Statement on the Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Education Secretary
This week President-elect Donald Trump nominated Linda McMahon, cofounder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and former administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017-17). NAICU President Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A., issued the following statement on the nomination:
"On behalf of the NAICU membership, I congratulate Linda McMahon on her nomination to be the Secretary of Education in the incoming Trump Administration. McMahon brings a wealth of experience that aligns with the need to strengthen the connection between education and workforce readiness. Her leadership at the Small Business Administration in the first Trump Administration demonstrated her commitment to innovation and practical solutions.
"McMahon has been an active member of the Sacred Heart University campus community in Connecticut and is currently serving her second stint as a member of its board of trustees. She knows first-hand the challenges and pressures facing colleges and universities and the students we serve. She has had a positive effect on the Sacred Heart campus and I’m sure she will bring her understanding of private, nonprofit higher education and the impact our institutions have on students and the communities, states, and regions they serve to the Department and Administration.
"The NAICU membership looks forward to learning more about McMahon’s higher education priorities and working with her in this new role during the presidential transition and upon confirmation."
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The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) serves as the unified voice for the 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities in our nation. Founded in 1976, NAICU is the only national membership organization solely focused on representing private, nonprofit higher education on public policy issues in Washington, DC. NAICU’s membership reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S. Our member institutions include major research universities, faith-based colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions, art and design colleges, conservatories of music, traditional liberal arts and science institutions, women’s colleges, work colleges, two-year colleges and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business and other professions.
Each year, private, nonprofit colleges and universities graduate more than 1.2 million students. Additionally, the economic impact of the private, nonprofit sector of higher education for academic year 2022-23 totaled $652 billion, and the sector generated $99 billion in tax revenues and supported and sustained 3.4 million jobs.