Episode Archives
jackie watches stuff : top gun
Hey everyone! We wanted to share something special with you this week. Jackie Vetrano, who helped create our show, has started a new podcast called Jackie Watches Stuff. As you might know from previous episodes of Higher Ed Social, she’s missed out on a lot of great movies and in this new show, she watches them and discusses them with friends.
Today, we’re sharing her first episode about Top Gun. That’s right, Jackie had never seen Top Gun. It’s a great episode, but a quick warning that there’s some explicit language and a bit of adult content. So be mindful of the kiddos and the workspaces.
The first 4 episodes are available now at jackiewatchesstuff.com and anywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to follow the show on Twitter at @JackieWatches.
REBROADCAST: leigh hall & the most higher ed title ever
Leigh Hall is a professor and the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Literacy Education at the University of Wyoming. While studying at the University of South Florida, she realized she wanted to be a teacher and create a better environment for future students. She got her master’s at Vanderbilt University then taught social studies for 6 years in Houston before getting her Ph. D at Michigan State University. Her research on literacy at the University of Wyoming aims to help elementary and middle school teachers around the state.
ron alexander & doing the work
Ron started a new job as the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Student Conduct at Northwestern in May — in the midst of a pandemic and just before protests against racial violence began across the U.S. Both of these events directly impact Ron’s work both now and in the fall. Despite all the turmoil, he remains collected and more motivated than ever to create an inclusive environment for Northwestern’s students.
Ron and Lougan worked together at Belmont, but Lougan was not able to join this interview so Jenna caught up with him to talk about his history as a campus organizer and whether it’s possible to address public health and racial justice at the same time. We also discuss Ron’s work as a tour guide and organizer for Black travelers and where he wants to go once travel resumes.
Ron holds a master’s in college student affairs from the University of West Georgia and is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in student affairs leadership at the University of Georgia.
carah ong whaley & ending systemic racism
While a lot of colleges and universities talk about ending racism and inequality on their campuses, Carah Ong Whaley and her team at JMU dove headfirst into taking action. Carah is Associate Director of the Center for Civic Engagement, which has put together weekly virtual discussions on topics related to racism, policing, and more. She is also part of an effort to rename JMU buildings currently named for well-known racists in history. As you’ll hear, she’s active in both the #JMUchangethenames social media campaign and working behind the scenes with university leaders.
We recorded this episode on June 18. Stay tuned to the end of the show on what’s happened at JMU since then.
REBROADCAST: junior delgado & the cow pasture
This week we’re rebroadcasting Lougan and Jackie’s episode with Junior Delgado, the director of the Career Center at Westfield State University. He started as the coordinator of senior programs 18 years ago and nine years later he started his current role. The center is staffed with 13 people who oversee career services for undergraduates, graduates, and alumni. Junior discusses how the university uses the platform Handshake to promote one on one connections and as a tool to host networking events. His signature lesson topic to prepare students is to have them think about life after Westfield.
jackie vetrano & a reunion of sorts
This week, Lougan and new Higher Ed Social host Jenna Spinelle catch up with Jackie about what she’s been up to in her new role at UNC and how the grad school world differs from undergraduate when it comes to enrollment and recruitment. We also talk about how COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s work and non-work lives, including 100% more Animal Crossing and Tiger King than has ever been discussed on the show before.
REBROADCAST: kate post & the deep hole of space
This week, we’re rebroadcasting Lougan & Jackie’s episode with Kate Post, digital engagement lead at California State University, Chico. She has a master’s degree in Japanese and planned to go into translation work, but found a passion for communications and social media. She translates her love of Japanese culture and literature into her work every day. To Kate, communication (especially through social media) is similar to translation in that both break down a message to its essential pieces and then re-packaging it in a different way.
beth wolfe & not the other charleston
This week, Lougan sat down with Beth Wolfe, the executive Vice President for enrollment management at the University of Charleston in West Virginia. Beth’s 22-year career in education has ranged from teaching secondary English and chemistry to serving in a variety of higher education administrative roles. Lougan and Beth chat about how Beth got into higher education, her new role at University of Charleston and the magic of admissions visit days.
nikki massaro kauffman & failure is part of growth
This week on the show, Lougan chats with front-end web developer Nikki Massaro Kauffman. She develops open source web components to make Penn State University’s online courses accessible, media rich, and interactive. Nikki has always been passionate about teaching, and she translates that love into mentoring. Lougan and Nikki talk about the importance of mentorship, making mistakes and failure.