Higher Ed ReWired: Recent Episodes
California State University
California State University podcast Higher Ed Rewired features inspirational stories from higher education faculty, researchers, landscape of postsecondary education. They bring listeners along on their journey of engaging students with innovative practices, overcoming institutional challenges and creating groundbreaking research. Each episode will inspire and expand the listener's understanding of the foundations of student success in higher education.
About This Episode:
In many parts of the U.S., comprehensive sex education is startlingly absent. With only 16 states mandating contraception education, 34 states focusing primarily on abstinence, and 13 states lacking age-appropriate and evidence-based standards, the current landscape of sex education is fragmented. This disparity becomes even starker when considering that seven states legally prohibit LGBTQIA-inclusive sex ed.
The implications of this patchwork system go beyond high school. As a significant number of students enter college unprepared to address sexual health, relationships, and consent, universities are now faced with a pressing dilemma: Should they take on the responsibility of providing sex education? Could this potentially mitigate the issue of sexual assault on campuses?
Join us on Higher Ed Rewired as we delve into this critical topic, asking the question: “Should college students receive sex ed as a part of their collegiate education?”
Featured on This Episode:
- Dorian Solot is a sexuality and relationship educator who has written for and taught students of all ages, from kindergarten to senior citizens. She has given over 1,000 presentations around the United States on sexuality. She is the co- author of several forthcoming books for young children about bodies and reproduction and the creator of the Under Your Wing sexuality education video series for parents and caregivers of children ages five through seven.
- Jennifer Hirsch is Professor and Deputy Chair for Doctoral Studies in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences and co-Director of the Columbia Population Research Center. A medical anthropologist and a 2012 fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, Hirsch’s research agenda spans five intertwined domains: the anthropology of love; gender, sexuality, and migration; sexual, reproductive and HIV risk practices; social scientific research on sexual assault and undergraduate well-being, and the intersections between anthropology and public health.
- Jessica Adams Nelson is the Program Director for the Wellness Promotion & Violence Prevention Center at St. Norbert College (SNC). Before SNC, Jessica worked in a variety of places around the country. She has been housing coordinator and victim advocate at Wise Women Gathering Place, program director for a transitional home in Baltimore, Md., and victim advocate in Door County.
co-author-director
Resources for This Episode:
- SPACE toolkit
- California State University Title XIX Resources
- National Sexual Assault Hotline
About This Episode:
In this enlightening episode, we dive deep into an often-silent challenge faced by plus-sized students in the realm of higher education. Despite more than two-thirds of adults in the US being over a size 14, there exists an underlying bias against students based on their body size, overshadowing their academic achievements. From unsettling findings at Cal State Long Beach and Mt. St. Vincent, revealing stereotypes about GPA perceptions and team collaboration preferences, to tangible obstacles like inaccessible campus resources, the gravity of the situation is undeniable. Join us as we shed light on the firsthand experiences of these students, engage with researchers unraveling the complexities of weight stigma in academia, and explore solutions that can pave the way for a truly inclusive campus culture. Dive into a discussion on the tangible effects of this bias and the steps universities can take to rectify this deep-rooted prejudice.
Featured on This Episode:
- Terah Jay Stewart serves as an assistant professor of higher education and student affairs at Iowa State University. His research and writing focus on people, populations, and ideas that are hyper marginalized and/or have stigmatized identities including college students engaged in sex work, fat students on campus, and identity-based student activism. He also does conceptual and empirical work on antiblackness in non-black communities of color. His work often centers on critical disruptive onto-epistemological frameworks and theories to destabilize dominant ways of knowing and being; including Black/endarkened feminist, womanist, and afro pessimist perspectives
- Andrea Melrose serves as the Associate Director of Student Affairs at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. She has penned the dissertation titled, “What’s the Big Fat Deal?: The Experience of Fat Students in College.” In her work, she delves into the experiences of fat students on college campuses, shedding light on their encounters with anti-fat bias and discrimination. Moreover, she delves into the policy and practical implications that aim to enhance the experiences of fat college students, advocating for a diverse and inclusive campus environment.
- Laurie Cooper Stoll is a distinguished professor of Sociology within the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. Her research focuses on educational inequalities, gender-blind sexism, and critical weight studies. She has authored two significant books: "Race and Gender in the Classroom," which received the 2015 Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award from the Race, Gender, and Class Section of the American Sociological Association, and "Should Schools Be Colorblind?"
Resources for This Episode:
- 2013 Study in Obesity Review
- Nutrition Journal
- California State University, Long Beach Study
- Mt. St. Vincent Study
- Weight bias in graduate school admissions
- Fat On Campus
About This Episode:
In this episode we uncover the surprising ways a degree can serve us throughout our careers. Our esteemed guests, all accomplished alumni from various fields, share their personal experiences of how their education has equipped them with lifelong adaptive skills that have proven invaluable in unexpected ways. Discover how social factors, vital knowledge, and unique perspectives gained from a degree have helped our guests thrive in diverse industries. From transitioning to new roles to shifting careers, we'll explore the remarkable stories of those who have found success by applying their education in unconventional ways. Whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the lasting value of higher education beyond the classroom
Featured on This Episode:
- Anna Lee is the Co-founder and Head of Engineering of Lioness, the women-led sexual wellness company that built the world's only smart intimacy device that improves understanding of intimate satisfaction through biofeedback data and science. Anna was previously a mechanical engineer at Amazon, launching the Amazon Dash Button’s original concept and the Kindle Voyage Page Press Technology. She has most recently been named Forbes 30 Under 30 and Anna has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley.
- Elaine Petralli is the executive director for Rambler Sparkling Water. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in child and family Development from Stephen F. Austin, a university out of Nacogdoches, Texas.
- Matthew Doyle is a TV literary Agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency. He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia.
Resources for This Episode:
- Anna Lee in Forbs Magazine
- Rambler Sparkling Water
- Verve Agency
ChatGPT is the latest in the rapidly growing realm of AI programming. The program understands and responds to human language, which has been shown to be beneficial in assisting students in higher education by providing personalized support and resources and creating interactive learning experiences. However, the darkside to AI programs such as ChatGPT is the ever-growing use in cheating by generating answers to assignments or exam questions.
In this episode, we explore how ChatGPT presents both opportunities and challenges for traditional teaching methods, ultimately highlighting the importance of balancing technology and innovation in the classroom. First, we will speak with an assistant professor who shares why he believes ChatGPT is detrimental to both students and instructors. Next, we have a discussion with a philosophy professor who demonstrates how ChatGPT can positively alleviate administrative work both inside and outside the classroom. The show wraps up with an interview with an Associate Provost for Academic Programming, who led a task force in creating guidelines and best practices for ChatGPT. Through the different perspectives presented, we examine the topic of how ChatGPT is pushing the boundaries of higher education.
Featured on This Episode:
Jeremy Weissman is an assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University, where he teaches in the Department of Humanities and Politics. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Dr. Weissman's research focuses on American politics, with particular interests in political parties, interest groups, and political behavior. As an educator, Dr. Weissman is dedicated to engaging students in critical thinking and analysis of political issues and encouraging them to become active and informed citizens.
Antony Aumann is a professor of philosophy at Northern Michigan University (NMU). He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Michigan and has been teaching at NMU since 2001. Dr. Aumann's research interests include the philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics. He has published articles in numerous academic journals, including the Journal of Philosophy, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, and Synthesis.
Anne Marie VanDerZanden is an academic administrator and Associate Provost for Academic Programs at Iowa State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota and has been a faculty member at Iowa State since 1996. In her current role, Dr. VanDerZanden oversees all academic programs at the university, working to ensure that they meet high standards of academic excellence.
Resources for This Episode:
Resources for This Episode:
- Chat GPT – Open AI
- Nova Southeastern University
- Northern Michigan University
- Iowa State University
- Business Insider – Chat GPT and Cheating
About This Episode:
Of the 160,000 American students who studied abroad, in the 2019-2020 academic year, only 5.5 percent were Black. Although the percentage of Black students who travel abroad was slowly increasing, the impact of COVID-19 lowered the percentages - yet another example of how the Black community was disparately affected by the pandemic.
In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the importance of preparing and supporting Black students to travel abroad. Through insightful interviews with three distinguished guests, the episode offers valuable insights into the topic. The first guest, an experienced faculty member with two decades of experience creating study abroad programs for Black male students, shares their knowledge on the development and preparation of such programs. The second guest, a current student, offers a unique perspective on their interest in traveling abroad and how their approach differs from conventional study abroad programs. Lastly, we hear from a Cal State LA graduate, who shares how her experience in Ghana transformed her understanding of what Blackness means.
Featured on This Episode:
Tiffany Rogers Bussey is the Director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Morehouse University. Dr. Bussey earned her doctorate in business administration and Master of Science degree in strategic management from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, U.K. She also received a master’s in business administration from George Washington University in Washington D.C and a baccalaureate degree in economics from The College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey.
Mekhi Graham is a student is a junior at Morehouse and is working with Dr. Bussey to prepare for his very first study abroad program.
Alesia Miles recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Cal State LA and studied abroad in Ghana.
Resources for This Episode:
Morehouse University
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Morehouse University
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
Morehouse Pan-African Global Experience (MPAGE)
African Americans and College Education by the Numbers - UNCF
About This Episode:
Instituted by executive order in 1965, affirmative action is a race-conscious policy that aims to address discrimination and provide equal access to education and jobs. Since its inception, organizations have opposed its implementation arguing that it is unfair, unnecessary, and unconstitutional and today, it is once again under review by the Supreme Court.
In this episode, we explore the ongoing debate surrounding affirmative action. We speak with various experts including an affirmative action researcher and an Education Equity Manager to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. They discuss the potential consequences of eliminating Affirmative Action and alternative methods to promote diversity in higher education.
Featured on This Episode:
Tiana Lovingisa third-year student at Florida A&M University College of Law and the President of the Black Law Student Association
Peter Arcidiaconois Professor Arcidiacono specializes in research involving applied microeconomics, applied economics, and labor economics. His research primarily focuses on education and discrimination.
Sally Chenis the Education Equity Program Manager at Chinese for Affirmative Action in San Francisco. Chen graduated from Harvard where she studied history and literature as well as studies of women, gender, and sexuality.
Dr. Luke Wood is a Distinguished Professor of Education and Dean of the College of Education at San Diego State University, he is an expert on the education of African Americans and Latinos. He earned his Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. His current research focuses on identifying and examining effective educational practices for African American and Latino males at all levels of education.
Resources for This Episode:
Affirmative Action
Black Law Student Association at Florida A&M University
Chinese for Affirmative Action
SFFA v. Harvard Collage
Community College Equity Assessment Lab
About This Episode:
Activism in higher education has a long history going back to the 1930s, starting with opposition to the military, racial discrimination, and support for labor unions. Nowadays, on-campus activism is widespread and research shows that student activism can disrupt taken-for-granted norms by providing more context to campus leaders on what is important to students, creating a symbiotic relationship.
In this episode, we speak with to three different people who have practiced activism within the higher education system. First, we will hear about Sebastian Andrews, an undergrad at Stanford, and how the university nurtured his existing interest in environmental policy, evolving his activism skills even further. Then we speak with Esder Chong, a dreamer who went to college not wanting to be an activist. But when challenged, she grew her activist skills and her network, so she could get resources and legal aid for other DACA students at her university. Last, we’ll hear from Miriam “Mimi” Pichey, an activist whose work started at Brown University fifty years ago tells us how the culture of activism at Brown inspired her and her friends to generate social change on campus and in the nation.
Sebastian Andrews is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Stanford University and is an environmental policy activist from Denver, Colorado. During high school, he created Youth Sustainability Board, a student-run organization that offers teens throughout Colorado a platform to pioneer sustainability initiatives in their schools and greater communities.
Esder Chong earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Rutgers University. She recently completed her Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has previously completed her Master’s in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar. During her time at Rutgers University Chong founded RU Dreamers, a student organization aimed to empower undocumented communities through education.
Miriam "Mimi" Dale Pichey attended Brown University and graduated with a concentration in her own formulation, Art and Archaeology. At Brown, she was heavily involved in political activism on campus and in the Providence community. She later earned an M.B.A. at Boston University. Throughout her career, Pichey has remained involved in activism, continuing to support anti-war movements, women’s rights, gay rights, environmental issues, and civil rights including anti-deportation
Resources for This Episode:
- Youth Sustainability Board
- TheDream.US
- RU Dreamers
- Women of Brown United
LAbout This Episode:
In April 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7, also known as the “Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act” or the “Stop WOKE act”. This bill prohibits teaching certain concepts related to race and sexual orientation in schools. This is just one legislative act across the country that attempts to limit academic freedom. So why are foundational American values, free speech, and academic freedom being increasingly threatened in academia? And what can higher education faculty and students do to protect their first amendment right to free speech?
In this episode, we will speak with the president of the American Association of University Professors about how to define these rights, campus activists who are involved in filing a lawsuit against the Stop Woke act about how it affects them personally, and we’ll hear legal co-counsel on how this case reflects broader legislative trends in America.
Featured on This Episode:
Governor Ron DeSantis serves as the current Governor of Florida. DeSantis earned a Doctor of Law from Harvard Law School and earned a Bachelor's in history from Yale University. DeSantis served as a lieutenant in the United State Navy and later as Special Assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida.
Dr. LeRoy Pernell is a Law professor at Florida A&M University and the previous interim dean of the College of Law at Florida A&M University. Dr. Pernell earned a law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from Franklin & Marshall College.
Dr. Irene Mulvey is the current president of the American Association of University Professors or AAUP. Dr. Mulvey holds a Ph.D. from Wesleyan University and has taught mathematics at Fairfield University for 37 years.
Jeanette Nuñez is the first Latina to serve as Florida Lieutenant Governor. She earned a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Political Science. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez has served as an adjunct professor at Florida International University.
Johana Dauphin is a senior at Florida State University studying International Affairs with a concentration in Urban and Regional Planning. Her post-grad plans are to attend law school and continue to advocate for marginalized communities.
Eulalia Jiminez is a mother of 6 children, a holistic therapist, a small business owner, and the Moms for Liberty Miami chapter chair.
Alexis Johnson serves as a Litigation Fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Johnson received her law degree from Columbia Law School and received her bachelor's degree in English Literature from Yale University.
Resources for This Episode:
- House Bill 7 “Stop WOKE Act”
- Legal Defense Fund
- Idaho professors are not allowed to talk about abortion
- Tenure
About This Episode:
According to the Census Bureau, California’s population grew three times more in the last ten years than available housing units. As enrollment at the University of California and California State University systems increased, the statewide housing shortage has made it challenging for campuses to address the situation. State policies around housing have also made it difficult to fix the widening gap between affordability and student housing.
In this episode, as a case study, we take a closer look at the housing situation in Santa Cruz and the policies that have perpetuated the crisis. We will speak with a team of researchers and professors at UC Santa Cruz, a local attorney, and a current California Senator about future policy changes that can bring more affordable housing to students.
Featured on This Episode:
Gary Patton is a law professor at UC Santa Cruz and practicing environmental law as a sole practitioner in Santa Cruz. He served on the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1995 as Third District Supervisor. Patton earned a JD at Stanford Law school and a B.A in History at Stanford University.
Steven McKay is an associate professor of Sociology and Director of the UCSC Center for Labor Studies. He earned aPh.D. in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.A. in Political Economy of Industrial Societies at the University of California-Berkeley. Runs the project No Place Like Home together with Miriam Greenberg.
Miriam Greenberg is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California Santa Cruz. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Together with Steve McKay, she runs the project No Place Like Home, on the experience of the affordable housing crisis in Santa Cruz County.
Senator Nancy Skinner was first elected to the state Senate in 2016 after completing three terms in the state Assembly. Senator Skinner currently serves as chair of the Senate’s Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and vice-chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley, earning both a B.S and an M.A.
Resources for This Episode:
- UC Santa Cruz
- CEQA: The California Environmental Quality Act
- No Place Like Home
- AB 1930
About This Episode:
The current housing crisis for students cannot be ignored. A survey conducted in 2019 found on-campus that most students in California have experienced some type of housing insecurity with the highest risk being students from marginalized communities. The traditional on campus basic needs centers are not enough to help the students in this crisis and universities are now trying to adapt their programs to be able to further help students and keep them in college.
In this episode, we speak with the executive director of the Center for Equitable Higher Education at CSU Long Beach about the current student housing crisis; a student who shares his real-life experiences with the struggle to find housing; and a former case manager who created the Crisis Assistance and Resource Education Support program at Sacramento State by using data and personal stories from students in need.
Featured on This Episode: Rashida Crutchfield is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at California State University, Long Beach. She earned a Master of Social Work at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from CSULB. She worked for the National Conference for Community and Justice in Long Beach and the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri before serving on the Covenant House California staff. She is currently the executive director of the Center for Equitable Higher Education. * Danielle Munoz is a licensed therapist and case manager who was working on Sacramento State’s behavioral intervention team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UC Davis and a Master's of Marriage and Family therapy from CSU Sacramento. * Marissa Islas is one of the Basic Needs Housing and Education Coordinators at the UC San Diego Basic Needs Center. She earned a Bachelor in Global Health, Psychology Minor from The University of California, San Diego. * Kameo Quenga is a Basic Needs Housing & Education Coordinator at the UC San Diego Basic Needs Center. She earned a Bachelor of psychology from San Jose State University and her Master of Higher education and Student Affairs from the University of San Francisco.*
Resources for This Episode:* Center for Equitable Higher Education * California State University, Long Beach * UC San Diego Basic Needs Center * CSU Student Well-Being and Basic Needs
About This Episode:
Higher education is beginning to reassess the college experience in response to the pandemic. Universities are updating curricula to offer larger or more robust professional programs, expanding remote options to ensure students with disabilities and other needs have equal access, and adopting innovative pedagogical methods to effectively teach students from all backgrounds in a variety of modalities.
In this episode, we speak with the president of Ohio University about how recent enrollment shifts may affect which programs universities choose to expand; two students with differing views on the future of remote courses; and a geology professor at Coastline College about the benefits and challenges of remote instruction and what college will look like moving forward.
Featured on This Episode:
- President Hugh Sherman is the 22nd President of Ohio University. He earned a B.A. in economics from Guelph University (Canada), an MBA from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. in strategic management and international business from Temple University. His research interests include corporate governance, international business, entrepreneurship, and economic development.
- Mayor Steve Patterson is serving as the mayor of the City of Athens, Ohio. Mayor Patterson earned his BS in Psychology with a minor in Biology from the University of North Dakota. He earned his Ph. D in Health Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He served in the United States Air Force for 23 years in both the Enlisted and Commissioned ranks and retired in 2003 as a Major with the District of Columbia Air Nation Guard 113th Fighter Wing. Mayor Patterson lives in Athens, Ohio where he was an Associate Professor of Health Psychology at Ohio University for 18 years until he began his term first term as Mayor in January 2016.
- Kelly Rupert is a part-time lecturer at Cal State Fullerton and a full-time geology professor at Coastline College. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the University of California, Riverside.
Resources for This Episode:
- City of Athens, Ohio
- Ohio University
- Education Data Initiative
- Coastline College
- California State University, Fullerton
About This Episode:
In 2021, Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes introduced assembly bill, AB469 to make applying for financial aid through the FAFSA and the California Dream Act application a requirement for high school seniors in California.
The idea behind the assembly bill is that if completing these forms is mandatory, then more underrepresented students will claim the aid that’s waiting for them. The measure passed last fall and began implementation at the start of 2022.
In this episode, we speak with the vice president of the Public Policy Institute of California, the executive director of the Education Trust-West, and the director of education services at the Montebello School District to discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of this policy and what the next steps should be to ensure more students from underrepresented communities can finance their education.
Featured on This Episode:
- Lande Ajose is vice president and Walter and Esther Hewlett Chair in Understanding California’s Future. She is also interim director of the PPIC Higher Education Center and a senior fellow at PPIC. Her career has focused on improving the lives of Californians by working in state government, private philanthropy, and research institutions. Her research interests include addressing issues of inequality through education and employment. She was recently the senior policy advisor for higher education for the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. Before joining the Newsom administration, she was executive director of California Competes, chaired the California Student Aid Commission, and served on the governance bodies of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, the Institute for College Access and Success, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees at Occidental College. She holds a PhD in urban and regional studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Christopher Nellum is the Executive Director of The Education Trust–West, a nonprofit education equity organization focused on educational justice and closing achievement and opportunity gaps for students of color and students from lower-income communities from preschool through college. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Nellum was at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, Young Invincibles, and the American Council on Education. He cut his teeth in education equity on college campuses working directly with students. Nellum completed his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara, master’s degree at CSU Long Beach, and Ph.D. at the University of Michigan.
- Leticia Alividrez is the director of education services at the Montebello School District
Resources for This Episode:
- PPIC Higher Education Center
- The Education Trust–West
- AB469
About This Episode:
During the worldwide pandemic, esports programs stepped in to fill the void that social distancing created. Students in these programs had the unique opportunity to gather in virtual worlds and stay connected. The sense of belonging the programs fostered did not go unnoticed and universities began to view esports as a remedy for student recruitment and retention.
In this episode, we will speak with the director of the National Association of Collegiate Esports, the EA Sports Association president at CSUDH, and two esports directors in the CSU system about how they’re transforming the program and how this new way of competing is providing students a reason to pursue higher education.
Featured on This Episode:
- Michael Brooks is the Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). NACE is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of member institutions and is the largest association of varsity esports programs in North America. NACE’s members are developing the structure and tools needed to advance collegiate esports in the varsity space.
- Ruben Caputo is the EA Sports academic advisor and general manager at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is also the Co-Chair of the CSU Esports Collective, responsible for the effective functioning of the board in its role of governing the CSU Esports Collective.
- Dina Ibrahim is a Professor in the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts department at San Francisco State University, where she teaches Radio and Television News Production courses. She has reported for the BBC World Service Radio in London, CNN in Atlanta and Cairo, NPR in Austin, Texas, UPI in Cairo, and Arab News newspaper in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Her research interests are in the area of American television news representation of Arabs and Muslims. Her B.A. and M.A. are from the American University in Cairo and her Ph.D. is from the University of Texas at Austin.
- Alexandra Warren Carrasco is a senior at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and serves as the Esports Association president.
Resources for This Episode:
- National Association of Collegiate Esports
- CSUDH Esports
- San Francisco State University
- California State University, Dominguez Hills
About This Episode:
In 1967, Project Rebound was created to matriculate formerly incarcerated students into the CSU directly from the criminal justice system. Since the program’s inception, hundreds of Project Rebound students have obtained bachelor’s degrees and beyond. Project Rebound students system-wide have earned an overall grade point average of 3.0, have a zero percent recidivism rate, and 87% of graduates have secured full-time employment or admission to postgraduate programs.
In this episode, we will speak with the executive director of Project Rebound at Cal State San Bernardino, Annika Anderson about how she advocated for office space and resources on their campus. We’ll hear from a formerly incarcerated staff member, Paul Jones, and matriculated students, Robert Sandoval and Marta Barreto about the unique obstacles they face and the unique benefits they offer communities.And how this model can expand beyond California to transform campuses and students nationwide.
Featured on This Episode:
- Annika Anderson, is the executive director of Project Rebound at CSUSB and an associate professor in the Department of Sociology. She received her B.A. in Public Relations from Pennsylvania State University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University. Her research interests are in developmental and life-course criminology, reentry, social stratification, and race and ethnic relations. She has presented her research at numerous conferences and has several publications on crime and reentry based on research conducted in San Bernardino.
- Paul A. Jones, is the program director of Project Rebound at CSUSB. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from California State University, San Bernardino. In his role as program director, he also supervises interns placed in Project Rebound. He is a co-author on a chapter in an edited volume titled Prisoner Reentry in the 21st Century: Critical Perspectives of Returning Home; Reentry in the Inland Empire: The Prison to College Pipeline with Project Rebound.
Resources for This Episode:
- Project Rebound at CSUSB
- CSU Project Rebound
About This Episode:
In 2019, amidst rising tuition and student debt, The Gates Foundation created a new panel called the Postsecondary Value Commission to examine the return on investment of the college degree across gender and race. Members of the panel measured “postsecondary value” in terms of earnings, access to high-quality jobs, and economic mobility and security.
Higher Ed Rewired had a conversation with the commission’s research analyst, University of Texas System Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Research and Advanced Analytics, David Troutman, Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at IBM, Justina Nixon-Saintil and Filmmaker, Quincy Ledbetter. Listen as these experts discuss how higher education should be rethinking its role in the workplace.
Featured on This Episode:
- David R. Troutman, Ph.D., is the Associate Vice-Chancellor and Chief Data Officer of Institutional Research and Advanced Analytics for the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis (OIRA) at The University of Texas System. As the Associate Vice Chancellor for OIRA, Dr. Troutman and his team of researchers and business intelligence analysts transform data into timely and meaningful information in order to support UT System initiatives and policy decisions across its 13 institutions and to enhance insight, transparency, and accountability. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
- Justina Nixon-Saintil serves as IBM’s Vice President and Head of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. She is responsible for driving global social responsibility strategy and initiatives that enable IBM’s technology and talent to address and impact, at scale, the most demanding societal and community challenges in both growth and established markets.
Justina is an Aspen Institute First Mover Fellow and earned her Master of Business Administration from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo. * Quincy Ledbetter, is a filmmaker, photographer, and musician who focuses primarily on the narrative, documentary, and experimental film.
Resources for This Episode:
- University of Texas System
- IBM
- The Gate Foundation
- Post-Secondary Value Commission Report
About This Episode:
For colleges and universities, the “great resignation” might be an opportunity to reach working adults looking to upskill for a new job. They could transform the college experience from a four year academic experience... to a lifelong learning experience.
So how are colleges adapting to stay competitive? And will these demands change the face of college as we know it?
Higher Ed Rewired spoke with Paul Fain, author of The Job newsletter at Inside Higher Ed, Julie Newman-Biggers, director of career development at Clemson University, Allison Salisbury, senior vice president at Guild Education and Chipotle field recruiting analyst, Iris Vazquez Morales. They share their ideas and experience on how the university model can evolve to emphasize career preparation, prepare studentsfour-year for future opportunities, and bring a new demographic of students to the table.
Featured on This Episode:
- Paul Fain is a ContributingEditor at Inside Higher Ed. Paul has also worked in higher ed P.R., with Widmeyer Communications. He is a former staff writer for C-VILLE Weekly, a newspaper in Charlottesville, Va., Paul has written for The New York Times, Washington City Paper, and Mother Jones. He's won journalism awards, including one for beat reporting from the Education Writers Association and the Dick Schaap Excellence in Sports Journalism Award. He earned a degree in political science at the University of Delaware in 1996.
- Julie Newman-Biggers is the director of career development at Clemson University. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in kinesiotherapy from Catawba College and a
master of education degree in Guidance and Counseling from Clemson University. - Allison Salisbury is a Senior Vice President at Guild Education, where she leads strategy and solutions teams that help Guild’s employer partners reskill their workforce for the future. She regularly shares what she is learning in her column on Forbes.
Prior to Guild, Allison served as a Senior Partner and the Head of Innovation at Entangled Group (acquired by Guild), where she started the Economic Mobility Practice focused on advising employers, universities, and philanthropists on creating opportunity through education and upskilling. While at Entangled, she also helped start and advise four edtech companies: ReUp Education, Pathstream, Adjacent Academies, and Outset Careers.
Previously, she held senior roles at EdSurge, where she built the higher education business, and Davidson College, where she led strategic initiatives from the President’s Office. - Iris Vazquez Morales is a field recruiting analyst at Chipotle Mexican Grill. She focuses on the policies with long-term results when working with opportunity youth, such as by providing a clear pathway for advancement through the company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Bellevue University.
Resources for This Episode:
- California State University Career Services
- Inside Higher Ed
- Guild Education
- Clemson University
About this episode
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed structural weaknesses and inequities across the nation in all major industries - housing, government, finance, health care, and education. This revelation resulted in educational institutions across the nation successfully reworking the more traditional aspects of student success such as instructional modality, classroom technology, and basic needs. However, most institutions continue to seek the elusive answer to the problem of finding the best practice in addressing the fragility of mental health services on the college campus.
Higher Ed Rewired has a roundtable discussion with three student leaders from the California State University as they recount what the pandemic meant for their mental health. We also meet with Dr. Eric Wood, Director of Counseling and Mental Health at Texas Christian University, and Dr. Sarah Lipson, Co-Principal Investigator and Associate Director of the Healthy Minds Network, as they provide solutions and discuss what universities should be doing to address the mental health crises on the college campus.
Featured on the Episode:
Dr. Sarah Ketchen Lipson is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Law Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. She is co-Principal Investigator of the Healthy Minds Study and Associate Director of the Healthy Minds Network.
Lipson's research focuses on understanding and addressing mental health inequalities in adolescent and young adult populations, especially college students. She employs varied methodologies, including large-scale epidemiological surveys and population-level interventions. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Huffington Post, and NPR.
At BUSPH, she teaches Research Theory and Design and Applied Studies in Health Services Research and is faculty director of the Master's of Science in Health Services and Systems Research
Lipson completed a dual PhD at the University of Michigan in Health Services Organization and Policy at the School of Public Health and Higher Education at the School of Education, and a master’s degree from Harvard University.
Dr. Eric Wood currently serves as the Director of Counseling & Mental Health at Texas Christian University and has over 12 years of experience in college mental health, including serving on the advisory board for the National College Depression Partnership and a peer reviewer for the Journal of American College Health.
Wood holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of North Texas. The highest priority for he and his staff is stewarding the trust that TCU students, and their families, give us regarding their mental health and psychological well-being. He is committed to providing the highest quality of care and maintaining TCU’s recognized status as one of the leading institutions in the field of college campus counseling.
Joshua Ochoais currently serving as the Associated Students President at San Francisco State University, and earning his Master’s in Public Administration. Joshua believes “we must all be and fight for the change that we want to see in the world.” At SFSU, Joshua has served students on the Associated Students Board of Directors by advocating for expanding basic needs initiatives, tuition-free public college, and equitable access to public transportation. He is motivated to fight for working-class issues through writing public policy, people-centered urban planning, and a constant push for advocacy and activism.
Dixie Samaniego (Ella/She/Her) is a third-year Political Science major and Women and Gender Studies minor at California State University Fullerton. Dixie is a proud Latina, daughter of immigrants, and a first-generation high school graduate and higher education student. She serves as the California State University Fullerton’s Associated Students Incorporated Chief Governmental Officer and as a Director and the Vice-Chair of Legislative Affairs on the Cal State Student Association. In addition to her campus advocacy, Dixie is the co-founder and Creative Director of The Black + Brown Healing Project, a grassroots organization working to center healing in advocacy through collective action. She is a huge fan of the MCU and all things music."
D’Aungilique Jackson, ASI President at Fresno State
Return on Investment Calculator for College Mental Health Services and Programs by the Healthy Minds Network:
https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6xN9QUSlFtgtRQh
Resources for people struggling with depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide:
California State University Mental Health Services
https://www.calstate.edu/attend/student-services/Pages/mental-health-services.aspx
The CSU provides programs and services to support the psychological and emotional health of our students. Mental health and counseling services on the campuses offer support and strive to help students achieve their academic, personal and professional goals.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Available to anyone in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in emotional distress. You can speak to them online or over the phone by calling 1-800-273-8255.
The TREVOR Project
thetrevorproject.org
Specific crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people is available on 1-866-488-7386.
SAFE Alternatives for self-abuse
selfinjury.com
Helpline: 800-366-8288.
Trans Lifeline
translifeline.org/hotline
A peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers in crisis. Call 877-565-8860.
In a sweeping decision amid the height of the pandemic, universities across the nation decided to remove the SAT/ACT as an admission requirement and go test-optional. In the absence of this tool, institutions have been forced to rethink their approach to admissions and take a holistic look at the students who apply.
Higher Ed Rewired spoke with Gary Clark, Director of Undergraduate Admission at UCLA, David Holmes, the executive director of the Character Collaborative, Kelly Rosinger, assistant professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, and Angel B. Pérez of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. They share their research and experience on how this decision has affected admission at test-optional institutions and what this may look like for the future of enrollment management for higher education.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners in to learn more about student success efforts occurring across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
The complexity and challenges of the pandemic have posed extraordinary shifts to education as we have known it. Unique opportunities have risen out of the stay-at-home orders and the shift to remote learning, presenting a transformative time for postsecondary leaders. A number of these changes would have never been envisioned pre-pandemic, but rapidly are becoming welcomed additions to our institutions. Higher Ed Rewired meets with three system leaders, California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro, Commissioner of Higher Education for the state of Texas Harrison Keller and Commissioner of Higher Education for the state of Louisiana Kim Hunter Reed, and asks what have they gleaned from the pandemic and what they envision for the future of higher education.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners in to learn more about student success efforts occurring across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Higher Ed Rewired engages listeners in a conversation with a panel of nationally recognized authors who will discuss their recent books and share insight on equity and student success. Listen to Tia Brown McNair “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education“ (2020) and “Becoming A Student Ready College” (2016), Bryan Alexander “Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education (2021) and Lindsay Pérez Huber “Why They Hate Us: How Racist Rhetoric Impacts Education” (2021) talk about everything from the books on their bedside stands to what inspired them as scholars in their field. Whether their work informs student success strategy or guides your professional development agenda, these are the authors you want on your summer reading list.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners in to learn more about student success efforts occurring across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
College athletics is more than just sports. It includes televised broadcasts, beverage contracts and apparel sponsorships turning athletics into a $14 billion-dollar industry. The Fair Pay for Play Act, which passed through California legislators in 2020, will allow student-athletes to profit for their name, image and likeness. A vote to these rules change by NCAA is pending. Although NCAA had long-standing rules against compensation for intercollegiate athletes, many acknowledge the inequity in financial power and privilege at stake, changing policies for Division I intercollegiate athletics. How will these changes affect college athletics? How are campuses preparing to support their students with their NIL branding? What opportunities does this present to student athletes? Higher Ed Rewired speaks with Athletic Director, Ross Bjork at Texas A&M University, Sports Management faculty, Jeremy Evans at California State University, Long Beach and University of California, Los Angeles gymnast, Nia Dennis on what this means for the future of college athletics.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
For many students, navigating the college experience is unfamiliar and may sometimes feel alienating. Many institutions don’t operate much differently than they did 400 years ago, despite the student body being dramatically more diverse than it was back then. College campuses are beginning to transform to support students with their diversity of backgrounds and experiences. Higher Ed Rewired asks Anthony Jack of Harvard Graduate School of Education, Sarah E. Whitley of the NASPA Center for First-generation Student Success, and Ji Son of California State University, Los Angeles, “Why is a sense of belonging important to student success for first generation students?”
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. It will help us bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts occurring across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Topping the list of why students attend college is the desire to successfully enter into a career upon graduation. On-campus employment provides opportunities for students to gain experience in their future careers with academic and professional development opportunities, while at the same time, serving as a source of a financial resource.
Higher Ed Rewired spoke with Amelia Parnell, from NASPA, the professional organization for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Debra Hammond, of the California State University, Northridge University Student Union on their research and practice on how higher education should rethink the student employment experience as a student success strategy.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
College Promise programs are not new to higher education, but they have gained momentum in recent years with the rise of “free college” initiatives across the country. They emerged from the need to increase a workforce to meet the labor demands of local communities and have evolved to address higher education access and equity. Given the variety of models that exist and the thousands of students who have participated in these programs, the questions are: What does it mean for a campus to make a promise and what has that promise meant for students, their families and their communities?
This episode features Martha Kanter, Executive Director for the College Promise Campaign, Edward Smith, Program Officer with The Kresge Foundation, and Kate Mahar, Dean of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives at Shasta College. They share their research findings, innovative practices and recommendations on leveraging College Promise Programs to support student success.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
College campuses are part of their larger communities, which positions them to be leaders during times of crisis. The border of the college facilities does not isolate itself from what is taking place beyond the gates into the surrounding community. In fact, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (2005), The Camp Fire in Chico, California (2018) and COVID 19 (2020) are historical catastrophes affecting the university in unprecedented ways and they have stepped up to during these critical moments.
The resilience of the faculty, staff and students at California State University, Monterey Bay during COVID 19 is evidence to how faculty and students leaned into this extremely traumatic event to become a teachable moment.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Whereas there is ample evidence of persistent equity gaps across the education pipeline, successfully closing the gap has thus far eluded higher education leaders and policy makers. What do we know about what works, what are emerging best practices, and why are equity gaps so stubborn?
Higher Ed Rewired spoke with postsecondary education researchers, Dr. Frank Harris III and Dr. Eric Felix of San Diego State University Community College Equity Assessment Lab, to discuss their research and recommendations on what is required to close equity gaps. We also dive into the work at Pasadena City College that has driven institutional change by looking beyond diversity and rethinking inclusion for their 27,000 students.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
As a thought-provoking conclusion to season one, Higher Ed Rewired highlights a conversation on the future of higher education between three national higher education innovators and experts. Doug Lederman, editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, Michelle Weise, senior vice president of Workforce Strategies and Chief Innovation Officer for Strada Education, and Alexandra Bernadotte, founder and chief executive officer of Beyond 12 tackle big questions like: How is higher education keeping up with our changing society? How can we change the way we support students to and through college? What is the relationship between higher education and the workforce? Where does higher education go from here?
Listen in on this conversation on the changing landscape of higher education and reflections on what must happen to ensure student success in the future of our colleges and universities.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
CSU East Bay students engage in hands-on learning by building off-grid solar power and lighting systems designed to alleviate energy poverty—a lack of access to modern energy services. These programs introduce students to careers in STEM, engage students to work alongside K-12 in peer-led service-learning projects and address energy needs across the globe.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts happening across the country.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University
| Using virtual reality (VR), CSU Channel Island nursing students learn beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom. Dr. Jaime Hannans, California State University Channel Islands, shares how students are able to rehearse and get feedback on their helping skills through VR simulations, and develop empathy through connecting with their virtual patients. San Diego State University’s Virtual Immersive Teaching and Learning (VITaL) promotes experimentation with curriculum design in unexpected majors by applying the scholarship of teaching and learning to these emerging technological tools. If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts. Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University. |
| Campuses are using artificial intelligence technology to respond and advise, on-demand, to students, faculty and staff via text or auditory messaging. Meet Cal State Fullerton’s iTuffy and Cal State Northridge’s CSUny, chatbots that extend the accessibility of student support services 24/7 and engage students in a manner most conducive to them. If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University. |
Undergraduate students at California State University Dominguez Hills participate in meaningful experiences ranging from observational studies and laboratory experiments to biomedical and psychophysiological research. Students work closely with faculty mentors in the neuroscience lab partnering on scholarly writing and research. The program has been successful in increasing the aspirations of students towards careers in research and enrolling in competitive graduate programs across the nation.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Dr. Amarasinghe has led teams of math faculty to rethink instructional approaches to introductory mathematics courses. His strategies and interventions transform mathematics instruction and inspire students towards careers in STEM and teaching.
Department of Mathematics STEM Summer Academy at Fresno State:
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts.
Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Dr. Rashida Crutchfield’s experience working at a shelter for youth experiencing homelessness informed her research agenda on housing and food insecurity in higher education. She offers insight on how the California State University has become a national leader with the Basic Needs Initiative and the importance of supporting students facing food and housing insecurity.
If you haven’t already, please review us on Apple Podcasts. It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts. Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University.
Dr. Jefferies teaches critical approaches to education by taking groups of students on global service-learning experiences to Latin American countries. First-generation, Latinx students apply course concepts to their interactions with community-based organizations on study-abroad trips. Through these experiences, they gain greater self-awareness, increase their sense of belonging to the campus and gain insight into the needs of diverse communities.
Dr. Jefferries leads students on global-service learning trips to Guadalajara & Puerto Rico.
If you haven’t already, please review us on ITunes . It will help bring new listeners to learn more about student success efforts. Higher Ed ReWired is produced by California State University
Student success initiatives are increasing nationally and pushing the boundaries of innovation in higher education. Assistant Vice Chancellor and Senior Strategist, Dr. James T. Minor leads Graduation Initiative 2025, a systemwide effort to increase degree completion and remove equity gaps for the more than 484,000 students across the 23 campuses of the California State University.
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