Podcasts about Amarillo College

In this quick episode, Aaron and Beth welcomes Dr. Tanner Hargrove, Assistant Professor of Psychology for Social Sciences at Amarillo College, to further discuss repressed individual and collective memory and its relationship to politics.

Send us a textDr. Donna Beegle's remarkable journey from the depths of generational poverty to achieving a doctorate in educational leadership offers a powerful narrative of resilience and hope. Through her story, we unravel the systemic barriers that perpetuate poverty and the transformative power of education and community support. Dr. Beegle's insights challenge us to rethink our approach to poverty, highlighting the critical need for poverty-informed communities and improved communication across social classes.Join us as we explore the transformative power of language and empathy in dismantling poverty barriers. Through Dr. Beegle's work with the Poverty Immersion Institute and insights from successful initiatives like Amarillo College's poverty-informed mindset, we uncover strategies for fostering a culture of caring and empowerment. From training community leaders to equipping non-profits with evaluation skills, this episode provides actionable insights for creating supportive environments where individuals and communities can thrive.Guest BioDonna Beegle grew up in generational, migrant-labor poverty and was essentially homeless the first 26 years of her life. She is the only member of her family who has not been incarcerated. At 15, she left school to get married and start a family. She had six pregnancies and—with emergency rooms as her only access to health care—only two survived. At 26, she found herself with two children, no husband, little education, few marketable job skills, and no affordable housing. With the help of Community Action and a pilot project, she received stable housing and was able to achieve her GED and—10 years later—her doctorate in Educational Leadership—studying poverty, communication, and education. Dr. Beegle brings an insider perspective of poverty as a health determinant combined with 34 years of working with health providers in all 50 states to increase access to health services and break poverty barriers. Since 1989, Dr. Beegle has across the nation with people and organizations who want to assist people in moving out and staying out of the war zone of poverty.  As president of Communication Across Barriers, a consulting firm dedicated to building poverty-informed communities, Dr. Beegle has designed models and curriculum to directly impact people currently in poverty, as well as professionals who want to make a difference for our neighbors. She has authored four books and training curriculum kits, including See Poverty...Be the Difference, An Action Approach for Educating Students in Poverty, Breaking Poverty Barriers to Equal Justice, and If Not Me, Then Who? Empowering Our Neighbors. Like what you heard? Please like and share wherever you get your podcasts! Connect with Ann: Community Evaluation Solutions How Ann can help: · Support the evaluation capacity of your coalition or community-based organization. · Help you create a strategic plan that doesn't stress you and your group out, doesn't take all year to design, and is actionable. · Engage your group in equitable discussions about difficult conversations. · Facilitate a workshop to plan for action and get your group moving. · Create a workshop that energizes and excites your group for action. · Speak at your conference or event. Have a question or want to know more? Book a call with Ann .Be sure and check out our updated resource page! Let us know what was helpful. Music by Zach Price: Zachpricet@gmail.com

Before he was a MacArthur Genius or a Booker Prize-winner, George Saunders was a songwriter, an oil-field worker, and a slaughterhouse “knuckle-puller,” not to mention an MA student at what was then West Texas State University. In this in-depth interview, Amarillo College's Chris Hudson joins me, Ryan Brooks, as we speak with the author of Lincoln in the Bardo, Tenth of December, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, and many other books. We chat with Saunders about his roots in the Texas Panhandle and how his fascination with Custer has stretched from his first published story (written in Amarillo) to his latest novella, “Liberation Day.” We also discuss his attitudes about work, capitalism, and ghosts; whether the Panhandle is best understood as Steinbeckian or Trumpian; his time as a young musician in the Amarillo Songwriters Association; which of his writing students we should be paying attention to next; Flannery O'Connor; Lucky Hank; and much more. At the end of the interview, Saunders describes the impact three WT English profs – Richard Moseley, Charmazel Dudt, and Sue Park – had on life and his career, including teaching him to have faith in his own responses to literature.  Cover Image: Michael Tomlinson, George Saunders, Pat Pacino, mid-1970s. Photos courtesy of Buddy Squyres.

In this episode, we dive into the dynamic partnership between Region 16 and Amarillo College, a collaboration reshaping educational opportunities and professional development for aspiring teachers. The episode highlights the innovative initiatives under this participation. Listeners will gain insights about the impact of this alliance on education to aspiring teachers providing a first-hand account of their journey and growth through these opportunities. This podcast is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the future of teaching and the power of educational collaboration. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spedtalk/message

A conversation with Amy Hart, which is the on-air name of Amarillo radio personality Amy Presley. A local radio mainstay, Hart is Amarillo College's Audio Media Coordinator and the Music Director for FM90 KACV-FM, the long-running radio station at AC. She's also the co-producer of a new Texas Panhandle-focused true crime podcast series about the missing persons case of Dorien Thomas. Dorien grew up in Amarillo's North Heights neighborhood but disappeared in 1998, when he was 9 years old. The case remains unsolved. Hart shares with host Jason Boyett about her radio career, her new podcast, and what she learned digging into facts of Dorien's disappearance. This episode is sponsored by Storybridge and Shemen Dental.

Anette has her a conversation with her dear friend, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, in his final days as President at Amarillo College, before he takes over as Chancellor at Austin Community College. After working together for over twenty years, they've formed a strong friendship they know will continue. Moving from Badgers to River Bats, Anette wishes Russell and family the best in their new journey, As chair of the Amarillo College Board of Regents, Anette will endeavor to find a new college president for AC! Russell, thank you for being my friend. 

Anette visits with Pascale Charlot, the Managing Director of the College Excellence Program (CEP) at the Aspen Institute. Amarillo College was just selected as the top college along with Imperial Valley College, both co-winners of the Aspen Prize for College Excellence. Lots of good information is shared as Anette and Pascale discuss the award and the benefits of community colleges.Pascale is a visionary and outcomes-driven leader deeply committed to student success. An alumna of Aspen's year-long Rising President Fellowship, Pascale plays a lead role in crafting and overseeing CEP's strategy to develop a network of transformational college presidents who share a relentless commitment to advancing excellence and equity in student outcomes.  Chief among these programs are Aspen's Presidential Fellowships, which have graduated over 100 presidents of community colleges that together educate over a million-and-a-half students. In the Fellowships and across CEP's work, Pascale helps lead efforts to strengthen the inexorable connection between institutional reform and student success.Prior to joining CEP, Pascale was at Aspen Prize-winning Miami Dade College, where she most recently served as president of the Kendall campus, the largest of the college's eight.  Pascale was also dean of Miami Dade's highly regarded Honors College, where she developed and implemented a pathways strategy that increased the number of first-generation students who went on to attain a bachelor's degree.  Herself a transfer student, Pascale brings substantial expertise to one of Aspen's core priorities: advancing post-graduation outcomes for students of color and low-income students. Demonstrable student learning, equitable talent development, and social mobility for students and families are key levers that inspire Pascale's student-centered approach.A graduate of Duke University and the University of Michigan Law School, Pascale also held leadership roles at both New York University and Rutgers law schools earlier in her career.A link to the process of selecting the Aspen Prize winner can be found here.Episode produced by Darwin Carlisle. Music by Bret Boyer.

In today's episode, we hear from Irene Hughes, a candidate for the Amarillo College Board of Regents in the upcoming May 6th local election. We discuss why Irene is running for a seat on the AC Board, how experience as a former employee of Amarillo College could help her succeed as a Regent, and more. For more information about the upcoming election cycle, visit www.amarillopioneer.com.

On this episode of "In the Know", we're tackling all things mental health! We'll sit down with a representative from TimelyCare and a licensed counselor at Amarillo College to discuss access to mental health services and trends we're seeing among students on our campuses.

This weekend, we sat down via Zoom to ask the candidates running for seats on the Amarillo College Board of Regents your burning questions. Incumbent Michele Fortunato and challengers Brady Clark, Mike Yazbek, Irene Hughes, and Jason Foglesong joined us to talk about the issues. The only candidate who did not attend was incumbent Jay Barrett. Special thanks to Dan Butcher of the High Plains Pundit Podcast for joining us as a guest moderator. For more information about the election for the AC Board of Regents, visit www.amarillopioneer.com. Election Day is May 6.

Understanding a community's needs starts with developing an understanding of the students who are attending the local community college. This requires elevating student voices to focus and drive reforms. In this episode, Dr. DeHay interviews Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College in Texas. Dr. Lowery-Hart has transformed the systems and culture at Amarillo by centering them on one word: love. Join us for this uplifting and inspiring episode! 

In today's episode, we hear from Brady Clark, a candidate for the Amarillo College Board of Regents in the upcoming May 6th local election. We discuss why Brady is running for a seat on the AC Board, how his non-profit experiences have qualified him for this position, and more. For more information about the upcoming election cycle, visit www.amarillopioneer.com.

In today's episode, we hear from Mike Yazbek, a local knife sharpener and candidate for the Amarillo College Board of Regents in the upcoming May 6th election. For more information about the upcoming election cycle, visit www.amarillopioneer.com.

In today's episode, we hear from Jason Foglesong, a candidate for the Amarillo College Board of Regents in the upcoming May 6th election. For more information about the upcoming election cycle, visit www.amarillopioneer.com.

Higher education is currently forcing many adult learners to jump through hoops to complete their degrees. Although many of these nontraditional students can be successful, colleges and universities should still meet adult learners where they are, as higher ed faces dwindling enrollment and a workforce that is relying less on employees with four-year degrees.  Higher ed institutions can start the process of change themselves, but much of the work still requires support from Congress. To help understand how the gap between both entities can be bridged, Dr. Drumm McNaughton spoke with Julie Peller, who uses her past experience at the House of Representatives and Department of Education to serve as executive director of Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), which supports and advances policy changes to increase postsecondary access and success.  "As we go into the new Congress, in the new year, we are really focusing on this Widen the Path campaign. How can we bring partners together? How can we lift up voices of both learners, institutions, and community members who are doing this and bring that story to Washington so that we can make change?" - Julie Peller Podcast Highlights Identify who's still on and off campus and why. Those who are no longer on campus most likely left for financial reasons, for example. Think about creating programs like the ones that President Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart of Amarillo College did to support students in the classroom and those who have dropped out. Many of these programs are only possible through policy changes, but in the meantime, higher ed can still create a more welcoming environment and ensure certain services are available. Forge connections and partnerships with preexisting community services. This involves sharing the data of low-income and eligible students to connect them with the right supportive services. Think about employees from employer partners as potential students. Institutions are encouraged to adopt credentials or certificates that facilitate lifelong learning for students who take breaks in their education. Not everyone wants an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree. → Podcast Transcript PDF of "Widen the Path: Policy Changes to Increase Access to Higher Ed" About the Guest Julie Peller - Executive Director at Higher Learning Advocates  Julie Peller is Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), a bipartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to shift federal policy to accelerate responsiveness to support the success of today's postsecondary students. She brings a deep background in federal postsecondary education policy, federal budgeting, and professional management. Prior to joining HLA, Julie was Lumina Foundation's first director of federal policy where she led the development and advancement of the foundation's federal policy agenda and established the foundation's Washington, DC office. Julie also brings significant federal legislative policy experience to HLA. She served as a senior policy advisor and the deputy staff director for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor. On Capitol Hill, she was intimately involved with significant changes to the Higher Education Act, federal student aid programs, and other major higher education issues such as college cost reduction. Before working in Congress, Julie was a Presidential Management Fellow, where she served at the Department of Education as a budget analyst for a variety of K-12 programs. Julie received her master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and public policy from The George Washington University. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two young sons. About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton, host and consultant to higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm's website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader's Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #ChangingHigherEd #HigherEducation #WidenthePath  

Mark is a taphophile (one who enjoys cemeteries, funerals, and gravestones). He was born in Stephenville and grew up in the Panhandle. He attended Amarillo College, West Texas State University, and graduated from ACU. His interest started when he was 14 while rain dropped 8 inches in less than an hour. The Lohn Cemetery had quite a few sunken graves and families were expected to shovel dirt into the holes and bring the grave sites up to ground level. It was his first time to wander around and read the headstones. The iconography of the stones is a hobby in itself, but clever, poignant, and oftentimes just plain heartaches etched on the stones increases the interest as well.

Dr. David Bonner has a years of clinical experience and business success that now he has a chance to share with fellow dentist. I love the energy and true passion Dr. Bonner has to dentistry. We kick off the conversation discussing sensitivity, amalgams, public speaking, defining success, doctor's attitude, coaching, work life balance, and how to love the dental industry! Dr. David Bonner Bio:Leader in Advanced General Dentistry Dr. David M. Bonner was recognized as “Citizen of the Year” in 2013 by the Dumas & Moore County Chamber of Commerce. In 1992, nomineed Texas Dentist of the Year.The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio has honored him as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor.He lectures throughout the country to dental schools and Professional Dental Associations on dental technology, dental materials, and dental practices.Dr. B's enthusiasm for dentistry is contagious. His son, Dr. Reagan A. Bonner, graduated from The UT Dental School in San Antonio. His younger son, Dr. Justin D. Bonner, graduated from the UT Dental School in San Antonio and works as an Oral Surgeon in Temple, TX at the Baylor Scott & White Hospital. His daughters-in-law, Rachel and Lydia, are both Registered Dental Hygienists.Dr. Bonner says, “I love the Texas Panhandle and its people. I was raised here and wanted to raise my family here among some of the best people on earth.”“Dr. B” earned a B.S. in chemistry and biology at Stephen F. Austin State University in 1976, where he also taught chemistry and worked in chemical research.In 1980, he graduated with his doctorate from The University of Texas Dental School in San Antonio. While there he worked as a research scientist in biomedical materials.In 2009, he earned his M.B.A. from Texas Tech University with a certified emphasis in Health Care Management.After dental school graduation, Dr. Bonner returned to his hometown of Dumas where he has been in the practice of Orthodontics & General Dentistry since June of 1980.Dr. Bonner is active in organized Dentistry. He served as President for the Panhandle District Dental Society in 2010-2011, a component of the American Dental Association. He has served as President of the Panhandle Academy of General Dentistry, and Vice-President of the Texas Academy of General Dentistry. He is a member of professional organizations including the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Orthodontic Society, International Association for Orthodontics, American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Texas Dental Association, Panhandle District Dental Society, Alumni Association of the Student Clinicians of the American Dental Association, and Memorial Hospital Staff.Active in the community, he taught 7 courses of Human Anatomy & Physiology at Amarillo College. He served as the “Head Wrangler” for Dogie Days 2008 and serves the Dumas Noon Lions Club as the Immediate Past District Governor for the Lions District. Dr. Bonner is also currently serving as City Commissioner & Mayor Pro Team for the City of Dumas.He has coached many of our youth in football, basketball, wrestling, soccer, and baseball. He and his wife Gayla, of 41 years, have four married children and nine grandchildren.

Anette visits with long-time friend and educational leader, Denese Skinner, Vice-President of Student Affairs at Amarillo College. Denese Skinner has 29 years of leadership experience in higher education as well 7 years of successful public school service as a teacher and a coach. At Amarillo College, Denese coordinates the efforts of the talented team within the Division of Student Affairs to ensure student success by enhancing the classroom experience through purposeful co-curricular activities and support services.Denese has prior higher education experience at West Texas A&M University where she served in various leadership roles: the director for Career Services, the interim vice president of Student Affairs, the interim dean of Enrollment Management, the senior director of Enrollment Management, and the director of Student Counseling Services.A few of Denese's professional honors include: twice receiving the WTAMU Clarence E. Thompson Staff Excellence Award; recipient of the WTAMU President's Community Service Award; honored with the Texans Caring for Texans recognition given by State agencies in the Panhandle region. Also on Denese's list of accomplishments, you will find that she was a head coach of a state championship girls' basketball team that, at that time, set a national record of 12 state championships. Denese is a graduate of and past board member for Leadership Amarillo & Canyon. Denese was also a part of the efforts of Panhandle Twenty/20.Denese is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor as well as a Certified Professional Vocational Counselor.   She is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt as well as a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach.  Denese holds a M.Ed. in School Counseling from West Texas A&M University and received her B.S. in Education from Texas Tech University. Episode produced by Darwin Carlisle. Music by Bret Boyer.

A conversation with Todd McLees, the Managing Partner at Innovation Outpost, an innovative new learning center associated with Amarillo College. McLees came specifically to Amarillo to work for this initiative after several decades as an executive in the tech world. McLees shares with host Jason Boyett about his short career as the Milwaukee Bucks mascot, why Amarillo is becoming a hub for technical skills, and how Innovation Outpost helps individuals gain credentials that make a difference in career trajectory. This episode is sponsored by Mind & Child, Wieck Realty and US Cleaners.

Once a farmer's daughter now a fiercely passionate rural health advocate. This week, we are talking with Dr. SuLynn Mester, an advisory board member for the NRHA CNO certification program. SuLynn talks with us about her passion for rural healthcare and her interesting background in nursing.  “I think we have an opportunity to make a change to reset the trajectory of how rural health is shaping up…” -Dr. SuLynn Mester SuLynn Mester has been in nursing since 1987, specializing in critical care, cardiovascular surgical care, and trauma care, prior to moving into management and administration. She is committed to education, not only for herself but for others. She is a lifelong learner, receiving her Associate Degree in Science from Clarendon College in 1984, Associate in Nursing from Amarillo College in 1987, Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2016, Master of Science in Nursing in 2018, and Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2020, all from the University of Texas at Arlington. She sits on the board of Clarendon College School of Nursing, as well as the Area for Health Education Center (AHEC).  Succession leadership for rural healthcare is of utmost importance to her. Thus, she helped develop and is now serving as an Advisory Board Member on the NRHA Rural Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Certification Program. She is passionate about rural healthcare advocacy issues and is actively involved in efforts in Austin and Washington, DC to ensure and preserve rural healthcare access. She is heavily involved in rural health policy, serving on the Texas Nurses Association as the Governmental Advising Committee liaison, as well as serving as a Hospital and Community Health Systems Constituency Group Representative for NRHA Rural Health Congress.  She is a recipient of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals (TORCH), National Rural Health Association (NRHA), and Texas Hospital Association Leadership yearlong leadership fellowship programs. She is currently an active fellow in the Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive Fellowship. In her final year of doctoral studies, she was chosen for the John and Louise Shira Fellowship Scholarship. Her rural-focused work and research have been published in Nursing Management Magazine and have an upcoming publication in the Emergency Nursing Journal.  She grew up a farm girl and currently resides in the remote rural area of Childress, Texas with her husband Randy. Her inner circle includes many four-legged family members; three of her favorites being Fred the Red Head, a Murray Gray steer and Ruby, a Texas Longhorn, and Harper, a Black Angus bottle baby.

In this episode, you'll hear from Cassie Montgomery who is the Director of Outreach Services at Amarillo College, which is a community college in the Texas panhandle. You'll hear her discuss: how marketing a community college differs from a four-year institution how she revamped their campus visit experience and how she designed it to meet the needs of a prospective community college student the importance of relationship building for recruiting their students 

We welcome YOU back to America's leading higher education podcast, The EdUp Experience! It's YOUR time to #EdUp In this episode, President Series #177 & episode #500, YOUR guest is Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College, YOUR guest cohost is Dr. Thomas Bailey, President of Teachers College, Columbia University, YOUR host is Elvin Freytes, & YOUR sponsor is Fierce Education! How did Russell & his team dive deep into understanding the student experience? How did they use guided pathways to help create an accelerated learning environment? What does Russell see as the future of higher Ed? Listen in to #EdUp! Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp! Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio ● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! We make education YOUR business! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/edup/message

Anette visits with author, speaker, and transformation and change expert, Greg Satell. They met when Greg did some training for Amarillo College, and Anette really identified with the info in his book, Cascades. (Link to Srdja Popovic's CANVAS website.) Episode produced by Darwin Carlisle. Music by Bret Boyer.Greg Satell is a transformation & change expert, international keynote speaker, and bestselling author of Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change, whose work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Barron's, Forbes, Inc., Fast Company and other A-list publications. His earlier book, Mapping Innovation, was selected as one of the best business titles of 2017.A Lecturer at The Wharton School, accomplished entrepreneur, executive and one of the foremost experts on transformation and change today, Greg speaks to audiences around the world and works with leading organizations to better compete in a disruptive marketplace. He is consistently ranked as one of the top innovation bloggers in the world and was named by IDG as one of “10 Digital Transformation Influencers to Follow Today.” Greg helps organizations overcome resistance to change and blaze a path toward a better future.Greg was formerly a senior executive for the Publicis Groupe, one of the world's largest marketing services companies. Before that, Co-CEO of KP Media, which he scaled from a small privately held company to a market leading, publicly held firm valued at $100 million with over 800 employees. The firm was sold to Ukraine Media Holding in 2010.A global citizen, Greg spent 15 years living and working in Eastern Europe where, among other things, he managed a leading news organization during Ukraine's Orange Revolution. You can learn more about Greg on his LinkedIn profile and follow him on Twitter @DigitalTonto. For rates, programs and testimonials, please visit his eSpeakers Page.Greg is available for advisory, workshop and speaking engagements. If you would like to hire him for an engagement or an event, feel free to contact him directly at innovate (at) digitaltonto (dot) com 

Special Host Frank Bellizzi, historian at Amarillo College, visits with Dr. Brian Ingrassia, historian at West Texas A&M University about the largely unknown history of automobiles being drawn to and used in Amarillo before many people realize.

A conversation with Joe Bill Sherrod, the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Amarillo College and Executive Director of the AC Foundation. What those two lengthy titles mean is that, among other duties, Sherrod serves as an institutional fundraising professional. He spent several years in a similar role for WTAMU, preceded by careers in personal insurance and youth ministry. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Sherrod details his unique resume, his decision to live in Amarillo, and why Panhandle people are so generous. This episode is sponsored by Union Hall and La-Z-Boy.

Inez Wyrick, one of our young bassist pedagogy pioneers, passed away at the end of 2021.  In this episode, we rebroadcast our interview with her from 2016 and reflect on her impact on countless bassists across the globe. About Inez (from Tribute Archive): She began performing music in the 8th grade with her father, and taught music, and served as a psychic consultant for the entirety of her adult life, never fully retiring. She served on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists who awarded her the “Young Bass Ambassador” award in 2001, and which, starting in 2022, is named the Under 14 Solo Prize the “Inez Wyrick Prize,” in her honor.  She was also Co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Bass Coalition Summer Workshop. In addition to teaching music privately, she also served on the faculties of Shenandoah Conservatory, Indiana University's String Academy, Amarillo College, Odessa College, and Texas Tech University's Orchestra Camp. She founded the Amarillo Bass Base, the first organization of its kind for young bassists, and members of her family of students over the years teach and hold professional positions in ensembles, music businesses, and educational institutions worldwide.  An active lecturer, clinician, and adjudicator, Inez appeared regularly at the Richard Davis Bass Conference, Golden Gate Bass Camp, and International Society of Bassists conventions. She has had over 500 arrangements/compositions published for Double Bass Ensemble. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to either the ISB or Bass Coalition: ISB Young Bassists Educational Program Bass Coalition Summer Workshop   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 100+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.   Thank you to our sponsors!   Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.   Wabass Institute - Wabass Institute, a part of the Honeywell Arts Academy, is a unique full-scholarship performance institute.  Wabass uniquely fosters an inclusive, supportive environment where ideas are freely shared from teacher to student and vice versa.  Check out Wabass behind the scenes here, and be sure to apply by February 15th!   Contrabass Conversations production team: Jason Heath, host Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing Mitch Moehring, audio engineer Trevor Jones, publication and promotion theme music by Eric Hochberg

Sharen Wilson joined the podcast today and schooled JW and Brinton on Fort Worth Law. She talks about Fort Worth's strengths and weaknesses. She shares her journey into law and her passions. It was a great conversation and we learned a lot. She was elected District Attorney in 2014, becoming the first woman to hold the office and the 14th DA in the history of Tarrant County. She began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, where she went on to become the first female unit chief. After serving in private practice representing both civil and criminal clients, she was appointed by Governor Bill Clements to the bench of Tarrant's Criminal District Court No. 1. Sharen grew up in the Amarillo area, where she graduated from Amarillo College, Texas Tech University, and the Texas Tech University School of Law. In 2016, she was honored as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University Law School.

Podcast Summary Dr. Drumm McNaughton interviews Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, president at Amarillo College, about how to successfully transform a higher education institution to meet the needs of today's students in a way that that results in improved persistence and graduation rates. Podcast Highlights To successfully navigate the current environmental chaos, higher education institutions need to get a real handle on the students, who are often very different from the traditional students that attended college previously. Using this information can then inform the creation of structures and processes that truly meet students needs, instead of being based on tradition. COVID has provided a gut-check for many higher education leaders as to the challenges and barriers facing students. By acknowledging these, colleges and universities can create better structures and processes to support these students so that they can be successful. To read the full show notes, visit https://changinghighered.com/improve-persistence-and-graduation-rates Resources Dr. Drumm McNaughton provides governance consulting; strategic planning, implementation, and change management consulting, and accreditation consulting for higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm's website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader's Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com  

A conversation with Helen Burton, the small business owner behind Burton Insurance and Burton Leadership Solutions. Recipient of the 2019 Hispanic Woman of the Year award, Burton grew up in the Barrio neighborhood before attending Amarillo College as a single mom—and represented the first in her family to pursue higher education. She tells host Jason Boyett about her career path, breaking stereotypes, and why she is optimistic about the local business community. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing and La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings.

Today we're talking with Amarillo College President, Russell Lowery-Hart. He touches on the hardships caused by Covid, including experiencing depression for the first time. He says there are no right answers when it comes to dealing with Covid, just a sea of wrong answers to choose from. On the other hand, President Lowery-Hart says they're doing better work than they ever have before. People have truly been stepping up to the plate, but they're exhausted. He says it's important to acknowledge that we're experiencing a hard time and to admit when you don't have the answers. Covid has created an environment where people crave authenticity. President Lowery-Hart says they were approaching Fall semester as a move back to normal, but it's been anything but. He says students are scared to come back, but are also scared to not come back. People seem to be more worried about the present day and week over the future, making it harder to sell a long-term degree. They've had to rethink entire degree programs, and that's been hard to embrace because of burnout. Amarillo College was one of the recipients of the Mackenzie Scott award. President Lowery-Hart says the initial email was so cryptic that he didn't think it was real and almost didn't follow through. He went ahead and scheduled the phone call and was told that they knew what the college had accomplished and believed they would know best how to help their community. Within a week, Amarillo College had a $15 million gift wired into their account. President Lowery-Hart was speechless and emotional as he knew what this gift would mean for their community. The plan is to use a small portion to immediately benefit the community and will put the rest in an endowment and spend the next year planning long-term plans to combat poverty in the community. One thing President Lowery-Hart did was to talk to past recipients of the award to find out what they had learned in applying the funds. When asked for the best advice he's ever received, President Lowery-Hart remembers his late boss, who told him to never bring up a problem that you don't already have a solution for. On the other hand, the advice he would give is to be your authentic self and to say yes as often as you can. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

A conversation with Katie Blake, PhD, a social psychologist who teaches at Amarillo College and is a Masters-level yoga instructor. Though based in Amarillo, she also hosts a virtual community of women all over the world who are in the process of deconstructing their faith. Dr. Blake tells host Jason Boyett why a reevaluation of religious traditions and beliefs can be so valuable—and why relationships and support are critical during that process. This episode is sponsored by NCW, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and Blue Handle Publishing.

Host Paul Fain is joined by Russell Lowery-Hart, president of Amarillo College, and Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College, to discuss free college. They share their experiences running successful college promise scholarship programs and their ideas for what good policy would look like to expand free college nationally. The episode concludes with a sense-making segment with JFF's Lexi Barrett and David Altstadt.

Host Paul Fain is joined by Russell Lowery-Hart, president of Amarillo College, and Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College, to discuss free college. They share their experiences running successful college promise scholarship programs and their ideas for what good policy would look like to expand free college nationally. The episode concludes with a sense-making segment with JFF's Lexi Barrett and David Altstadt. Read JFF's blog for a recap of key takeaways and policy and programmatic resources.

Anette shares the Amarillo College Aspen Prize Top Ten event, with clips from Josh Wyner of the Aspen Institute, Secretary of State Dr. Miguel Cardona, First Lady Jill Biden, and AC President Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. Amarillo College was awarded the Rising Star Award, at spot five. When Anette started serving on the AC Board, AC ranked at over 900. Lots of hard work by the Amarillo College Team and six years later, it's quite an honor to now rank at #5 out of all the community colleges in the nation!

Anette takes her listeners along on a trip to the State Capitol in Austin, Texas to advocate for community colleges and public ed. The team includes Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College, fellow AC Regent Jay Barrett, principal of the new AmTech campus, and Amarillo ISD Superintendent Doug Loomis. Visits at the Capitol include Jacob Fraire, Executive Director of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, Dustin Meador, Director of Governmental Relations for TACC, Curtis Culwell, Executive Director of the Texas School Alliance, and legislators Senator Kel Seliger, and House Members Representatives Four Price and John Smithee. Learn about advocacy, and the concerns of those serving their communities. 

Anette visits with long-time friend and educational leader, Jay Barrett, soon become the principal of the new AmTech Career Academy in Amarillo ISD. Jay is an enthusiastic leader for other educators as well as for students, and he and Anette both serve on the boards of Amarillo College and the Community College of Texas Trustees together. Educational CareerJay has 36 total years’ experience in public education. He has been principal at Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning (AACAL) since 2008 and has served as principal in AISD for a total of 26 years, with stops at Forest Hill Elementary and Travis Middle School. He has also served as assistant principal at Tascosa High School and associate principal at Palo Duro High School. Before that, Jay taught English and coached tennis at Pampa after doing his student teaching in Rota, Spain.In June 2021, Jay will become the principal of AmTech Career AcademyRecent Awards2019 HEB North Texas Secondary Principal of the Year2019 Elbert K Fretwell Outstanding Educator of the year by the Golden Spread Council of Boy ScoutsCommunity InvolvementDeacon, First Baptist ChurchAmarillo College RegentSecretary, Community College Association of Texas Trustees Board of DirectorsPanhandle PBS Board of DirectorsAmarillo College Foundation Board of DirectorsChamber of Commerce Governmental Advisory CouncilAmarillo Police Training Advisory BoardWT Enterprise Center Board of DirectorsPanhandle Workforce Development Board of Directors, Executive CommitteeAmarillo Technology Initiative Board of DirectorsGolden Spread Council, Boy Scouts of America Board of DirectorsMaverick Boys' and Girls' Clubs in Amarillo Board of DirectorsCo-Founder, Gateway to Health Careers

Over half of Amarillo College's enrolled students are grappling with housing and/or food insecurity. In this episode, we talk to Amarillo College's president Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart about how the college's culture of caring is helping students succeed. The new documentary, The Antidote, shows stories of Amarillo College's commitment to eliminating barriers for students even before the pandemic created more challenges. 

In this episode of the Nonprofit Architect Podcast Travis speaks with Sara LeCarno; a first responder. Hearing her experience will remind you why you are serving your mission. Reminder To find out more about the Nonprofit Board Summit visit: https://www.nonprofitboardsummit.org/summit   Conversation Highlights: [02:23] Getting involved in the VeteransForLife! [06:41] How going through this type of program changes your perspective Memorable Quotes: 1. Shifting your perspective gives you a better outcome 2. Asking for help doesn't mean you're helpless 3. You can take any class but until you look in yourself it won't click 4. Self evaluate and begin the healing process 5. If you absorb someone's bad day then you have a bad day Bio: Sara was born and raised in Portland, OR. She left home at 18 to live on the east coast for a few years before moving to Amarillo, TX for 8 years. She was nationally certified as an EMT out of Amarillo College. She was hired on shortly after with Amarillo Medical Services before American Medical Response came to the area. It was then that AMS would transition over to AMR. She transitioned to Springfield, MO for the last 8 years. She is training as a Wilderness EMT certification through NOLS in hopes of becoming part of a Search and Rescue team at a state park. She is certified in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and a member of FEMA's Disaster Response Team. She has also been an FTO lead for 4 years. Sara LeCarno (417) 849-8566 saralecarno@yahoo.com   Nonprofit Architect Podcast Links  Website: https://nonprofitarchitect.org  Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NonprofitArchitect  

In this episode of the Nonprofit Architect Podcast Travis speaks with Sara LeCarno; a first responder. Hearing her experience will remind you why you are serving your mission. Reminder To find out more about the Nonprofit Board Summit visit: https://www.nonprofitboardsummit.org/summit   Conversation Highlights: [02:23] Getting involved in the VeteransForLife! [06:41] How going through this type of program changes your perspective Memorable Quotes: 1. Shifting your perspective gives you a better outcome 2. Asking for help doesn't mean you're helpless 3. You can take any class but until you look in yourself it won't click 4. Self evaluate and begin the healing process 5. If you absorb someone's bad day then you have a bad day Bio: Sara was born and raised in Portland, OR. She left home at 18 to live on the east coast for a few years before moving to Amarillo, TX for 8 years. She was nationally certified as an EMT out of Amarillo College. She was hired on shortly after with Amarillo Medical Services before American Medical Response came to the area. It was then that AMS would transition over to AMR. She transitioned to Springfield, MO for the last 8 years. She is training as a Wilderness EMT certification through NOLS in hopes of becoming part of a Search and Rescue team at a state park. She is certified in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and a member of FEMA’s Disaster Response Team. She has also been an FTO lead for 4 years. Sara LeCarno (417) 849-8566 saralecarno@yahoo.com   Nonprofit Architect Podcast Links  Website: https://nonprofitarchitect.org  Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NonprofitArchitect  

Joe West is a candidate for Amarillo City Council, Place 2. West, an administrative assistant at Amarillo College, is facing incumbent Freda Powell and challenger Jason Foglesong in the May 1 election for the seat. In today's episode, West calls in to discuss why he decided to run for City Council this year, his position on key issues like single-member districts and moving election dates, and more. • For news for West Texas, the Texas Panhandle, and more, visit www.amarillopioneer.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/liveinwesttexas/support

Higher education change management was critical in 2020 as college and university leaders dealt with crises brought on by COVID, and will remain so for 2021. This podcast features Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Deb Maue, and looks back at 2020 and predicts what 2021 has in store for higher ed. Overcoming 2020’s Challenges through Change Management The year 2020 was completely unpredictable with crises such as the pandemic emerging seemingly overnight. The nation and higher education have not recovered from what has happened—and it will be a long time before that recovery happens. However, significant good also came out of this year. For example, many people—such as Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, the president of Amarillo College—stepped up in showing what it means to be a servant leader. This meant getting out on the frontlines, helping to test individuals for COVID, using a mask,  demonstrating behaviors to protect everyone, and being very present for the students. These leaders also embraced transparency and strategic communications. Institutions also were able to turn on a dime as the pandemic emerged. Faculty at many colleges and universities converted their entire course load to online over a span of only a few weeks. It was incredible to see the speed that people willingly adapted and how institutions worked to get ready for people to return to campus. The pandemic also forced institutions to really figure out what their mission is—educating students. Dr. Billy Hawkins, the president of Talladega College, checked in regularly with students. This was noticed by both students and parents. Dr. Hawkins continues to meet monthly with student leaders to find out what is going on. These kinds of communications make the college experience so important for students. Academic prioritization also came to the forefront. A great template for this process was led by Dr. Lori Varlotta when she was at Hiram College.  They cut a number of programs that were not benefitting the students or the university. What made this effort unique is that Dr. Varlotta raised funds to provide a salary and benefits for a full year for faculty who were in programs that were terminated. This humane approach offers guidance for other institutions as they move forward in prioritizing academic programs in the wake of the pandemic and economic fall-out. Student needs also increased and many institutions stepped up to provide support. Amarillo College again was in the spotlight as it put in new counseling services for students and doing campus visits online. Additionally, some institutions raised and earmarked financial support to help students who were struggling financially. Employee needs also increased. Dr. Tom Marrs of Texas A&M University pointed out how employees are burning out due to the prolonged stress. Many employees have contracted COVID and also seen loved ones and friends struggle with it—and in some cases lose their lives. With no relief in sight for most of the year, the continued stress took a toll, which also impacted people’s ability to perform their jobs. That’s where employee assistance programs and other efforts focused on supporting staff have become even more meaningful. The pandemic has helped underscore the importance of humanity and thinking of others before oneself. 2020’s Student Enrollment Challenges The nation and the world have never experienced a pandemic like this for over a century. The death rate is huge—the daily death rate exceeds that of 9/11. This is fundamentally changing everything on our planet and in our nation. Enrollment was the top challenge facing higher education. College enrollment fell 2.5% from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020, which was almost twice the rate of decline. This represented almost 500,000 students. There were 327,000 fewer first-time students this fall, which was unprecedented. International student enrollment was down 43%. Public institutions experienced a 4% decline in enrollment while privates remained flat—and would have been lower if the graduate enrollments hadn’t helped boost them back up. Community colleges’ enrollment fell over 13%. Transfer students dropped. There were some bright lights, enrollment-wise. For-profits increased enrollments over 5% while graduates were up 3.6%. Community colleges were hit harder than expected. The challenge may be because prospective students often are from lower socioeconomic households who are looking for ways to get into a four-year institution. With the transfer rates between community colleges and four-year institutions being down, it could be possible that the drop in community college enrollments may be due to demographic and financial issues. Finances also are an issue. Moody’s is predicting that the net tuition revenue will decline in about 75% of private schools and 60% of publics. That’s a huge decline in revenues. Private universities have room and board as about 40% of their revenues, which makes it challenging. The publics faced major issues after the Great Recession when the cost didn’t change, but the state government allocations dropped; the tuition burden fell more on students than on states. Student costs and tuition continue to go up. There currently is $1.7 trillion in student debt. This is unsustainable. However, some institutions are trying to find sustainable financial models. For example, Southern New Hampshire University just set a limit to their annual tuition at $10,000 a year for on-line and $15,000 for face-to-face. Many students are transferring to online education because costs are less. This will challenge institutions to find ways to compete. Black Lives Matter and Societal Issues Higher education had to deal with four major issues this year: COVID, Black Lives Matter, climate change and the economy. Each of these issues on their own would be huge; together, they created a perfect storm. This is forcing higher education—and everyone else—to wake up. Long-time higher education leader Dr. Gordon Gee said, “The pandemic has accelerated needed change in higher education by a decade or more.” Black Lives Matter affected higher education in a major way through giving this type of activism a renewed sense of urgency. Protests emerged and grew, especially around the election. Both faculty and students were demanding more emphasis and attention be given to these types of issues, especially in regards to police. Some institutions said they were not going to have police on campus any more. Many buildings are being renamed and statutes are coming down. The superintendent of Virginia Military Institute resigned after racist accusations that were going on at that school. Higher Education Policy Changes Major issues happened with Title IX at the federal level. The Department of Education changed many of the rules on adjudication. Many of these decisions are going to be set aside under the Biden Administration. Distance education also was a significant change point. Higher education had to embrace distance education due to the pandemic. With the Negotiated Rulemaking from 2019 that just went into effect, there’s a significant number of changes to the rules. In some cases, decisions--such as substantive interaction—are good; in this case, that’s going to give rise to institutions similar to Western Governor’s where they are doing competency-based education. It’s not going to be the faculty member being the “sage on the stage” as much. Instead, there will be flipped classrooms and students being more in charge of their learning. Faculty interactions need to be good, but they only need to be once a week. Mergers and closures will continue. There was a big one this year as University of Arizona acquired Ashford University. This consolidation helps the University of Arizona expand its online programs. Additionally, some colleges face sudden closures based on financial crises. Last Year’s Predictions One of last year’s predictions involved the restructuring of the NCAA. The issues that are currently happening in regards to football exposed the NCAA’s inner workings, especially in that some conferences have significantly more power than others. The NCAA will face changes. For example, the current case before the Supreme Court may lead to athlete compensation when their image is used. This will make the rich universities richer because students will want to play at colleges and universities where they can get more publicity. Another prediction from last year was that fundraising would change. This proved to be true, although because of COVID not in the way that was predicted. Fundraising also changed based on Black Lives Matter, especially in relation to naming buildings. There will be more due diligence. Mergers and closures were also predicted. While this also has happened, it hasn’t happened at quite the rate that was predicted. A lot of that has to do with the CARES Act, which infused critical funds into higher education. Another prediction was that higher education would develop partnerships with businesses to increase opportunities for employees to gain credentials. This is now starting but it isn’t at the degree originally predicted because of COVID.   Looking Forward - Predictions for 2021 Enrollment declines will continue due to the enrollment cliff and the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. This also is part of the finances because of the COVID pandemic. Enrollments may be down the same amount or more than this year as foreshadowed by the decline in applications and FAFSA filings. Finances combined with the enrollment cliff are coming into play. The positive note is that graduate education and degree completion is moving up, which is balancing the loss of enrollment. Institutions need to be positioned properly and understand their mission and the programs that speak to their ideal student. Traditional students will be moving to online universities in larger numbers. Universities with strong online presences, such as Western Governor’s University, University of Arizona, and Southern New Hampshire University are doing well—and will gobble up other programs or create alliances with MOOCs to keep costs down. This also is forcing many institutions to reconsider online education options for their traditional undergraduate students, who now are demanding this option. Non-traditional students also are making up more of the online enrollment; this group needs the flexibility that online education offers. With the Biden Administration taking office, education is going to come back to being in more in the forefront. President Trump and Secretary Betsy DeVos focused on choice; this will be curtailed in the new administration. The new Secretary of Education has a strong educational background from Connecticut, which should be very good for public institutions. If there is a new CARES Act, more money should be steered toward higher education. Free college is a great idea for individuals in certain income levels but this may not happen. The forgiveness of debt is far more realistic. The question becomes how much to forgive and what is fair. Also, having Dr. Jill Biden in the White House will be significant; she will have a big influence on education. Also, hopefully there will be less politicization of education in the future because people realize that education is the awakening of people’s minds. Mergers and acquisitions will continue to come forward. While many institutions have survived the pandemic to this point, many have been bled deeply. These institutions may not be able to survive; in fact, 75% of CFOs in higher education are expressing concerns. The game changer for next year will be the vaccine. The go-go years leading up to the Great Recession are gone. Higher education needs to do a better job of partnering with businesses and employers about what they need. Additionally, the purpose of higher education is for the greater good and to develop life-long learners.  So while higher education does need to prepare students for their first jobs, it also needs to instill the understanding of the need for life-long learning. Bullet Points 2020 was completely unpredictable. It will take a lengthy period of time before the nation and higher education return to normal. Higher education had to deal with four major issues this year: COVID, Black Lives Matter, climate change and the economy. Each of these issues on their own would be huge; together, they created a perfect storm. Servant leaders emerged on the frontlines, helping to test individuals for COVID, using a mask, demonstrating behaviors to protect everyone, being very present for the students, and embracing transparency and strategic communications. Institutions turned on a dime as the pandemic emerged. Faculty converted their entire course load to online over a span of only a few weeks while other employees worked to make campuses safe for people to return. The pandemic forced institutions to really focus on what their mission is—educating students. Academic prioritization also came to the forefront as institutions tried to determine how to move forward during the pandemic and the ensuing economic downturn. The challenge is to create a process that treats employees and faculty who are laid-off humanely. Student needs also increased and many institutions stepped up to provide support through counseling and finances. Employees also needed support so many institutions utilized counseling, employee assistance programs and financial support programs to provide assistance. Enrollment was the top challenge facing higher education with declines in most areas. The pandemic may cause up to 20% of higher institutions to close or be acquired due to financial issues. Finances also are an issue. Moody’s is predicting that the net tuition revenue will decline in about 75% of private schools and 60% of publics. Student costs and tuition continue to go up, and there currently is $1.7 trillion in student debt. This is unsustainable. Institutions are starting to develop new models that are more affordable for students. Black Lives Matter brought activism back to campus. This movement forced institutions to look closely at policies, procedures and practices. It also forced institutions to do due diligence before accepting major gifts with naming rights. Title IX shifted to protect the accused, but this probably will shift again once the Biden Administration comes into office. A significant number of changes to the rules about distance education just went into effect due to the negotiated rulemaking process in 2019. In some cases, decisions--such as substantive interaction—are good. Mergers are starting to happen. Some allow institutions to increase their reach, such as into the distance education market. Some institutions are also facing a financial cliff that can lead to sudden closure. The NCAA will continue to face changes. For example, the current Supreme Court case may lead to athlete compensation when their image is used. While mergers and closures were predicted last year, the rate didn’t match what was predicted. This has to do with the CARES Act, which provided a lifeline to struggling institutions. Another prediction was increased partnerships with businesses to increase opportunities for employees to gain credentials. This is now starting but it isn’t at the degree because of COVID. Another prediction that was impacted by COVID was that higher education would develop partnerships with businesses to increase opportunities for employees to gain credentials. This is now starting to emerge. Predictions for 2021 Enrollment drops will continue, due to the combination of the enrollment cliff and students’ and families’ financial issues due to COVID. The positive note is that graduate education and degree completion is moving up, which helps to balance the loss of undergrad enrollment. Institutions need to be positioned properly and understand their mission and the programs that speak to their ideal student. Traditional students will be moving to online universities in larger numbers. Universities with strong online presences will continue to find ways to increase their market share. Other institutions will focus on creating or bringing more programs online. Education will move back to the forefront in the Biden Administration, especially having a Dr (Jill Biden) in the White House. Mergers and acquisitions will continue to emerge as many institutions have been financially bled to death during the pandemic. The COVID vaccine will be the game change. With that said, higher education needs to develop partnerships with businesses and also stress the concept of life-long learning in current students. Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Guests Social Media Links: Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahmaue/   The Change Leader’s Social Media Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-change-leader/about/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #change management #governance #university #highereducation #education

Dr. Tamara Clunis, VP for Academic Affairs at Amarillo College, gives the keynote for the 2020 Student Success Summit. Get In Touch! You can connect with Kara Monroe on twitter @KNMTweets Reach out with show ideas, comments, or questions via twitter or at our email address - ourcollegeyourvoices@ivytech.edu. Leave us a voice mail at 317-572-5049. Respond to the Call for Action, ask a question, give a shout out to a colleague, or an episode suggestion. Check out show notes, listen to past episodes, and get instructions on how to access the podcast on our website at http://www.ivytech.edu/podcast.

A conversation with Dr. Paul Matney, the retired past president of Amarillo College. A longtime educator, Matney spent more than three decades teaching media and communications students at WT and AC—while also serving as a weekend weatherman, a baseball umpire, and the face of AC within the larger community. He shares with host Jason Boyett about the broad scope of his career in education, and why we need to keep an eye on Amarillo's history as we look to the city's future. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Wieck Realty.

Amarillo College’s Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) serves as a safe space for students affected by poverty, about 15% of their student population. At one point, however, the program was barely utilized and the issue of poverty was an uncomfortable conversation in the meeting rooms. In the season 1 finale, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College, walks us through his journey of discovery. How, if ignored, the homeless would continue to be invisible, their struggles would be hidden, and their chance at an education would be lost. Nationally recognized for his work around poverty initiatives, we break down how he scaled the ARC initiative for real impact, changing the way Amarillo College serves their students. From his reflection on a homelessness simulation to the candid conversations with students, Dr. Lowery-Hart’s passion and perspective will inspire you to step up and help those in need.

Seventeen years ago, Panhandle Twenty/20 officially launched in a community event attended by several hundred community leaders and others. Today, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart serves as guest-host to interview Anette about those beginnings, and the journey they have been on together since. Special intro from an incredibly relevant blogpost written by Seth Godin.

Being a professional photographer has been a lifetime passion for Jim Livingston. He picked up a camera at age 14. While Jim has been honing his craft for four decades, he has filled the shoes of various careers, including serving others as a social worker and practicing law. Jim studied photography at Amarillo College.Currently, Jim's passion for his art/photography business is not only his love and joy, his work continues to inspire others. Panhandle Magazine and Accent West are two magazines that recently featured Jim's work. Jim is well known as The Texas night sky photographer, "I am Route 66", a storm chaser, and helping others in a time when Covid has challenged small business owners. Check out his amazing work at: www.jimlivingstonart.com

Anette visits with her friend, America Adame, who shares her inspiring story of how education and hard work helped her move out of poverty and into success. Anette first met America when she was a single mom of two young children while taking 21 hours of coursework in summer school at Amarillo College. America is an amazing young lady, so please enjoy her honesty in sharing her journey so far.

Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, federal coronavirus relief aid was distributed based on full-time equivalent (FTE) students instead of total student head count. That means that Amarillo College, serving 10,000 undergraduate students in the Texas panhandle received the same relief dollars as Brown University, an ivy league school in Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling about 7,000 students.

A conversation with Melodie Graves, Associate Director of Advising at Amarillo College and member of the executive board of the Amarillo Branch of the NAACP. A long-time community activist, she shares with host Jason Boyett about being bussed to south Amarillo from the North Heights, her experience with subtle racism in high school and explicit racism while pursuing her Masters, and what the last few weeks of pandemic and protests have taught her about Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by Bivins Pointe and La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put even more pressure on institutions that serve underrepresented populations. One such institution is Amarillo College in Amarillo, TX. This community college is redefining its efforts to reach and engage its student body, many of whom are non-traditional and underrepresented students. Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart is the college’s president. A product of the area, he previously served as a faculty member and associate provost of academic affairs at nearby West Texas A&M University (WTAM) before moving to Amarillo College as vice president of academics. He assumed the college’s presidency in 2014. Focus on Educational Attainment While serving as WTAM’s associate provost, Dr. Lowery-Hart was part of a community study on educational attainment in the Amarillo community. The data suggested that the community would be at-risk if the educational path for the majority of students did not fundamentally change. The institution that would be most critical in changing that trajectory was Amarillo College, the area’s community college. With that in mind, Dr. Lowery-Hart applied for the position of Amarillo’ College’s vice president for academic when the position came open. He wanted to make this move because he understood that the college was going to be the epicenter in changing the community’s economic future. Dr. Lowery-Hart considers himself an academic at heart so he looks at issues from a faculty perspective. When he came to Amarillo College, he initially looked at the institutional success rates, which were low. Wanting to understand what was happening in the classroom, Dr. Lowery-Hart assumed what the answers behind why students were failing so profoundly centered on academics. While that was partially true, students also told him that the biggest barriers to their academic success had nothing to do with what was going on in the classroom; instead, the biggest barriers were child care, health care, transportation, housing, food, utility payments, legal services and mental health support. That understanding of the students’ situation changed Dr. Lowery-Hart as a person as well as a professional. He realized that the college’s infrastructure and support services needed to change dramatically in order to prepare students for workforce demands as well as transferring to universities. Changing Perceptions about Students Hearing students’ stories highlighted the fact that higher education is often built around a history that doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality of students that are in the community and on campuses. Institutions often are committed to perpetuating the wrong thinking that they need to serve the students that used attend instead of the student that is here now. Conversations with students also taught Dr. Lowery-Hart that higher education administrators and faculty need to fall in love with the current students, instead of the students that the institution wishes it has or used to have. This means listening to, acknowledging and seeing students for who they are, and using their voices to shape the institution’s work. Higher education needs to provide a familial context in order to learn profoundly – students don’t care how much faculty and administrators know until they know how much they care. To that end, Amarillo College held a professional development training as part of a poverty certification. Administrators, faculty and staff learned that while students who have nuclear family are enrolled in some form or fashion, generational poverty has changed how many students see themselves, their world and their own advocacy. Dr. Lowery-Hart said that most institutions are set up to support people like those already in higher education instead of supporting students who come from poverty. Generational poverty teaches passivity and that hard work isn’t rewarded because people who live in poverty have done the hard work without seeing it pay off. This realization caused Amarillo College to rethink its bureaucracy, messaging and support systems. It also caused the institution to embrace the concept of love, with the idea that love through education can help someone emerge from generational poverty. Because of this work, Amarillo College used its student enrollment data created a composite student, which they have named Maria. Maria is 27 years old, a Hispanic female who has real financial need. She is working two part-time jobs and raising a child while going to college. This type of student is common in most community colleges and at many universities. Dr. Lowery-Hart noted that the institution needs to design itself around “Maria’s” needs while at the same time being cognizant of keeping male students on a successful pathway. Improving Student Services Amarillo College already had numerous innovative student services in place before the pandemic. Dr. Lowery-Hart said that life barriers need to be removed to help students embrace the learning. Providing systems of support have fundamentally altered students’ outcomes. Some of these structures are unique. For example, Dr. Lowery-Hart has hired four social workers to bring robust community support to the college and to case-manage students through their classes and into success while ensuring they have the resources they need to graduate. Amarillo College also expanded the number of available counselors because so many students grew up in generational poverty and are struggling with trauma that many cannot understand. Additionally, there is academic support, through required tutoring, coaching and mentoring. The system that Amarillo College put in place, which was instrumental in increasing the college’s completion rate from 19% five years ago to 52% currently, includes: Social workers, who are structurally connecting students to support; Required tutoring in classes to help students improve their learning; A mentor or coach, to help students connect with resources and navigate the bureaucracy ; and A counseling center to provide emotional support. Additionally, the poverty training also helped faculty understand their role on the frontline because they have the most robust relationship with these students. Because faculty serve as the glue to help the students get to the proper services when they need it, the college created an early alert system in the faculty’s grade book so they can alert appropriate support staff that they have a student who needs specific assistance. The training also helped faculty members change their paradigm. Faculty were seeing students who were not coming to class and/or sleeping in class as not being successful. The faculty had been internalizing these situation, thinking that they were not able to engage their students. What the poverty training helped highlight is that faculty cannot assume they automatically understand what the student’s behavior means. Instead, faculty need to ask. For example, students who were sleeping in class were working the night shift at the meat-packing plant in the community. Students who were late to class were delayed by unreliable public transit. This understanding freed faculty to see that they weren’t the center of student disengagement, but that they could be the center of supporting students in a more effective learning environment. By giving faculty resources and a few key pieces of information, the college has created an important support system for students. In the Aftermath of COVID The COVID pandemic highlighted the fact that many students don’t have technology resources, a danger which will disparately affect these students by moving everything online. Therefore, Amarillo College focuses on tech-supported learning, as opposed to online learning. Online learning creates fear for many students because they think they don’t have the skills or ability. Tech-support focuses on the learning instead of being online (although that is there).  Additionally, more counseling, tutoring and advising sessions are available through tech-supported learning, although the way these are accessed are different. Amarillo College also had a subset of students who did not have access to technology at home. Dr. Lowery-Hart believed it was important to keep one of the school’s largest computer labs open with every safety protocol imaginable so that these students could access it during the pandemic. The college also moved to the lab’s circle desk and, wearing a mask, Dr. Lowery-Hart pitched in personally by taking students’ temperatures and asking them all the protocol questions. He then connected students to a group of employees who could help students get online or help them access tutoring or advising. Most students didn’t know it was him doing this as his lower face, including his beard, were covered. Dr. Lowery-Hart stated that being on the frontlines at this time was important as the president of the institution. He also believed strongly that the college needed to keep those services available because otherwise students would fail or drop out, and the college would never get them back. He also noted that once students realized that the president was the person helping them in the computer lab, they had a stronger understanding of the institution’s commitment to them. Lessons from the Pandemic One of the biggest lessons involved the counseling center. Robust counseling services were available prior to COVID, but half of these appointments were cancelled. The college found that moving these appointments to a Google Meets environment resulted in fewer cancellations, while also being able to counsel students more profoundly. The same thing is happening with advising. Moving forward, Dr. Lowery-Hart believes that much of the advising and counseling services will be offered through an online platform because the college is seeing more students. The college also is seeing more need as well as more trauma, and is working with Heal the City, a free area clinic, in a partnership. That way, college counselors can connect students to a psychologist who can assist them until they can get more robust psychological intervention. Post-COVID, the college will try to use these new tools that have emerged during the pandemic to serve more students. The counseling and advising centers will remain in a remote environment moving forward because students are accessing these more freely and are being served more effectively. Changes in Academics In the breakneck transition to a remote learning environment online, students have given the college a lot of grace, but by the time the fall semester comes around, that grace period ends and the college needs to be experts at it. Faculty are really embracing professional development opportunities that are being offered and incentivized by the college in relation to doing a better job in creating a remote learning environment. When the college comes back in session in the fall term in whatever form, faculty will be extremely effective in whatever modality of learning is used. COVID has expatiated that transformation. The institution also is assessing which classes are best suited for a remote environment and which should be taught in a hybrid or face-to-face environment. These decisions now can be made using data instead of instructor- or student-comfort level. Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders Dr. Lowery-Hart suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders: Develop the composite of who your student is, not who you think she is. Make your typical student the center of your re-imagination of your institution in a post-COVID world. Use a secret shopper process. Dr. Lowery-Hart each year identifies a handful of students and pays them to be a secret shopper so they can report back on their experiences using school processes. These shoppers help him understand the student experience beyond typical survey data. Each year, the focus is different. In the past, these have included the onboarding process, the tutoring process, the learning experiences and the advising process. You have to understand what your students need on the front line and what your employees on the front line need from you. Bullet Points Community and local commuter colleges may be the linchpin in helping communities maintain economic viability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education leaders need to ask students about the barriers to learning they are facing, rather than relying solely on conjecture or past history. The institution’s administrators, faculty and staff need to fall in love with the students who are at the institution, instead of focusing on a different type of student who are not in attendance. A composite student that is based on enrollment data can help leaders, faculty and staff have a template of what students are facing and the assistance they need. Generational poverty is a major factor facing many students. Therefore, it is important for leaders, faculty and students to get a better understanding of what this means for students and how to develop meaningful services that will help these students succeed. Support systems can include social workers, counseling, tutoring and advising. These systems need to be built with student need and usage in mind. Faculty are the frontline staff members with students, and they need to have a strong understanding of generational poverty and what services are available so they can make appropriate referrals to support students. Generational poverty also may mean that students are intimidated by online learning. Therefore, tech-supported learning that provides additional assistance may be the best way to go. Some students may not have access to technology to be able to do online learning. Therefore, the college needs to look for innovative ways to make these technology available so that students can succeed. The pandemic has increased the need for many services. In addition, many students are facing increased trauma. Consider forming a partnership with a community organization in order to provide necessary resources to support students. Higher education needs to continue to improve its online course offerings through professional development. In the wake of the pandemic, it’s important for institutions to use data to determine which courses are best taught online, which need to be hybrid and which work best as face-to-face courses. Institutional leaders need to be the face of the institution in times of crisis. By interacting regularly with students, leaders can help underscore how much the institution cares about each student’s issues and success. Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview: Amarillo College Russell Lowery-Hart Guests Social Media Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellloweryhart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/loweryhart?lang=en The Change Leader’s Social Media Links: Website: https://thechangeleader.com Website: https://changinghighered.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #Education #University #BlackLivesMatter #HigherEducation

This time around, Anette interviews Mark Nair, entrepreneur, innovator, and chair of Business Systems and Emerging Technology at Amarillo College where he teaches economics and technology. You may remember Episode #20, where Mark interviewed Anette about running in the primaries. This discussion focuses on teaching college students economics and Swift coding, the move to online learning, even before COVID-19, and the intersection of education, economics, innovation, and the future. 

"I have to do something. How can I help?" As residents feel the impact of the economic shutdown due to COVID-19, Amarillo people are finding ways to help. Alex Fairly of The Fairly Group explains the company's "Stay Home and Sing" contest, as voting begins with a generous giveaway. Kelsey Forsberg has sewn around 500 cloth masks. Tremaine Brown of Shi-Lee's Barbecue & Soul Food Cafe has given out 30,000 meals to hungry kids. Amarillo College president Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart has spent a month manning the AC help desk. These interviews were recorded before April 27, 2020. Things may have changed by the time you listen. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative.

Production team:Host : Maria XenidouProducer: Julie-Roxane KrikorianIntroduction Voice: David Bourne  Contact us:impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com  Music credits:Like Lee performed by The Mini VandalsTransition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks Where to find more about Anette Carlisle:Anette Carlisle’s WebsiteAnette Carlisle on LinkedInAnette’s Podcast: Anette on Education Mentioned in this episode:Palo Duro Canyon State ParkAmarillo CollegeAmarillo College Board of RegentsCenter for Public Policy PrioritiesHope Center for College, Community and JusticeThe #RealCollege MovementSara Goldrick-Rab, Founding of the Hope Center for College, Community and JusticeColleges Are No Match for American Poverty, an article about Amarillo College’s poverty iniative in The AtlanticCase Study of Amarillo College: Supporting Community College Completion with a Culture of Caring by Sara Goldrick-Rab and Clare CadyLeadership WomenH-E-B Excellence in Education Awards School Board TeamCharles ButtPastors for Texas ChildrenTexas Panhandle P-16 CouncilDr. Steve Murdock, Texas State DemographerAnn Richards Listen to this episode and explore:Childhood: spending time outdoors to study the world around her (3:26)Getting her bachelor and master degrees in zoology to become an evolutionary biologist (5:31)What triggered her interest in biology and zoology: the desire to understand better of the world around her (6:57)After college: being a researcher before becoming a stay-at-home mom (8:44)Anette’s passion for public education: creating more opportunities for more people (9:47)Starting the Panhandle Twenty/20 to lower poverty levels and improve educational outcomes for people in her community (13:35)Practical examples of partnering with other members of the community to tackle their complex educational issues (17:49)Fighting the scarcity mindset: creating a caring culture to improve the collective good beyond the individual (20:49)Measuring their progress towards their goal (22:47)Offering guidance and career-focused advice to high schoolers to help them make college choices (23:55)  The #RealCollege Movement: Amarillo college’s initiative to reduce poverty and improve educational outcomes (28:56)The rise of for-profit education vs public education (31:37)The crucial importance of investing in public education and funding public schools (35:15)Leadership Women: Anette’s efforts on gender equality (38:26)The critical roles women can play in the future of communities (40:04)Her podcasting journey: building communities focused on education through a new medium (42:11)Anette’s advice on how to start getting involved in solving education-related problems (48:09)The one thing Anette wants to leave her mark on during her lifetime (51:25)Maria’s key takeaways and call-to-action (57:28) 

Special Edition for COVID-19: Hear how Amarillo College is responding to the challenges that the Coronavirus pandemic has thrown at us and everyone else. A great team that continues to grow our Culture of Caring at AC, led by our president, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. Keep on educating our students, all! 

The City of Amarillo confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in the area, Amarillo College has entered phase two of it's COVID-19 action plan, and local businesses stepping up to help kids during spring break, that and more with today's ICYMI Eagle News Update.

When you have a guest host like Mark Nair, hang on! Mark and I talk about my primary runs for the Texas House, SBOE, about Panhandle Twenty/20, and much more! While he wanted me to entitle this episode "The Burning Pants of Democracy," I stuck with a less flashy title. Thanks for guest-hosting, Mark!Mark Nair is the chair of Business Systems and Emerging Technology at Amarillo College where he teaches economics and technology. He has spent more than 20 years building digital platforms that handle digital content, rights management, and digital distribution. He has an extensive patent portfolio on a variety of innovative technologies. As president of Redigi, Inc, he built the world’s first used digital marketplace with blockchain and crypto tokens and currencies. He is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, a founding business mentor for the Texas Tech Innovation Hub, and a National Science Foundation iCorp mentor.He has worked closely with large retailers, including Walmart, to develop digital marketing strategies for in-store promotions and events including the first generation Walmart.com website. He has built retail custom CD and DVD burning kiosks, in-store ringtone distribution stations, music and book promotional stations, digital signage displays, and back-end massively scalable content management systems, the world’s largest book scanning and AI analysis of indexes and meta-content.He has also produced one of the Internet’s earliest and largest live streaming events for Nick Lachey and 98 Degrees, as well as producing innovative digital marketing campaigns for Willie Nelson, Stephen King, and many other well-known artists. He’s worked with Thomas Dolby and Headspace Labs on the design of early polyphonic ringtones.He has also worked with Nokia in Helsinki on content for their early digital smartphone prototypes as well as with Phillips Electronics in Eindhoven on smart audio waveform interpretation for digital compression and has worked with Quanta in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, China to designing a new type of e-book reader based on dynamic LCD light sensitive displays.Mark has his undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Texas A&M University and attended law school at the University of Texas School of Law.He has been a member of the San Antonio Arts and Grants Commission, a board member of the Don Harrington Discovery Center, Wildcat Bluff Nature Center, BigBrothers Big Sisters, the Amarillo Adult Literacy Council, Panhandle Twenty/20, Haven Health Clinics, the Amarillo Little Theatre, and Mariposa Eco Village.He’s been invited to speak for a variety of panels and institutions including: the National Association of Broadcasters, QuickTime Live, the Consumer Electronics Show, Texas Tech University, Rice University. He has spoken about music and interactivity at the South by Southwest conference, postmodern literature and art at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the abstraction of modern American literature and science at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and quantum mechanics at the Hong Kong science museum.He currently lives in Texas with his wife and three children. He enjoys languages and speaks German and Mandarin, as well as English.

Victoria Taylor-Gore's surrealistic, luminous paintings are imaginary places at the boundary of twilight and dreams. Seemingly devoid of people, her paintings pull you into their quiet mystery. Her paintings fill your mind with questions: Who opened the motel room door? Who left the suitcase by the neatly made bed? Who is in the car whose lit headlamp spills light through the open door of the motel? Where is this lonely motel? Where did the people go? Have they just arrived? Or, are they getting ready to depart? It appears that the inhabitant of the room has just stepped out of sight. Or, have they? Then you realize that perhaps you are the inhabitant of that room. You've become a part of Victoria’s painting and its mystery. Victoria, who recently retired as the dean of liberal arts at Amarillo College, now devotes herself full-time to creating pastel and mixed-media paintings inspired by her love of film noir, the landscape of the high plains, and Route 66. Her use of exaggerated perspective creates a sense of unease and suspense. The open doors and windows invite movement between intimate interiors and dark, open exteriors – heightening your curiosity as to what lies either beyond or within. Her unique visual vocabulary is beautifully expressed in her evocative paintings of Quiet Surrealism. I recently saw Victoria Taylor-Gore mentioned in Southwest Art magazine article. It was an exciting reminder of a conversation I had with her about ten years ago when I interviewed Victoria in a filmmaking and photography podcast I used to produce. At that time, a revolution in photography and video had appeared seemingly out of nowhere that allowed creators to produce high definition video of stunning cinematic quality with affordable digital DSLR cameras. It was an exciting development that encouraged creative experimentation. Victoria was an early adopter of this new video technology. She began experimenting with making videos using her collection of vintage toy cars, dollhouses, and figurines. Having seen her work, I invited her to be interviewed in that early podcast. In that first conversation, I learned that Victoria was inspired by film noir, surrealist artist Giorgio de Chirico, and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Ten years later that inspiration continues to influence her art. Mentioned in this episode: Victoria Taylor-Gore website: https://www.victoriataylorgore.com Victoria on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria-Taylor-Gores-Page-342542963435/ Victoria on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vtg60/ Listener websites: Frank Walsh: https://frankwalshoriginals.com Sarah Skinner: https://sarahskinnerwildlifeart.wordpress.com About the Artful Painter: The Artful Painter website: https://carlolson.tv Donate to support the Artful Painter: https://carlolson.tv/donate Send me an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847 https://www.facebook.com/carlolsontv/ Reading Essentials: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIo1YmQXnMm21b-Slkr69Tg This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This week we discuss the barriers faced by low-income students with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, president of the Amarillo College. In his time as president, he's overseen significant increases in student retention and graduation rates while also working to make his institution an economic driver for the community and region. On the show, Dr. Lowery-Hart shares how Amarillo College made such radical change happen and the many opportunities for higher education to break tradition and adapt to a changing world.

The leadership at Amarillo Colleges in Texas wants nothing more than for its students to succeed. And they knew that in order to empower every student to make the most of their potential, they need to understand every student. But how? The college has operated in its community for 90 years, and the makeup of the community and the needs of students have changed dramatically over time. In this episode, Amarillo Colleges Regent Jay Barrett and President Russell Lowery-Hart profile the college's most significant student, Maria, and explain how getting to know her has transformed the institution.  Maria is a “the typical student at Amarillo College. She’s...female. She’s first-generation; 71 percent of our students are first generation. She goes to school part time; 60 percent of our students go to class 12 (credit) hours a year. She’s working two part-time jobs. She’s the mother of at least 1.2 kids, and she’s 28 years old," according to Lowery-Hart. She is highly intelligent and tenacious—but she won't reach her potential without higher education. Maria is a composite representative of the typical Amarillo College student, and understanding her needs and motivations has proven to be the key to success for the college. By empowering Maria as a secret shopper, asking her to write the college values, and redesigning systems around her, completion rates at the college improved from 19 percent to 48 percent over three years.  This episode was recorded live during the 50th Annual ACCT Leadership Congress in San Francisco, California.

The leadership at Amarillo Colleges in Texas wants nothing more than for its students to succeed. And they knew that in order to empower every student to make the most of their potential, they need to understand every student. But how? The college has operated in its community for 90 years, and the makeup of the community and the needs of students have changed dramatically over time. In this episode, Amarillo Colleges Regent Jay Barrett and President Russell Lowery-Hart profile the college's most significant student, Maria, and explain how getting to know her has transformed the institution.  Maria is a “the typical student at Amarillo College. She’s...female. She’s first-generation; 71 percent of our students are first generation. She goes to school part time; 60 percent of our students go to class 12 (credit) hours a year. She’s working two part-time jobs. She’s the mother of at least 1.2 kids, and she’s 28 years old," according to Lowery-Hart. She is highly intelligent and tenacious—but she won't reach her potential without higher education. Maria is a composite representative of the typical Amarillo College student, and understanding her needs and motivations has proven to be the key to success for the college. By empowering Maria as a secret shopper, asking her to write the college values, and redesigning systems around her, completion rates at the college improved from 19 percent to 48 percent over three years.  This episode was recorded live during the 50th Annual ACCT Leadership Congress in San Francisco, California.

Anette and Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart have worked together since 2003, and they review some of their Panhandle Twenty/20 journey together here. Dr. Lowery-Hart is president of Amarillo College, which has won two national awards in 2019 for the poverty reduction efforts which grew out of this Collective Impact work. Read more about the work of Amarillo College in The Atlantic and The Hope Center. 

Amarillo College and the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association have come to an agreement on sharing the downtown campus space, demolition of a building in downtown Amarillo will impact traffic, plenty of area events this week, and more with today's ICYMI Eagle News Update.

The Amarillo City Council set to meet this afternoon, Amarillo College seeing an increase in enrollment for the fall semester, the San Diego Padres making a nice donation to five different area non-profits, and more with today's ICYMI Eagle News Update.

A conversation with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, the president of Amarillo College. Born in Slaton and educated at WTAMU, he succeeded Dr. Paul Matney at AC in 2014—and was almost immediately met with a funding crisis. With host Jason Boyett, Lowery-Hart talks about navigating that crisis, learning hard lessons about leadership, and how AC came out stronger on the other side. The two dive deep into his upbringing and career as they discuss what makes the Amarillo area so special. This episode is sponsored by the Mani-Camper and Dr. Eddy Sauer. Grab BeerFest tickets HERE.

This week we sit down with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College.  Dr. Lowery-Hart explains how AC has changed the way it meets the needs of its students. AC's innovative approach has garnered national attention for the college.  Dr. Lowery-Hart shares how the plan came to be, and how students have responded. For more information about Amarillo College: Web: CLICK HERE Phone: 806.371.5000

More information on the officer-involved shooting from Wednesday, you have a chance speak up on a possible replacement plan for Thompson Park Pool, Amarillo College and WGU Texas signed an agreement and more with today's ICYMI Eagle News Update.

The Amarillo Fire Department responded to a two-alarm structure fire in downtown Amarillo last night, Downtown paid parking will soon be enforced as the grace period nears it's end, and Amarillo College seeing benefits of the No Excuses Poverty Initiative. That and more with today's ICYMI Eagle News Update.

A conversation with Jill Gibson, chair of the Matney Mass Media program at Amarillo College. After earning degrees from Stanford and Northwestern, Jill arrived in Amarillo as a TV broadcaster expecting to quickly move on to a larger market. That was 25 years ago. She and host Jason Boyett discuss why she's still here, what she discovered at Amarillo College, and why AC's media students are so successful. This episode is sponsored by Six Car Pub & Brewery. Support the podcast via Patreon.com/heyamarillo.

Aaron Faver and Dr. Beth Rodriguez from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Amarillo College visit about topics ranging from local, regional, and national politics and policy, psychology, and a variety of other issues.

Dr. Lowery-Hart was selected into the inaugural class of the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence, a rigorous executive leadership program led by the Aspen Institute and the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative. Dr. Lowery-Hart served as the chair for the Amarillo “No Limits/No Excuses” Partners for Postsecondary Success Collective Impact – a 21 organization collaborative focused on education certificate and degree completion leading to living wage employment. He served as the chair for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee charged with evaluating and redesigning the state of Texas general education requirements. Dr. Lowery-Hart previously served as Vice-President of Academic Affairs for Amarillo College. He was named the National Council of Instructional Administrators Academic Leader of the Year for 2014. He received his Ph.D. from Ohio University; M.A. Texas Tech University; and, B.S. from West Texas State University. While his calling is education reform, his passion is family. His wife, Tara, sons Christopher and Campbell, daughter, Cadence fill his life with beauty and joy.

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, President of Amarillo College, previews his "Welcome Luncheon" keynote address at the 2019 Florida College Access Network Summit. 

Doug Criscitello of Massachusetts Institute of Technology on national debt. Zoya DeNure of Crazy Dog Kennels on dog race musher. Mike Joner of BYU on China landing on the "Dark Side" of the Moon. Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Division on succulent smuggling consequences. Erin Beckloff on preserving the letterpress. Russell Lowery-Hart of Amarillo College on battling poverty in community colleges.

A conversation with Derek Weathersbee, a graphic design instructor at Amarillo College and a font creator whose typefaces are used all over the world—from Taco Bell advertising to the NFL Network. With host Jason Boyett, Derek talks about his decision to return to Amarillo from Dallas and details just how much the millennials he teaches (plus younger generations) have to offer the city. This episode is sponsored by Six Car Pub & Brewery and SKP Creative. Support the podcast via Patreon.com/heyamarillo.

A conversation with Jason Boyett, host and creator of this podcast. Jason is a longtime designer, copywriter and author who has been working in Amarillo's marketing and advertising industry for nearly two decades. Interviewed by Dusty Green, Jason explains his longtime interest in theology, how he found his way into celebrity ghostwriting, and why two years at Amarillo College played such a huge role in his career. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and SKP Creative. Help support the show at Patreon.com/heyamarillo.

John Macfarlane of Utah Valley Univ. discusses the Syrian civil war. Russell Lowery-Hart of Amarillo College explains how his college combats student poverty. Martha Truslow Smith founded the Instagram account @grombre to celebrate gray hair. Nancy Lough of Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas on the WNBA wage gap. Julia Turshen shares her leftover cookbook "Now and Again". Jake Williams of Rendition Infosec describes how easy it is to hack a voting machine.

A conversation with Linda Hughes, a former Globe-News Woman of the Year and a pioneer of local children's theater. Linda was a professional ice skater who performed all over the U.S. in the 1960s before returning home to Amarillo, after which she helped launch children's theater programs at ALT and then Amarillo College. On the eve of her retirement, Linda tells host Jason Boyett about sharing the stage with Ann B. Davis ("Alice" on The Brady Bunch), teaching two generations of local performers, and why Amarillo is such a haven for the arts. This episode is sponsored by ROI Online.

A conversation with Patrick Miller, a local educator who became, at 25, the youngest person ever elected to the Amarillo College Board of Regents. Also a board member of the Amarillo chapter of the NAACP, Patrick joins host Jason Boyett to discuss how and why he got into local politics, his work with refugees at Whittier and Travis, and the huge role Amarillo College plays in the local economy. This episode is sponsored by ROI Online and Amarillo National Bank.

Shanna Peeples, is now a graduate student at the Harvard School of Education. She was a high school English teacher from Amarillo, Texas, and was named the 2015 National Teacher of the Year.  Peeples taught AP English at Palo Duro High School, where she served as the English department chair as well as an instructional coach for other teachers. In this Talks with Teachers episode you will learn: How Shanna took a circuitous route to the classroom. She worked as a disc jockey, medical assistant, pet sitter and journalist before teaching Shanna's education background. How she earned an Associate’s degree from Amarillo College, a Bachelor of Arts from West Texas A&M University and a Master of Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. The way in which Shanna connected literature to her students' lives. While at Palo Duro High School, Peeples' students came from many different backgrounds. Amarillo is one of several cities in the United States that helps refugees find new paths in life and gain access to critical resources. As a result, Peeples worked with many students who speak English as a second language or recently entered the United States from another country. How Jim Carey influenced Shanna's career trajectory and how she incorporated this lesson into the classroom The way in which Shanna incorporate reading into her daily life. How she planned her units and developed her lesson plans. The influence Sherman Alexie had on her teaching. The book she recommends to teachers: The post Shanna Peeples: 2015 National Teacher of the Year appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Inez Wyrick has been a huge name in bass pedagogy for decades. She really is one of those teachers that I think we all aspire to be like—she can take a student at any level and develop their technique while also instilling in them a passion for making music of all sorts. Today’s conversation with Inez is a journey through the topics of education, inspiration, the development of bass teaching from the “dark ages” to the embarrassment of riches that we have today and the thoughts and perspectives of a truly beautiful human being. You’re going to learn a lot and come away with a bunch of new ideas about teaching, and I’m sure that you’ll feel rejuvenated and inspired by Inez’s passion and energy. After the interview, we feature listener feedback and some upcoming plans for the podcast, and before we get going with our interview we will feature a clip of Inez conducting the Orchestra of Lady Bassists from the 2013 ISB convention. Kristin Korb was the current president of the ISB when this was recorded, and she makes some introductory remarks (Kristin was also a podcast guest on episode 79), and we have a ink in the show notes to this complete video, which you should definitely check out. About Inez: Former International Society of Bassists Board Member Inez Wyrick currently resides in Winchester, Virginia where she is adjunct instructor of bass at Shenandoah Conservatory, maintains a private bass studio She perviously edited the young bass page of Bass World and serves on the board of directors for the Bass Coalition. Mrs. Wyrick is an internationally acclaimed pedagogue who specializes in pre-college string education and has numerous publications to her credit. An active lecturer, clinician and traveling “911 bass teacher,” she is a regular clinician at the Richard Davis Bass Conference in Madison, WI and the Golden Gate Bass Camp in San Francisco, CA. Previously, she has been on the faculties of Indiana University String Academy, Amarillo College, Odessa College and Texas Tech University Orchestra Camp and was founder of the Amarillo Bass Base, a bass ensemble which held an international reputation. Her students teach and hold professional positions in ensembles and educational institutions worldwide. Her arrangements and compositions for bass ensemble have been performed worldwide and her CD-ROM of bass ensembles entitled Music for Double Bass Ensemble, Vol. I: 30 Christmas Carols for “Same Level” and “Mixed Level” Double Bass Ensemble was released in 2005. She has over 300 heterogenous bass ensembles for all levels, and varieties of levels. Email for a complete, graded, inventory. In 2001 she was the honored recipient of the “Young Bassists Ambassador” award from the International Society of Bassists. She is married to fellow bassist Dr. Donovan Stokes.

Dr. Judd H. Burton will be with us live. Check out his website www.burtonbeyond.com Dr. Burton is current an an instructor with Amarillo College, teaching classes in History, Anthropology, and the Humanities and  has a BA in history from Hardin-Simmons University. He also has an MA in Anthropology from Texas Tech University & PhD in history from TTU. His studies are focused on Early Church history, Roman Greco religions, mythology, sacred geography, folk religion, etc.. In this broadcast, Nephilim, End Times, Church History, Pagan beliefs that has crept into the church, supernatural, etc.. In the 2nd hour, teaching called "Try my gold." To Donate click HERE

A report from Frank Belizi on the work of the Bible Chair in AC.