Random Acts of Knowledge: Recent Episodes
Random Acts of Knowledge
Heartland Community College presents Random Acts of Knowledge, a podcast where we explore the worlds of continuing education.
The goal of each episode is to learn something new. No matter the topic, we'll pick up some random knowledge from experts who can give us a short and interesting lesson about their field.
Commercial trucking drivers remain remains a booming industry in the U.S.
Brendon Nussbaum with Nussbaum Transportation talks about the modern state of the trucking industry and what individuals interested in gaining their license to drive a big rig should know.
View the transcript here.
Individuals forced to flee their homes due to war, famine, crime, or natural disaster often struggle long after they have found a new place to live.
Dr. Wendy Pearlman has interviewed hundreds of Syrian refugees and shared their stories in three books and a recent lecture at Heartland Community College.
Dr. Pearlman discusses the impact that displacement has on individuals and the communities that may not understand the plight of refugees.
View the transcript here.
Oksana Perestoronina and her husband fled their home of Ukraine in 2022 when war came to their doorstep.
Her search to start a new life led her to Heartland Community College, where she took English as a Second Language Courses. After gaining some confidence with language Oksana took the next steps toward a new career: nursing.
View the transcript here.
Getting kids interested in biology can start from the inside out.
Instructor Jacinda Shoot discusses the STEM Anatomy Workshops that bring middle and high school kids into a Heartland Community College lab.
Jacinda also talks about an interesting hobby that requires some heavy lifting.
View the transcript here.
The impact of a tornado can extend far beyond the damage done to persons and property.
In his documentary "A Brief History of Chasing Storms," filmmaker Curtis Miller travels to towns defined by tornadoes in one form or another.
The film will kick off the Heartland Hawk Film Festival on May 6, 2026 at the Normal Theater.
View the transcript here.
Clinical services for substance abuse and mental health disorders are an important part of every community healthcare system.
Yet, even in a clinical environment, individuals might struggle to engage in recovery.
Clinical psychologist Charles Drebing, PhD, discusses the value that Peer Support Specialists -- individuals with lived experience in mental health or substance use recovery who are trained to support others–– bring to the health care system.
View the transcript here.
Was 3-year-old Christina McNeil killed by her own father or, instead, by a suspect who later would be convicted of another murder?
Barton McNeil is serving a 100-year sentence for the killing of his daughter. He has long claimed that the murder was committed by an estranged girlfriend, Misook Nowlin, who would later be convicted of killing her mother-in-law.
With the help of the Illinois Innocence Project, McNeil has sought to have new evidence introduced for an appeal. That evidence, and the details of this 1998 case, are the subject of the panel “Beyond the Verdict,” held at Heartland Community College on March 19, 2026.
View the transcript here.
Resources for individuals who are leaving prison are available but many incarcerated people have no idea what is really waiting for them on the other side.
Support for formerly incarcerated people extends beyond just navigating the rules of release but also includes a change of mindset, according to Toy Beasley, with the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments.
View the transcript here.
Whitney Rapp is Director of the Electric Vehicle Career Pathway Program at Heartland Community College.
One of the projects Whitney works on is to promote the Certified Manufacturing Associate Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program. This program consists of students completing modules that are set to be completed throughout a 5-week time span. During this time, students learn the basic skills needed to be able to work in the manufacturing field. The program also prepares students for a career at Rivian Automotive and other manufacturers.
View the transcript here.
Jamie Snow is in prison, convicted in 2001 for the 1991 shooting of a gas station attendant, William Little, in Bloomington, IL.
For the last several years, a diverse group of people who learned the details of Snow’s case and found troubling elements in his trial have been advocating for his release.
In this episode, Snow’s daughter and a former juror on the trial of a co-defendant are joined by an advocate who has devoted years of her life to freeing Snow.
They discuss the irregularities they uncovered in the investigation and prosecution of Jamie Snow and the personal impact the case has had on their lives.
View the transcript here.
In an age with long-form videogaming, the appeal of Dungeons & Dragons might not seem apparent to some. But unleashing creativity and storytelling with a little teamwork and a handful of dice takes players to places not found on video screens.
An instructor who introduces prospective game players to the role-playing game talks about what drew her to D&D and explains what is needed to get started creating adventures from nearly nothing.
View the episode transcript here.
What does the story of Medusa have to do with the Me Too movement? How does the Hercules depicted by Disney differ from the hero celebrated in 900 BCE?
Heartland Community College Outstanding Faculty of the Year Tom McCulley is teaching Greek Mythology not only to college students but also to adult learners and middle school kids. He says that the stories of ancient Greece resonate in surprising ways to a modern audience.
View the episode transcript here.
Dual Credit programs, such as the College NOW program at Heartland Community College, offer not only an early opportunity for students in high school to gain college credits, but they also offer a pathway for students to transform their lives.
Three high-achieving students who were selected in the COUNTRY Financial Scholars program discuss how access to early college set them up for success.
View the episode transcript here.
Ronnie Carrasquillo spent nearly half a century in prison. Sentenced in 1977, Carrasquillo first sought parole in 1984 and went before the board over 30 times before finally gaining release in October of 2023.
Carrasquillo talks about his initial sentence of 200-600 years, growing up in prison, and his multiple appearances before the parole board.
View the episode transcript here.
In May 29, 1856, Abraham Lincoln gave the keynote address at a political convention in Bloomington, IL. His remarks were called, by his law partner William Herndon, “the grand effort of Lincoln’s Life.” Today, no written copy of this speech exists. And some differ on what it was Lincoln said.
Historian Bill Kemp discusses the "lost speech" and offers up some theories as to how it got that way.
View the transcript here.
The recent rise of electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla and Rivian has shown there is a market for transportation that does not rely as heavily on fossil fuel.
But despite the buzz around today’s electric cars and trucks, the concept is far from new.
Bill Kemp with the McLean County Museum of History discusses a history of the electric vehicle that goes back to the early 1900s, and an overlooked moment in 1959 when a consumer electric car went into production… in the same town where Rivian would manufacture electric vehicles 60 years later.
View the transcript here.
Artist and activist Jessica McGhee was devastated to a community garden she and others had cultivated in their neighborhood was removed without much explanation.
Unable to create a new garden, she funneled her energy into the creation of art projects using discarded items such as plastic, wire, and bottles. Using these materials she has created the exhibit 'An Unblighted Area' which is on display at Heartland Community College until October 11, 2024.
View the transcript here.
The impact of the criminal justice system on an individual extends far beyond the sentenced punishment for a crime.
Beria Hampton, an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project, discusses how her upbringing and environment left her ill prepared for how criminal charges (which she eventually beat), and incarceration would upend her life.
Heartland Community College Health Sciences Faculty discuss how a service learning trip to South Africa opened their eyes to the differences in health care around the world.
Health Sciences students at Heartland can register for a 10-day program in Cape Town, South Africa. The program provides 3 credits of Service Learning 101.
For poet Cathy Gilbert, the joy and chaos of having twin infants was mixed with the heartbreak of losing a parent to dementia.
Heartland Community College professor of English Gilbert discusses the major life events that led to her new poetry collection "My Limbs a Cradle, My Whisper a Song."
Farming can be one of the most stressful professions one can have.
The documentary Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, Midwestern, multigenerational family farms over the course of three years.
Filmmaker Sam Mirpoorian talks about the film, which is the guest feature at the 2024 Heartland Hawk Film Festival.
Mirpoorian says he was prompted to make the documentary when he learned a shocking statistic about farmers and suicide.
The exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capability has been celebrated in some circles and caused concern in others.
In academic circles, some instructors and administrators are worried that AI presents a threat to the way they evaluate student work.
In this episode, Roy Magnuson, an educator who has dived deeply into the changes that AI is bringing to institutions of higher ed., discusses the present and potential future of AI.
View the transcript here.
Being a or a class clown or workplace cutup is one thing. Getting laughs on stage is another.
For those who have thought about trying out for an open mic night or competing in an amateur comedy show, there are a few tips to consider.
Joe Strupek, longtime emcee of the Heartland Community College FunnyRaiser event, discusses what it takes to successfully take the stage as an amateur standup.
View the transcript here.
Keeping farmland productive is challenging in many ways. One of the greatest enemies to a good crop is erosion.
An edible windbreak of fruit and nut trees and bushes planned for the agriculture instructional grounds at Heartland Community College will not only serve to help fight off the Central Illinois wind and rain but also provide a link in the pollination chain.
Associate Director of Agriculture at Heartland, Kortney Watts, discusses the edible windbreak project and the Ag new facilities at the College.
View the transcript here.
One fateful night in 1996 Kristine Bunch woke to a home full of flames. She struggled to extract her young son from the fire but failed. Much to her surprise and horror, she was charged with setting the fire that killed her child.
Bunch was convicted on expert testimony which was later held in question. No one would have taken a second look at her case had she not fought from prison to find advocates to examine the testimony and evidence.
After 17 years of incarceration, she was released, and the conviction was dismissed.
Bunch discusses her case and the burdens of wrongful conviction for herself and others.
View the transcript here.
No matter their age or background, when students go to college there are new stresses that can tax their mental health.
The challenges of COVID-19 put the spotlight on the importance of mental health for college students. But, as in the past, the largest barrier is getting individuals to not attach a stigma to addressing their mental health.
Sarah Stalter, Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Coordination for McLean County (IL), and Amy Jeck, Coordinator of Student Wellness at Heartland Community College, discuss efforts to help college students, and others, take the proper care of their mental health.
View the transcript here.
Before television captured the attention of the nation, the traveling circus was the most popular form of entertainment in America.
During this time, the midwestern city of Bloomington, Illinois became a home for many circus performers and the "birthplace" of famous aerial acts.
Maureen Brunsdale, head of Special Collections at Illinois State University's Milner Library, discusses how the purchase of a piece of physical fitness equipment for a Bloomington gymnasium tied the midwestern town to the circus.
View the transcript here.
Inspired by photographs of sea birds engorged with plastic waste picked up in the water, fiber artist Ann B. Coddington has created an exhibit that combines the ancient craft of basketry with discarded plastic.
The artists discusses her exhibit, 'Albatross,' which offers a literal glimpse inside of hand-made vessels to reveal the leftover pollution that will outlast the life of organic materials.
View the transcript here.
The legalization of cannabis for recreational use in Illinois has generated 440 million dollars in tax revenue for the state. With any growing industry comes the need for a trained workforce.
Agriculture instructor Victoria Zamora talks about the relatively new pathway to a job in the industry through the Cannabis Cultivation program at Heartland Community College.
View the transcript here.
The disciplines of communication and theater education are facing new challenges in the post-COVID classroom. Factors ranging from the impact of remote learning to the introduction of AI technology are creating some new wrinkles for teachers.
The Illinois Communication and Theater Association, comprised of speech, communications, and theater educators, will tackle these topics and others at their annual conference, which is held in 2023 on the campus of Heartland Community College.
Students learn key skills in the liberal arts and social sciences classes that are required for most 2-year degree programs. Yet, many students seeking degrees in technical trades and specialized fields don't immediately see how a 100-level course in English or Communications benefits their future.
Dr. Wayne Bass at Heartland Community College discusses efforts to create themed humanities courses that connect with students seeking degrees specialized fields.
The 2020 U.S. general election saw some of the largest voter turnout numbers in decades. Yet, even with this bump in turnout, voter participation in the U.S. trails 30 other democratic countries.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to empower colleges and universities to cultivate nonpartisan student democratic engagement and to foster a vision of a more inclusive and engaged democracy.
ALL IN Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman discusses why it is important to engage college students in civic activities, and how students are making an impact with their efforts.
The Heartland Academy for Learning Opportunities program (HALO) is designed to bridge the educational gap for students aged 18 to 28 with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The program teaches students life skills, technology proficiency, and also fosters social development.
Kori Folkerts, Associate Director of Student Access and Accommodation Services at Heartland Community College discusses how the HALO program offers these students a college experience.
The documentary film ‘With This Breath I Fly’ tells the story of two women imprisoned for what the state of Afghanistan determined were moral crimes.
The creation of the film was funded by the European Union. But once officials with the EU saw the footage, they tried to shelve the film and stop the filmmakers from completing the project.
Co-Director Sam French discusses the harrowing stories of the two women profiled in the documentary and also the battle to reclaim the project from funders who wanted to shudder the project for political reasons.
In an age of social media, 24-hour cable news, and constant online battles about what is real or "fake" news, it is harder than ever to know what outlets to trust.
With so much information available, and the debates of a network's responsibility for responsible reporting recently entering the courtroom, having the tools to evaluate media are becoming ever-more essential.
Heartland Community College professor of communication and new media Karla Huffman discusses the subject of news literacy.
Woodcut art is the oldest form of printmaking.
Peoria-based printmaker Cathie Crawford discusses her process of making woodcut prints and the inspiration behind some of her work.
Crawford's work is featured in the exhibit "The Floating World" running through May 11, 2023, at the Joe McCauley Gallery located at Heartland Community College.
The United States leads the world in incarcerating people.
Although only 10 percent of the prison population is made up of women, since 1980 the rate of growth for female imprisonment has been twice as high as that of men.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over half of imprisoned women in state prisons have a child under the age of 19.
Dyanna Winchester, an advocate for women impacted by legal system, and an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project discusses her experiences with incarceration and how they affected her children and her role as a mother.
She will be a panel speaker at the seminar “Changing the Narrative on Incarceration” held at Heartland Community College on April 27, 2023.
Traditional Japanese ironwork, flower arranging, and a traditional tea ceremony bring far East perspective to the Midwest with an event held at Heartland Community College.
Heartland Community College faculty Zach Petrea and Sanae Ferrier are organizers of the Heartland Japanese Cultural Festival held in April of 2023. They discuss the strong interest in Japanese culture among Heartland students and how traditional ironwork combines both humanities and technical education.
There are over 400 species of bees in Illinois. But changes in climate and the impact humans have had on the ecosystem is having an effect on pollinating creatures such as bees.
Beekeeper and naturalist Patti Koranda discusses the differences between types of bees, how bees are affected by an absence of pollinating plants, and takes us inside the world of a beehive.
Globally, 1 in 5 people is neurodivergent. Yet many workplaces aren't accommodating for those whose brains simply work differently than others.
Heartland Community College staff Kristi Glense and Christina Schulz discuss how managers and employers can create an inclusive workspace that helps neurodivergent employees feel welcome and be productive.
Fundamental first aid and CPR courses are widely available for those willing to help in a crisis situation. But mental health concerns aren’t part of that training.
Just like with a physical health crisis there are ways anyone can help to respond to a mental health crisis.
Megan Moser with McLean County Center for Human Services discusses how mental health first aid training is important for educators, businesses, and public safety professionals.
Nursing is one of the most in-demand professions in the U.S. today. But how do healthcare providers and educators inspire more people to go into nursing... and deal with a training logjam with the influx of students?
Solutions might be found in grammar schools and even in cyberspace.
Nurse educator Dameron Beverly discusses the importance of reaching out to inspire more young people to become health care workers, and also how VR technology has helped make a dent in the high demand for hands-on clinical experiences.
View the transcript here.
What does it mean to work on the railroad in the 21st century?
Transportation industry jobs remain one of the in-demand of workers. But they also can be demanding.
A representative from a major rail company provides some insight into the modern day life of a railroader.
View the transcript here.
With everything from online instruction to digital textbooks, technology is playing a larger role in the modern classroom.
With the emergence of accessible Virtual Reality (VR) technology, instructors can now offer learning experiences to students that had previously not been available.
Dr. Anna Catterson, Executive Director of Online Learning and Instructional Technologies at Heartland Community College discusses the ways VR tech is being used in the classroom.
2022 has been an eventful and violent time in Iran. As mass protests have erupted in Iran many of those who have fled the country are joining together to spread the word about how women have suffered under the current regime.
Two Iranian siblings hope to spread the word about the events in Iran via a traveling art exhibit with features work from women who are in and outside of the country.
Most of us don’t know what happens to the bottles, paper, and cans we throw into a recycling bin.
Unsurprisingly, not all recyclable materials are created equally. Some are only recyclable under certain circumstances. Many items are only partially recyclable.
A recycling industry insider discusses the path of those materials we put on the curb, and how individuals can make choices that keep items out of the landfill.
Dogs evolved along with humans to be helpers. As a result, they are often "looking for a job," even if the job is just getting treats.
Dog trainer Sam Stocking discusses training dogs as service animals to help humans with issues such as diabetes and developmental disabilities.
How much material are you putting in the landfill?
Tossing items in the recycling bin is a step toward cutting down on permanent waste, but most people still generate a lot of garbage.
Zero waste lifestyle advocate Linda Stroh gives tips on cutting down on non-recyclable waste and discusses her personal journey to eliminate plastic, as much as possible, from her life.
Toying with beer recipes at home, Chad Bevers founded the Lil' Beaver brand before opening his own commercial brewery.
After getting a positive response from friends and acquaintances with some experiments with new flavors including mango habanero and coconut, Bevers took his brews to festivals and was a finalist in a nationwide contest hosted by the Samuel Adams brand.
Bevers discusses his journey from homebrewer to business owner, the brewing process and gives a few tips on brewing.
With an exhibit on display at Joe McCauley Gallery, sculptor Laura Primozic George takes a closer look at environmental issues and introduces a unique point of view on the matter.
Primozic George was inspired by the persistence of moss: growth that is often overlooked, stepped over, or scraped aside.
Her series "In Between the Cracks' combines formed concrete and other materials with live moss.
The innovative rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch revolves around a lead character who steps between and over boundary lines.
Actor Kate McConville discusses their approach to the role of Hedwig and the impact of the play on the audience and for them, personally.
From first-time crushes to enemies-turned-lovers, the stories that populate the world of romance fiction enrapture millions.
From a writer's standpoint, there are challenges in creating a compelling work of romance fiction. The art of writing romance combines the balance of sticking to a specific style with just enough originality to engage the reader.
Julie Navickas, author of the Trading Heartbeats trilogy, discusses how writers can approach crafting stories in the world’s best-selling genre.
If one has not experienced prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping personally, it can be difficult to see an environment that perpetuates bias toward others.
The first step toward creating a welcoming and equitable space is to start with self-examination.
Angell Howard is an educator and business consultant. In this episode she discusses identifying cultural biases, understanding and addressing microaggressions, and talking about racism.
Equity across the healthcare industry doesn't end with access. Patients can be marginalized by practices that don't acknowledge the complete picture of an individual's situation or background.
Efforts are being made to educate practitioners to recognize barriers to quality care for vulnerable populations. In this episode, a health care professional, and a patient advocate discuss gaps in addressing gender diversity, LGBTQ+ identities, and historically marginalized populations.
Sculptor Emma Oliver makes knit and crochet techniques to create engaging, and sometimes unlikely works that challenge the viewer to investigate thoughts about boundaries.
In the exhibition “Have Your Cake” the artist’s knit and crochet sculptures depict shapes like multi-tiered cakes, which are designed to surprise with their realistic look while remaining inedible.
In this podcast, Oliver discusses what inspires her ideas and how she came to sculpt with yarn.
Author and sociology professor Cristina Prestin-Beard discusses her effort to take lessons from her life–warts and all–to help others gain perspective with her unique memoir "Finding Mercy in the Madness."
The documentary film 'San Isidoro 2021' shows a typical day during the COVID-19 pandemic at a public high school in Seville, Spain. As staff and students work to simply teach and learn, the pandemic challenges many regular tasks.
Director Carlos Pineda Gonzalez discussed making the film, and what he took away from the simple observation of people trying their best to carry on during a global health crisis.
Approximately 400,000 individuals are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Perhaps the most famous of those are soldiers whose names are not known.
The Tomb of the Unknown Solider is the final resting place for a group of servicemen who remain unidentified. The Tomb is guarded 24-7 by a detail of solders who stand long hours and conduct specific rituals.
Matt Kreeb served served as a Tomb guard for over three years. His service was interrupted in a surprising way. He says his experiences at the Tomb resonate with him even today.
Joking around at work might not sound like it would help with productivity, but members of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor beg to differ.
The president of the AATH says that research shows a little humor in the workplace goes a long way. he key is knowing the right (and wrong) way to inject the funny into the workday.
Between 1977 and 2011, 298 men and women were sentenced to the Illinois death row. 20 of those individuals were exonerated when new evidence, or a new look with DNA analysis, proved them to be wrongfully convicted.
Attorneys with the Illinois Innocence Project discuss how people can become wrongfully convicted, and the efforts made to free those serving time for crimes they did not commit.
John Hanlon and Steven Beckett with the Illinois Innocence Project will speak at the Heartland Community College "Hawk Talks" event on April 21.
Artists often use their work to create a conversation about their environment, their innermost feelings, or concerns. In some places, such attempts at speech are silenced.
An Iranian artist speaks about her work, and the work of other women who face barriers not only of government censorship but even of self-censorship.
Landscape painter Douglas Johnson's exhibit "A Sense of Place" collects an array of midwestern scenes. Some of the subject matter may seem modest: autumn farm fields and grain elevators; a laundromat or an abandoned auto repair station.
Yet Johnson says the paintings that depict familiar locations near his home town are met with moments when the light plays against the subjects and evokes mood and story.
Not many Heartland Community College freshman are veterans of the world of Illinois state politics. But today we talk to one who not only created legislation, but got it passed. All before finishing high school.
HCC student Keagan Hall is studying early childhood education, but as a senior at Pontiac Township High School she and a classmate wrote and lobbied for legislation that would achieve additional protections for Illinois land and water.
Keagan, with the help of Pontiac high school teacher (and HCC CollegeNOW instructor) Paul Ritter, were able to create legislation that was signed into law in August of 2020.
The art exhibit My COVID Year presents work inspired by, and made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Melissa Johnson creates textile-based work in conjunction with her scholarly research on the histories of craft and its intersections with modern and contemporary art. During the pandemic, Johnson created work that responded to the work of Virginia Woolf, in particular to a section of the 1931 novel “The Waves.”
The art exhibit My COVID Year presents work inspired by, and made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photographer Rashod Taylor spent a year working from home during the COVID pandemic and produced a series of photographs documenting his 6-year old son’s life. Taylor says the conditions of the pandemic strengthened his bond to his family, influenced his art and prompted reflections on his role as a father.
Do you know someone who acts like they are the star of their own movie and you and their other friends are just supporting players?
This type of behavior has a new name: “Main Character Syndrome,” and it can overwhelm friends and loved ones. It’s not all bad, though. Some degree of self-loving behavior is positive.
In our Random Acts of Knowledge podcast we chat with counselor Jessica Jackson about finding the right balance of “Main Character Energy” to live a healthy life.
Even with recycling, everyday products still present us with a lot of disposable waste.
How do we teach kids to be mindful of the impact that everyday objects might have on our environment?
Conscious crafting is a fun and engaging series of activities that can help teach kids not only how to get creative but also educate a little on the re-usability of materials that can otherwise just take up space in a landfill.
Dr. Justin Rickard had little interest in school when he enrolled at Heartland Community College. But finding the right teacher at the right time sparked an interest in continuing his education.
Rickard is now an Associate Professor of Animal Science with a teaching and research appointment at Illinois State University. He discussed his path in academia, how he has never strayed far from his interest in farming, and giving back in the classroom.
The success of business is dependent on a workforce that has developed not only job-specific skills but also the soft skills that help with cohesiveness and productivity. Advancing a workplace that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion is one of the most critical commitments for employers and employees alike.
Workshops like the Essential Workplace Skills series can help managers and employees alike learn what they don't know, and need to learn, about promoting a healthy, equitable business environment.
During the ebbs and flows of pandemic conditions almost everyone has seen a disruption in their routine. For those who use workout facilities, they’ve had to contend with a lack of access to the gym. For others, staying at home has meant less overall activity and more trips to the refrigerator.
One workout devotee offer tips for working out without a gym, for first timers and for those who are looking for a replacement for a facility.
You like listening to podcasts but have you ever thought about making one?
Kerry Urquizo and Erika Ingloria, focus on true crime and subcultures with their podcast "Behind the Sugarcane."
The pair discuss their inspiration for creating their own podcast and offer tips to those who want to start a podcast themselves.
Welding is a skill that a farm kids in Central Illinois used to pick up as a necessity. Today, professional welders are in-demand, with a shortage in the workforce. But although the casual practice of welding has dwindled, there is a new application for the skill: artistic expression.
A welding pro and instructor is teaching a new group of students with a new type of class: Yard Art.
The Coronavirus pandemic has created a great deal of upheaval not only on our personal lives but on the economy and financial markets.
Many, who planned to retire in 2020, 2021, or 2022 are a little unsure if they should continue with their retirement plan.
In this podcast episode, a financial coach discusses some key elements to consider when looking to retire, in the near and not-so-near future.
The history of voting in the United States doesn’t reflect a lot of inclusion.
Even after the passage of the 15th and 19th Amendments were passed, efforts were still made to keep black citizens and female citizens away from the polls.
Two panelists discuss how modified voter suppression techniques that date back to the Jim Crow era are still being used to keep people from voicing their vote.
Runners are often pushing their bodies to improve their performance. But mental preparation, and even mental “practice,” can help athletes of all stripes to reach a new level.
Running coach Ty Wolf discusses how using mental techniques can help runners overcome barriers and achieve new goals.
It might not seem like it, but when you are stuck at home it might be the perfect time to start planning travel.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put the brakes on excursions both domestic and international. But it also provides an opportunity to re-think where we might go (when we can) and how to plan for the trip.
An experienced travel vet explains how some planning ahead can help you take the vacation of your dreams on a budget.
Selling a house is a major life event. Any seller wants to get the maximum dollar and get it quickly. What some realtors know is that little things can make a difference when it comes to selling a house.
Staging the home for sale can be the best way to help prospective buyers picture the property as their home. Realtor and designer Adrianne Cornejo shares some tips and tricks for sellers to keep in mind before showing a house.
Ayurveda is an ancient practice with historical roots in India. Practitioners of Ayurveda seek a healthy body and mind by finding an internal balance, following the direction of the natural world.
Ashlesha Raut is a Vaidya, or Ayurvedic Doctor. She discusses the basic principles of Ayurveda and how some of the most basic activities like sleep and diet can lead to an imbalance of holistic health.
A challenge to the Central Illinois ecosystem has been a dwindling number of Monarch butterflies. These migratory creatures play an important role in the ecosystem. Identifying changes in the local habitat is key to the survival of Monarchs.
A large part of restoring the environment for Monarchs to survive is educating the public on the need to cultivate milkweed, a plant that has been demonized for a tendency to pop up in corn fields.
Heartland Community College educator Julia Ossler discusses Monarch research, and how science education -- beginning with kids -- can make a difference in solving environmental problems.
First generation college students often have undertaken a long journey to achieve their educational goals before they even attend their first day of college classes.
Even after they take their first step with beginning a college career, first generation students face unique challenges.
Two first generation students discuss how the Heartland Community College Project RISE program helped them gain some tools to succeed, and how they used their experience to help other students.
The path towards women’s voting rights in the United States was long and entangled with other movements including abolition and prohibition.
On the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote in the U.S., we take a look at some of the activists who engaged in the long battle for women’s voting rights. Some of these women were even at odds with each other. Some were considered teetotalers, fighting for prohibition along with the vote. Others were “radicals” of the day promoting “free love.”
The characters of Marvel Comics have taken over the big screen. But Spiderman, Iron Man and the Hulk began their journey on the page through some savvy business decisions.
The impact that Marvel comics has made on popular culture began with some good timing and some smart business and artistic decisions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic many things taken for granted, like being able to visit a barber or a hair salon, weren't available.
For some the availability of professional hair care is something that is often a problem outside of pandemic times. Ethnicity can play a role in the availability of good hair care. Not all hair is the same, and depending on where one lives, finding someone that understands different hair types can be a challenge.
A former social worker and current salon owner discusses how hair, culture, and education are intertwined.
One in Five American adults experience a mental health problem every year. But not that many seek treatment for mental health problems. And the reluctance to seek help to maintain mental health is more pronounced in men.
Why men are less likely to maintain good mental health practices can have a lot to do with culture, stereotypes and “toxic masculinity.” Social pressures can come even more into play when it comes to African American men and also for Gay and Bisexual men.
Members of the Heartland Community College Counseling Services office weigh in on the barriers that many men face when maintaining mental health.
Both healthcare professionals and patients themselves have to surmount communication hurdles when discussing health issues.
A long history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people has created unspoken barriers in our healthcare system.
Dion McNeal, Founder of Hopeful in Victory, discusses the stigmas and the issues that LGBTQ+ patients face, including those like himself who are living with HIV.
Not everyone one reaches their full potential on their own. We need a little guidance, sometimes in the form of instruction, or mentoring. And then there is coaching.
Be it an athletics coach, career coach, or life coach, knowing just the right nudges to give can make the difference between success and a lack of success.
Academic advisor Julie Navickas teaches coaching workshops to help coach the coaches to find just the right way to help others find their path to success.
Creativity can sometimes thrive in adversity. Isolation can lead to deep thought. But not always.
During the Coronavirus pandemic some people are spending more time alone. Others are looking for quiet time. Either way, it’s a new routine, which might be an opportunity for those looking to kick-start some creative writing.
Zeke Jarvis has some tips on tapping into the creative process while sheltering in place, rearranging your schedule or even just looking for a way to make the most of the urge to write.
As the COVID-19 pandemic threatens our bodies with respiratory illness, the measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus also can take a toll on our mental well-being.
The prolonged public response to the pandemic has upended the daily routines of nearly everyone in America. Kids are home from school, adults are either sheltering in place or working at a heightened risk as essential employees.
The stresses that arise from these situations produce more than their share of mental stress. Clinical psychologist Dr. Jonathan Lindsey discusses how we can maintain positive mental health during this unusual time.
Traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress plague a number of veterans returning from war zones.
Although progress has been made in how we treat these effects of war, many vets find it hard identify these lingering injuries and aren’t always sure how to seek treatment. This was the case for Richard Casper when he finished his service in Iraq and began to restart his civilian life by going to Heartland Community College.
A discovery Richard made in a college art class changed the course of his life, and eventually the lives of many other vets.
Dr. Seshanand Rao is the co-recipient of the 2020 Heartland Community College Distinguished Alumni Award.
When Dr. Rao came to the United States at age 20 he wasn’t on a path to become a medical doctor. His journey to medical school went through the Clinical Nursing Assistant program at Heartland Community College.
Dr. Rao discusses his path from the C.N.A. program to becoming an M.D., and how caring for patients as a nursing assistant made him think about healthcare.
Dr. Rao is currently Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Illinois.
Getting from point “A” to point “B” is a little easier when you have a map. But there isn’t a GPS to assist when the path is to attaining college degree or a dream job.
That’s where setting SMART goals can help. SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Another tool to navigate the steps of those goals is visualization.
Continuing Education workshop instructor Jennifer Caldwell discusses how she uses Vision Boards to help achieve SMART goals.
Many parents are finding themselves sheltering in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Kids are home from school, preschool and daycare. Adults are working from home.
Child Development Specialist Michelle Ruestman discusses ways parents can keep their kids learning and developing while staying at home.
Maintaining a work/life balance is a struggle even under normal circumstances. But when working from home, focusing on work – and creating time away from work – is a real challenge.
With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping more people inside in Spring of 2020, the home space is turning into the workplace, even if we don’t prefer it that way.
Success coach and wellness trainer Lisa Summers shares some tips for keeping healthy, productive, and sane while working from home.
Living organ donation is one of the most personal choices one can make. Some become donors to help a loved one. Others make the choice simply because they know that there is a person, somewhere, who might not survive without a volunteer willing to make this donation.
In 2019, there was only 1 living donor for every 16 in need of an organ transplant.
Four living donors, each who work at Heartland Community College, discuss their decision to donate a kidney and what the process was like for them.
Wilma Copeland lost her sight later in life and worried that she'd never be able to achieve her educational goals.
Not only did learning braille allow her to study at college, she is now teaching others sighted and non-sighted in the course Braille: Not Just for the Blind.
Wilma talks about how she found her way back to education in this interview with Oumaima Bouhlna.
Douglass High School in Festus, MO, near St. Louis was the first segregated school in the area to offer the 11th and 12th grades to black students.
As Douglass gave African American students an opportunity to complete their secondary education, teachers, attorneys and activists used the legal system to seek equity in the area’s schools and colleges.
Dewhitt Bingham looks at the civil rights legacy of his home town in his book ‘The Douglass Connection.’
With the art installation MURO, two artists are using their backgrounds living and working as global citizens to re-think the idea of walls and tribes.
The gallery installation physically separates the viewer from the art.
The artists, David Dow and Jim Neeley, discuss what it felt like to build a wall and populate the community on the other side.
Equal access to education has been a struggle that has improved only in fits and starts.
Even when schools became integrated there were unaddressed barriers that kept many students separate with only the impression that they were equal.
The McLean County History Museum examines the Central Illinois history of equity in their exhibit “Challenges, Choices, and Change: A Community in Conflict.” Partnering with Heartland Community College, they are holding the presentation “Who has the power to get an equal education?”
The Museum’s Hannah Johnson and Heartland’s Terrance Bond discuss the struggles that individuals and organizations have had in offering equal opportunities to learn.
Before the pious begin to fast for Lenten season, Fat Tuesday provides one last chance to indulge. And the pious and less observant both love the foods that are associated with the Louisiana home of Mardi Gras: New Orleans.
The Big Easy is a melting pot of European and African cultures. As such, the traditional food of Fat Tuesday have origins from around the world.
But you don't have to be in New Orleans to eat like you're at Mardi Gras.
We all love a quick fix. The popularity of fad diets is one example of our desire to see an easy and rapid solution to the perceived problem of weight.
Studies show, however, that most diets don't work in the long run.
A dietitian weighs in on how to ditch the diet and still be healthy. One surprising suggestion: don't always avoid junk food.
The workplace is not always a harmonious environment.
Not all employees get along. Some issues can be disruptive to individual projects or the whole.
Showing up late. Incomplete work. Body odor.
From misunderstandings that come from well-meaning co-workers, to recurring performance issues, managers often have to deal with some touchy subjects.
How does a manager approach a difficult conversation tactfully and effectively?
An HR and management professional provides some tips.
Heartland Community College professor Chris Miller discusses the College’s renewable energy program and the STEM Educator Renewable Energy Institute.
The National Science Foundation asked Miller to run a workshop for local and state teachers to help develop materials on renewable energy for the high school classroom.
The history shared by humans and dogs goes back thousands of years. But not all cultures think of dogs as their best friends.
Central Illinois dog trainer Tina Zimmerman has been helping vanilla farmers in Uganda train dogs to guard their crop.
Zimmerman found major challenges when she learned that the animals she was to train didn’t come from friendly litters or breeders, but instead were feral and wild; recently captured by community members who had never even petted a dog.
Zimmerman discusses how, even in cultures where pets aren’t common, some canine companionship can go a long way.
Juggling a busy day at work and a busy night at home can leave us exhausted in both places.
It doesn’t help that in today’s interconnected world work emails are coming in on our smartphones at any hour of the day or night. We might be worried about how available we should be beyond an 8 hour work day.
Find the right balance between work demands and the rest of your life takes a little strategy but it is possible. Trainer and wellness coach Lisa Summers discusses how become "CEO of your own life."
From the song and dance style of Fred Astaire, to Technicolor adaptations of Broadway stage hits, to the soaring scores of romance and adventure films, music plays a key role in the history of cinema.
Film history buff John LeGear discusses movies that incorporate music as a key ingredient in transporting the audience to another world.
The Heartland Academy for Learning Opportunities (HALO) is celebrating ten years of providing students with developmental disabilities a pathway to independence.
Oumaima Boulhna speaks with Student Access and Accommodation Services Program Coordinator Barb Glover about the history of the HALO program and what students are doing now to reach their academic, professional and personal goals.
Folklore –and horror movies– would have us believe that the Moon has supernatural power over some creatures on Earth.
The reality is a bit different, yet no less interesting.
Scientists have studied some strange phenomena where the Moon seemingly transforms some life on Earth.
We don’t always think of cemeteries as places of learning. Yet, some students of history go to local graveyards to fill in gaps of information not found in court records or newspaper archives.
Countless stories are told by the monuments in today’s cemeteries: in the dates, names, sometimes esoteric symbols and even the materials from which grave markers are made.
Bats might spook some people. Scary or not, these flying mammals play an important role in the ecosystem.
An unintended threat to bats has been wind turbine farms that have been populating the Midwest.
Two researchers discuss a study aimed at protecting bat populations from the spinning blades of wind turbines.
Archaeologists are using some new technology to look for some very old objects. Before they dig in the dirt, they take to the skies.
Archaeological Spatial Analyst John Lambert discusses how Drone-based Aerial Photography and Photogrammetry is transforming the process of documenting and survey and dig sites.
Language can be a divide for many people who have been living in a community for decades.
In one English as a Second Language class, the first step to crossing that divide has been making students feel safe and accepted.
Three people involved in Adult Education classes, a student, a teacher and an administrator discuss how English as a Second Language classes transform lives and the community.
Humans have been studying the sun since the beginning of conscious thought.
Despite millennia of study, there are many mysteries our sun still holds. From the origin of sun spots to the movement of plasma and particles from our star, scientists are using new methods to unlock the secrets still held by that big ball in the sky.
Keeping good employees from jumping ship is a major challenge for many employers.
There are many factors that play into why an employee leaves a job but lack of meaningful communication is one of the largest.
Breaking down the ways to give and receive feedback from employees may save managers from an endless cycle of hire, train, rehire and train someone new.
So in the age of Instagram is there room left for darkroom photography?
When digital photographers take take hundreds of shots in minutes there is a value to slowing down.
A photography instructor discusses what happens when the process goes old school.
Heartland graduate Joshua Crockett served as Student Trustee, Student Body President and was selected as the recipient of a One Voice scholarship which funded his inclusion in a delegation representing the community in Washington, DC.
Listen to Josh discuss his active career at Heartland and how he was inspired to become involved in student government.
Dogs can be afraid of anything from the mailman to a flight of stairs. Shy or fearful dogs can learn to overcome uneasiness, however, with the right training.
Some of what it takes to tackle a dog’s fears requires training for the two-legged members of the household.
Professional dog trainer Tina Zimmerman talks about what humans need to learn to help their canine companions overcome some common fears.
A significant number of LGBTQ adults and teens face barriers to their healthcare out of fears of discrimination and sometimes inadequate training towards certain care needs that are common concerns for that patient population.
Even though the National Institutes of Health has made the LGBTQ+ patient population a priority for research into health disparities, some health professionals say there isn’t much training or information to help healthcare providers.
A nurse educator discusses some the problems that LGBTQ+ patients face and how healthcare providers can look to better serve those patients.
Get to know the Head Coach of the new Men’s and Women’s Cross Country program at Heartland Community College.
Avid runner Raegan Rinchiuso chats with Coach Wolf about his career and plans for the future for the team that begins competition in 2020.
With their spiny backs and powerful jaws, alligator snapping turtles appear menacing. But these prehistoric-looking reptiles have been dwindling in number in the Midwest for decades.
With the help of an Illinois biology teacher and a network of classroom foster parents, the alligator snapping turtle is being reintroduced into the food chain of Midwestern waterways.
It’s never been easier to buy things. Global trade has flooded markets with a number of inexpensive products. Online retailers now can deliver goods to someone’s home in as little as a day.
But with the increased ease of consuming, is there an increased responsibility?
Ashlee Sang discusses how conscious consumerism can improve the health and welfare of individuals and the larger world.
Most writers will say that creative writing isn’t easy. No matter how many ideas someone may have, getting those ideas on the page is the real trick.
Amanda L. Webster, author of ‘DIY High’ and ‘Valley of the Bees’ discusses how writers can find a perspective beyond their own experience and learn to get their point across.
The shape of American history was changed when President Abraham Lincoln was shot.
In the chaotic days following the infamous shooting at Ford's Theater, rumors swirled while the President's assassin fled justice. How many were involved? Were there a foreign agents behind the attack?
Christina Lea Smith tells some of the lesser-known stories surrounding Lincoln's assassination.
On July 20, 1969 humans first set foot on Earth’s moon. By the end of 1972, the Apollo program’s firsthand exploration of the Moon would be over.
At the Challenger Learning Center, missions to the Moon or Mars are planned every day… in simulation.
A Challenger Learning Center Flight Director talks about what it took to get to the Moon 50 years ago, what it will take to get back.
From search and rescue to wedding photography, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are being used to do more jobs than ever before.
A professional drone pilot discusses the growing list of jobs that a used to be done by a team of people that are now done by a drone and a drone operator.
Family members of those who are undergoing cancer treatment might feel powerless to help with a loved one's recovery.
Oncology Massage Therapist Cindy Teremuende says that we underestimate the power of touch in helping with cancer recovery.
Members of the LGBTQ+ communities can face prejudice that can extend from unjustified assumptions to active bullying. Not all behavior that is dismissive of LGBTQ+ persons is malicious or even active, but education can create more awareness to prevent even unintentional marginalization.
Emily Rosenquist and Jessica Depke from Heartland Community College discuss their efforts to provide a “safe zone” for students and staff to learn.
Can art build bridges where language and even diplomacy fail?
The Global Art Project is a worldwide effort of artists who are breaking through barriers of culture, language and geography.
Art professor Jane Camp discusses the grass-roots effort to promote global peace by exchanging artwork with strangers from around the planet.
Does your pooch have what it takes to be a therapy dog?
Dog trainer Tina Zimmerman talks about canines that are pressed into service for therapeutic purposes.
Zimmerman outlines the differences between therapy dogs and service dogs, the kind of training involved and what type of animals are best suited for helping humans.
She also tells stories of the difference she has seen therapy dogs make in people's lives.
There is poetry for the eye and poetry for the ear. And there is both.
Two unique approaches to poetry highlight how poetry can be discovered -- and understood in a new way -- by mixing things up.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Heartland Community College is presenting a mix of poems and typewriters. The College is also presenting a "blackout" poetry workshop, where poems can be "found."
It all started with a box of bones hidden under a bed.
The La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles have preserved the bones of animals trapped there centuries before.
Poet Cathy Gilbert says that learning about a personal connection with the Tar Pits inspired her work.
Gilbert discusses volunteering to clean artifacts at the La Brea Tar Pits and excavating her own family's history.
Unless you are a tax professional you might complete the annual task of completing and filing your return each year and be left with some questions.
Did I maximize my number of deductions?
Did I forget something?
Should I have paid someone else to do this?
Taxes can be complicated. And there are plenty of changes every year in the tax code.
Accounting professor Paul Kelson digs into some common tax scenarios and says the wisest approach may be thinking about your taxes long before you receive your W-2.
One of the first thing people notice about Heartland College's campus is the towering 1.65 megawatt wind turbine.
Not only does this turbine provide over 40% of the College's power, it is a research site.
But how do these things work? And what does it take to keep them running? And do they kill birds?
Administration, faculty and staff involved with the Heartland wind turbine weigh in.
Few people expect to go to the library or the classroom and see a horse.
Yet, it really happens.
Deb Murphy brings her miniature therapy horses to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and even parking lots. They always draw a crowd.
The horses are full grown, yet the tallest of them measures less than collarbone high.
She discusses the impact these animals have had on the lives of those who have struggled with disability or suffered trauma.
The term “spring break” evokes images of beaches, bikinis and beer bashes.
But for one group of Heartland Community College students spring break is something very different.
Instead of getting rest in the sun these students tore out walls and sorted ruined electronics.
And they learned the human impact of a natural disaster.
Sometimes we keep secrets without even knowing we are doing it.
This can be the case with important records that we don't use every day... and information that we use every day but don't share.
Sonja Reece discusses the importance of organizing personal documents and information to make your life easier today and to help anyone else who might need to find out what you've been keeping to yourself.
What's the hardest part of driving a big rig? What can drivers see that you don't know about? Is it harder to haul flammable material or a trailer full of cows?
Dave Keim teaches students the finer points of truck driving, including parallel parking with a 53-foot trailer. Keim fills us in on what truckers want you to know while they are on the road... and what they don't tell you about bathroom breaks.
Birdwatching is more than just watching.
Dave Weth teaches people to be birders, even just by ear. Weth talks about how he identifies birds, how migration of birds has changed in the midwest, and some of the surprises he has found.
Viola Liuzzo left her middle class life as a homemaker in suburban Detroit to join the civil rights movement.
Less than a year later, the white mother of four died at the hands of the KKK in Alabama. And the FBI protected her murderer.
We talk with criminal justice professor Dewhitt Bingham about his book "Viola Liuzzo, a True Martyr."
Why is pizza being so mean to me?
Health and wellness instructor Lisa Summers shares her knowledge about some of the overlooked habits we have and choices we make that might be making us less healthy as we get older.