Spotlight On: Christina Clark, President, La Roche University

December 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Christina Clark, president of La Roche University, discussed how the institution is adapting to technological advancements and shifting workforce demands. She emphasized equipping students with AI literacy, ethical reasoning, and experiential learning to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market. “With projections indicating 20% of graduates may struggle to find entry-level roles, our focus on clinical skills, practicums and internships ensures students are ready for diverse, evolving job markets,” Clark said.

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What changes over the past year have impacted the university, and how?

As the new president of La Roche, my goal was to build on our historic strengths and prepare students for the AI-driven industrial revolution. I prioritized ensuring graduates are workforce-ready with basic AI skills and ethical AI knowledge, as employers now prioritize these skills over experience. The faculty responded swiftly, and for the first time, every student graduated with these competencies.

We also strengthened our commitment to dialogue across differences, participating in the Constructive Dialogue Institute to embed these skills in curricula and extracurriculars. To meet community needs, we launched new majors: clinical mental health counseling, cybersecurity and forensics, aviation management with Community College of Beaver County (CCBC), and sports and entertainment management. These programs emphasize experiential learning, vital as entry-level jobs shrink due to AI. Our liberal arts foundation equips students with human skills AI can’t replicate, preparing them for flexible careers in a rapidly changing world. With projections indicating 20% of graduates may struggle to find entry-level roles, our focus on clinical skills, practicums and internships ensures students are ready for diverse, evolving job markets.

What results are you seeing from new programs and other initiatives like workforce development, particularly in terms of internships or career pipelines?

The aviation management major launches this fall, enrolling students through our partnership with CCBC. At La Roche, the SOLVE Center drives experiential learning. Through FI-Solve, students can invest university funds in markets. BioSolve enables biology students to get involved in community projects. Criminal justice students can access and analyze data like Pittsburgh’s homicide patterns over a century, aiding the sheriff’s office. Students also work as analysts for the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. 

Every major ensures work-engaged learning, from clinicals to teaching practicums. For East Coast Bulldog Rescue, students crafted marketing plans; for Dollar Bank, they researched risk management cases. Companies propose projects, and the SOLVE Center connects them to faculty and classes, with students working free for community benefit. In the La Roche Experience, our core curriculum, students research community issues like human trafficking, a major Pittsburgh issue due to its highway systems. They collaborate with nonprofits, present findings and implement solutions. According to NSSE data, 96% of courses at La Roche include experiential learning, versus 56% peer Catholic institutions, 44% Carnegie class, and 43% overall NSSE institutions.

How do the festivals, celebrations, and your inclusivity efforts contribute to creating a vibrant campus culture?

As a Catholic institution, respecting human dignity is a core value at La Roche, fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong. We achieve this through diverse student clubs, like crafting groups where students knit and create together, engaging off-screen. Our sports teams, another form of experiential learning, build community, especially for our large international student body, including soccer players from Spain and Africa. Student government is active, with last year’s president from Equatorial Guinea, uniting domestic and international students. GLOBE Fest, a student-produced show, celebrates unity through food, dance and music, varying yearly based on student interests. Held as the academic year closes, it’s a stress-relieving celebration where the community cheers for all.

How are you navigating key challenges in higher education, such as cost pressures, competition, and changing student expectations?

The challenge for universities like La Roche is keeping up with technology to train students effectively. Faculty and staff must stay current with rapid advancements. Access to higher education is a major issue, especially with federal student aid, like Graduate PLUS loans, being phased out. These loans enabled students to enroll in vital healthcare programs, such as nursing and nurse anesthesia, which are critical to communities. Without these loans, students face high-interest private loans, increasing debt. La Roche is enhancing philanthropy to meet student needs, as higher education is essential for competing in the digital age, unlike skilled trades like plumbing.

The closure of rural hospitals also threatens clinical training spots for healthcare degrees, with cascading effects from federal actions. Shifting demographics, with declining youth populations globally, require adjusted enrollment strategies, focusing on Pittsburgh, surrounding states, and international students. We’re developing graduate programs, like a physician assistant program, and embedding workforce certificates, such as Google’s project management, into courses. Pittsburgh’s diverse higher education institutions don’t necessarily compete, but instead collaborate on joint programs, both academic and extracurricular, and shared services, fostering optimism for mutual support in addressing these challenges.

What are your key goals and priorities for La Roche over the next two to three years?

Continuing our focus on constructive dialogue skills is vital for U.S. democracy and enhances students’ value as employees by fostering teamwork. At La Roche, we prioritize teaching AI skills to keep pace with the digital age. Pittsburgh’s economy, driven by “meds and eds,” insurance, and steel, demands we align with employer needs. As the new president, I’m committed to engaging with CEOs through our board of trustees to understand these needs.

We emphasize human skills — such as communication, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship — which are critical in a global economy. These skills ensure students thrive in the digital age. Without them, navigating this landscape is challenging. For instance, when my daughter explored colleges, Trinity College Dublin noted that Google and Facebook prioritize hiring classics, history, and English majors for their communication skills and their ability to understand human behavior and connect with customers. By embedding these competencies, alongside AI proficiency and community engagement, La Roche prepares students for dynamic careers and meaningful contributions to society.

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