Widely recognized as one of higher ed's most innovative small college presidents, Michael Alexander is passionate about the value of the small college experience. Harboring a lifelong aspiration of becoming a small college president, Alexander landed his dream job as president of Lasell University (Newton, Ma) in 2007, following successful corporate careers, first in media and entertainment and then in technology. At Lasell, he has presided over a substantial enrollment increase and expansion of the academic portfolio and led the community through the development of several strategic plans and a campus master plan. During our conversation, we discuss some of the innovations during his presidential tenure including Lasell Village, a very successful retirement community where residents sign up to be full-time students for the rest of their lives, Lasell Works, a new program that lowers the costs of obtaining a degree for students who agree to spend their whole sophomore year learning online while working off campus, new academic programs, and the Low-Cost Models Consortium, an initiative he spearheaded that is fostering collaboration among private colleges and industry to find ways to significantly reduce the debt for students to complete their degrees. Alexander also shares his insights about what it takes to be a successful small college leader in this current environment.