Google Education Leader Steven Butschi to Deliver Bethany College’s 2026 Grimes Lecture

Bethany College will welcome technology and education leader Steven Butschi as the featured speaker for the 2026 Grimes Lecture Series during Homecoming Weekend Sept. 18-20. The lecture will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 10:15 a.m. in Wailes Theatre.Steven-Butschi
Butschi currently serves as director of education, North America, at Google, where he leads the North American Google Education Go-to-market team. In this role, he works with school districts, colleges, and universities to leverage Google Workspace, Chromebooks, and Gemini AI technologies to personalize learning and enhance educational outcomes.
A member of the Google Education team since 2009, Butschi has played a key role in several transformative initiatives within educational technology. He helped universities migrate to Google Workspace for Education, served on the founding team that introduced Chromebooks to the education market, and helped launch Google Cloud Platform initiatives supporting researchers, universities, and EdTech organizations. Today, Chromebooks are the leading device used in K-12 education across the United States.
As artificial intelligence continues to shape the future of education and technology, Butschi has become a nationally recognized voice on the topic. He has spoken at the United Nations, appeared on CBS Mornings, and delivered keynote presentations at conferences around the world. In 2026, he was recognized by EdTech Digest as one of the Top 100 Influencers in EdTech.
“Steven Butschi represents the kind of innovative, forward-thinking leadership that is shaping the future of education,” said Vice President for Advancement Jason Koegler. “His work at Google has transformed how schools and universities approach technology, accessibility, and personalized learning. We are honored to welcome him back to Bethany and look forward to the insight and perspective he will share with our campus community through the Grimes Lecture Series.”
Butschi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and French from Brown University and was awarded an honorary doctorate in Education from Bethany College. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the College.
“Given all the talk about AI, in this interactive session, we’ll strip away the buzzwords to provide a clear baseline understanding of what AI actually is (and isn’t). We’ll dive into some tools, including some practical, everyday AI examples to save time and cut down on daily busywork. We’ll also discuss key questions, like where exactly the job market is heading now that the software can write its own emails. Bring a laptop, tablet, or smartphone so you can follow along and play with these tools in real-time!”
The event will provide an interactive experience for guests, featuring a short presentation from Butschi, hands-on engagement with technology and devices, and concluding with an opportunity for audience questions and discussion.
The Grimes Lecture Series brings distinguished leaders and innovators to campus to engage the Bethany community in conversations surrounding leadership, service, innovation, and global impact. For those unable to attend, there will be a livestream available on our Facebook page.