying to figure out whether college was even possible for someone like me. I remember approaching the University of Michigan table, hearing about the Scholar Recognition Scholarships, and feeling something shift. That moment—right there under bright lights, banners, and folding tables—was the first time I believed that affording college on my own might actually be within reach.

So to return decades later as the keynote speaker was a full-circle reminder: possibility happens in spaces like this. MCAN’s work makes that shift happen for thousands of young people across Michigan every single day. The people on the ground are the ones standing in the crossfire, between policy pressure and student promise, turning confusion into clarity and doubt into direction.

During the keynote, I shared a framework we’ve been using in our research called Conflict-Intelligent Leadership (CIQ-L), because the truth is this moment in higher education demands more than resilience. It demands humans who can navigate competing pressures with clarity, courage, and adaptability. Being able to speak in the birthplace of my own college aspirations made that message even more meaningful.

Here is the full keynote video:

As I looked out into the room—filled with counselors, educators, nonprofit leaders, policy advocates, and student-success champions and more—I felt a deep gratitude. A state is at its best when we invest in access, equity, and community. And every person in that room was carrying that mission forward.

An Invitation

Something I didn’t say from the stage, but want to say here: I love doing this work. Speaking, teaching, keynoting, and helping comunities navigate today’s landscape is one of the most meaningful parts of my career. When I show up for an audience, I bring energy, expertise, humor, and—above all—authenticity and storytelling.

If your campus, organization, or conference is looking for a keynote speaker who can bring research, heart, and lived experience together in one compelling message, I’d love to talk.

Reach out anytime: jvh@alumni.stanford.edu

Thank you again to MCAN for the invitation, the hospitality, and the reminder that possibility is not an abstract concept—it’s a moment, a spark, a conversation, a connection. And one last note that speaks volumes about who MCAN is: the day before the keynote, someone from the team reached out and casually asked what I like to drink at night. It felt like an unusual question in the middle of a busy workday. But when I walked into my hotel room, there it was—an ice-cold Coca-Cola and a pizza gift certificate waiting for me. A simple gesture, but such a thoughtful one. That’s MCAN: they don’t just talk about care, they practice it.

It was an honor to be home and to stand once again in the very place where my own future began.

Here’s to the next circle we help someone close.

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Julian Vasquez Heilig is an award-winning public scholar, dynamic keynote speaker, and experienced event MC who has delivered hundreds of public speaking engagements for community organizations, nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and national professional associations across the country and abroad. He has spoken at more than 30 universities and presented for some of the nation’s most recognizable and respected institutions, including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Education Association, the National Urban League, multiple chapters of the NAACP, the Network for Public Education, the GEAR UP National Conference, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE), the Council of State Governments, and the Southern Education Foundation. His additional high-profile speaking engagements include the Cambridge Forum, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Concordia Summit, the National Institutes of Health, the National Council of Teachers of English, and SxSW.edu. In addition to his keynote work, he is frequently invited to host and MC major events—including recently serving as Master of Ceremonies for the MIHC Detroit Annual Breakfast—bringing energy, humor, connection, and polish to every room. Known for blending research, storytelling, authenticity, and crowd engagement, he is a sought-after voice for audiences committed to building more courageous, equitable, and future-focused educational systems.