Speaking of Simpson: Recent Episodes
Brian Steffen
A podcast of the people and events that make Simpson College one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation.
Speaking of Simpson devotes this week's episode to a remembrance of Jay Byers, who died on April 17. Acting President Terry Handley, who helped engineer the hiring of Jay as president just two years ago, and longtime Professor Mark Green share their stories of Jay that date to his days as a student at Simpson in the 1990s. Also, host Brian Steffen wraps up this episode with an important announcement.
Jack Simons is an academic counselor in Simpson's TRIO program, and he's been a leader in the conversations on campus about healthy mobile phone usage by undergraduate students. It's a continuation of his previous work on helping Des Moines high school students find a better balance of using mobile tech in their lives. Jack's on the podcast this week to talk about how he hopes Simpson can help students better manage their screen time.
One in four college undergraduate women report being victims of sexual assault during their time in higher education, and most experts believe the numbers of full reports are much lower than what's happening on campus. Emily Burns and Olivia Erickson, two members of Simpson's Sexual Assault Response Advocates (SARA) program, come on the podcast this week to discuss how this student-led program provides help and support for students who've had unwelcome sexual experiences. This episode helps kick off April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month at Simpson and around the nation.
Simpson has long been dedicated to teaching its students the value of a diverse, equitable and inclusive world. Still, that orientation has been attacked both in Washington, D.C. and at the Statehouse in Des Moines. Indeed, Iowa now says it will withhold Iowa Tuition Grant funding from any private college with a DEI office. (Simpson no longer has such an office.) This week on the podcast, Professor Mark Freyberg in sociology and criminal justice talks about why Simpson teaches DEI and why our students will be ill-equipped to work in a diverse world without that education. Please note that this episode expresses the views only of the host and guest, and it does not necessarily reflect that of Simpson College.
Simpson faculty member Matt Garrett has a new book out, Living in the Middle: Reflection Thinking in Sport, about the challenges likely to be faced by students pursuing careers in sport management, marketing and media. Matt stops by the podcast this week to talk about why he wrote the book and the lessons he hopes his students and readers take from it.
Volleyball is one of America's fastest-growing sports, and Simpson's taking advantage of that fact in building its long-standing women's program and the new men's program. This week on the podcast, new Volleyball Director Dani Kohut Lynch, who also is head coach of the women, and new men's Coach Ike Papes talk about joining the Storm and looking for ways to help the programs stand out in the American Rivers Conference.
Spencer Waugh has led some of Simpson's most high-profile programs, including Speech & Debate and Exploratory Studies. Now he's tasked with taking over Simpson Online, the undergraduate, graduate, and certificate program aimed at non-traditional learners. Spencer stops by the podcast this week to talk about the program and his ideas for growing it in the years to come.
Mike Espy, former congressman from Mississippi and secretary of agriculture during the 1990s in the Clinton administration, came to Simpson last week to accept the Carver Medal, named for Simpson College's most famous alumnus. George Washington Carver attended Simpson in 1890 and went on to become one of the world's foremost agricultural scientists. The Carver Medal recognizes a Black American who has made a significant contribution to public service in the United States. Espy is the first Black American to serve as secretary of agriculture.
Jake Brend is less than two years away from earning his Simpson College degree, but he's already been named Iowa's Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Jake's on the podcast this week to talk about how he came to love sports communication, and how he took advantage of opportunities on and off campus to make his dreams reality.
Collaborating with the metro Des Moines buisness community, and Simpson's making its commitment to doing so with its new program in Workforce Partnerships. Director Jennifer Chittenden comes on the podcast this week to talk about how she's working in the metro to help build the Simpson brand and connect its academic programs with the needs of metro businesses, non-profits, and more.
As NASA looks to return to the Moon and then go on to Mars, the study of space biology has become an ever-more-important endeavor. Simpson biology professor Aswati Subramanian and her students are playing a role in those studies. Subramanian is on the podcast this week with two of her students, Layna Depping and Sam Derning, to talk about their work, which has won a $30,000 seed grant from NASA. The episode is a co-production with Iowa Public Radio News. Our thanks to Ben Kieffer, host of the IPR News program River to River, and producer Samantha McIntosh for their help.
This week’s episode is a co-production with Iowa Down Ballot, the Substack feed and podcast that brings together some of Iowa’s best political analysts to offer insights and perspectives earned through years of covering and analyzing Iowa politics. Working through Simpson’s Culver Center for Public Policy and its director Seth Andersen, Iowa Down Ballot last week helped put together a panel of some of Iowa’s top political journalists — plus Simpson Political Science Professor Kedron Bardwell — to talk about what the next four years will look like in national and state politics. The panel is moderated by Dave Busiek, now-retired news director at KCCI TV 8 news in Des Moines who now puts out Dave Busiek on Media, also on Substack.
We're transitioning between fall and winter sports seasons at Simpson, so Athletic Director Marty Bell stops by the podcast this week to talk about the progress he's seen across the board during his tenure leading the college's athletic programs.
The 2024 elections are in the rear-view mirror, and Simpson political scientists Adrienne Gathman and Kedron Bardwell are on the podcast this week to dissect the results. They not only make sense of Donald Trump's return to the presidency, but also the struggles of the Iowa Democratic Party and how Democrats might mount a comeback in the next two years.
John Cardamone is the director of international education and study abroad at Simpson College, where he's rebuilding Simpson's once-leading international programs back to where they were before COVID-19. On this week's episode, John talks about his background in international education, Simpson's upcoming May Term study-abroad opportunities, and how he's working to expand the destinations and affordability of study abroad for Simpson students.
The new vice president for student development at Simpson College, Matt Hansen, is retaining his existing title as dean of students and is on the front line of helping make a vibrant experience for students outside the classroom. On this episode of the podcast, Matt talks about his career journey to Simpson, his program's recent Iowa Safe Schools Award, and how Simpson is helping its students be engaged in the 2024 elections.
A funny thing happened to English professor CoryAnne Harrigan on her way to the start of the Fall 2024 term: Just a week before class began, she was asked to take over as academic dean of Simpson College on an interim basis. Two months later, Harrigan says that, while she wasn't looking for the job, she's been learning on the fly and becoming comfortable with leading the academic program. On this episode of Speaking of Simpson, Harrigan talks about her journey to Simspon, the roles she's played on campus, and the wholly unexpected offer to become academic dean.
Jay Byers is now officially Simpson College's 25th president after his inauguration this past Friday as part of Homecoming weekend. Terry Handley, chairman of the Simpson Board of Trustees, presided at the ceremony, with a wide array of speakers representing Simpson's faculty, students, alumni, the Indianola community, and the broader world of Iowa higher education. Inaugurations are one of the most special events colleges hold, and this week's episode captures the excitement on campus as Byers digs into his presidency.
Commencement is just around the corner at Simpson, unleashing hundreds of new graduates on the world. For this final episode of Season 5 of Speaking of Simpson, Director of Career Services Kelsey Bolton shares where those graduates are likely to turn up in the months ahead. The college's First Destinations Report shows that 94% of Simpson grads either land employment or graduate-school admissions — and an amazing 78% of them will stay in Iowa to help make the Hawkeye State a more educated and professional place to live.
The new commissioner of the American Rivers Conference, Marie Stroman, is on the podcast this week to talk about the Division III sports league of which Simpson is a member. Known since 1922 as the Iowa Conference, the ARC rebranded in 2018 with the addition of Nebraska Wesleyan as its eighth member institution. Stroman talks this week about her work bringing Simpson together with its conference peers and the challenges in running a Division III league in an age of Division I giantism.
Terry Branstad, governor of Iowa during most of the years from 1983 to 2017 and then ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020, visited Simpson on April 2 to take part in a conversation with Simpson President Jay Byers on the future of U.S.-China relations. This week's podcast is a recording of that event, which took place in front of Simpson staff and students in Pote Theatre and was sponsored by the John C. Culver Center for Public Policy.
John Della Volpe of the Harvard Institute of Politics will deliver the annual Culver Lecture at Simpson College on Thursday, April 4. He joins the podcast this week to talk about the influence of Gen Z voters — today's college students and others born after 2001 — in national politics. Della Volpe is a former adviser to the Biden campaign and administration and the author of Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear & Passion to Save America.
Campus Day 2024 — Simpson College's oldest tradition, dating to 1889 — is just around the corner. It's a day of (we hope) springtime weather, community service, and campus fun. Elise Boulton, the head of the student planning committee for Campus Day 2024, stops by the podcast this week to talk about the event and its history, and what she and her fellow planners in the students body and on the college staff have up their sleeves for this year's edition.
Cal Dobbs isn't only a transgender educator and activist. The Venice, Calif., native also has run across the United States and completed the Triple Crown of Hiking to bring awareness of transgender rights and to fight the onslaught of anti-trans legislation being debated across the nation. Dobbs will be speaking at Simpson College on March 19 in a talk supported by Simpson College Department of Athletics and PRIDE, the college's LBGTQ+ student organization.
After several years of a sometimes-strained relationship, Simpson College and the city of Indianola are working together again on a number of fronts to improve the community for all. Indianola Mayor Stephanie Erickson, a Simpson alumna, stops by the podcast this week to talk about the work she and Simpson President Jay Byers are undertaking to build the bond between town and gown.
Brad Bjorkgren just completed his ninth season as men's basketball coach at Simpson — but it was first since suffering a stroke in May 2023. Bjorkgren is on the podcast this week to talk about his stroke, the road to recovery, and the joy of being back on the sidelines to coach the men's program.
When World War II saw thousands of Iowans fight in the European and Pacific wars, f40,000 German, Italian and Japanese prisoners of war were brought to the Hawkeye state to help with farm labor. Chad Timm, a professor of education at Simpson and himself a former high school history teacher, has spent decades researching the stories of those POWs in Iowa, the camps they lived in, and the relationships they developed with Iowans of that era. Chad stops by the podcast this week to talk about his research and his broader work helping secondary educators teach history.
Simpson just announced the addition of acrobatics and tumbling as its newest varsity sports — and its 26th overall. Athletic Director Marty Bell is on the podcast this week to talk about the process of adding a sport that has little footprint in the Midwest and how Simpson will go about building its newest program.
February is Black History Month at Simpson and throughout the nation. Keyah Levy, the college's vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, stops by the podcast this week to talk about the events on the schedule as well as the broader efforts at making Simpson a more diverse, equitable and inclusive learning community
Education students and faculty at Simpson have new classrooms, curriculum labs and technology that put the college at the cutting edge of teacher training in Iowa. Kate Lerseth, the chair of teacher education at Simpson, is on the podcast this week to talk about the new facilities and the challenges facing the future of teacher preparation and public education.
Simpson's 60-year-old Dunn Library has just opened after an 18-month remodeling project. College Librarian & Archivist Cyd Dyer is on the podcast this week to talk about Dunn's history and what users will find when they visit the new space in the center of campus.
The first associate dean for student success at Simpson, Teresa Swan Tuite manages several programs and offices that help students succeed in the classroom and across campus. She comes on the podcast this week to talk about how that effort is key to Simpson's mission, and how it often means concentrating on individual student success.
Coming off a 16-3-2 season, Simpson women's soccer coach Jeremy Reinert visits the podcast to talk about the Storm's run to an NCAA national tournament birth in Division III. Despite a second-round, season-ending loss to Wisconsin-LaCrosse in the tournament, Simpson is well positioned to make another tournament run in 2024.
For 15 years, Lisa Carponelli has brought her expertise in local television news to Simpson students. Now she's back on the air as a part-time weekend anchor at WHO-TV Channel 13 in Des Moines. Carponelli joins the podcast this week to talk about her work at Simpson, her recent return to the airwaves, and — as if that's not enough to keep her busy — her line of women's cycling clothing Velarosa
Simpson's longtime director of speech, debate and mock trial, Spencer Waugh, has stepped into a new role at the college this fall, becoming the college's first leader of the Center for Exploratory Studies and director of academic recruiting. Spencer comes on the podcast this week to talk about his transition and his work helping undecided students find a path to determining what they'll study at Simpson.
Winning national championships isn't news for Simpson's speech, debate, and mock trial program — but having new leadership is. This week's podcast features new SDMT director Tiana Brownen, new assistant Justin Fields, and veteran assistant Marisa Mayo talking about the challenges of taking over the nationally prominent program and their hopes for the season just getting started.
Tracy and Jason Dinesen are longtime members of the Simpson community — she a faculty member in Spanish and administrator, he a graduate and adjunct accounting professor — who've done something many of us long to do: Sell their possessions and move to another country. In the Dinesens case, they and their two teenaged sons have moved to Portugal, and they tell their story on this week's podcast episode. The Dinesens also are documenting their story on their own podcast, As The Dinesens Turn, which you can find on all major podcasting platforms.
It's Homecoming 2023 at Simpson College, and Alumni Director Andy English stops by the podcast this week to talk about the traditional and the new events that will welcome alumni and community to campus for Simpson's premier fall celebration. The football team takes on Coe for the biggest event of the week, but Homecoming 2023 offers a full range of events for campus visitors young and old.
Colleges and universities must be accredited by an outside body for their students to qualify for governmental financial aid — and for students and their families to know that schools produce the higher education they need to succeed in life and career. This week, Jennifer Miller, dean of continuing, graduate and online education at Simpson, talks about her leadership of Simpson's reaccreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission.
Andrea Singsass '05 is founder and CEO of The Tyne Group, a leadership coaching and development firm based in Cedar Rapids. She's on the podcast this week to talk about how she found her calling, balancing personal and professional life, and her passion for supporting American military spouses around the globe.
The associate director of Drake's Constitutional Law Center, Miguel Schor, is our podcast guest this week. Professor Schor delivered the 2023 Constitution Day lecture at the college, speaking on the many challenges confronting constitutional government in the United States and his proposals for fixing them.
It's hard to miss Jay Byers these days — the new Simpson College president has put an emphasis on telling the college's story — in person, in the media, and on social channels. Byers stops by the podcast this week to tell his story: How he came to Simpson as an undergraduate 35 years ago, his work as an alumnus and board member, and now as president of the college. He also details the new All-In On Iowa financial aid program that will provide full-tuition scholarships for students of families earning less than $100,000 per year and students from each of Iowa's 99 counties.
The new academic year is in full swing at Simpson College, and chemistry professor Adam Brustkern welcomed more than 380 new students at the college with his All-College Convocation talk on Aug. 30. Brustkern's message to the students: Embrace change, and let Simpson's faculty serve as the catalyst to that change. Brustkern gave the talk by virtue of winning the 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award at last spring's commencement.
Football and fall sports are in the air as a new year launches at Simpson, and Athletic Director Marty Bell stops by the first episode of Speaking of Simpson's new season to talk new momentum across the board. There's a new football staff on board, multiple new assistant coaches in many sports, and plans ahead for new programs and facilities.
With the state legislature passing a raft of laws to discriminate against transgender Iowans, Simpson students Cassidy Daub and Kenneth Norris come on the final podcast of the 2022-23 academic year to talk about their experiences in their hometowns, their families, on the Simpson campus and beyond.
With up to 75% voting turnout among Simpson students, the college has been named one of America's Voter-Friendly Campuses by the Fair Elections Project and Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Seth Andersen, director of the John C. Culver Public Policy Center at Simpson, is our guest this week to talk about the college's non-partisan efforts to turn out student voters regardless of party affiliation or ideology.
With transgender rights front and center in Iowa political debates, We Are Iowa local journalist Nora J.S. Reichardt grabbed national headlines when she recently came out as transgender on the air. Nora visited with Multimedia Journalism and Foundations students about her transition and how Iowans have responded.
Death row survivor Anthony Ray Hinton, author of The Sun Does Shine, will speak at Simpson on Tuesday, March 29. That's because student Lexi Johnson took the lead in booking him after she read his book. Johnston joins the podcast this week to talk about how Hinton's story inspired her as a criminal justice major, and why she went to work bringing him to speak at the college.
Simpson's history faculty don't simply lecture about history — they help students live it through the innovative Reacting to the Past method of teaching. Simpson history professor Rebecca Livingstone is out with a new co-authored book on learning history through role-playing, Monuments and Memory-Making: The Debate over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1981-1982. She stops by the podcast this week to talk about the RTTP method of teaching and how she is using it in classwork at Simpson.
Simpson College started its men's and women's gymnastics programs this year — the first Iowa small college to do so. Men's coach Colin Payne and women's coach Emily Barrett Payne are on the podcast this week to talk about how they've begun the gymnastics tradition at Simpson and how they're already posting successes in NCAA competitions.
Kim Keller Senger '92 is national director of corporate and foundation support at National Jewish Health in Denver. She joins the podcast this week to talk about how Simpson helped her build a career of service and development for one of the nation's largest respiratory hospitals. As with so many Simpson alumni, Senger has taken the skills and mindsets built at Simpson to find a career she couldn't have imagined when she graduated.
The teaching of American history has become increasingly politicized as the culture has become more divisive, and Simpson faculty and students often find themselves in the middle of those debates. History professor Nick Proctor and Education professor Chad Timm are on the podcast this week to talk about how the History Wars impact their teaching in Simpson's history courses and in the preparation of the next generation of Iowa's history teachers.
Marsha Kelliher recently announced her intention to step down as president of Simpson College after recently becoming engaged to be married. She stops by the podcast to talk about her decision to retire, her accomplishments during her three years as president, and the challenges facing Simpson College and higher education in the years ahead.
Simpson's Writing Across The Curriculum approach to liberal education shows the college's commitment to building writing skills across all disciplines. Writing Center Director Colin Payton guests this week to talk about his desire to build a culture of writing at Simpson in which all students seek out his center's help, and he also discloses plans for the center to grow to build oral, visual and electronic communication skills.
New Simpson head coach Reed Hoskins is on the podcast to talk about his effort to rebuild a Storm football program that's been on a slide in recent years. After two 1-9 seasons, the Storm hopes 'to be an annoyance' for teams in the American Rivers Conference this coming season, Hoskins says.
Greater Des Moines Partnership President & CEO Jay Byers '93 joins the podcast this week to talk about his Simpson Experience and his work with the partnership, which is the metro's biggest economic and community development organization. Byers is also on the Simpson College Board of Trustees, and he says the college is a critical developer of talent and economic value in the region.
After three seasons as Simpson's women's volleyball coach, KK Palea has taken a program that once was an American Rivers Conference doormat and has it posting winning season records. Now Palea is helping Simpson launch a new men's volleyball program that will start competition in January 2023. KK stops by the podcast this week to talk about his mission to turn Simpson into a college 'volleyball mecca' in Iowa.
One in five women nationally are victims of sexual misconduct during their years at college and university. Simpson College has just been awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to improve its education, preventing and adjudication of students, staff, and faculty on sexual violence. Heidi Levine, vice president of student affairs and planning, comes on the podcast to talk about the grant and how it will strengthen Simpson's efforts.
Simpson's programs in speech, debate and mock trial dominate national competitions, so this week we turn to competitors Ryan Corcoran, Abby Fry and Ryan Magalhaes to learn what drives them to compete at the highest levels.
Athletics is a major part of the student experience at Simpson College, and Athletic Director Marty Bell's helped lead some significant additions and improvements in athletics in his two years leading the program. Marty stops by the podcast to talk about new touches at Buxton Stadium, Cowles Center, and the McBride Field complex, along with new sports in women's wrestling, men's volleyball, and both men's and women's gymnastics.
Simpson students work one-on-one with faculty members on research projects that give them professional skills and experiences in critical thinking, writing and presentation. Two of the faculty members who work frequently with those students, John Pauley in philosophy and Aswati Subramanian in biology, stop by the podcast this week to talk about the benefits of undergraduate research and the projects they've taken on in recent years.
Midterm elections are just a couple of weeks away, so Adrienne Gathman of Simpson's political science faculty stops by to talk about what's at stake in the voting, what polling is telling us about who's likely to win, and how she's teaching her courses this fall in this time of political division.
The 2022 Matthew Simpson Lecture in Religion was an in-person event at Simpson for the first time since 2019, and Dartmouth's Randall Balmer came to speak on the origins of the rise of the Religious Right as a political force in America. Balmer argues that it wasn't abortion that provided the issue that galvanized evangelical leaders, but rather their desire to protect segregated private religious schools. Balmer is nationally known for his research and expertise on the Religious Right in America.
Constitution Day 2022 at Simpson College features a lecture from Aaron Terr, senior program officer for campus rights advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Expression, a nonpartisan group that promotes freedom of expression on college campuses and beyond. Terr talks not only about the legal basis for freedom of expression but also its necessity as a core value at Simpson and in all higher education.
It's a big time for the education program at Simpson College, not only preparing the next generation of teachers in Iowa and beyond but also readying for a new education center to be located in Dunn Library and opening in August 2023. Barb Ramos, long-time education faculty member and leader in education at Simpson, joins us this week to talk about the new center plus the challenges of educating educators at this moment in American history.
Graduated from Simpson College? You're automatically a member of the Simpson Alumni Association. President Matt DeWolf is this week's guest to talk about his Simpson story and how he got involved in the alumni association — and how alumni can continue to give to Simpson in many ways.
Jared Bienemann is the new vice president of advancement at Simpson College, and he stops by the podcast to talk about his role and the work of his office. As the pandemic subsides, Simpson will be starting in-person alumni events on campus and around the country, as well as changing its way of going about its annual-giving program.
Summer is over, the students are back on campus, and President Marsha Kelliher is here to talk about the new academic year at Simpson College. The campus is seeing new construction, new athletic programs and initiatives, and a new optimism that Simpson will thrive now that the worst of the pandemic has passed.
The final podcast of the 2021-22 academic year features a debate on the ways free speech can and should be protected on university campuses. Keith Whittington of Princeton University, author of Speak Freely, and Anthony Leaker of Brighton University in the United Kingdom, author of the polemic Against Free Speech, join Simpson's Brian Steffen to debate the role of 'free' speech in the 21st Century.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is of special importance to Vasiliy Safin, a visiting professor of psychology at Simpson College and a citizen of Ukraine. Safin guests on this week's podcast episode to talk about the impact of the war on his family and himself and on the international order.
John Nichols, author of The Fight For The Soul of The Democratic Party, will deliver the annual Culver Lecture at Simpson College on Thursday, April 14. Nichols' book is a political biography of Henry A. Wallace, the namesake of Simpson College's Wallace Hall who was a progressive vice president of the United States from 1941 to 1945. He joins the podcast this week to discuss his book and to preview his upcoming talk at Simpson.
Retired education professor Alan Magruder guests this week as part of the 'Legends of Simpson' series. He talks about his post-Simpson years, the joys of living they've brought about, and offers advice on when you know it's time to retire.
Emeritus sociology professor Ev Laning revisits one of the legacies of Simpson in the 1960s and 1970s — its willingness to admit students of color during a time when many were denied admission at other colleges due to systemic racism. Laning spoke recently as part of Simpson's recent Legends of Simpson lecture series.
Three seasons ago, Dylan Peters took over a Simpson men's wrestling program that had won only one dual meet in the previous season and had no juniors or seniors on the team. This season, Peters got the team back to 7-7 in dual meets with three wrestlers earning place finishes in the NCAA Midwest Regional meet in Division III. Simpson's wrestling coach guests on the podcast to talk about his leadership of the wrestling turnaround at Simpson.
'I really look forward to talking about the future of science,' says Ron Warnet, professor emeritus of chemistry, on the 100th episode of Speaking of Simpson, 'because I sort of know about its past.' Warnet is the latest speaker in the 'Legends of Simpson' lecture series, this week talking about the role of science in technology, medicine and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the 1980s, Simpson students have had charge of the Eberhart Student Aid Fund, putting real money into real equity markets and learning the ropes of investing. Todd Kielkopf, who teaches the students who invest the money, and student Brooke Tucker are guests on the podcasts to talk about their experiences with the fund, which recent crept above $1 million in market value for the first time.
The spring series of Legends of Simpson College speakers is underway, and the first legend is Jan Everhart, professor emeritus of religion. She's speaking on 'Say Her Name: The Story of Jerena Lee,' an early lay preacher of color in the African Methodist Church. She's joined in conversation by Andy English, director of alumni relations at Simpson.
Simpson has made a commitment to a competitive esports program by bringing on Hubert Whan Tong as director of esports. Hubert recruits and coaches the 35+ students who compete for Simpson, which has joined the National Association for Competitive ESports.
After delays from winter weather and COVID-19, Speaking of Simpson is back with new episodes for the Spring 2022 term. This week's guest is Leigh Mlodzik, vice president of enrollment at Simpson, who talks about the process of recruiting and enrolling new students at Simpson — and how technology and data are changing the competitive world of college admissions in the third decade of the 21st Century.
In the program's 11th year, Simpson's Speech, Debate & Mock Trial programs already are off to a terrific start of the season and looking to build on winning yet another national championship in debate — and becoming national powers in speech and mock trial. Director Spencer Waugh and Assistant Director Marisa Mayo are guests this week to talk about the season and how it's helping students prepare their professional lives.
'I don't get much sleep that's for sure,' laughs Jesse Allen. And who can blame the Simpson '13 grad? He's developing a career as a podcaster and farm broadcaster, being heard on a national network and on SiriusXM, working out of Nashville. And he's also a rising independent country music singer-songwriter and touring musician. Allen comes on the podcast this week to talk about how Simpson helped him grow as a professional and risk-taker.
Simpson College students turned out to vote at a record-high 75.3% rate in 2020, according to data from from the National Study of Learning, Voting & Engagement. Seth Andersen of the John C. Culver Public Policy Center and Elise Sturgeon, a student ambassador with the Andrew Goodman Foundation, stop by the podcast to talk about Simpson's successes in promoting civic engagement and student voting rates.
The study of history at Simpson College isn't dry professors lecturing to passive students. it's an active process in which students play the roles of historical figures to learn how history might have turned out. Nick Proctor, one of the Simpson professors who teaches with the Reacting To The Past method, comes on the podcast this week to talk about how Simpson students learn that history is much more than the simply recitation of names, dates and events.
Simpson College is launching its new academic program for first-year students this fall. Simpson Foundations is a two-semester experience focusing on civic engagement and student well-being in the fall semester, and on diversity, equity and inclusion in the spring term. Foundations Director Sal Meyers comes on the podcast this week to talk about the program and how it fits into Simpson's mission and core values.
Simpson College is launching its new academic program for first-year students this fall. Simpson Foundations is a two-semester experience focusing on civic engagement and student well-being in the fall semester, and on diversity, equity and inclusion in the spring term. Foundations Director Sal Meyers comes on the podcast this week to talk about the program and how it fits into Simpson's mission and core values.
Simpson College not only offers an outstanding liberal arts education for traditional students, but it also reaches out to non-traditional learners with continuing, graduate and online programs. New CG&O Dean Jennifer Miller joins the podcast this week to talk about what she brings to her leadership of the program as well as its hopes for the future.
Simpson's growing Honors program is the focus of this week's podcast, with Director Katie Smith joining us to talk about the functions of the program and what students can get by taking part.
Simpson College recently announced it would add men's and women's gymnastics and men's volleyball to its roster of NCAA Division III sports starting in Fall 2022. Athletic Director Marty Bell comes on the podcast this week to discuss those new athletic opportunities, along with other initiatives inn Simpson's athletic programs.
Iowa is redrawing its state and federal congressional and state legislative districts, and Adrienne Gathman of Simpson's political science program is on top of the politics of Iowa's nonpartisan process. Gathman guests on this week's podcast to talk about the impacts on Iowans in Washington, in Des Moines, and at Simpson College.
Simpson College is launching its new academic program for first-year students this fall. Simpson Foundations is a two-semester experience focusing on civic engagement and student well-being in the fall semester, and on diversity, equity and inclusion in the spring term. Foundations Director Sal Meyers comes on the podcast this week to talk about the program and how it fits into Simpson's mission and core values.
The new executive director of Simpson's Center for Academic Resources, Corey Landstrom, talks about what the office offers all students to help them get the most of their academic career at the college. CAR isn't simply for students struggling in classes; it can help those students who excel with resources to get even more out of their work.
Simpson alumna Andrea Frantz '86, now a professor of digital media at Buena Vista University, returned to campus to deliver the 2021 Constitution Day lecture. In her talk, Frantz shows why the First Amendment, despite frequent and increasing attacks on the media, is more important now than ever.
Simpson's first full-time director of teaching and learning, Mark Pleiss, joins the podcast this week to talk about his role in helping Simpson faculty and stuff sharpen their classroom skills — and help students get the full benefit of learning at the college.
The new vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, Keyah Levy, joins the podcast this week to discuss her efforts to help Simpson — a predominantly white institution of higher education — make the college a more welcoming environment for students, faculty and employees of marginalized backgrounds.
We kick off the fourth season of Speaking of Simpson with a chat with President Marsha Kelliher, entering her second year leading the college. President Kelliher talks about her plans and hopes for the academic year, as well as steps Simpson continues to take to make for a 'normal' higher education for its students as we continue to fight the pandemic.
As we wind down the academic year at Simpson College, this week's podcast episode features the work of students who've recorded podcasts as part of the Mobile & Social Media course this spring. We'll hear from Colbee Cunningham, with a mini-episode on international education during the pandemic; Paul Hyatt, with a podcast on e-sports at Simpson College; and Paige O'Connor, who investigates the intersection between work and gaming.
Simpson College students are podcasters, too, and this week's edition features some of those voice: Seth Howard, podcasting about personal fitness in a pandemic; Corinne Howard, with an episode on stress and anxiety; and Taylor Hoffman, who has a conversation on multicultural literature. We'll be hearing from a number of student podcasters in the weeks to come.
Simpson has been affiliated with Methodism since its founding in 1860, but the United Methodist Church's decision two years ago to reaffirm its ban on LGBTQ clergy and marriages has put the college in conflict with Simpson's efforts to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community. College Chaplain Mara Bailey stops by for a chat about the college's proposed new affiliation with the Reconciling Ministries Network, which will help the college support LGBTQ students, faculty and staff.
This will go down as the academic year that Simpson College and other colleges and universities have begun thorough conversations on cultural diversity, equity and inclusion on their campuses. This week's episode feature a panel discussion on DEI issues features Simpson students, faculty and staff.
Freedom of Assembly is one of the core protections of the First Amendment, and yet that seems more contentious today in our politically polarized times. That’s topic this week, as Pam Parry of Southeast Missouri State, Ken Paulsen of the Free Speech Center in Tennessee and Mark Stringer of the ACLU of Iowa join us to talk about why taking to the streets is an important civil liberty and yet why many Americans, politicians and law enforcement make it difficult to exercise that right.
With demographics shrinking and traditional business models evaporating, newspapers across the nation are trying to find ways of staying alive and vibrant. Art Cullen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Storm Lake Times in Iowa, is trying a new approach by building the Western Iowa Journalism Foundation to create a tax-deductible mechanism for supporting local journalism. Cullen recently appeared with Simpson's seniors in Multimedia Communication to talk about the new models, and this week's podcast is an edited version of that discussion.
Simpson College's debate team just won its fourth Pi Kappa Delta national championship in the past five years. Spencer Waugh, the director of Simpson's Speech, Debate & Mock Trial programs comes on the podcast to talk about how the team won its national title in a pandemic season — and how Simpson students overcame a midseason slump to finish once again on top.
Simpson's women's basketball team is the champion of the American Rivers Conference for 2021. The Storm knocked off Coe, 89-84 in OT, to win its first title since 2013 and finish the COVID-shortened season at 12-0. Coach Brian Niemuth joins the podcast, along with standout players Jenna Taylor and Cassie Nash, to talk about the challenges and pressures of playing during the pandemic — and provide an outlook on the program's future.
How did our politics become so polarized? Author Marc C. Johnson offers his answer in his talk on his new book, 'Tuesday Night Massacre: Four Senate Elections & The Radicalization of the Republic Party.' 1980 was the year that the party of Lincoln veered right, and outside interests helped defeat four Senate liberals — including John C. Culver, the namesake of the Culver Center for Public Policy at Simpson College. Johnson argues that Republicans have stayed on that rightward track for more than 40 years, climaxing in the presidency of Donald Trump.
With the pandemic easing its grip on the world, other issues are coming back on the public agenda. One is climate change, which is the topic on this edition. 'Healing The Planet: Climate Action as a Religious & Moral Imperative' is a recording of a recent panel discussion sponsored by several Simpson programs and offices. Taking part are Simpson staff and faculty, joined by climate activists from around the United States.
Sexual violence is one of the biggest challenges facing U.S. colleges in the 21st Century, and Simpson College will soon be bringing to campus the authors of a new study that hopes to reframe the conversations on the issue.
Sexual Citizens: Sex, Power & Assault on Campus is authored by Jennifer Hirsch of Columbia University and Shamus Khan of Princeton University. Both authors are guests on this edition of the podcast to talk about their work and how their findings can create safer campuses at Simpson and nationwide.
Consider joining Simpson for a campus-wide talk by Hirsch and Khan on March 17.
One warning: This podcast episode includes explicit sexual language and descriptions of sexual situations.
As part of Simpson's ongoing conversations on improving diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, Emily Radke '08, now assistant director of admissions at Simpson, leads a panel discussion with Mekisha Barnes '96, Adrian Hawkins '14, and Shanice Whitley '14 on their experiences as Black students and alumni of the college.
Simpson's Culver Center for Public Policy is now in its 11th year, and alumni fellows are giving back by starting the Culver Center Fellows Alumni Association. Two of those alumni, Des Moines lobbyist Nick Laning '17 and Mackenzie Bills '16 of the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., join us to talk about how the center helped start their careers and how the alumni association will support the center in the years to come. We're also joined by Seth Andersen, director of the Culver Center.
Simpson College's online-education programs have just been named by U.S. News & World Report to the Top 10% of all programs in the United States and among the best in Iowa. Denise Leifker, the interim director of continuing and graduate education at Simpson, including its online programs, is a guest on the podcast this week to talk about Simpson's dedicated to online learning and how the programs support the college's mission and core values.
Marty Bell is the new athletic director at Simpson College, coming to the Division III school from Division II Quincy University in Illinois. Marty speaks on the podcast about his career in collegiate sports, both as a coach and an athletic director. He also gives us a look at what his leadership could bring to the college.
Billy Weathers '13 records as hip-hop artist B.Well, raises money for character education through his B.Well Foundation, and is a activist working with the local Black Lives Matter movement. He's also been named one of the Des Moines Register's People to Watch in 2021. In this episode, Billy stops by to talk about his work in the community, play some cuts from his upcoming album, and share how his years at Simpson helped put him on his path to creativity and service.
Simpson College just wrapped up its $30 million Imagine The Impact capital campaign, raising money for the Simpson Fund, facilities and endowment. Bob Lane, vice president for college advancement, visits the podcast to talk about the challenges of raising funds and meeting campaign goals during a global pandemic. We also take a look at what future goals for the college.
Simpson faculty have been conducting conversations with Latinx communities throughout Iowa during Fall 2020. On this week's podcast, we sample highlights of those conversations moderated by World Language and Culture faculty members Lau Cesarco Eglin and Molly Tun. Simpson students not only learn a language but also gain critical intercultural skills that allow them to mediate between cultures by deepening their ability to understand and analyze different cultural perspectives including their own.
The votes are still being counted, by Simpson College political scientist Adrienne Gathman joins the podcast this week to talk about the college-student vote this fall at Simpson, how pollsters missed the results again, and what the high turnout rate means for the future of American democracy.
The Black experience at Simpson is long and distinguished, beginning with George Washington Carver's entry in 1890 through today. On this week's podcast, Emili Radke '08 interviews a panel of Black alumni on their experiences at Simpson about how the college impacted their growth and development.
Maeve Callan of Simpson's Department of Religion shows how stories of the bubonic plague — The Black Death — of the 1300s can offer us insights into our own pandemic times. Professor Callan is a historian of religion at Simpson and the author of two books: The Templars, The Witch & The Wild Irish and Sacred Sisters and is the co-director of Simpson's Interfaith Fellows Program.
Simpson's independent student newspaper, The Simpsonian, turns 150 years old this month. Founded on Oct. 1, 1870, by eight students, The Simp has been the center of the Simpson Experience for thousands of alumni over the past 15 decades, including leading national journalists and winners of the Pulitzer Prize. Adviser Mark Siebert joins the podcast this week, along with current Editor Alyssa Craven and alumna Steffi Lee, '15, who worked in television news in Iowa, Texas and Alaska before returning to Iowa to attend Drake Law School.
Simpson College hasn't seen the large outbreaks of COVID-19 that have plagued other colleges and universities. Heidi Levine, vice president of student development and planning, comes on the podcast this week to talk about the college's efforts to keep students, staff and faculty safe and healthy in these pandemic times.
WHO-TV political editor Dave Price is this week's guest. He's interviewed by Seth Andersen of Simpson's Culver Center about last week's first presidential debate, as well as what he's learned from years of covering presidential politics in the Midwest, which he covers in his book 'Caucus Chaos Trump.'
Randy Evans, a former Des Moines Register editor and current executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, discusses the council's work and its willingness to go to court if necessary to force Iowa governments to do the public's business in public. This talk was part of Simpson's Constitution Day programming for Fall 2020.
Simpson College has one of the highest voter-turnout rates among college students in the United States, and it's easy to see why as we talk during this episode with Elise Sturgeon and Kylie Doupnik, fellows with Simpson's Culver Center for Public Policy. Elise and Kylie are working to get students registered to vote and to help them find safe and secure voting options.
Emeritus Biology Professor Pat Singer of Simpson College joins the podcast this week to talk about how existing drugs are being repurposed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. This talk originally was delivered as part of Simpson's Summer Speaker Series.
As we approach the 2020 presidential election, the coronavirus remains front of mind for many voters as are the powers of the presidency in confronting this emergency. At Simpson College, Adrienne Gathman, an assistant professor of political science, spoke as part of Simpson Summer Speakers series on COVID-19 and the current environment in which we find ourselves.
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn't killed all Fall 2020 sports at Simpson College. Cross country coach Heath Moenck is our guest this week to talk about his team's training, their plans for meets starting Sept. 12 and the reasons he loves coaching cross country.
It's a new academic year at Simpson College, but football and other fall contact sports won't be in the air due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Kicking off the third season of Speaking of Simpson, football coach Matt Jeter and volleyball coach KK Palea are our guests to talk about the impact of the postponement of their teams' competition until at least Spring 2021.
The final podcast episode for the academic year is a conversation with John Woell, the newly appointed senior vice president for academic affairs at Simpson College. Woell will join Simpson on July 1 after spending the past eight years at Albion College in Michigan. A religion and philosophy scholar, Woell talks about his path through higher education, plus his thoughts on the future of higher education and of Simpson College.
Seeking an internship or starting a career after graduation can be stressful enough for students, but throw in a pandemic and the job gets that much more challenging. Bobbi Sullivan and Laurie DuFoe of Simpson's Career Development Office (simpson.edu/careers) stop by the podcast this week to talk about how they keep helping students and alumni with job and internship searches during the coronavirus crisis. They share tips on how students can keep working toward their career goals from home.
Simpson's faculty has just approved a new outline for general education, also known as a core curriculum. The college will begin rolling out the curriculum with the entry of new students in Fall 2021. Mark Gammon, associate dean for general education, discusses the new outline and its role in the liberal arts.
Getting along in life is challenging enough, but the COVID-19 pandemic has placed medical and emotional challenges on all of us. Ellie Olson, Simpson College's associate dean for counseling, health and leadership, is our guest this week to talk about how students, faculty and staff — and, well, everyone — can take better care of their emotional needs. It comes down to three tips that she explains here.
Moodle. Zoom. Zencastr. Kahoot! Panopto — all terms you might not have known even a few weeks ago but are now commonplace at Simpson College, where all instruction has moved online in the time of the coronavirus. Faculty Development Director Kate Lerseth and Instructional Technologist Manda Gibson join the podcast this week to talk about the challenges that the online move have presented Simpson, its faculty and its students. Also in the conversation: How conquering those challenges now will help Simpson be on the forefront of liberal arts education in the future.
The newly named president of Simpson College, Marsha Kelliher, joins us on the podcast to talk about her life, career and plans for when she becomes the 24th president of Simpson College — the first woman to hold the position. Kelliher is now president and CEO of Walsh College in Michigan, an institution for nontraditional learners that focuses on business-related degrees.
Interim President Bob Lane comes on the podcast to talk about Simpson College's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From moving classes to entirely online delivery to determining how to conduct the Spring 2020 commencement and future athletic seasons, the outbreak has presented challenges for all at Simpson. Bob talks about the immediate responses to COVID-19, along with the college's continuing Imagine The Impact fundraising campaign and the emerging #OneSimpson information campaign to make certain Simpson's sense of community remains in a remote world.
21st Century college students face mental and emotional challenges that previous generations didn't: While students always felt pressure, today's generation faces significant college debt, new social and cultural pressures, and an uncertain global economy when their educations end. Ellie Olson, associate dean of counseling, health and leadership at Simpson College, stops by the podcast to talk about how Simpson's counseling programs have grown and now reach every student on campus.
Dr. Sara Egge of Centre College in Kentucky delivered the 2020 Women in America Lecture at Simpson College on March 4. Egge's talk, 'Radical Women Go To Your Homes: The Fight for Women's Suffrage in Iowa & The Midwest' is part of Simpson's Women's History Month celebration of the centenary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave most American women the right to vote. Egge, a native of South Dakota, is the award-winning author of Woman Suffrage & Citizenship in the Midwest, 1870-1920.
March is Women's History Month at Simpson College and around the nation, and the college will use the month to celebrate the centenary of women's suffrage in the United States. Simpson's Women's and Gender Studies director, Maeve Callan, stops by the podcast to talk about WHM at Simpson along with how W&GS fits into the larger liberal arts mission of the college.
Simpson women's basketball coach Brian Niemuth recently passed 600 career victories, making him one of the winningest coaches in the nation. He's in his 33rd season guiding the Storm, with only two losing seasons in that run. Brian stops by the podcast to talk about passing this important milepost in his career, his recruiting and coaching philosophies, and why the wins are far from the most important thing he wants to achieve on the basketball court.
Simpson not only played host to several Democratic and Republican presidential candidates during the run-up to the 2020 Iowa political caucuses, it also provide an insight into American presidential politics for more than 30 faculty and students from Australia's Adelaide University. This week's podcast features interviews with Adelaide faculty member Tom Buchanan and two of the students who spent several days at Simpson mixing with candidates and attending the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.
STEM education — Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics — are a major part of the Simpson program in the liberal arts, and this edition of the podcast brings two outstanding professors to the program. Heidi Berger is a faculty member in mathematics, and Jackie Brittingham is a professor of biology and head of the Division of Natural Sciences. They talk about the role of STEM education at Simpson
Simpson's softball team doesn't just excel on the field — it's in the Top 10 of all college softball programs in the country when it comes to academic achievement. The 30 members of the Storm's squad had an average GPA of 3.68, tied for fourth in the nation in a poll conducted by the American Fastpitch Coaches Association. (And that bastion of academic rigor, MIT, came in fifth!) This week, Coach Brent Matthias and scholar-athletes Emily Bell and Camrey Leo come on the podcast to talk about balancing the demands placed on them on the field and in the classroom.
About 40 percent of Simpson students are in the first generation of their families to attend college — meaning neither of their parents completed a four-year degree. That can present unique challenges for first-generation students who are learning to navigate not just the college classroom, but the whole culture of undergraduate life. In this week's episode, Simpson's Marzia Corni-Benson, Stephanie Neve and Barb Ramos talk about best practices in helping first-generation students survive and thrive in the college environment.
Simpson graduate Christian Coon '90 is co-founder and lead pastor of Urban Village Church in Chicago. He was back on campus to speak with members of the first-year class about resilience in Failing Without Failure. Coon is the author of Failing Boldly and hosts a podcast by the same name. You can find more information at christiancoon.com. (This episode includes brief usages of adult language.)
Simpson College welcomed Jackson Katz to campus on Nov. 6 to the deliver the 2019 McBride Lecture. Katz's talk was titled 'The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women & How All Men Can Help.' He is an educator, author, and global thought leader who is renowned for his pioneering scholarship and activism on issues of gender, race and violence. Katz is co-founder of the multiracial, mixed-gender Mentors in Violence Prevention program, one of the longest-running and most widely influential gender violence prevention programs in North America and beyond.
Simpson students in Multimedia Communication get to practice journalism of statewide impact when they report and write at Iowa Watch, the nonprofit news source that covers public affairs in the Hawkeye State. Suzanne Behnke, the executive director of the Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism and an adjunct instructor of Multimedia Communication at Simpson, comes on the podcast this week to talk about her work with Iowa Watch and how it involves student journalists with real journalism that has real impact.
Simpson College announced its $25 million 'Imagine The Impact' comprehensive campaign at Homecoming weekend on Oct. 19, 2020. The campaign aims to transform teaching and learning at Simpson College, and to grow the college's endowment by May 31, 2020. On the podcast this week, Bob Lane, the college's vice president for advancement, talks about the campaign and its goals. For more information on Imagine The Impact — and to participate — go to impactsimpson.com.
This week's edition of the podcast focuses on the 2019 Carver Medal ceremony at Simpson College. This year's winner is is Luther S. Williams, who has provided leadership and dedication to creating opportunities for minorities in the sciences. He has served prominently as the Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation and Chair of the White House Biotechnology Coordinating Committee. His research career provided foundational insights into the properties and cellular regulation aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
Miguel De La Torre of the Iliff School of Theology delivered the annual Matthew Simpson Lecture on Oct. 10, 2019, speaking on 'Resurrecting a Badass Christianity' before a crowd of more than 100, students, faculty and staff. De La Torre is a professor of social ethics and Latinx studies, and his work centers on how religion affects race, class and gender oppression. His argument at Simpson was a critique of what he calls a 'myopic American Christianity.'
Voting is all the rage — or at least that's what students working with Simpson's John C. Culver Center for Public Policy are wanting to encourage. The good news is that they've had considerable success, making Simpson one of the top colleges in the nation when it comes to encouraging students to turn out to vote. This week on the podcast, Culver fellows Abby Schulte and Levi Lefevbure stop by along with Culver Center Director Seth Andersen to talk about a new Tufts University study that shows huge turnout increases among students at Simpson and nationwide in the 2018 midterm election. The Culver Center students are hoping to see similar upturns in voting in the 2020 and 2022 elections.
Simpson College recently was named Iowa's best online college, and No. 15 nationally, by EDSmart. So Instructional Designer Manda Gibson stops by to talk about growing online prograsm at Simpson. It takes a lot of work for Simpson faculty and staff to convert face-to-face courses to online versions, and it take a new set of skills and mindsets for students to be successful in them. You can learn more about Simpson's online courses and degree programs at: https://simpson.edu/academics/evening-online-programs
Simpson is celebrating First Amendment Week this week — Sept. 16-20 — and Freedom Forum COO Gene Policinski came to campus to deliver the Constitution Day Lecture on Sept. 17 to 150 faculty, students and staff in Hubbell Hall. Policinski's talk was titled 'The Future of the First Amendment,' and he noted that it's not just the 45 words of the amendment that protect our five basic civil freedoms: Religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Rather, it's the commitment of everyday Americans to use those rights and respects the rights of others to exercise their freedoms.
How can college students make better use of their capacities to learn? How can college professors provide the best possible learning experiences? Terry Doyle, an emeritus professor at Ferris State University in Michigan, took on those questions during a Sept. 4 convocation presentation at Simpson. More than 200 students and faculty members took part. This week's edition of the podcast is an edited version of the talk.
Simpson officially opens the new academic year with its annual All-College Convocation, held Aug. 28 at Smith Chapel. The event includes an opening invocation from the Rev. Mara Bailey, the college chaplain; musical performance from the Simpson College Choir; greetings and introductions from Academic Dean Cheryl Jacobsen and President Jay Simmons; and the convocation address by Judy Walden, professor of history and winner of the 2019 Distinguished Teaching Award at Simpson.
Professor of History Judy Walden will be delivering the All-College Convocation talk on Aug. 28 to officially open the academic year at Simpson. She's doing so by virtue of having been named the winner of the 2018-19 Distinguished Teaching Award at Simpson, voted on by members of last spring's graduating class. Judy stops by the podcast to give us her story, her thoughts on teaching and what she wants new students at Simpson College to know.