Rebuilding The American Dream

Utah State Senator Ann Millner is intensely focused on improving Utah through education and workforce development. She is a Regents Professor of Health Administration and former President at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. A proponent of flexible certifications and pathways in higher education, Senator Millner shares more about what Dual Mission Institutions are, and why they are necessary for today's students - those working adults who want to move up the ladder and those emerging adults seeking to find their career paths and passions. Senator Millner earned degrees from University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, Texas State University, and a doctorate in education from Brigham Young University. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

With a legal background steeped in higher education and diversity, President Jonathan Alger of James Madison University quickly learned his passion was in combining the three fields. As he says in this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: "I've always been interested in using education and knowledge to make a difference in the world. That's what I loved about being a lawyer, frankly, is that you can use the tools of the law and legal reasoning to improve society's responses to major issues and and solve problems."President Alger has taken that charge seriously at JMU. He has developed a wide number of initiatives; short, medium and long term goals with action and accountability at the core, to affect change and help the JMU students make a difference in the world.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Dr. David Mellott is the head of Christian Theological Seminary, a unique institution with a series of core values upon which their mission is focused. Not just from the perspective of training clergy, but Dr. Mellott and CTS are focused on teaching the values of human dignity, justice, diversity to their students and impacting real and lasting change across communities. As Dr. Mellott shares: "I do see our students really coming to life when they realize that so much of what's important about life isn't necessarily about their own individual lives, but about the community."Dr. Mellott holds a PhD from Emory University, an MA in Religious Studies and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and a BA in English Literature and Latin American Studies from the Pontifical College Josephinum.To learn more about the lecture series available to the public called "Our Life In Common", please visit www.cts.eduFind out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

With a unique topic not often addressed in conversations in collegiate sports, today we discuss the disability sports communities and the importance of bringing those communities and student-athletes within the umbrella of formal college athletic departments. Our guest is Dr. J. P. Barfield. With over 25 years of experience in the adaptive physical activity and sports fields, Dr. Barfield's work focuses on health related and quality of life outcomes of adaptive physical activity and disability sports. He examines both competitive and recreational sports to identify factors that help participants increase their social and health outcomes. Doctor Barfield is the Professor and chairperson of the Department of Applied Physiology, Health and Clinical Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He received degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Appalachian State University and Middle Tennessee state. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Dr. Gregory Washington, President of George Mason University, could not have imagined during his childhood that he would have the experiences and opportunities that would lead him to now be the President of GMU, one of the largest public universities in the country. What he has seen, while reflecting on his youth, are the ways in which pathways were presented at critical times, ways lit for him by those who went before. Join us for this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream to learn more from Dr. Washington, but more importantly - his motivation behind all of his actions - "I feel that I have not just a mission, but A) a responsibility to a be that for others, as someone was for me, but B) put in place systems and pathways and initiatives and programs to as many young people as we possibly can, and ensure that they have somebody there for them."First generation college student himself, Dr. Washington earned bachelors and masters degrees and his PhD, all in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

The University of Rhode Island, while located in a small state, has a tremendous amount of impact in the local communities and even state-wide. In building coalitions and partnerships with local, state and federal officials, Dr. Parlange has been able to create great champions for the work that URI is doing to better the citizens of the state and entice folks from out of state to enroll and enjoy the incredible programs and beautiful nature URI has to offer - which has shown in its increase in enrollment numbers over the last two years.Dr. Parlange received his Masters of Science and his doctorate from Cornell University and his Bachelor of Science degree from Griffith University in Australia.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

A woman of many hats and many committees and many responsibilities, Stevie Baker-Watson, Associate Vice President for Student Wellness and Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports at DePauw University, is still focused on the individual and building relationships. In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete Experience, she shares some of her best practices and purposeful actions to create those meaningful relationships and be able to use her leadership to make sure voices are heard and there is transparency. Additionally, she shares some practical advice on budgeting for athletic departments and providing equity amongst her teams.To learn more about her speech entitled "The Athletics Budget is a Unicorn", she invites all to reach out to her via email.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Higher education institutions face many of the same challenges, but often work alone in finding solutions. In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream, Dr. James Henderson, President of the University of Louisiana System, shares several programs and specific experiences where the UL System (a public, nine campus university system) has been able to come together and support each other, find solutions for collective problems and empower individuals to create larger system-wide impact - while still allowing each institution to best manifest it's own mission.Dr. Henderson has dedicated his career to serving the people of his home state of Louisiana. He has served as president of his alma mater, Northwestern State University and Chancellor of Bossier Parish Community College. Dr. Henderson holds degrees from Northwestern State University, University of West Florida, and a doctorate of management from the University of Maryland—University College.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Director of Athletics, Mike Kinnison, embodies Delta State University athletics and the family environment. At DSU for over 40 years as a student-athlete, teacher, coach and now Athletic Director, he has had astounding success on the fields (particularly in baseball). More importantly his pride lies in the exponential positive influence on thousands of young people over the years. Join this conversation on how Coach Kinnison and DSU invest in their student-athletes by setting expectations early and often and giving them confidence to succeed 5, 10, 40 years down the line - and it starts with their education first. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

President Geoffrey S. Mearns has a unique and exciting history: a student-athelete preparing to compete in Olympic trials, a trial lawyer and prosecutor in high profile cases and now 17th President of Ball State University. President Mearns shares how those experiences prepared him for leadership in higher education and the inspirational stories that motivate him and the staff, students and faculty to change the world every day - by changing their communities.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

In this podcast episode, we interview Brent Jones, Director of Athletics at Troy University. Brent discusses his drive and enthusiasm for the programs they are building at Troy and the hard work necessary to achieve those goals. He also shares with us great advice for how he builds his coaching staff at Troy and what it takes to be a great leader. (Hint: It's not as hard as you would think, but "There are no shortcuts", he says. "We are going to take the stairs.") Brent is a 2013 graduate of the prestigious D1A Institute and a member of NACDA, ICLA, and NACMA. He joined the Troy staff from Southern Miss where he served as the Senior Associate AD for External Affairs. Prior to Southern Miss, he was Georgia Southern University,Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

An incredible career trajectory that ranged from a city planner to mayor of San Antonio and now President of Rust College, Dr. Ivy Taylor has a unique perspective on the impact that a college experience and the environments from which the students begin, can change life trajectories. "[I] have an interest in understanding how people interact with the built environment around them and how it can either inspire or not inspire them. That definitely comes in handy as president of a college because you're creating kind of like this special place where people have some of the most memorable and formative times of their lives." Join this conversation with Dr. Taylor to take a deeper look at how we can help students gain outcomes that are not dictated based on where they started.Dr. Taylor holds degrees from Yale University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Doctorate of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Dr. Thomas Newsom, President of Southeastern Oklahoma State University shares important insights about widening gaps in our higher education systems. Gaps in normative learning experiences due to the effects of COVID, helping students cross the gap from two-year to four-year institutions, connecting with partnerships for community success and the correcting the misperception of the value of college. These gaps, while they existed prior to the pandemic, have become very prevalent. Dr. Newsom shares ways that Southeastern Oklahoma State University and other higher education institutions "have to be even more intentional" in addressing those gaps.Dr. Newsom earned degrees from Austin College, Texas A&M-Commerce, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from The University of North Texas.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Wendy Reid brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as an athletic director but also a communications professional. She shares with us the importance of - and advice for - developing stronger communication skills, both online and in-person.Wendy is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Before her current position, she was the Director of Athletic Communications at Trinity Christian College, the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at Calumet College of St. Joseph, and the Sports Information Director at Olivet Nazarene University.Since this recording, Trinity Christian has announced some of the programs Wendy mentioned. They have dropped tuition by 40% to make Christian, liberal arts education more affordable. https://www.trnty.edu/transparency/Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Since his election to the presidency of University of Holy Cross in Louisiana in 2019, Dr. Stanton F. McNeely III, has led the university to great success through the twin challenges of COVID-19 and Hurriance Ida.The key to this success, says Dr. McNeely, is the connectedness of the university to its students, to the campus faculty and staff and to the larger community. That connectedness can sometimes be as simple, and lifesaving, as a text.Dr. McNeely, an undergraduate of the University of Holy Cross, earned a doctorate in Education from Northcentral University, and an MBA from Loyola University.Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Elmhurst University Athletic Director Glen Brittich discovered his greatest passion was helping each student-athlete discover their own passions and get to graduation day with the most well-rounded experience Elmhurst could provide. Join the conversation to learn more about what Glen and Elmhurst are doing to build experience for their student-athletes.Glen holds a bachelor's degree from Albion College and a master's degree from Adams State University and is currently pursuing his doctorate in higher education leadership from Maryville University. In 2020, he was selected as one of 20 participants to the NCAA's Pathway Program, the NCAA's premier leadership development program for athletic administrators.  Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Dr. Mary Darden, President and CEO of Higher Education Innovation, LLC, an independent company with the mission to research, study, and provide entrepreneurial training for higher education leaders to help their institutions thrive.Dr. Darden holds a doctorate in higher education administration and leadership from Baylor University. She is the author of two books, and in her recent book, Entrepreneuring the Future of Higher Education: Radical Transformation in Times of Profound Change, she outlines a plan that all universities and colleges can take advantage of to secure their futures even in the face of major crises.Website:  https://www.heisuccess.comDr. Darden's Books:Entrepreneuring the Future of Higher Education (2021)Beyond 2020: Envisioning the Future of Universities in America (2009)Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

Andy Carter, Director of Athletics at Missouri Western State University has over 30 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics. Now, as he enters what he calls the 4th quarter of his career, he shares some great truths and frank advice about how we (student-athletes, administrators and listeners alike) can make the most of rewarding experiences we are given.Andy earned a bachelor's degree from Missouri Baptist University and a MBA from Lindenwood University. He was appointed to the NCAA Division II Membership Committee in 2019 and has served in numerous other leadership roles at NCAA conference levels. Find out more on our website: AmericanDream.fmFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @degreeinsurance. Produced by Degree Insurance

As an entirely online institution focused on graphic and web design and digital media, Sessions College is in a unique position to lead out on online learning trends and technology growth. But they also spend a great deal of time developing how instruction happens and the importance of getting a student ready for the constant changing needs of the workforce. And, more importantly, helping a students become "successful advocates of their own work at the same time as being proficient." As President, Gordon Drummond is an educator and instructional designer with a passion for art, design, and technology. Gordon has extensive experience in school accreditation and holds a Master's in English Literature from The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Article about student art mentioned in the podcast: https://www.sessions.edu/campus-news/lefever-heritage-pasifika-art/

"We might be the best school in America" reads the Wabash College website, just above a list of over a dozen top rankings from The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Princeton Review and others. The small all-mens college in central Indiana offers unique experiences inside and out of the classroom, an engaging alumni network and competitive athletic programs. Matt Tanney, Wabash's Director of Athletics and Campus Wellness joins us to share more about the singular, nationally recognized, Wabash experience, shaped by it's incredible alumni engagement.  Matt is a graduate from Wabash, and he earned his law degree from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law at Indiana University. 

Dr. Les Guice has contributed to and played a central role in creating the culture and vision for the future of Louisiana Tech almost since he first stepped onto the campus in 1972 as an architecture student.  In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream, he shares some of the innovative projects and partnerships that have been happening at Louisiana Tech with  concerted and purposeful collaboration across departments, businesses and the community of Ruston, LA.Dr. Guice received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Louisiana Tech, and his Ph.D. in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. In 2013, he was appointed the 14th president of the University.

Jamie Boggs is nationally recognized leader in collegiate athletics, guiding the Lopes to competitive and student-athlete success. That success is all carefully built and sustained through a framework that Jamie calls the 'Four Cs.'  These four pillars help Jamie and the entire athletic department build authentic relationships and guide everything they do - and are applicable to all industries. Learn more about the 'Four Cs' and Jamie Boggs in this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete Experience.  Plus bonus a tip for anyone interested in working at GCU Athletics!Jamie earned a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego and a law degree from the University of Arizona.

In a truly inspirational discussion, Dr. Mary Dana Hinton, President of Hollins University shares her deep and abiding commitment to educational access, equity, and the education of women. Reflecting on her own experiences, Dr. Hinton envisions, and strives for, a truly inclusive and equitable growth experience for those at Hollins.View Dr. Hinton's TEDx talk "Leading from the Margins" here: https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_dana_hinton_leading_from_the_marginsDr. Hinton earned a Ph.D. in religion and religious education with high honors from Fordham University, a Master of Arts degree in clinical child psychology from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Williams College. She also holds two honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Misericordia University and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Despite facing some immense challenges during his time as Athletic Director of William Carey University, DJ Pulley has still been able to produce a winning atmosphere and national recognition for his department and the university through two main principles - patience and perseverance. As the needs and attributes of incoming student-athletes continue to change, DJ has some great insight on how to develop the emerging adults into the leaders needed for tomorrow.DJ earned his bachelor's degree from William Carey in 2003 and his MBA in 2004. In early 2022, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics named him as a Cushman and Wakefield AD of the Year.

As educators, we want to be sharing the information and teaching the skills that lead to growth and learning. But what questions should we be asking of students, colleagues and ourselves, that will force us to asses how we're doing?Dr. Lake Lambert, President of Hanover College joins this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream with some suggestions on how to keep innovating in higher education through asking those tough questions - and listening to those hard answers. Dr. Lambert earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Theological Studies degrees from Emory University and earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

As we know, most student-athletes are going to go pro in something other than sports. In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete experience, Dr. Cade Smith, Athletic Director, University of Alabama in Huntsville, shares why his student-athletes are moving ahead of the game - thanks to the rigorous academics of UAH and the supportive, growing community of Huntsville. Dr. Smith earned all of his degrees from Harding University, and another Master's degree from UAH. Please also enjoy the behind the scenes peek into the real life of an athletic director- as you may hear noises of activities in the background of this episode. 

Join us for this inspiring and forward thinking episode of Rebuilding the American Dream with President Brian Hemphill of Old Dominion University.  As many know, there are significant challenges ahead in higher education. President Hemphill and his faculty and staff will not allow themselves to get comfortable as they look ahead. They are working to make sure Old Dominion is well prepared for what may come next: highlighting ODU's unique regional footprint, 35+ years of distance learning experience and "playing to the strengths of the institution." President Hemphill held Radford University, West Virginia State University, Northern Illinois University, University of Arkansas, University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Cornell College. He has earned degrees from Saint Augustine's University, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. 

A student-athlete before becoming a coach and now the Athletic Director at The University of Sioux Falls, Pam Gohl thrives in creating and fostering a small community feel on campus for all students. One of The University of Sioux Falls Athletic Department mission statements is a 'Dedication to Family' and she embodies that as she champions that sense of family belonging in her university, staff and student-athletes.Join us for this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete Experience as we learn more about The University of Sioux Falls and Athletic Director, Pam Gohl (could not a better name for an AD!) Pam earned a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education at Augustana University, and a Master's degree in Sports Management from St. Cloud (Minn.) State University. 

"How do we help [higher education institutions] thrive in perpetuity?" Dr. Sean Creighton asks in this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream. A key part of that answer, he believes, is in the support of and collaboration between individual institutions. At The New American Colleges & Universities, they are building just that: "A trusted environment that comes with bringing together like-minded, like-missioned institutions who are not direct competitors."Dr. Sean Creighton has been President of The New American Colleges & Universities since 2019. Throughout his distinguished career, he has developed major education and community partnerships, introduced innovative programming, and enhanced the reputation of the organizations he has served. Dr. Creighton holds degrees from Marist College, New York University, and earned his Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. He also currently serves as a principal investigator on research projects for the Kettering Foundation and TIAA Institute. 

Josh Morton, Athletic Director at Augustana University has immeasurable pride in his community, campus and especially the Student-Athletes of Augustana University. Winning on and off the field, and celebrating each of those wins, is in Josh's blood and he has spent his career building pathways to help the teams he serves succeed.Prior to Augustana, Josh was at athletic departments at Michigan State and University of North Dakota. He brings a unique perspective to his position as he was a TV sports anchor for 11 years before beginning his career in college athletics. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota.

The key to providing the best possible educational experience for non-traditional students is understanding who they are and the obstacles they are currently facing. For National American University, 75% of their students are low income, 68% are single, divorced or widowed, 47% are racially diverse, 69% female, 35% low income single parents, 75% low income households with children and 36 years old as the average age.  As Dr. Shape shares in this podcast, a traditional structure cannot best serve non-traditional students and NAU's infrastructure can.Dr. Ronald Shape, President and CEO of National American University. ​​He began his career at NAU in 1991, and since then, he has held various leadership roles in different capacities and was named President in 2016.  National American University, has more than 35 campus locations in 10 states and Dr. Shape has been successfully growing the institution throughout his tenure and launching the University's “Service Center” education model and successfully took the company public to become one of only 14 publicly-traded, post-secondary organizations in the country. 

On this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete Experience, we speak with Sam Lucas, a second-year Division I Swimmer for the University of Utah and current Degree Insurance Summer Associate. Sam shares his experiences growing up in high-level competitive athletics and how he is learning to navigate that competition within the pressures of college and looking towards the future. During Sam's career at Utah he has been a part of the Utah PAC-12 Championship team during both of his years.  Sam is also a Summer Associate at Degree Insurance, and studying to earn his degree in Business Administration. Prior to the University of Utah, he was a swimmer of 12 years for 19th Nationally ranked club team Lakeside Aquatic Club, and 4-time state qualifier in the state of Texas. 

Energetic and thought-provoking, this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream is with Dr. Makola Abdullah, President of Virginia State University.  Dr. Abdullah discusses the range of challenges and opportunities facing young people and communities today, with excitement and hope. But, as he shares, the first thing they need is a chance. Don't miss this inspiring episode!Dr. Makola Abdullah is an internationally-renowned educator. Prior to his appointment as president of VSU, Dr. Abdullah served as provost and senior vice president at Bethune-Cookman University. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University and his doctorate and master's degrees from Northwestern University. Dr. Abdullah is a very active member with various organizations and was recently appointed to the President's Board of Advisors (PBA) on HBCUs.

We are thrilled that in our first episode of Rebuilding the American Dream: The Student-Athlete Experience, we are joined by Debbie Corum, Athletic Director at Southern Utah University. As the first female Division I Athletic Director in the state of Utah, Debbie brings decades of insight into the ever changing role of the student-athlete. Our conversation ranges from the new NIL landscape, impact of title IX, to her upcoming retirement - all incredible times of transitions.Debbie has been athletic director at four NCAA Division 1 institutions: Stanford University, LSU, UConn, and Southern Utah University. Additionally, she spent 18 years in the SEC Commissioner's Office, culminating with 12 years as the Associate Commissioner for Sports Administration and championships.      

Listen now to this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream as Dr. Tom Stritikus, President of Fort Lewis College, joins us to discuss the benefits of success while working with students to make the college experience better - and the steep cost if we fail.Prior to the appointment as president at Fort Lewis College, Dr. Stritikus was a deputy director of K-12 Education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the dean of the University of Washington College of Education. He earned his doctorate in Language, Literacy, and Culture at the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to his work in global education, Dr. Stritikus spent three years leading work in improving education in the United States, where he oversaw initiatives of personalized learning, assessment for student learning, instructional leadership, and teacher preparation.

As a low-income, first-generation college student, Former President Lovell brought enthusiasm to Adams State's mission to provide access and opportunity to all students, especially for historically under-served groups. She is passionate about addressing how a college degree helps move people up the economic ladder and creates social mobility within their lives. Dr. Lovell received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of West Georgia and her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida State University. She has 35+ years of extensive leadership experiences in higher education in Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and Colorado. 

In this inspirational episode of Rebuilding the American Dream, Dr. Ali Malekzadeh, president of Roosevelt University shares with us the special role that Roosevelt plays in rebuilding, and reconsidering, the American Dream. Dr, Malekzadeh is very proud of his students, faculty and the kinds of experiences created at Roosevelt. We know you will be impressed by these stories as well. Dr. Malekzadeh holds degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Utah. He believes that access to higher education is every American's right and one of the pathways to living the American Dream. He champions Roosevelt University's mission of social justice as he is passionate about women's and LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, affirmative action and access to higher education.

Eureka College has a special history and looking forward, they are working on innovative approaches to enrollment, affordability and access. In this episode of the Rebuilding the American Dream, Dr. Jamel Wright, president of Eureka College joins us to share why that history and the future of Eureka College have been, and will continue to be, transformative to students, faculty, staff and the community - A Uniquely Eureka experience. Dr. Jamel Wright is the first woman and African American to serve as president of the 167-year-old institution. While at Eureka, she has successfully led the effort to ensure the college's financial health & stability, increase its endowment, and establish strategic community partnerships. Dr. Wright received a bachelor's degree from Missouri Western State University, and a master's and doctorate degree from University of Kansas, all in Communication Studies.

Dr. Jared Tippets, Vice President of Student Affairs at Southern Utah University, joins us on The Rebuilding the American Dream Podcast to discuss a universal challenge to all colleges and universities - retention. Addressing the retention of top faculty and staff AND students, Jared shares the ASCEND Model, the basis for a book he co-authored ASCEND to Higher Retention Rates: Practical Strategies for Increasing Student Retention, Completion, and Student Success.Dr. Tippets earned degrees from Utah State University, University of Missouri-Columbia, and has a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Kentucky where his dissertation topic was about organizational change in higher education. Prior to working at SUU, he worked at Purdue University, the University of Kentucky, University of Missouri-Columbia, and Utah Valley University.

"Tutoring is not a new concept. It's something that institutions know can drive students towards better persistence and completion rates and student engagement," says Samyr Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO of Knack.So what are Samyr and his innovative team doing to bring that traditional concept of tutoring into a new model - and have incredible success? Listen now to this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream as Samyr joins us to share more about Knack and their thoughtful approach to engaging with the post-traditional student.Samyr Qureshi is the Co-founder and CEO of Knack, an app based company dedicated to helping students succeed by connecting them with their peers for academic support. As a first generation immigrant, he knew the importance of obtaining a college degree to attain a better future. Because of his innovative ideas, Samyr has been named on the 2020 Class of Forbes 30 Under 30, and as Tampa's 2020 Emerging Tech Leader of the Year.You can also learn more about Knack and how to partner with them through the links below.https://www.joinknack.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/samyrq/samyr at joinknack.com

Dr. Stephen Standifird, President of Bradley University is an expert in organizational behavior, organizational design and change, and principles of management.  His experiences with business and higher education are contributing to his success as President of Bradley University. With an incredible team of faculty and staff, Bradley University is setting out to rethink almost every approach to higher education - from budgets to mentorship to enrollments and majors.  President Standifird is leading first with not just a student-concerned approach, but student-centric and reshaping the university around the needs and interests of today's students.Dr. Standifird holds degrees from Purdue University, Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in organization studies from the University of Oregon. His interests in teaching and research include strategic management, power, and politics in organization and  internal management.

Dr. David Wright, President of Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2021-22 school year, which will conclude a 35-year career in Christian higher education with 25 years being at IWU. Additionally, he spent time working internationally in Haiti, and then in England. His areas of professional expertise include higher education policy, the design and administration of non-traditional and online programs, and higher education leadership.In this episode of Rebuilding the American Dream, Dr. Wright reflects on his storied career, his philosophy and methods for finding a fulfilling life. Of timely importance is Dr. Wright's advice and guidance for allowing higher education to help us become clear about who we are, what is important to us and how to share that with our communities.