Trusted Voices: Recent Episodes
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Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy welcome Dr. Vann R. Newkirk Sr., president of Wilberforce University, to discuss the critical need for resources, strategic federal support and innovative retention strategies — ever heard of a Chief Door Knocker? — to uplift HBCUs in today’s educational landscape.
Erin and Teresa talk about natural disasters, offer resources for campuses navigating election season and disinformation, and highlight leaders willing to be vulnerable about the challenges they're facing.
Kevin McClure and Jorge Burmicky join the Trusted Voices Podcast to share why their presidential competencies are far more than a leadership checklist.
Finances, elections, and leadership: Erin and Teresa kick off Season 3 by looking ahead to the drivers of fall on campus.
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy close season two with more fall predictions as Harvard University abstains from “official statements about public matters that do not directly affect the university’s core function.” The duo also discuss their summer reading lists, with Erin leaning toward literary fiction and Teresa focusing on collegiate athletics.
Dr. Angel B. Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), joins hosts Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss the flawed rollout of the new FAFSA by the Department of Education and its impact on higher education. He worries that a potential 700,000 more students could be lost from the higher education pipeline due to FAFSA complications.
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot welcome Brandon Busteed, the CEO of BrandEd, to discuss the importance of relationship-rich and work-integrated learning in higher education. He emphasizes the need for relevance and engagement in college experiences and the disconnect between higher education language and the desires of students and employers.
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy focus on the findings of Inside Higher Ed's 2024 Survey of College and University Presidents. The conversation delves into the apparent optimism among college presidents amidst realistic uncertainties, the implications of potential mergers between institutions, and the pressing need for reviewing speech policies in light of current events.
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot welcome Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University, as he highlights the need for trust, relationships, and community building in education. LeBlanc suggests that AI will shift the focus from knowledge-based education to developing higher-order skills such as judgment, wisdom, and empathy.
In this episode of the Trusted Voices Podcast, hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot outline their top 10 New Year’s resolutions for the higher education industry. Covering topics such as crisis communication planning, institutional culture and climate and Title VI compliance, they emphasize the importance of being prepared for reputational issues, reviewing and updating communication tools and policies and seeking guidance from relevant organizations.
In this crossover episode of the Trusted Voices Podcast and Higher Voltage, hosts Erin Hennessy, Teresa Valerio Parrot, and Kevin Tyler delve into institutional culture and climate as they explore the pivotal role of two-way communications in creating a sense of belonging in higher education.
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot dive deep into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on higher education. Erin candidly shares her feelings of unpreparedness in the face of AI's challenges, setting the stage for a thoughtful discussion on the diverse range of reactions to this emerging technology, from anticipation to trepidation. After emphasizing AI's growing presence in our daily lives and its profound implications for academia, the hosts introduce the Gartner Hype Cycle as a valuable framework for comprehending the journey of new technologies and where AI is currently perched.
Paul Fain, creator of The Job newsletter and the related weekly publication Work Shift, joins Teresa and Erin to dig into the practical application of a degree and the importance of prioritizing work readiness.
Teresa and Erin discuss the importance of engaging the communications team early in crises and highlight the significance of professionalizing leadership roles, including board professionals. They also stress the need for self-care due to increasing burnout concerns among higher ed colleagues.
Kicking off Season 2, Rice University President Reginald DesRoches joins Teresa and Erin to discuss the importance of openness and how to embrace politics at one of the most prestigious private universities in the country.
The inaugural season of Trusted Voices covered a lot of ground, full of unguarded conversations and actionable insights as we explored the intersection of higher ed leadership and communications. In the final episode of our first season, Teresa and Erin look back on the first season’s line-up of guests and reflect on what each brought to the podcast and to higher education in general. They share their to-be-read piles for the summer, their predictions for upcoming changes to higher ed and what they hope to accomplish in Season 2 this fall.
Teresa and Erin are back to recap their conversation with Valerie Sheares Ashby, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In doing so, they discuss the skills necessary for effective leadership: the ability to make people feel heard, the art of a pivot, and the importance of knowing your strengths and the strengths of those around you.
President Valerie Sheares Ashby of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County joins Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot to discuss the impact of mentorship, the importance of building teams, and ways to judge genuine success.
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy share their big takeaways from their conversation with Amy Privette Perko of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.
Amy Privette Perko of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics joins Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss the NCAA’s new president, former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker; the rapidly evolving state of NIL; how the NCAA transfer window might impact the transfer of college credits for those student athletes—and much more.
Teresa and Erin are back to recap their conversation with Eric Hoover, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education. Along the way, they discuss the idea of—and challenges to—a collective marketing campaign to promote the value of a higher education, and the nuances surrounding test-optional admissions policies.
Eric Hoover, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, joins Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss higher ed's trust issues.
Teresa and Erin are back, recapping their conversation with Vincent Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross. Rougeau’s path to a college presidency represents what may be becoming a new norm, as more college presidents come from untraditional places. Whereas provosts often ascended to the presidency, more and more are coming from student affairs, institutional advancement, and even avenues outside of higher ed. It all shows that, as the demands of these roles evolve and change, boards of trustees are increasingly willing to think differently about the skill sets required of candidates. And Rougeau’s career path is indicative of that, and his openness and honesty are also emblematic of a new kind of college leadership.
The first episode of the new Trusted Voices Podcast launches with guest Vincent Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., joining hosts Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss his experience assuming the leadership role at his current institution, what that transition period was like, and his experience as the first Black dean at Boston College and the first Black president of College of the Holy Cross (among other firsts).
Higher education’s most high-profile and high-impact issues occur at the intersection of leadership and communications. Trusted Voices, hosted by Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot, brings you into conversation with the people navigating them right now.