BINGHAMTON, NY – "Broken Bonds: What Family Fragmentation Means to America’s Future" will be the topic of the Binghamton University Forum breakfast program on Tuesday, April 14. A luncheon buffet will begin at noon, and the formal program will start at 12:30 p.m., at Traditions at the Glen, 4104 Watson Blvd., Johnson City.

Guest speaker Mitch Pearlstein ‘70, Binghamton University alumnus and founder and president of the Center of the American Experiment, a nonpartisan, tax-exempt, public policy and educational institution, and think tank for issues occurring in the nation, will discuss the issues of family fragmentation in America today.

Pearlstein is a distinguished author and explores the declining state of the American family and what its disintegration means for our country’s future in his book Broken Bonds: What Family Fragmentation Means for America’s Future. According to Pearlstein, the U.S. has the highest family fragmentation rates in the industrial world. As one of the many challenging issues that American families are now facing, fragmentation impacts millions of children, as well as adults, leading to educational and economic losses that result in decreased social mobility and increased class divisions.

Recognized for his dedication to making America better for all, Pearlstein was named one of the top 100 "Distinguished Alumni" at the University of Minnesota. He served on various positions in the U.S. Department of Education during the Reagan and (first) Bush administrations, where he held various positions, including director of outreach for the Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

Pearlstein has held several leadership positions. He received his undergraduate degree in political science at Binghamton University. He went on to work on his master’s at the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. He then became an adjunct professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, where he earned his Ph.D. in educational administration with an emphasis on higher education policy.

The Binghamton University Forum is a membership organization comprised of business, professional and community leaders that brings nationally known authorities to speak at functions throughout the year. For more information, visit binghamton.edu/forum or call the Forum office at (607) 777-5801.