Podcasts about Bowling Green State University

While divorce rates among younger adults have declined in recent decades, one demographic is experiencing a dramatic rise in separation: adults over 45. According to research from Bowling Green State University, roughly one-third of all U.S. divorces now occur among couples in midlife and beyond—a phenomenon often referred to as “gray divorce.” The American Psychological Association notes that these life transitions can bring major emotional, financial, and identity-related challenges, while also opening the door to profound resilience, reinvention, and personal growth. In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Heather Theisen-Gándara, founder of Reignite Collective, to explore what it truly means to rebuild life after divorce—and why women over 40 are discovering that their next chapter can become their most powerful one yet. Dr. Theisen-Gándara shares her remarkable journey from rural Wisconsin to becoming an internationally experienced leader, educator, and mentor. As the first person in her family to hold a passport, her life expanded through extensive work and travel across Latin America, where she developed fluency in Spanish and a deep passion for cross-cultural connection. With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, a Master's in Counseling, and more than two decades of experience in international diplomacy and large-scale organizational leadership, she has partnered with global organizations including the United States Department of State, ExxonMobil, and Baker Hughes. But behind the impressive résumé was a deeply personal reinvention story. After the end of a 24-year marriage, Dr. Theisen-Gándara faced the emotional and financial realities that many women experience after divorce. Instead of allowing that season to define her, she rebuilt from the ground up—reclaiming financial independence, prioritizing wellness, losing nearly 100 pounds, and rediscovering her confidence, identity, and purpose. Through Reignite Collective, she now helps women navigate holistic recovery after divorce by focusing on emotional healing, wellness, financial empowerment, self-confidence, and personal style. Her message is both compassionate and transformational: divorce is not the end of a woman's story—it can be the beginning of her most empowered chapter. In this conversation, we discuss: This episode is a powerful reminder that healing and reinvention are possible at any stage of life—and that sometimes the most beautiful chapters begin after everything changes.     For more information: https://www.reignitecollective.com/ Follow: @HeatherGlowsAgain   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

⁠Karen Kirkpatrick⁠ and I met originally on Instagram, but we've since met in person for this interview and for a run.During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Goodr⁠, we talk about:Her Flying Pig Half Marathon recap — the hills, the soreness, the soreness going up and down stairs at work, and nearly PR'ing (seven minutes off!)Being a self-proclaimed "one and done" racer — she's done 28 halfs and almost never repeats a raceThe Disney Princess Half Marathon she did five times when she lived in Fort Myers, Florida — and how she's done nearly every RunDisney race on the calendarRegistering for the Disney World Marathon from her laptop during a teaching conference and nearly screaming out loud when she got inGrowing up in Columbus, Ohio, going to Bowling Green State University for photography and then education, and — surprise — playing ice hockey for the BGSU women's club team (she learned to skate to join)Her diagnosis journey: five doctors told her it was in her head before the sixth (a woman) took her hands and said "I don't think you're crazy"What it's like to live with lupus — the fatigue, the joint pain, the butterfly rash, the lesions, the immune compromise, and how it affects her every day at schoolSelena Gomez as a public face of lupus and why her story resonatesHer mom being the reason she started running — watching her mom do half marathons for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in her 60s (with a knee replacement) was the nudge Karen neededHer very first half marathon at Columbus in 2014Finding ⁠Carmel Runners Club⁠ through a ⁠Run(317)⁠ event in 2019 and the community she's found there⁠The Rally app⁠ and how messages from her great-niece Evelyn and other family members carried her through the Flying PigTraining for her Disney World Marathon on the Monon — using the Jeff Galloway run/walk methodGetting her Mickey marathon finisher ears — the thing she cared about more than anything elseHer five dogs (Oreo, Morgan, Zelda, Milo, and Zoe) and one Flerken cat (Blondie from Captain Marvel, obviously)Flying Pig being her 28th half — and why she chose itDoctors now telling her she needs to stop at 10K distances, and what her final three races will beBeing tested for multiple sclerosis on top of lupus — tremors, dizziness, balance issues, and what the next steps look like medicallySWTHZ as part of her recovery — infrared sauna + 20-minute cold plunges (yes, 20)Her next two finish lines: the Indy Marathon at Fort Ben in October (for the veterans) and the Columbus Half Marathon to close it all out — with her mom hopefully waiting at the finish line to put her final medal on herPrevious Guests Mentioned⁠Alex Baker⁠ - Episode 6⁠Abby Anderson⁠ - Episode 133Rachel Sinders - Episode 8Sponsor Details⁠Goodr⁠ - Use code ALLYB for $10 off your first order⁠Amazfit⁠ - Use code ALLYB for 10% offOther LinksFollow Karen on Instagram ⁠@lupuswarriorprincess⁠Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

Fertility rates are declining around the world, and it's leading to dramatic generational and economic shifts.Plus, from babies to boomers. As the number of babies being born continues to fall, boomers are aging more gracefully than ever.This year, the post-World War II babies are turning 80 and they're changing old age for themselves and future generations.We're looking at why the U.S. has hit a record low fertility rate on this hour of All Sides.Guests:Wendy Manning, co-director, Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family & Marriage ResearchMichael Kuhn, Vienna Institute of Demography at the Austrian Academy of SciencesLuke Yoquinto, science writer and research associate, MIT Age Lab

Fertility rates are declining around the world, and it's leading to dramatic generational and economic shifts.Plus, from babies to boomers. As the number of babies being born continues to fall, boomers are aging more gracefully than ever.This year, the post-World War II babies are turning 80 and they're changing old age for themselves and future generations.We're looking at why the U.S. has hit a record low fertility rate on this hour of All Sides.Guests:Wendy Manning, co-director, Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family & Marriage ResearchMichael Kuhn, Vienna Institute of Demography at the Austrian Academy of SciencesLuke Yoquinto, science writer and research associate, MIT Age Lab

In this episode, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Dr. Kevin Holloway tackle a critical "blind spot" in military mental health with Dr. Shane Kraus, Director of the Behavioral Addictions Lab at UNLV. While we often screen for alcohol and PTSD, there is a "hidden" addiction quietly devastating the lives and careers of Service members and Veterans. From the high-tech lure of AI-driven sports betting apps to the surprising presence of slot machines on overseas bases, gambling disorder is a rapidly growing crisis that often goes undetected until it's too late.Dr. Kraus joins us to explain the "banana analogy" and the dangerous neurobiology of the "near miss" that keeps the brain hooked. We discuss why military culture might make this addiction so difficult to spot, the staggering link between "chasing losses" and Veteran suicide, and the simple questions you aren't asking that could save a life. If you've ever wondered why a patient with stable PTSD suddenly spirals into a crisis, this conversation on the first-ever recognized behavioral addiction is a must-listen. Shane W. Kraus is a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in psychopathology, substance use disorders, gambling disorders, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). He is an associate professor of psychology who has published over 250 scholarly works on substance use disorders/behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling), psychopathology, compulsive sexual behavior, and trauma. Dr. Kraus received his PhD in clinical psychology from Bowling Green State University in 2013. He completed his addiction fellowship at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry in 2015.Resources mentioned in this episode: National Council on Problem Gambling: ncpgambling.orgUNLV Behavioral Addictions Lab: Reach out for validated screening tools and research. https://ba.sites.unlv.edu/State Councils on Problem Gambling: Check your local state chapter for clinician training and toolkits. Calls-to-action: Ask about financial stress and obtain additional training on gambling disorder Share your impactful moment via email (cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu) or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4pSubscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Miriam and Lorenzo nerdout about women's basketball, unrivaled then they get into NCAA women's final four, Caitlyn Clark, Natasha Howard, 5 year old basketball, Northview, drive to be the best, recruiting trail, Kent State, Bowling Green State University, coaching, Tiffin Head coach, leaving college basketball, returning to coaching, new head coach and so much more!

In episode 251, Coffey talks with Jennifer Yugo about why traditional interviews fail to identify top candidates and how competency-based, structured hiring improves outcomes.  They discuss the ineffectiveness of unstructured interviews and reliance on intuition in hiring decisions; confirmation bias and overconfidence in manager-led candidate selection processes; building competency-based hiring frameworks grounded in real job performance data; differences between skills and competencies in evaluating candidate success; designing structured interviews with behavioral and situational questions; aligning hiring processes with organizational culture and values; leveraging applications and assessments to enhance candidate evaluation consistency; improving hiring manager adoption through usability and stakeholder involvement; measuring hiring success through turnover, efficiency, and process compliance metrics; balancing candidate experience with standardized hiring systems for fairness.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP251  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jennifer Yugo is a seasoned professional in building exceptional workplaces and business environments. With a 20-year career and her experience as Managing Director and Owner at Corvirtus, she applies science-driven frameworks to develop tools that enhance employee performance and engagement. Her leadership is instrumental in advancing the company's offerings in solutions including employee retention, hiring, and culture-building.  Jennifer's expertise is grounded in her comprehensive knowledge of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, and Psychometrics.   She actively contributes to these fields through speaking engagements, writing, and presenting at conferences like DisruptHR.  Jennifer earned her PhD at Bowling Green State University's nationally-ranked Industrial-Organizational Psychology program and her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with Highest Honors from Purdue University.  Jennifer Yugo can be reached at   https://corvirtus.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferyugo  https://www.youtube.com/@corvirtus1779    About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives:  Understand the limitations of traditional, intuition-driven interview methods Apply competency-based frameworks to design structured hiring processes Evaluate candidates more effectively using behavioral and situational interview techniques 

From the Statehouse to the Supreme Court, there is no shortage of news in this episode of The Narrative! Together, Aaron and Mike break down: The historic week for CCV as the organization officially expands beyond Ohio’s borders to launch the national Christian Education Network. The academic "deep state" at Bowling Green State University, where undercover footage caught bureaucrats playing word games to keep their illegal DEI machine running on your dime. The disturbing reality of three assassination attempts against President Trump. The Supreme Court finally dismantling racist gerrymandering. After the news, Benjamin Baird of the Middle East Forum exposes a hidden threat operating inside the Ohio Statehouse. He explains State Representative Munira Abdullahi’s deep-seated leadership within the Muslim American Society (MAS)—a group federal prosecutors identify as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in America. From hosting terror-linked figures at the Capitol to her lone vote against condemning the October 7 massacre in Israel, Munira's trajectory follows a dangerous blueprint of using democratic institutions to advance a radical, theocratic agenda. Has the Muslim Brotherhood infiltrated the Ohio government? Find out today! More About Benjamin Baird Benjamin Baird is a public affairs specialist who organizes grassroots advocacy campaigns in support of Middle East Forum (MEF) projects. He mobilizes constituencies to support MEF policy objectives, coordinates effective public pressure campaigns, and uses bold and creative techniques to disrupt the policy-making arena. Mr. Baird is a US Army infantry veteran with a BA from American Military University. His writing can be found at National Review, New York Post, Jerusalem Post, and other prominent media outlets. Learn More about the Minnery Fellowship The Minnery Fellowship provides ongoing educational opportunities for pastors and church leaders to dive into the practical issues facing Christians in culture and develop, with a cohort of their peers, biblical strategies and messages to respond. Get the details and sign up at MinneryFellowship.org.

What if the solution to plastic pollution could simply disappear? In this conversation, I sit down with Johnathan Jakubowski, CEO and founder of Smart Solve, to explore how biodegradable, water-soluble packaging is changing the future of sustainability and business. John shares his journey from early life lessons and a failed startup to building an innovative company focused on solving microplastic pollution. You will hear how purpose-driven leadership, core values, and faith shaped his path, along with practical insights on entrepreneurship, market adoption, and innovation. I believe you will find this discussion both inspiring and useful as you think about leadership, environmental impact, and what it truly takes to build something that matters. Highlights: 00:01:27 – Learn how early life values and family shaped a foundation for leadership and purpose 00:10:26 – Discover how technology and screen use are impacting focus, mental health, and development 00:17:59 – Understand how business failure can redirect you toward a more successful path 00:22:14 – Learn how biodegradable, water soluble packaging works and where it is used 00:27:04 – Discover why microplastics are driving a major shift in global innovation 00:52:49 – Learn how leadership is built through influence, culture, and consistent core values Bottom of Form About the Guest: Jonathan Jakubowski is an entrepreneur, author, inventor, and public policy advocate whose work spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of SmartSolve, a company he built around a simple but powerful conviction: that the packaging industry could be reimagined from the ground up. Under his leadership, SmartSolve has developed the world's first patented 100% bio-based, plastic-free, dissolvable food packaging — a genuine breakthrough in the global effort to eliminate packaging waste. SmartSolve's technology represents years of research, invention, and commercial development aimed at solving one of the most persistent environmental and industrial challenges of our time. Jonathan leads the company with a focus on proving that sustainability and profitability are not opposites — that the most innovative solutions can also be the most responsible ones. His work has positioned SmartSolve as a pioneering force in the zero-waste packaging space, drawing national and international attention. Beyond his entrepreneurial work, Jonathan is a published author whose book Bellwether Blues: A Conservative Awakening of the Millennial Soul has received widespread recognition and national media coverage. The book explores the political and cultural landscape facing a generation, and reflects Jonathan's deep engagement with public policy and civic life — shaped in part by his Master's in Public Policy from Georgetown University and his undergraduate years at Bowling Green State University, where he played collegiate football. Jonathan's commitment to service extends across sectors. He is the founder of Champions in Action, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underprivileged youth in Guatemala, and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Forge Leadership Network, an organization devoted to developing principled leaders. His career reflects a consistent thread: identifying problems that others have accepted as inevitable, and building solutions that prove otherwise. Jonathan lives in Northwest Ohio with his wife Missy and their four children. Whether in the boardroom, on the page, or in the community, he is driven by the belief that leadership means leaving things better than you found them. Ways to connect with Jonathan:

With the May primary a week away, and midterm madness about to set in, the Democracy and Public Policy Network in the Department of Political Science at Bowling Green State University has released the results of its latest poll of registered Ohio voters (at 14:03) --- AI and your growing business... Can it help manage the pressures of scaling up? It is just one more challenge adding to the pressure? Or is the hype bigger than the reality when it comes to artificial intelligence? (at 27:21) --- What's Happening: Spring is in full bloom... Get out and take it all in with programs and activities in the month of May from the Hancock Park District (at 45:53)

«Севильское заявление о насилии» — важная научная декларация, принятая в Севилье 16 мая 1986 года международной группой учёных и исследователей. Документ оспаривает представление о том, что война и насилие биологически неизбежны. Он отвергает утверждения о том, что человек генетически запрограммирован на войну, что агрессия является нашей эволюционной судьбой или что насилие вызывается одним-единственным инстинктом. Заявление построено вокруг пяти основных положений: «С научной точки зрения неверно утверждать, что мы унаследовали склонность к войне от наших животных предков». «С научной точки зрения неверно утверждать, что война или любое другое насильственное поведение генетически запрограммированы в человеческой природе». «С научной точки зрения неверно утверждать, что в ходе человеческой эволюции отбор чаще происходил в пользу агрессивного поведения, чем в пользу других видов поведения». «С научной точки зрения неверно утверждать, что у человека есть “мозг, ориентированный на насилие”». «С научной точки зрения неверно утверждать, что война вызывается “инстинктом” или какой-либо одной-единственной причиной». Главная мысль документа проста и сильна: биология не обрекает человечество на войну. Заявление завершается словами: «Как войны начинаются в умах людей, так и мир начинается в наших умах. Тот же самый вид, который изобрёл войну, способен изобрести и мир. Ответственность лежит на каждом из нас». Эта аудиоверсия подготовлена в рамках просветительской работы Peaceful World: мы распространяем тексты, идеи и голоса, которые поддерживают ненасилие, мирное образование и более глубокое понимание человеческой ответственности. Peaceful World — независимая некоммерческая инициатива, посвящённая мирному образованию, этике, ненасилию и формированию более человечного будущего. Мирное образование — для каждого. Подписанты: David Adams — психология, Wesleyan University, США S. A. Barnett — этология, The Australian National University, Австралия N. P. Bechtereva — нейрофизиология, Институт экспериментальной медицины Академии медицинских наук СССР, Советский Союз Bonnie Frank Carter — психология, Albert Einstein Medical Center, США José M. Rodriguez Delgado — нейрофизиология, Centro de Estudios Neurobiológicos, Испания José Luis Díaz — этология, Instituto Mexicano de Psiquiatría, Мексика Andrzej Eliasz — психология индивидуальных различий, Польская академия наук, Польша Santiago Genovés — биологическая антропология, Instituto de Estudios Antropológicos, Мексика Benson E. Ginsburg — генетика поведения, University of Connecticut, США Jo Groebel — социальная психология, Erziehungswissenschaftliche Hochschule, Федеративная Республика Германия Samir-Kumar Ghosh — социология, Indian Institute of Human Sciences, Индия Robert Hinde — поведение животных, Cambridge University, Великобритания Richard E. Leakey — физическая антропология, National Museums of Kenya, Кения Taha H. Malasi — психиатрия, Kuwait University, Кувейт J. Martín Ramírez — психобиология, Universidad de Sevilla, Испания Federico Mayor Zaragoza — биохимия, Universidad Autónoma, Испания Diana L. Mendoza — этология, Universidad de Sevilla, Испания Ashis Nandy — политическая психология, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Индия John Paul Scott — поведение животных, Bowling Green State University, США Riitta Wahlstrom — психология, University of Jyväskylä, Финляндия

A young professional steps into leadership faster than expected and learns what really drives success. In this conversation, I sit down with Dana Prenger, a rising marketing manager at SmartSolve, who shares how growing up in a small town, competing in sports, and navigating college shaped her mindset around drive, resilience, and growth. You will hear how she turned uncertainty into clarity through programs like Life Design, how early career risks helped her step into leadership, and why she believes failure is simply a learning moment. We also explore SmartSolve's mission to create water-soluble packaging and reduce waste, showing how purpose-driven work can fuel motivation. This episode is a reminder that progress comes from consistent effort, not one defining moment, and that your mindset will shape how far you go. Highlights: 00:10 Discover how stepping into new opportunities before feeling ready builds real confidence 06:02 Learn how sports shape discipline, time management, and long-term success habits 10:00 Understand how exploring different paths helps you find the right career direction 20:00 See how real-world internships can define and accelerate your career path 34:36 Discover how early sales experience builds resilience and confidence under pressure 51:39 Learn how reframing failure as a learning opportunity changes how you grow and move forward Bottom of Form About the Guest: Dana Prenger is a Marketing Manager at SmartSolve, a zero-waste packaging technology company with a bold mission to make packaging no longer trash. In her mid-20s, Dana has quickly built a career in B2B marketing, contributing across content creation, social media, email campaigns, event marketing, video projects, website management, and brand storytelling. As SmartSolve celebrates its 10-year anniversary, she is grateful for the opportunity to wear many hats and help bring an innovative, sustainability-driven vision to life. She grew up in a small town in Ohio, where she learned the value of hard work, teamwork, and community. A three-sport athlete in high school, Dana was a member of the 2019 Ohio state basketball team and graduated as her class Salutatorian—experiences that shaped her competitive mindset and leadership style long before her professional career began. Dana earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from Bowling Green State University. During her time at BGSU, she was a Dean's Scholar, recipient of the Women in Business Leadership Scholarship, and an active member of the American Marketing Association. She was selected for the inaugural Ohio Export Internship Program, where she was matched with SmartSolve—an experience that ultimately launched her career with the company. Driven by curiosity and connection, Dana thrives in fast-paced environments where creativity meets strategy and marketing feels intentional and human. Outside of work, she loves to travel and has visited more than ten countries and counting. She is motivated by meaningful work, strong relationships, and conversations around marketing, sustainability, packaging innovation, and career growth. Ways to connect with Dana: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-prenger/ SmartSolve website: https://smartsolve.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe Welcome to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. I'm your host. Michael hingson, speaker, author and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head on and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear, together, we focus on mindset resilience and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hello everyone, and welcome once again to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I'm really excited to be here today. We've been waiting for this one for a while, and I'm glad we were finally able to do it. I found Dana Prenger online, and her boss and she decided to come on, and then we'll have to get her boss on, because then we want to find out the real truth about Dana. Dana Prenger  01:28 Yes, thanks, Michael, thanks. Michael Hingson  01:31 I'm such a big help, right? But Dana, Dana Prenger  01:35 I was debating on joining. I was like, we should have John, the president of smart solve, share about our story first, and I didn't feel worthy enough to share my story right away, but Michael was very reassuring, and it's like you got this let's give it a go. Michael Hingson  01:48 Yeah, you can tell us a little about smart solve. It's not going to affect having John on because he'll tell more of the story, and he'll tell it from his point of view. So I'm not too worried about that? Well, Dana. Dana is a marketing person. She graduated from Bowling Green State University. I didn't know it was a state university, Dana Prenger  02:10 yep, BGSU. A lot of people get confused with Bowling Green. They think of Kentucky, but northern Ohio, yeah, nice College in town. Oh, cool. Is it? How large is it? Pretty big. It's a d1 school. Michael Hingson  02:25 When I went to UC Irvine, out here in California, one of the reasons I went was that it was a small school. It was actually a new school. The year I was a freshman, was the first year they actually had a graduating class at UC Irvine, there were, like about 2500 2600 students. They had their first graduating class, and I went and visited it in 19, excuse me, in 2024 because when I left, they were just getting ready to start a phi, beta, Kappa chapter, and it was too late for me to become a member. And in 2023 the there was a, there's a magazine that generally is all about Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. And they discovered me, and they wanted to do an interview. And during the interview, as I love to put it, I shot off my mouth and said that, in fact, I was was going to the school when they were forming the phi, beta, Kappa chapter, but it was too late for me to join, because I was leaving. And one of the people who read that story was a physics professor who came to UC Irvine, basically the year I left, and she is still there. She's still a professor. And she called me and she said, I am the historian for the local mu chapter of Phi Beta, kappa, and we want you to come back and become an honorary member of Phi two. Well, a member of, I guess it'd be an honorary it's not an honorary member. I'm actually a member, but it's of later on, not at the time being a student. So anyway, I went back down and there are 32,000 undergrads at that campus. Now it's crazy. Dana Prenger  04:16 Wow. So cool to see the growth. Michael Hingson  04:18 Of course, UC Irvine or UCI, as they love to say. UCI actually stands for under construction indefinitely, because they're always building something there. Dana Prenger  04:30 It's crazy. Yeah, yeah. BGSU has around 4000 students, so it's cool that it's a big enough college, but they had really great professors and instructors where you didn't feel like just a number there, you got to know people by name. I was involved, yeah, and a lot of different student groups. One of the programs that was really cool was being a life design student ambassador. Michael Hingson  04:53 Ah, well, we'll have to talk about that. But I like, I like the size 4000 is plenty low. Large that's pretty cool. Well, tell us a little bit about you, the the the early Dana, growing up and all that. Where did you grow up? And tell us about some of that. Dana Prenger  05:10 Yeah, of course. I grew up in a small town, Minster, Ohio, so that town's a lot smaller than, Bg, about a square mile. Very good community. A lot of my family's from there. My mom's a school teacher at the school. So very great place to grow up, good traditions, and it's still close to Bowling Green, so it's an hour and a half drive away, so I still go home quite frequently and visit family and friends. Michael Hingson  05:36 So you went you went to school. What time were you Where did you come from? Where were you born? Dana Prenger  05:43 Yeah, born in a local hospital, right near Minster, Minster, Minster, Ohio. We have a lot of German heritage. We do a big Oktoberfest festival every year, which draws a lot of people to it. But besides that, a lot of corn fields. Grandpa's a farmer family. Michael Hingson  06:01 So are you a beer drinker? Dana Prenger  06:05 Yes, I am. I Michael Hingson  06:07 never did like the taste of beer, but that's okay. I did take three years of high school German, so maybe that counts for something. Yeah, there you go. Well, so you, you, you went to school. There you went to high school and all that, and then you decided to go to Bowling Green, huh? Dana Prenger  06:26 Yep, and that's the thing I liked about being in this from a small town, you got to do a lot of things. I was very much a multi tasker, or tried to be well rounded as I could be So, doing school, different clubs, sports. I was a three sport athlete, doing volleyball, basketball and track. So coming to BG, it was fun. I did like an intramural volleyball league. And, yeah, I chose BG. A lot of people, kind of from our area, went there. After being on campus, it did feel kind of like a second version of home. Michael Hingson  06:59 So Wow. So three sports, that's that's pretty cool. That kept you busy. Dana Prenger  07:05 Thanks, yes. And I graduated minster in 2021 so I'm not sure if you, I might be your youngest podcast guest you've had on, Michael. You might Michael Hingson  07:15 be well. You clearly have done well. So you graduated from school in minster in 2021 Dana Prenger  07:22 Yeah, I was born in 2000 to June of 2002 so yeah, nine months after 911 911 Michael Hingson  07:30 so for you, though you were at Bowling Green State four years, Dana Prenger  07:37 three years. Oh, you graduated a year early Michael Hingson  07:40 for you. Now, when you graduated, you were what second in your class? Dana Prenger  07:50 Yep, from Minster. Yep, I was a salutatorian, so had to give a speech at my high school graduation ceremony, Michael Hingson  07:57 and so, so what did you talk about as a as a speaker, as a salutatorian? Dana Prenger  08:05 I shared a story and equated kind of the grade schools reflecting on memories as a clock. So I was like, as the clock strikes one, and I would throw in a funny little memory from first grade to second to third, kind of going around until it was clock striking 12 as we're about to graduate. Michael Hingson  08:23 There you go. So you you had some experience at public speaking? Do you still do public speaking today? Dana Prenger  08:30 I've joined a few podcasts before, but being in marketing too, when students come or groups visit, smart solve, I'll do some speaking there, but not near as much speaking engagements or experience that you have well. Michael Hingson  08:48 So you, you went right into Bowling Green, and you decided right up front you were going to do marketing. Or what did you major in at first? Or did you always stick to one? Dana Prenger  08:59 I was debating between two things. So yeah, I liked marketing, like the business element. I had an older brother who went to BGSU as well. He was in the College of Business. But I also liked design. And in high school, I was on the yearbook committee. So I liked to take pictures, like to design the pages. So I tried out a few different classes before officially declaring my major. VCT is the program visual communication technology. I took a few classes in that but ultimately, after my first year, decided to go on with business and marketing as my specialization. Michael Hingson  09:37 Well. But even so, VCT is, in a sense, related to marketing, although I understand it's a specialty as well, correct? Dana Prenger  09:48 Yep, very much related into it work hand in hand. I'm actually hiring for a digital content coordinator right now, so it's cool to have somebody that I'm looking for. With more of that specialized experience Michael Hingson  10:04 and and are we looking at people from Bowling Green? Dana Prenger  10:08 Yep, it's a in person position. So looking at people around the area or willing to commute? Michael Hingson  10:15 Yeah, because otherwise, bringing somebody in from out of state or from a long way away, and paying moving expenses and all that. That's a bigger challenge. Dana Prenger  10:25 Yeah, and one of the things I was involved at at BGSU that I really loved this program, it was a new program they were implementing called Life Design. So basically, it's based off of the book and research that the Stanford Bill Burnett and Dave Evans did, designing your life, but basically saying that a lot of students come and come to college and don't know their major and are undecided and trying to figure out classes. So it's just a way to build community along the way, and it's a class for first year students to help them prototype different pathways and different avenues for their life. Michael Hingson  11:05 And so do they get a chance to look at different kinds of curriculum, different disciplines and so on? Dana Prenger  11:11 Yep, different curriculum, different careers, thinking, planning out your years. If you would go in this major, join this major, do this club, basically just getting people to think outside of the box, and prototype is a big word that they used in design different pathways that work for you. How's that working? Yeah, it was really great program. I was one of the first people to come as a freshman, to have that class, and then the class evolved and grew. My second year at BG, when I became the life design ambassador, I joined the class and was helping the first year students out, and the program continued to grow, continued to grow. We actually had a new building dedication, Jeffrey, Jeff and Jan, rad, Bill center for life design, so I got to be a part of the whole new building opening, grand ribbon cutting ceremony. And just cool to see something build up. Michael Hingson  12:10 Is it still going on? Dana Prenger  12:12 Yeah, still going on. And it's a big kind of differentiator of what BGSU has compared to other colleges across Yes, Michael Hingson  12:20 I can imagine that is pretty unique, but it really sounds like a great tool, because I think a lot of people aren't necessarily as ready, and I don't know whether as ready as is the right way to put it, but as ready to make a commitment as to what major or maybe this Is that people want to really look at options before they make a decision. But either way, it's great to have that kind of a program, Dana Prenger  12:47 and being a student ambassador just helped students get adjusted. Like this is the first time a lot of kids are living off on their own, and so just being there as a reference and resource for them some things they don't feel comfortable asking a professor even just about living in a dorm or college life. I was there for a group of students. Michael Hingson  13:08 Yeah, well, I remember going down to UC Irvine and starting and I didn't know a lot about a lot of the different things that would go on. But for us back in the day, as it were, you were just kind of thrust into it and you you could learn it and but again, I think that's one of the reasons I really liked the fact that it was a fairly small college or university at the time, and I remember I was put in the dorm with all of The athletes for the campus not being an athlete, but they had World Champion water polo team and other things like that. And people would occasionally pray play pranks on me, until the day came when I got to play a prank on them. Gained a lot of respect for that. So I was pretty cool. Dana Prenger  14:00 Are you going to share the prank or keep it a secret? Michael Hingson  14:03 Well, what happened was my my guide dog, my first guide dog, Squire, who's a golden retriever with a wicked sense of humor. Squire was in my room and I was next door with another freshman. We were trying to solve a physics problem. My master's is in physics. I went back into my room and there was no squire. Well, it turns out that they had stolen squire, and they hid him and and I kind of figured that part out, but I went through the dorm looking and of course, everybody was snickering and watching me. I went into the restroom and called him, and he didn't respond. He you know, I didn't hear him anywhere. I even opened the showers, and there was no response. And finally, one of the students who had seen all this happen came over and he said, Look, Squire is in the shower. Or and we went in and opened the door, and Squire comes right out, bouncing and having a good old time, having put it all over on me, as it were. But what we did was they didn't, you know, most all the students weren't paying attention to the fact that this guy was showing me where Squire was. We hit squire again, and I went out and got really ticked, saying, What did you guys do with my dog? I'm sure you took the dog, and everybody was laughing, always in the shower, and they went in the shower, and there's no dog because we hit him elsewhere. So, you know, we got back at him. It was kind of fun. And Squire made no noise when I was looking for him, what a horrible sense of humor. Dana Prenger  15:44 Golden Retrievers are great dogs. Michael Hingson  15:46 They are. Well, it was fun. I mean, you know, it was all in it was all in good fun, but still not the best thing to do to a guide dog. But that's okay. But the the jocks were, were were, were the major players of the campus. Actually, there's a great story. Every room had a phone in the dorm. And so in one of the women's dorms, one day, one of the women started getting some obscene phone calls from somebody, and she told her boyfriend about it, who was one of the jocks, and they, one day, they they told her, if you get him on the phone, this guy calls back, try to keep him on the phone and get somebody to let us know. And they, when this guy called, One day, she got word to her, her boyfriend, and all of the other jocks. They went through the entire phone book on campus in 10 minutes, dialing every number. Found three numbers that were busy, two of which were clearly not the right ones, because they were offices and all that. And so there was this one, and they all went over, knocked on this guy's door. Can you imagine all these big water polo and football players and all that went over and knocked on his door and they said, Hang up the phone and don't you ever do it again. It was great. I mean, teamwork, what? What teamwork? So, you know, they were all pretty neat guys. I gotta Dana Prenger  17:19 say, Yeah, being part of a team is just so good, and for building your character, like growing up being on basketball team, volleyball team, my basketball team actually made it to state in the year 2019, so you really do form a nice bond with them. And even now, as I'm in a different phase of life, your work, team, workplace, just really important, Michael Hingson  17:47 just really important too. Yeah. Well, if you were to describe your hometown with one word or whatever, how would you describe it? Dana Prenger  17:55 Ooh, that's a good one. I would say tradition, just because we do have so many traditions that bring the community together, or minster school motto is tradition of excellence. So that's what I would use. Michael Hingson  18:09 So that's pretty cool, though. But you had, you've had parents who who honored you, but who also, I'm sure, did a lot to teach you things and and help you grow up in the right way. Dana Prenger  18:26 Yes, yeah, a lot of thanks to both my parents, yeah, Mark and Jody. And then I had two siblings, two brothers, siblings and one sister. So family of six, wow, the second oldest, so I had older brother kind of paving the way me younger sister, and then a younger brother, who's a senior right now, and he's debating on where to go for college, and I think he's also going to be going to BGSU Michael Hingson  18:56 well, and I'll bet Older brother especially made sure that sister was treated well, Yep, yeah, brothers do that, right, what? That was fair. That's okay. Well, so you, you worked pretty hard at it all and, and, and had a lot of fun. So tell me more about your your whole time at college, getting marketing degrees and and what all that was like, and then how you ended up going to work and going to work for somebody close by. That must have been a joy. Dana Prenger  19:34 Yeah. So yeah, I loved marketing. And as I said, VCT, I was considering that, and I could have graduated like I did in three years with just marketing, or I could have stayed longer and did an international business specialization. I love traveling. I've been to 10 plus countries, and yeah, thought about doing a study abroad because that older brother of mine, he did do a study abroad in Strasbourg. Of France, and loved it, but instead, I came across this program called the Ohio export internship program. So basically, it's a program designed for small to mid size companies in the state of Ohio, and the state helps them out by going through the whole interview process for candidate, all the screening, teaching them adequate coursework, and then they'll pay for half of the interns wages for the summer. So in the spring, I did a three credit hour course. Had a group of 20 students in my cohort, and then all different colleges in the state of Ohio participated in this too. But then I could have been matched up with the business anywhere in the state of Ohio for my summer internship, summer of 2023 and I just so happened to get matched up with smart solve and that's how I came to know about them Michael Hingson  20:57 cool well, so having been a three sport person and all that. What do you find today from all of your sports experiences that helps you in your career and and how is that all stuck with you? Dana Prenger  21:15 Yeah, definitely the hard work and the grit and drive being able to focus your energy and really go when you have to go, yeah and yeah, managing your time effectively, like when I was in sports, you still had school, you still had other things you had to do in the evening. So being able to manage your time and get a lot of things done. Michael Hingson  21:42 So you you learned a lot about time management, having to juggle three sports and everything else that you were doing. And so how did all that work when you got to Bowling Green, though, did you? Did you have as many different kinds of activities you weren't doing three sports at Bowling Green, I presume? Yeah, no Dana Prenger  22:01 less sports and more trying to focus the academics and, like I said, what I wanted to do with my life. So, yeah, I spent a lot of time being the ambassador for life design. Still did sports just for enjoyment, fun. I did an intramural volleyball League. Yeah, I was involved in the American Marketing Association. Once I found out my true passion, I really liked marketing. Was involved with that, and I was also involved in through the College of Business Dakota Dean's Advisory Council on diversity and inclusion. Michael Hingson  22:37 What did you think about that? Dana Prenger  22:42 Yeah, it was really good for me to be a part of and opened my eyes to a lot of things, because my small hometown, though I love it, and we have great tradition, we are kind of a little bubble of not a ton of diversity. So being opened up to new, new perspectives and new things that was really beneficial. Michael Hingson  23:06 Well, certainly there were other small colleges around. Why did you specifically choose Bowling Green? Dana Prenger  23:13 Yeah, I think I wanted it was a perfect distance. I still wanted to be close to my family and close to home, but also I wanted to go out and experience on my own. If I chose a school too close to home, I would just be driving home, coming, eating dinner with my parents, and not really fully immersing into my independence. Michael Hingson  23:34 So so it was kind of just the ideal distance, if you will. Dana Prenger  23:42 And being like I said, a bigger college, so there is more opportunities sporting events and games, but they had it at an affordable price too, like going to football games my friends and I love to go watch and cheer on the Falcons, but it wasn't like a big school where we had to pay a lot for the tickets as well. Students got free tickets to all sporting events. So I enjoyed that. Michael Hingson  24:06 Oh, that's cool. How big was the stadium? Dana Prenger  24:10 Pretty big. I don't know the exact size, but yeah, it's right off the highway too. So as you drive on 75 through Ohio, you'll see the stadium in the road Michael Hingson  24:24 well, but you, but you enjoyed it. Do you still do any work or activities at Bowling Green? Dana Prenger  24:32 Yeah, so I'm living in BG right now, as I work at Smart solve, they do have a program called the regional network leaders, which tries to keep alumni engaged. So I joined that, and I'm on a team with seven other individuals just helping keep the alumni connected to the university. How's that working? It's good. It's good. Great to meet. With people, and just gives me something else to do besides work in the evenings. But it's not a huge time commitment. We meet about once a month, Michael Hingson  25:10 but it works out pretty well. Well, so you worked, you worked as a life design ambassador. Do you still do anything with that program today? Dana Prenger  25:24 No, not as much as I would like to. I think they are also in the progress, because I was one of the first people to graduate with having to keep us engaged and involved. I still am connected with a lot of them on LinkedIn, and sometimes one of the life design coaches will message me if a student has questions or wants to just have a quick prototype call or conversation to learn more about marketing or their field. Michael Hingson  25:53 You're you're available to help. Which is cool. It's neat to be able to to be a part of all of that. Yeah. Which is cool. So anyway, you you were part of the export internship program and so on, and that eventually got you connected with smart solve. What attracted you to specifically to smart solve? Why did you decide that that's what you, at least were were willing to explore? Dana Prenger  26:20 Yeah, I really liked smart solve. How strong we are with our core values and vision, mission and purpose statement. Most companies say these are our core values, but they're just words on the wall, and they don't get lived out each and every day. But here at Smart solve, we do something called the daily word of inspiration. So we have about 20 full time employees on our team, and we'll just have a calendar we rotate whose day it is for inspiration, and it's just a brief 15 minute meeting, how we start our day every day. And you can share a personal life story. You can share a Bible verse, any watch a video, motivational video, anything you want to give for your inspiration. And then we start our day with word of prayer, optional. Word of prayer. Michael Hingson  27:13 Well, that's pretty cool, and certainly that's a lot of commitment. I was going to ask, why you feel that the whole idea of smart solving what it's doing generates so many important values, but it's pretty clear why that's the case. Dana Prenger  27:31 Yeah, the core values are character, drive, innovation, joy, humility and growth. All right, it's really cool to hear those lived out, and you can see our team members each embody it smart. Solve is a faith based company, but we don't discriminate or only hire people of the same faith. In fact, not everybody's Christian that works here, but we are open about it because we want people to be comfortable about it, or be knowing that we do have that optional daily prayer every day Michael Hingson  28:07 well, and I think there's value in that. I mean, it's, I think, important to recognize that there are a lot of different religions in the world. And the fact is, if you really study most religions, they all pretty much essentially end up going to the same place, and they all believe in the same basic rules anyway, which is, which is pretty important, which is, which is kind of good. Well, where did the term or the title of the company, smart solves come from? Dana Prenger  28:38 Yeah. So John, he's our current CEO, co founder of smart solve. He smart solve. He calls himself intrapreneur, because smart solve was under CMC group, which is they had a bunch of different businesses. One of their main things was supplying labels, any and all kind of labels. And this is kind of the evolution story of smart salt, water salt. One of the customers was like, our labels are great, but it would be nice if they could just dissolve or wash away, because it was an application in the back of a kitchen. How you have, like, containers, the plastic containers you have to label food days of the week and expiration dates for food safety loss. But when they were putting the containers in the dishwasher, after trying to, like, peel or scrub the labels off, there would still be adhesive, sticky residue on it. Yeah. So, so, yeah, they developed water soluble label. And so, yeah, a label that can dissolve and wash away. So day mark still sells water soluble labels to food rotation business, but John was an intern at that time and was like, I think there's a much bigger. Market for water soluble materials, besides just label for food rotation so he can, they allowed him to take that idea and run with it. So smart solve is specifically water soluble materials. We sell just water soluble paper that dissolves the labels and then also pioneering water soluble, flexible packaging, so power stock applications Michael Hingson  30:27 I remember many years ago, and I still don't know how they knew it, but I got a package in the mail and it had popcorn in it, you know, the shipping stuff, and somebody said, Oh, this is that water soluble popcorn. If you put it in water, it'll it'll melt. And I was going, No. And sure enough, it was, I don't know what visually was the clue that that was water soluble, but it was, Dana Prenger  30:58 yeah, so our company, smart solves vision is to make packaging no longer trash. We realize the increased amount of plastic packaging, or just any packaging unnecessary consumption going on in the world today. So having an avenue or a smart solution of how to solve the problem, Michael Hingson  31:21 well, you can always come up with a new kind of straw that everybody can use, that they if they throw it away, it's not going to fill the world full of plastic. That's another story. Dana Prenger  31:35 Yeah. But in microplastics, to the increasing research and studies how microplastics are impacting human health and the environment. One of the fun facts we like to share is, well, not fun fact, but sad fact that by 2050 they project that plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish in the ocean. Michael Hingson  32:04 I hadn't heard that one, but I'm not surprised which it's so unfortunate. Dana Prenger  32:09 Yeah, great garbage patches of just waste forming out in the ocean. Michael Hingson  32:15 Is there a way, has anybody looked at the fact that, yeah, there's a lot of trash out there and so on, and it's great to come up with trash that won't be trash that will dissolve. But what do you do with all the stuff that's there? Has anybody been working at all on finding ways to dissolve that stuff as well? Dana Prenger  32:35 Yeah, I think that's harder, because it's already all out in the ocean, but there are efforts and people who go out and try to collect it, but then it's like, once we take it out of the ocean, where do we put it, just into massive landfill areas? Well, that's Michael Hingson  32:51 why I was wondering if there is some sort of a chemical process that could be introduced that would dissolve a lot of that material, rather than trying to collect it and take it somewhere, but I realize it's a much more of a significant challenge to do, because you don't want to hurt the fish and you don't want to hurt the ocean. But nobody has come up with a way to just dissolve all that plastic Dana Prenger  33:15 and stuff yet. Yeah, and our material is non toxic to fish, so it's we don't want people to we wouldn't say, just throw it in the ocean, but if it would end up litter becoming there, it would dissolve. Be safer fish. There's multiple end of life avenues for smart solves packaging, which is, yeah, flushable too. So some customers of ours are like toilet bowl cleaner cleaners or feminine care tampon packages that is flushable, so you can just flush the packaging down the toilet Michael Hingson  33:49 right, which, you know, and all of that is very important, but it still seems to me that hopefully somebody someday will figure out a way to dissolve All the stuff that's out in the ocean, yeah? Because I think collecting it is never going to happen as fast as it gets thrown in the ocean in the first place, Dana Prenger  34:09 yeah, especially in different countries around the world where there's not as adequate systems set up for landfills or recycling and waste is just much more incremental. Michael Hingson  34:22 So when you graduated and you started at Smart solves full time, what did you do? Dana Prenger  34:31 Yeah, so, actually, so the Ohio export internship program, I was a full time intern for the summer of 2023, okay, and then I was finishing my final year at school at BGSU, but they offered me to stay working part time. So I did work part time at Smart solve. My senior year of BGSU, I was a sales development rep, so business development, I had to do a lot of cold calling, so you just pick up the phone try to call people. So tell them about smart solve and so, yeah, I did that until I graduated in May, and then they kind of knew that they wanted more marketing support, and I liked marketing better than the sales prospecting. Sales, yeah, so they created a position for me, marketing coordinator, what was Michael Hingson  35:22 it like selling smart solve did you find that there were a lot of people who were very pessimistic or skeptical about what it could do? Or were you able to demonstrate pretty, pretty easily that in reality, sports fans it works? Dana Prenger  35:38 Yeah, I think smart solve products were easier than most things to sell and communicate about because, like we said, it really is a product that is better for people, better for the planet. I said our core values earlier in our vision, but our mission statement is enabling people to better care for the planet by pioneering Zero Waste packaging technologies, so smart solves. Big slogan is zero waste, zero hassle, zero hassle in the consumer. So it's cool to share that with prospects, and they would be more receptive, I feel like, than selling products that people don't necessarily need or want, but still in any industry, no matter how cool the product you have, when you're cold calling people on the phone, you're going to get some of those people that are like, how did you get my number? Or I don't want to talk, or just denies and ends the phone on you. So yeah. Well, that happened a lot of character building, doing that. Michael Hingson  36:38 I experience it oftentimes today, looking for speaking opportunities, even so, same concept, yep, and I've been selling my whole life, so I'm I'm fine when there are objections, when I at least there's a lot of truth to the to the fact when I at least get an objection, at least I can then go off and deal with it, but the people who just shut you down and you don't even get the opportunity to deal with the objection. That's a different story. Dana Prenger  37:06 Yeah, it really does. Michael Hingson  37:07 So was John a chemist? Or how did he develop Dana Prenger  37:11 all of this? Yeah, so John had a team of like, independent contractors that he would work with, and also just some of the knowledge with the water soluble label coming from CMC, but yeah, we have a lot of different team members now, research chemist employees that helped bring this product to life. And one of the cool things is doing a new product launch. So all of our typical water soluble materials we have today you can still buy, but we just now launched a new product called Pure nil zero, which is a completely plastic free, 100% bio based packaging substrate solution Michael Hingson  37:58 is packaging constructed like that, more are less stringent or sturdy than the more traditional kinds of packaging. Or is that something that you've been able to overcome and it's not any less durable? Dana Prenger  38:16 Yeah, it depends. It all depends on what you're trying to package in it. Yeah, it won't be as strong as plastic, but a lot of customers will use it for, like, powdered solutions. So obviously, if you have, like, liquid hand soap, you can't put that in our package, or it will start to break apart. But there's a lot of like, travel and convenience powdered packets that work great in our material. And the thing about pure no which is this new product, it is approved for direct food contact. So our other packaging is more agricultural, personal care, laundry, dish, a lot of those applications, this new product is approved for direct food packaging. So say you would have a powder drink, pack, mix, instant coffee, and eventually we want to get into more snack packaging, but there becomes certain limitations with oxygen and moisture barrier, Michael Hingson  39:12 yeah, well, you know, but that's still, it's it is really fascinating to hear about this, though, because there's, there's so much that that goes into it, it's really kind of fascinating to to see. Do you have customers all over or mainly in Ohio or what? Dana Prenger  39:33 Yeah, we do have customers all over the world. In fact, a lot in the European, European union, union that area, a few customers in the UK, since sustainability, new laws are happening all over. Michael Hingson  39:49 So you recently became the marketing manager. Tell us about that. Yeah. Dana Prenger  39:54 So yeah. I was very, very rapid upward marketing coordinator. For a while, and then just the end of this year, I got the promotion to Marketing Manager, which is great because I yeah, thank you. Get to manage content creators, to have somebody that creates blogs for us, somebody that helps with video support, especially because the water soluble material, it is so cool to see it, dissolve yourself. So yeah, doing a lot of video creation, and then, as I mentioned earlier, we're hiring for a digital content coordinator, a full time in office role. Michael Hingson  40:34 So are other companies doing the same kinds of things that smart solve does? Dana Prenger  40:39 There's a few, not a ton, but there's other bio based solutions. So for example, one company is using seaweed to make packaging, and there's other bio based materials, but not many water soluble packaging. Michael Hingson  40:57 So what makes smart solve unique? Dana Prenger  41:00 Yeah, we are unique for the ability to help you come to market with it. Our materials printable too. So some of the other like plastic PVA based, say laundry packs or dish packs, it's that plastic ours. You can print on it so you can have certain branding or safety warning instructions. Remember the challenge few years back when kids were trying to eat Tide Pods? We say, how different would it be if you could have had a big warning logo or image on the pod itself for them not to consume? Michael Hingson  41:38 Yeah, well, that's of course, the issue is, will they really pay attention to it or not? Dana Prenger  41:45 Yeah, also true, but we do think there's a good branding perspective too. Just to have brand on it, have instructions. We get. Our packaging is a little bit more expensive than just plastic and traditional uses, but we try to show our benefit by being better for the planet, better for the environment, and you do get a lot of good marketing. ROI, some of our customers have said using the materials and videos and being able to make a lot of sustainable claims has helped their company Michael Hingson  42:21 as a whole. So what kind of goals do you basically have as the marketing manager at Smart solve for what you're looking to do over the next few years? Dana Prenger  42:31 Yeah, one of my big grows goals is just growing, growing our followers, growing our reach. I feel like not a lot of people know about smart solve or know about our materials. So we have a LinkedIn page, since we are a B to B business, we also have Facebook and Instagram, but LinkedIn is our primary social that I'm looking to grow. So I think I shared with you smart solves LinkedIn profile, if you want to include that, or if any of the listeners today want to give us a follow, I'd really appreciate it. Michael Hingson  43:03 Well, absolutely that makes sense to do. Dana Prenger  43:07 Well also just increasing website. I help add new pages on our website, increasing our web visitors, new traffic, and creating more leads and sales qualified opportunities for our sales team, Michael Hingson  43:21 so dealing with diversity and and such, what do you do to make sure that your materials are accessible for people who don't necessarily read the print or who aren't going to be able to see pictures on the websites and so on. Do you have you all done a lot with that yet? Dana Prenger  43:42 Yeah, we're getting into improving and open to recommendations and suggestions. A lot of with the package itself, we leave up to the individual brands who sure have the product, because we're just the packaging supplier, not actually the end brand that uses it, but yeah, our website, I we use a site to do that, trying to become more accessible. There's so many ways to learn and do it, so, yeah, Michael Hingson  44:15 well, but it makes sense to do so with all the sports and stuff background that you've had, and we talked about this a little bit already, but what lessons from sports and leadership and all of your experiences have translated most into what you're doing today? Dana Prenger  44:37 Yes, I would say I'll tie it back to drive that one of our core values at Smart solve, and just as an athlete, having to really drive, whether that be your mental state, getting in the right mindset before a game or big competition meet, you. And just putting your effort into your skill to perfect it Michael Hingson  45:06 well, and an important thing to do by any standard. So, you know, a lot of people have jobs, they have worked in various places, they've matured and so on, but a lot of times there's kind of a defining moment that shows them that what they're doing is really what they wanted to do and so on. Do you have a defining moment like that that said this is really it? Dana Prenger  45:37 Yeah, that's a good question. And I think life is a journey, and there's always going to be small moments throughout I haven't had one big knock me off my feet moment that's shaped everything, but more kind of collectively built up small moments, small hurdles, small challenges that's got me where I am Today, any specific challenge that comes to mind, yeah, I would say. I would say, just going through college and yeah, figuring out my path and different setbacks along the way, throughout, trying to figure out my major and things and one of a small, funny setback, but not that big of one. I mentioned it as I was 16 years old, going to get my driver's license from sports. I had an injury and sprained my ankle, so I couldn't walk at the time, but I really wanted to get my driver's license, and it was my left foot, so not my right foot. So I my parents, the car that we had was a minivan with all my siblings, so Driver's Ed test, I'm pull up in this minivan, and I didn't want to let that setback delay me from passing my driver's test, so I had my crutches, crutched out, put my crutch in the back of the car, and then drove, using my right foot to pass my driver's test. Michael Hingson  47:10 And you passed your test, huh? Yes, and you did well on the written part as well, yep. Well, all I have to say is I think you should come out here to Victorville and spend a little bit of time the way people drive out here is crazy. I still submit that they ought to let me have a license, because I am sure that the way I would drive is every bit as good as the way people drive in Victorville right now. Wow, I don't see the problem myself. Dana Prenger  47:40 Yeah, and it's crazy. With innovation, the new things coming up, like nowadays, the autonomous vehicles, I'm curious to see in the next years how that will impact driving. When I am older and have children, when will they have to get their driver's test like that? Or there's some bold suggestions that say in many years to come, you won't have to drive a car. Michael Hingson  48:07 Well, I, in all seriousness, am really of the opinion that it will be great when autonomous vehicles are really as stable and as foolproof as they ought to be, because I think that we really do need to take driving out of the hands of drivers. It's just too many people to do too many crazy things on the road. The reality is that for blind people, and it's not going to be in prime time, certainly in the very near future, but the National Federation of the Blind challenged private universities and companies to develop a car a blind person could drive, and I don't mean an autonomous vehicle, but literally one that would provide the information so that a blind person could drive it just like a sighted person. And if you really look at driving, what is driving and why is it that blind people can't do it well, the answer is, because we don't have a way to get the information in as timely and as functional a way as sighted drivers do with eyesight. And the the people who realize that actually developed a vehicle that a blind person could drive. If you go visit the website of the National Federation of the Blind nfb.org, and search for Blind Driver Challenge, you can actually see a video of a blind man driving a vehicle around the Daytona Speedway right before the 2011 Rolex 24 race. Wow, and he wasn't driving it with people communicating with him through walkie talkies or anything like that, the car was literally transmitting the information to him that allowed him to drive the vehicle, drive through obstacle courses and do a variety of other things, pass a vehicle and so many other things. Because the fact is, today, the technology exists to provide that information to blind people, but it's not ready for prime time, and probably won't be, but autonomous vehicles are coming, and I really am looking forward to the time that they really work and work well, because they're going to make life a whole lot better for everyone. And I'm serious when I say taking the hand, the driving out of the hands of drivers, is pretty important to look at, yeah, so it'll be interesting to see how all that goes. So we've been talking about drive why other why? Else wise, did you really want to use Drive and make that kind of a theme for what we're talking about today? Dana Prenger  50:48 Yeah, I think drive just reflects the path that people have for life. And drive you always want to keep going being a goal oriented, focused person. There's a lot of things, and other people do experience many setbacks. And what I've learned from your story as well. When trouble would come your way, you didn't just stop. You kept moving, kept driving in a direction. Sometimes you might not always get from point A to point B. You might have to do a little bit of a detour in the journey of the drive, but yeah, that's kind of why I thought drive would be a good conversation topic word for today's podcast. Michael Hingson  51:29 But the reality is that that you can succeed. I tell people all the time that I reject the concept of the term fail, because if you fail, that's kind of an end all. You just, you just screwed up. Well, you didn't screw up. The issue isn't failure. The issue is what do you learn from it? And the issue is how you you move forward. And so I've learned that in reality, when things don't go right, I'm my own best teacher. I'm the one that has to take that information and internalize it and figure out how to move forward, people can suggest people can help. And I think that's important. But for me, personally, and for every individual on the planet, ultimately, we have to internalize it and make it succeed, which is, I think, so very important. Dana Prenger  52:19 Yeah, connecting some of those points is what we would talk about in life design too, because students would come and if they wouldn't pass a certain class or wouldn't do a certain thing, they would see it as a failure. And it's reframing failure and redefining it that, yeah, it's not, in fact, a failure, but a learning opportunity and experience Michael Hingson  52:41 it is. It's a growth opportunity by any standard, and that is something that we all really need to work on, because failure just isn't isn't fair and it isn't right, and we've got to get away from thinking that it is, Dana Prenger  52:56 and even reframing your experiences or statements you choose to say and think and believe about yourself like I could. I'm, as I said, one of a younger professional. Sometimes it can be intimidating or room full of people that know more than you. I could be down on myself. And look at it and say, Oh, I'm the youngest here. I am most inexperienced. I don't have as much skills or sets, or I could reframe it and think of it in a positive light and say, I am young, I do. I offer a new mindset. I bring new skills, new things that aren't already established. So kind of having that confidence and positive outlook to be able to reframe Michael Hingson  53:42 the other part of that. The other part of that, though, is that, yeah, you're young and all of that. But clearly some people have thought that you have a lot to contribute, and you're already doing that. And so obviously life is, is a is a place where we can learn, and we do need to continue to learn, but, but the reality is that we can always find learning as an end, as an adventure, and something that we need to do. And I think that that's exactly what we should we should be doing regularly, because it's always all about learning, yep, which really makes a lot of sense. So for you, what's next? For you? Do you have any notion? Dana Prenger  54:32 Yeah, I think I'm excited to continue developing this role, this new marketing manager role at Smart solve. I do like to travel. As I said, I've been to a lot of different countries, so wanting to further learn more about the world, new people, new places. Yeah, I want to have a family. I have a boyfriend that we're getting kind of serious. So looking for. To that next phase of my life and how well of a role model my mom was for me, I do want to be a mom as well someday. Cool. What countries have you been to? Yeah, I've been to Mexico, been to Portugal, been to Spain, one of the recent family trips. We just got back from Costa Rica. It was gorgeous there. We left right after Christmas and got back January 7 of this year. So that's why I'm still a little tan from the trip for you. But yeah, it was a good mix of adventure, zip lining, rock climbing, hiking, and then also just getting to relax and be in warm weather by a beach. Michael Hingson  55:46 What are what other countries, Dana Prenger  55:49 other countries that I've been to, went to Punta Cana, that was a very nice one, that Dominican Republic as the country, yeah. Michael Hingson  56:02 Cool. So the whole family went, Dana Prenger  56:07 yeah, all six of us. Wow. It works out nice because I have one sister and two brothers, and then my mom and dad. So it's kind of perfect, three and three, three girls, three boys. Michael Hingson  56:18 Yeah, that's, that's pretty cool. I'm glad that you you get a chance to have some of those experiences. What have you learned by going to other countries? Dana Prenger  56:29 Yeah, I've learned a lot just the way of life, the way they do things. Speaking of since we just got back from Costa Rica, one of the sayings they say all the time is Pura Vida, just pure life and kind of a more, not as upbeat, fast, hard paced environment as the US more free, yeah. But also it depends on the trip too. I've done some local mission trips. I wanted to do an international mission trip. I had it scheduled, but then that's when covid happened, so I had to cancel that. So bucket list coming up soon, I'm going to do a international mission trip. But it is different when you're traveling for just enjoyment vacation versus other purposes. Michael Hingson  57:19 You find that a lot of places where you visited, don't tend to take, and I don't mean this in a negative way at all, but don't take life as seriously as we tend to try to do here. Yeah, yeah. And it's, and it makes a lot of sense to lighten up a little bit, and then ought to do more of that. Well, if people want to reach out to you, how do they do that? Dana Prenger  57:42 Yeah, they can message me on LinkedIn if they have a LinkedIn profile, or they can go to smart solve website, contact us through there. What's your LinkedIn name to me? Yeah, Dana, just my name. You can search it. Dana pranger. Dana, D, a n, a pranger, P R, E N, G, E R, Michael Hingson  58:04 okay, well, I hope people will do that. This has been fun, and you've got a lot of good insights that you've offered, and we're going to have to after you your marketing for a while, we'll have to have you come back and tell us Dana Prenger  58:19 more stories. Yeah, that would be wonderful. And, yeah, thank you for having me as a guest. Super fun. Yeah, we'll see you, John. Yeah. Now we'll get John on and he can, I gave you a little warm up to smart solve. He can get into more of the details. Michael Hingson  58:36 Well, I want to thank you, and I want to thank everyone for being here today. We really appreciate it. Love it. If you'd give us a five star rating wherever you are, and also, even more important than a rating, please give us a very positive review. We really love your reviews. People will and do monitor and read and watch these podcasts more when people review them. So we'd love you to voice your thoughts. If you'd like to reach out to me. I would love to hear from you, and especially if you might know and Dana you as well. If anyone else, in addition to John, who ought to come out on on unstoppable mindset podcast, feel free to email me, and we're changing the address so it's easy. It's speaker, S, P, E, A, K, E, R, at Michael hingson, M, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, O, n.com. Love to hear from you. Love to get your thoughts. And we'll we'll value them a lot. And if you know people who ought to come on, please introduce us. But again, Dana, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely a lot of fun, and hopefully we'll get to do it some more in the future. Dana Prenger  59:48 So thank you. Yes, this was great. Thank you, Michael, Michael Hingson  59:55 thank you for being here with me on unstoppable mindset. I hope to. Day's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about if you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others, I have a free gift for you. Head over to Michael hingson.com and download my free ebook blinded by fear, it explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward together. Thanks again for listening, keep learning, keep questioning and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset. You you.

In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization. About Matt Muenster Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, brings extensive expertise spanning energy, freight, and sustainability across global supply chains. In his role, Matt leads a team of supply chain analysts who deliver actionable market intelligence to some of the world's largest enterprise shippers across the food, beverage, retail, and packaging industries.Known for translating complex market dynamics into practical insights, Matt serves as a trusted advisor to executive leaders navigating energy market volatility, freight cycles, and decarbonization goals. He is a sought‑after speaker at industry conferences and a frequent contributor to leading business and logistics publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Logistics Management. Matt holds a master's degree in economics from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College. About Breakthrough Breakthrough, a U.S. Venture company, is a leading provider of sustainable fuel and freight solutions that reduce costs, improve network efficiency, and decarbonize transportation. Powered by more than $35 billion in annual freight spend data, advanced technology, and deep market expertise, Breakthrough delivers freight optimization and actionable strategies for the world's leading brands, helping transform transportation into a more effective and sustainable ecosystem. Breakthrough is a multi-year Top Food Chain Technology honoree from Food Shippers of America, Owens Corning Supplier of the Year, and recipient of the 2025 Top Supply Chain Projects Award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics. Key Takeaways: Navigating Energy Markets In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization. Navigating "Strait Talk" Volatility: Energy volatility, driven by geopolitical macro forces and refining constraints, has replaced freight rates as the primary driver of transportation costs in 2026. Precision Through Market-Based Reimbursement: Moving beyond lagging, "one-size-fits-all" indexes, Breakthrough aligns fuel reimbursements with real-time variables including time, price, taxes, and specific origin/destination pairs. The Referee Effect and Strategic Fairness: By removing fuel from margin negotiations, Breakthrough acts as a neutral party, allowing shippers and carriers to build trust and focus on service and long-term partnerships. Data-Driven Risk Management via the FELIX Platform: Shippers utilize FELIX (Freight, Energy, Load, Information, and eXperience)—Breakthrough's strategic transportation intelligence platform—to move from reactive cost management to proactive risk management in an AI-driven economy. Sustainability as an Operational Lever: Breakthrough helps enterprise shippers integrate alternative energy adoption and route optimization into their broader risk-management strategies to hedge against diesel volatility. Impact on Freight Behavior and Capacity: Energy market disruptions are directly influencing carrier equipment investments and purchasing decisions, which in turn affects linehaul rates and capacity availability through the remainder of 2026. Learn More About Navigating Energy Markets Matt Muenster | Linkedin Breakthrough | Linkedin Breakthrough Breakthrough - Knowledge Hub Breakthrough - Events Breakthrough - Exclusive Content SmartWay | US EPA The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 9am -10am CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes artists GK Callahan & Laura White, Consuelo Cruz Belger Arts, & Cody Joliff Powell Gardens CEO, Director Teisha M. Bankston & Artistic Director Unicorn Theater Ernie Nolan. GK CALLAHAN & LAURA WHITE- Englewood Art Center presents Laura White- In Full Bloom, a solo exhibition by KC blind artist Laura White. On view from March 20 through May 16, 2026, with an opening reception on Friday, March 20 at 6:00 PM.“You have never seen anything like this — neither have I.” —White In Full Bloom is an immersive, cheeky, tactile exhibition featuring beaded quilts and sculptural works created from beads and found materials. Inspired by the artist's love of gardening and nature, the work draws from her favorite flowers- flowers she can no longer see, but continues to engage with through memory and touch. White's practice expands the tradition of American quilt-making into a richly textured visual and sensory language, expressed through bold, large- scale works. Drawing on her background in graphic design, White constructs her quilts through a monumental reinterpretation of fused beading toys, resulting in surfaces that pulse with color, pattern, labor, and intention. The imagery within each work emerges from White's visual memory, formed before she lost her eyesight due to retinitis pigmentosa and usher syndrome. Because of her limited vision, White often collaborates with friends and family in selecting colors, embedding each piece with a communal authorship that mirrors the social histories of traditional quilts. The result is work that is at once deeply personal and collective. Art reentered White's life in 2016 through a collaborative project that reignited her studio practice and led to local recognition. Her work has since been exhibited in the KC area and at institutions, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. In Full Bloom marks a significant moment in White's artistic journey — not a return, but a flourishing. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down, to experience art through touch, memory, and presence, and to reconsider long-held assumptions about vision, access, and who art is for. About Englewood Arts: Englewood Arts Center is dedicated to assisting the community through development of residential and commercial incentives, public art, art events, art programs, philanthropy and community outreach solutions, which result in a thriving community with engagement and pride. Englewood Arts is located at 10901E. Winner Rd. Independence, MO www.englewoodarts.art TEISHA M. BANKSTON, Director & ERNIE NOLAN, Artistic Director of Unicorn Theatre Don't Touch My Hair By Douglas Lyons May 6 – 24, 2026 Unicorn Theatre | Levin Stage Directed by Teisha M. Bankston About the Show: Don't Touch My Hair Written by Douglas Lyons | Directed by Teisha M. Bankston Don't Touch My Hair is an exploration of Black womanhood, identity, and cultural ownership, with a sharp comedic wit. The play follows lifelong best friends Eemani and Jade, who, during a casual afternoon together, are launched into a surreal hallucination. It's a journey that transports them through time to confront historical and cultural oppressors. Through humor, imagination, and sharp dialogue, the two women confront the past to reclaim their power. The play is filled with satire and social commentary, using comedy as a lens for examining serious social issues. Rather than centering pain, Don't Touch My Hair creates space for laughter, reflection, and conversation. Why It Matters Don't Touch My Hair's power comes from shifting the conversation about racial injustice and confronting it through humor and the joyful bond of women. It invites audiences to engage with complex issues in a way that is thought-provoking and deeply human. Key Themes & Takeaways Black Identity At its core, the play examines the significance of Blackness as both a personal and political expression. It challenges audiences to consider who “owns” culture and what it means to reclaim it. Boundaries “Don't touch my hair” represents the right to personal space, respect, and self-definition. The play highlights how Black women's bodies and identities are open for commentary, and pushes back against that norm. The “Angry Black Woman” Stereotype The story interrogates the societal expectation that Black women must shrink themselves to be accepted. It confronts stereotypes that label assertiveness as anger, and instead presents characters who are expressive, complex, and unapologetically themselves. Comedy as a Tool for Confrontation Rather than approaching racism solely through trauma, the play uses humor to disarm and engage. By making audiences laugh, it opens the door for deeper reflection on difficult topics without centering harm done to Black people. Friendship & Joy Eemani and Jade's relationship is a common thread throughout the story. Their bond reflects the importance of safe spaces where Black women can exist fully, speak freely, and find joy while navigating challenges. Eemani and Jade light up to unwind, but their blunt is laced with more than weed. A wild hallucination gives them superpowers to confront the past in a hilarious, eye-opening journey. This electrifying play celebrates Black womanhood and self-discovery. Unicorn Theater is located at 3828 Main St. KCMO www.unicorntheatre.org CONSUELO CRUZ, Vice President Marketing & Community Engagement Belger Arts & CODY JOLIFF Powell Gardens CEO POWELL GARDENS AND BELGER ARTS DEBUT COLLABORATIVE GLASS FOUNTAIN INSTALLATION On view during Painted Garden (May 2-June 21, 2026) in the Conservatory Powell Gardens, Kansas City's botanical garden, announces the Fountain Project, a one-of-a-kind glass installation created in collaboration with Belger Arts by a collective of glass artists. The installation will be on view May 2 through June 21, 2026, in the Conservatory at Powell Gardens. The piece created as part of the Fountain Project, titled Teaming with Life, will launch the Gardens' spring art-focused event, Painted Garden. Selected through a national call for artists, the Fountain Project brings together an eight-person collective of glassmakers from across the United States: Abigail Amundson, Michael Carson, Keegan O'Brien, Jacqueline Polofka, Ori Shir, Lauryl Sidwell, Brandon Smith, and Tyler Suter. The team includes three lead gaffers and six assistants who worked collaboratively to fabricate and install the large-scale piece. The artists gathered at the Belger Glass Annex to create the fountain's intricate functional and decorative components using traditional glassblowing techniques before assembling the installation onsite at Powell Gardens. Their work transforms the Conservatory into a tranquil retreat inspired by the landscapes of the Midwest prairie. At the center of the space, the fountain is adorned with luminous blown-glass forms that echo the shapes and colors of prairie blossoms. Soft golds, lavender tones, and prairie blues shimmer in the light, creating a peaceful atmosphere where visitors are invited to slow down, sit in a rocking chair, and enjoy the interplay of glass, water, and spring blooms. The result is a serene environment where art, nature, and heritage come together in quiet harmony. About the Artists • Abigail Amundson is an emerging multimedia artist based in Corning, New York, whose work explores the intersection of nature and spirituality. She recently graduated from Bowling Green State University and works with the Corning Museum of Glass Hot Glass team. • Michael Carson, originally from Indiana, focuses on functional blown glass inspired by historical Venetian techniques. He has worked with studios across the Midwest and with the Corning Museum of Glass Hot Glass team. • Keegan O'Brien, based in Kansas City, earned his BFA from Bowling Green State University. His sculptural glasswork explores light and material, and he currently works as a gaffer at Monarch Glass Studio. • Jacqueline Polofka is the artist behind Double Dipped Studios on Kelleys Island, Ohio. A graduate of Bowling Green State University, she specializes in blown glass and previously worked at institutions including the Corning Museum of Glass and Chrysler Museum of Art. • Ori Shir is co-owner of Shir Glassworks in Greenfield, Massachusetts. His nature-inspired glasswork ranges from functional to sculptural and is exhibited nationwide. • Lauryl Sidwell is a Kansas City-based artist who transitioned from stained glass to hot glass in 2023 and continues to expand her practice through studio work and classes. • Brandon Smith is a glass and mixed-media artist, blacksmith, and educator based in Pennsylvania. He holds an MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and leads the glass program at Keystone College. • Tyler Suter is a resident artist at Belger Arts Center in Kansas City whose sculptures in glass and ceramics are inspired by organic forms and the natural world. Powell Gardens 1609 NW US Hwy 50 Kingsville, MO 816.697.2600 www.powellgardens.org The Fountain Project installation is on view daily from May 2 through June 21, 2026 in the Conservatory at Powell Gardens. For more information about Painted Garden and upcoming events, visit powellgardens.org. May 2: Unveiling of the Belger Arts-Powell Gardens Fountain Project at Powell Gardens. Nine artists from across the country were selected from an open call to create a blown glass fountain. They arrive in Kansas City on April 23. • Gallery Collections: Here Comes the Sun (April 3 - May 30); Dog Days (June 5 – August 1) • June 6: Exhibition Openings for Annual Resident Artist Exhibition; Beat the Heat • June 29-August 7: Kids and Teen Camp • Ongoing ceramics and glass classes Our programs this year are in partnership with Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a nationwide semi quincentennial initiative to showcase the importance of the handmade throughout history and in contemporary life.

Chain reaction crash in Delaware County kills three people; NAACP calls for investigation after a video showed the arrest of a 15-year-old girl; Cincinnati police are returning to a curfew policy; Bowling Green State University announces major changes to its degree programs.

Dan and James welcome in Sasha Kim, Head Librarian at Bowling Green State University, to discuss the history of mass market paperbacks and why they may be going away.

In this episode of BG Ideas, we welcome Rosemarie Poiarkov, Max Kade Writer in Residence in Fall 2025 at Bowling Green State University, where she was also featured in the Prout Chapel Reading Series. Throughout the episode we discuss how literature affects imagination and listening throughout society.  Follow along, as she discusses the importance of listening in literature and the way that different perspectives can impact a story.  Thinking about how we change as we grow older, she reflects on how in her different novels, youth novels and stories, she articulates that perspective shift. Rosemarie dives into the 1968 student movement in France and what that means for literature. Want to know more about Rosemarie Poiarkov's  writing and theater projects? Check out her website here. A transcript for this episode can be found here.

In 2021, the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University found that the rate of couples marrying was at its lowest since 1971. Bruce & Gaydos ask what are the factors that are causing this decline.

In this episode of BG Ideas, we welcome Rebekah Monroe, a current Clinical Psychology PhD student at Bowling Green State University and recipient of the 2023-2024 Graduate Teacher of the Year Award. Throughout this episode, we explore the various ways religious trauma shapes identity, often producing both positive and negative effects. Listen as Rebekah discusses different forms of religious trauma, including betrayal trauma and cultural hegemony, alongside her own research on the relationship between adverse religious experiences, specifically their interpersonal dimensions. This conversation also addresses sexual harassment and trauma in relation to religion, and how these experiences can be intertwined as it is a spectrum rather than a fixed binary. Do you want to see more from Rebekah? Follow her on LinkedIn here. A transcript for this episode can be found here.

This week on Herbal Radio, we are joined by Andrea Miller, a passionate Earth steward and Sustainable Forestry Director at Rural Action, an environmental nonprofit organization based in Appalachian Ohio. Tag along with us as we explore: Rural Action: who, what, where, and why Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database Finding medicinal herbs in unexpected urban areas How the pandemic sparked an increased interest in forest farming Hockings College: get an associate degree in forest farming! United Plant Savers & Rural Action: how industry can support medicinal plant conservation As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. Learn more about Andrea below!

1 Timothy 4:8 NIV “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”   *Transcription Below*   Brian Smith, author of The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, is a staff member with Athletes in Action and a cross-country coach at Lowell High School. A former collegiate runner at Wake Forest University, he earned a BA in Communications and Journalism before completing his MA in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary. Brian lives in Lowell, MI with his wife and three children. You can find him on Twitter @BrianSmithAIA.   Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades' experience discipling college and professional athletes. With a heart for reconciliation and justice, he also works as a racial literacy consultant and marriage conference speaker, blending Biblical wisdom with practical living in the midst of complex cultural realities. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in Xenia, Ohio.   The Christian Athlete Website   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions and Topics We Cover: What is one of kids' greatest game day complaints?  Is it true that young athletic success is a predictor of adult athletic success? What are a few tips for instilling a heart of gratitude in our young athlete, rather than entitlement?   Related Savvy Sauce Episode: 230 Intentional Parenting in All The Stages with Dr. Rob Rienow   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:11)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:51) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today, over 55 years later, at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka.   Owned and operated by the Bertschi family, Sam Leman and Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over Central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com.   Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski are my guests for today.   They are co-authors of this recent amazing book entitled, A Way Game, A Christian Parents Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. And from the very beginning, I was captivated, even with one of the endorsements from Matt Martens, who's the president and CEO of Awana, and he summed it up this way, A Way Game provides a much needed perspective shift on one of the most sacred idols in our culture, youth sports. So, Brian and Ed are all for youth sports, and yet you're going to hear there's a different way to approach it than what we've been trained in culture.   And they're going to share some wonderful and very practical insights. I can't wait to share this with you. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Ed and Brian.   Ed Uszynski & Brian Smith: (1:51 - 1:54) Thanks for having us, Laura. Yeah, good to be here, Laura.   Laura Dugger: (1:54 - 2:04) So, excited about this chat. And will the two of you just start us off by sharing your family's stage of life and your involvement in sports?   Brian Smith: (2:05 - 3:29) Yeah, there could be a lot on the back end of that question. I'll start with sports, then get into family. I've been involved in sports my entire life, played every sport imaginable growing up, got cut from just about every single sport my freshman year of high school, ended up running track and cross country because it was the only sports that you could not get cut from at my high school.   And I ended up being pretty good at it by the time I was a senior, won some state championships, ended up getting a scholarship to run at Wake Forest University. So, I did that for four years right out of college. I coached a little bit collegiately.   Soon after that, I joined staff with a sports ministry called Athletes in Action that Ed and I have a combined 50 years with Athletes in Action. And really, that's been my life ever since. I've been ministering to college and pro athletes, discipling them, helping them figure out what does that actually look like to integrate faith in sport.   Even today, I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I coach high school cross country while I'm still on staff with Athletes in Action. I have a middle school Bible study that I run on Wednesday mornings.   Been married to my wife, who I actually met in high school. She was a distance runner too, and she ran at Wisconsin. So, we've been married for 20 years.   We have three kids, a high schooler, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler who are all involved in sport at some level, some way, shape, or form.   Laura Dugger: (3:30 - 3:34) Wow, that's incredible. Thank you, Brian. And Ed, what about you?   Ed Uszynski: (3:34 - 5:04) Well, my story is very parallel to Brian's, just different sports and some different numbers. Just tack on 15 years. Yeah, I was a basketball player.   Grew up on the west side of Cleveland with a high school football coach. My dad was, but I was a basketball player. I played at high levels all the way through my 20s, got to play overseas.   I mean, this was a long time ago, but I got everything I could out of that sport. And as soon as I graduated from college, though, I started to work with that Athletes in Action ministry that Brian mentioned. So, I've been working with college and professional athletes for 34 years now.   And same, coached at different levels, have four kids. Amy and I have been married for 26 years. We have four kids, three are in college, and one's in ninth grade, who has a game this afternoon, actually.   So, we've just been going to games and have been involved in going to sports stuff for the last 20 years with our kids. And really what happened with Brian, and I is that we looked up a decade ago and realized this youth sports thing was a fast train that was moving in directions that we weren't used to ourselves, even though we've been around sports our whole life. It's like, there's something different happening now.   And then thinking about it as Christians, like, how do we do this well as Christ followers? We don't want to separate from it. We don't want to just go for the ride. How do we do this as Christian people? And that's what got us talking about it and eventually led to this book.   Laura Dugger: (5:05 - 5:23) Well, the book was easy to read and incredible. And I'd like to start there where you begin, even where you go back before going forward. So, when you're looking back, what are the factors at play that changed youth sports over time?   Ed Uszynski: (5:26 - 6:17) Well, I'll say this and then Brian, maybe you jump in and throw a couple of them out there. I mean, youth sports is a $40 billion industry today, which is wild to think about. It's four times how much money gets spent on the NFL, which is just staggering.   I can't even hardly believe that that's true, but it is. And it's really just in the last 20 years that that's happened. I mean, 50 years ago, you couldn't have had the youth sport industrial complex, as we refer to it.   You couldn't have had it. There were a bunch of things that had to happen culturally, as is true with any new movement or any paradigm shift that happens in culture. You've got to have certain things be true all at the same time that make it possible.   So, Brian, what were a couple of those? Again, I'll throw it over to you. There's six of them that we talk about in the book. And I think it's really fascinating because I'm a history guy.   Brian Smith: (6:18 - 8:40) Yeah. And we can obviously double click on any of these, Laura, that you want to, but we talk about how the college admissions process became an avenue where youth sports parents saw, man, if we can get our kids involved in some extracurriculars and kind of tag on high level athlete to their resume, it actually helps with the college admissions process. And so even the idea of college scholarships became an opportunity for youth sports parents to get their kids involved.   And then, yeah, maybe sports can actually get them into college. We talk about the economic shifts that happen, the rise of safetyism and helicopter parenting. ESPN was a massive one in 1979.   This thing called ESPN starts, and we get 24-7 coverage of sports, which they started exploring even early on. What does it look like to give coverage to something like Little League World Series and saw that it didn't really matter how young the sport was, it's going to draw a national audience. And so, we've almost been discipled by ESPN really over the last 50 years with this consistent coverage.   We talk about the rise of the sports complex. This one to me is like the most fascinating out of all of them. In 1997, Disney decided to try to get more people to come to their parks.   They built a sports complex, just a massive sports complex. The idea was, are the older kids getting sick of the Buzz Lightyear ride and the Disney princesses? So, let's build a sports complex and maybe it'll be something else that will draw this older crowd too.   And what happened was, I mean, a lot of people started coming to it, but kind of the stake in the ground game changer was when 9-11 hit. In the months and years after that, they saw a lot less people go to their parks, but population actually doubled going to the sports complex, which is wild to think that people were afraid to go to theme parks for a vacation, but they were willing to travel across state lines to play sports at the Disney complex. So other cities and municipalities took notice of that.   Today, there's over 30,000 sports complexes like Disney's, which again, this is all adding to the system of the youth sports industrial complex. Did I miss any, Ed?   Ed Uszynski: (8:41 - 10:47) Well, no, and that's good. And the reason why we even put all that on the table, again, everybody kind of intuitively knows if you're involved, you know, something's not right. But I think it's important to say this is not normal what's happening.   It's a new normal that's been manufactured by a bunch of cultural trends, by a bunch of entrepreneurs that are doing what entrepreneurs do, and they're taking advantage of the moment, and they are generating lots of money around it. So, it should be encouraging. If it's not normal, that means actually there's a counter way of going about this.   There really can be reformation. But when all this money gets involved, the two biggest consequences that come out of that is our kids start getting treated like commodities, which they are, and we could talk the whole time even just about what that means. But maybe even more importantly, or what comes out of that is that beyond their physical development, most coaches and clubs are not paying any attention to their emotional development, their psychological development, their spiritual development, all the different aspects of what it means to be human that, frankly, used to be paid quite a bit more attention to in youth leagues when I was growing up.   I'm 58 now, so I was playing in the 70s and the 80s. And it used to be expected, at least at some level, even among non-Christian people, that you would take those aspects of a kid's life seriously. And now those just aren't prioritized.   And so, what do we do about that? Again, that's kind of our whole point is, well, as Christian people, we're really supposed to be our kid's first discipler anyways. And part of that role and part of taking on that identity is that we would be asking, what is God trying to do in the wholeness of their life, the entirety of their life, even in the context of sports?   So again, I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but that's why we're trying to poke into that to say, oh, we could actually make change. We may not change the whole system. In fact, we won't. Most of us won't be expected to do that, but we can make significant change in our corner of the bleachers and what happens with our kids.   Laura Dugger: (10:48 - 11:05) That's good. And just like you said, to double-click on a few places, first of all, real quick, the 30,000 number, I remember that shocking me in the book, but I'm forgetting now, is that worldwide, the amount of sports complexes or is that just in America?   Brian Smith: (11:05 - 11:06) That's domestically in the US.   Laura Dugger: (11:07 - 11:52) Yeah. That is staggering. And then one other piece, all of this history was new to me as you brought it all together, but it was also fascinated.   This is from page 32. I'll just read your quote. The American youth sports ball began rolling when a British movement fusing spiritual development with physical activity made its way across the Atlantic Ocean at the turn of the last century.   And Ed, that's kind of what you were touching on, that they were mixing, I'm sure, spiritual, psychological discipleship, physical. Can you elaborate more on what was happening and where it originated? Because we've come very far from our origins.   Ed Uszynski: (11:53 - 13:18) Yeah. And there's been a bunch of really great books written about this topic called muscular Christianity. This idea, like you just said, Laura, of wedding physical activity through sports with our spiritual development and expecting and anticipating that somebody that was taking care of their body and that was engaging in sport activity, that was the closest thing to godliness.   That opened up the door for you to also be developing spiritually. And there was an expectation that both of those are going on at the same time. A bunch of criticism about that movement, but it was taken seriously.   The YMCA is actually a huge byproduct of the muscular Christianity movement. The Young Men's Christian Association created space for sports and for athletic activity to take place under the banner of you're also going to grow spiritually as you're doing this. So again, that was a hundred years ago.   And that's not really what AAU stands for today. The different clubs and leagues that we get involved in just don't talk that way anymore. Of course, culture just in general has shifted away from sort of a Judeo-Christian ethic guiding a North Star for us.   Even if we're not Christian people, that used to be more of a North Star. That's gone now. And so, it really is not expected in sports anymore.   Brian Smith: (13:18 - 13:55) And what we're saying is we cannot expect organizations to own that process for our kids. We can't outsource the discipleship of our kids to the youth sports industrial complex or the YMCA or the AAU. It really does start with us as Christian parents to be the primary discipler of our kids.   And there is a way to take what's happening on the field or the court or the pool and turn it into really amazing discipleship opportunities. But it means, and Ed is starting to tease this out, it means we need to change our perspective as parents when we sit in the bleachers or on the sidelines of what we're looking for and even the conversations we have with our kids on the back end.   Laura Dugger: (13:57 - 15:29) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Bertschi family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle.   This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different.   I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business.   Learn more at their website, LemanEureka.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them on 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Laura Dugger: (15:30 - 15:31) And I want to continue getting into more of those practicals. Do you want to give us just a taste or an example or story of what that might look like?   Brian Smith: (15:32 - 16:54) We keep saying, we keep talking about the importance of the car ride home that it's tempting for us and not us broadly in the U.S., tempting for us, Ed and I, as people who have done this for 50 plus years and who should know better, it's tempting for us as discipled by an ESPN over analyzing everything culture and want to talk about sports to get in the car ride home with our kids and all we want to talk about is how game went, what they did right, what they did wrong, what they could fix next time.   Maybe instead of passing to Tim, they should take the shot next time because they're wide open. They just hit three in a row. So, and what our kids need from us in those moments is less coaching, less criticizing, less critiquing, and they just need us to connect with them.   The stats on kids quitting youth sports is crazy right now. Its 70 percent are quitting before the age of 13, in large part because it's not fun, and a lot of kids are attaching this idea of it not being fun to the car ride home with their parents who, let's say this too, most of us are well-intentioned parents. We're not trying to screw our kids up.   We want what's best for our kids, but the data and the research and the lived experience continues to tell us what our kids need from us is just to take a deep breath, connect with them, less coaching. Ed keeps saying less coaching, more slurpees.   Laura Dugger: (16:55 - 17:07) I like that. And that ties in. Is it called the peak-end principle that you discovered why kids are resisting that critique on the way home?   Brian Smith: (17:07 - 18:17) Yeah, absolutely. The peak-end rule in psychology is known as this: we, just as humans in general, not just kids, we largely remember things in our lives based on the peak moment of that event, but also how the event ends. And so, the peak moment in sport can be anything from something that goes really well, like they scored a goal or made a basket or something that did not go well, just like a massive event that took place that they're going to remember.   But then it's also married to how that event ends. So, if you think for kids, how does every youth sport experience end? It ends with the car ride home.   So, if they're experiencing the car ride home as I did not live up to mom and dad's standards, or there's fear getting into the car because they don't know what their parents are going to say, how are they remembering the totality of their youth sport experience? It is, I didn't, I didn't measure up. I wasn't enough.   It felt like sports was a place that I needed to perform for my parents or my coach. And I always feel a little bit short. We want to help parents see like there's a different path forward that can be more joyful for you, but hopefully more joyful for your kid as well.   Ed Uszynski: (18:17 - 21:37) Well, and, and I'll just, let me keep going with that, Brian. I thought you really articulated all that so well. I can just imagine a parent maybe thinking, was there never a time to correct?   Is there never a time to give input? And we would say, well, of course there, there is, they need far less of it from us than we think they need when it comes to their sport. And again, we can talk about that.   They need far less of that from us. They need us to be their parents, not to be their coaches. Even if we are their coach, they need us to be more their parents.   But there is a time to do it. We're just saying the car ride home is the worst time to do it. And that's usually the time that most of us, you know, we've got two hours of stuff to download with them.   And that's just, it's not a good time. But the other thing that Brian and I keep talking about is how about, what if we had some different metrics that we were even trying to measure? So, most of the time our metrics have to do with their performance.   Like what, what are we grading them on? Again, depending on what the sport is, there's these different things that we're looking for to say, how you did today is based on whether you did this or you didn't do that and whatnot. And we're saying as parents, and again, starting with us, we needed some other metrics that were actually more concerned about what was going on in their soul.   So again, I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but the virtues, how did love show up in the way they competed today? Where that usually is tied to them noticing somebody else. Do I, am I even asking them any questions about that?   Are they experiencing peace in the midst of all this chaos and anxiety that shows up at every game? How do we teach them to experience peace? How do they become other-centered instead of just self-centered all the time in a culture, a sport culture that's teaching them to always be the center of attention and try to be?   So, we just have needed to exchange some of what we had on that performance list, like tamper that down a little bit and maybe expand the list of categories that we're looking for that actually will matter when they're 25. And we keep saying this, our goal is that they'd come home for Thanksgiving when they're 25. And so, we need to stay relationally connected to them and how we act on the car ride home day after day after day after day, year after year is doing something to our relationship.   But we also are recognizing that it's really not going to matter whether Trey finishes with his left hand at the game today when he's 25, it's not going to matter. It's not going to matter probably a year from now, but how he goes through the handshake line after the game and the way he addresses other people, and whether or not he's learning to submit to authority, whether or not he's learning to embrace other people's humanity. Yes, even in the context of sports, that's really going to matter when he's 25.   It's going to matter when he's married. Those are the things that will matter. And we say that as people who are older and have been involved in ministry and have worked with college athletes and see what happens in their lives even after they're finished, and they have no idea who they are anymore.   And this thing that's dominated their life has not actually prepared them well to do life. And that's a problem that we say, let's start changing that when they're six and not hope they're figuring it out when they're 22.   Laura Dugger: (21:38 - 22:11) I love that because that's such a theme throughout those virtues that you talked about, but discipleship and sports are a tool or a way that we can disciple our kids. I also love that you give various questions throughout the book and even quick phrases. So to close that conversation on the car ride home, if we say, okay, that's what I've been coaching the whole way home, what is a question we could ask our child afterwards and a statement we could say and leave it at that and do it a better way?   Brian Smith: (22:12 - 23:56) The question I have consistently asked my kids after learning that I've been doing this the wrong way for a long time, I tweet my question to they get in the car and I say, is there anything that happened today from the game that you want to talk about? And it's frustrating to me because 99% of the time they say, no, can we listen to the radio? And we listen to the radio, or they play a on my phone, but I'm respecting their desire that they're done with what just happened and they're ready to move on to the next thing, even though I really want to talk about what just happened.   And then the statement that I want to make sure that I'm consistently saying that they're hearing is I love you and I'm proud of you. So, game didn't go well. Yeah, you did play well today.   That's okay. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you. Game went well today.   Awesome. Great job. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you.   So I want that to be the consistent theme that they're hearing for me, which is hopefully going to help them better understand the gospel later in life, that as they get older and older, hopefully they'll begin to realize it seemed like the way that my mom and dad interacted with me when I was performing in sport, but their love was not attached to my performance. That seems really similar to what I'm learning more and more that Jesus does for me, that I'm trying to do all these things that are good. But from what I'm understanding about the gospel, it seems like Jesus loves me in spite of what I do.   He loves me just because He's connected to me, that God loves me because I'm a son or daughter, not because I'm performing as a son or a daughter. So, in a very real way, I really am hoping that I'm giving a good teaser for my kids now for when they fully experience the gospel as they go through the life.   Ed Uszynski: (23:56 - 24:47) Another really good connecting question. I love how you said all that, Brian, is if they don't want to talk about the game, is it okay, did you have fun today? And they can only go in one of two directions.   No. Well, tell me about that. Why not?   And it opens up the door to talk about, well, because I didn't get to play or because something bad happened. And again, tell me more about that. Tell me more about that.   Or they say, yes, great. What happened that was fun? And it creates a very different conversation in the car.   And it opens up, again, relational possibilities that go way beyond, why do you keep passing it when you should be shooting it? Wow. And just all the different ways that that comes out of us, depending on sport, depending on their age.   But those are great questions. Go ahead, Brian.   Brian Smith: (24:47 - 25:41) I just asked my son this morning. He's a freshman. His wrestling season is almost done.   And I just asked, like, what has been most fun for you in wrestling this year? And his first thing was, I feel like I'm learning a lot. And that's really fun for me, which he's on a really good team.   He's had a lot of success. He's made a lot of good friends. But even that gave me a window into his characters.   My son enjoys and I knew this is true about him. But my son enjoys learning, which means he enjoys the process of getting better and better and better, which can happen in school, it can happen doing stuff in the yard, it can it can also happen in sport. But for me to remember moving forward, yeah, he he's probably going to have a different metric for what's fun in sport than I often do for him.   Yeah, like I wanted to learn. I want him to win though, too. He's happy with learning right now.   So, I need to be happy with that for him.   Ed Uszynski: (25:41 - 26:34) If I can say this, too, again, I don't want to be vulnerable on your behalf. But then knowing this, he's lost a lot this year to really good kids. Yeah.   And so much of the learning has been in the context of losing. So, you as a dad, actually, you could be crushing him because of those losses and what he needs to do to fix that and what he needs to do so that that doesn't happen again. And it's like he's already committed to learning.   How do you just how do you celebrate the loss? Like he took the risk to try something new in this movie. He tried to survive an extra period.   That's a process when and it's we just need to get better at that. Like you genuinely can celebrate that. That's not just a that's not like a participation trophy.   It's acknowledging now, do you're taking you're taking the right steps that are actually making you a winner, even if you don't have more points at the end of the game right now.   Laura Dugger: (26:34 - 26:54) Yeah. Yeah. And that long term win that you're talking about, even with character and you've talked about fun and asking them about fun.   Is it true that that's the main reason kids are dropping out of sports at such a rapid rate before age 13 is that it's just not fun anymore?   Ed Uszynski: (26:55 - 28:58) Yeah. Yeah. And why is it not fun?   And again, this is where Brian and I are always getting in each other's business. And we know that this conversation gets in all of our business as adults. But why is it not fun?   It's not fun because of the coaches and it's not fun because of the parents. We are creating stress. We are creating again collectively because we're all in different places on the on the spectrum on this in terms of what we're actually doing when we show up at games.   But if you even just go to any soccer game and you be quiet and just listen to what's happening and everybody's shouting and screaming things and there's contradictory messages being sent and there's angst at every turn and there's an incredible celebration because this eight year old was able to get the ball to go across the line for another goal. And what that's doing inside the kids is it is creating a not fun atmosphere. Let's just say it like that.   That's a not fun atmosphere when you're eight, when you're 10, when you're trying to figure out how to make your body work. You're trying to learn the game that you're unfamiliar with and you're trying to do what this coach is telling you to do. And you're also trying to do what all the parents are telling you what to do.   And if it's a team sport, you're trying to interact and play with other kids who are all in that same state of disarray, which is very stressful and frustrating. And we're just adding to it. So instead of removing it, instead of playing a role that says, we're going to keep diffusing that stress.   And again, I'll speak for myself. Too often, I have been the one that's actually adding to it. And so, kids are just like, why would I do this?   Why would I want to get in that car again with you? It's not fun. This is a game.   And so, there's a million other things that I can do with my time where I don't have everybody yelling at me and I don't have to listen to you correct me for two hours.   Laura Dugger: (29:00 - 29:21) Well, and one other thing that surprised me, maybe why kids are dropping out, you share on page 47, a quote that research reveals a strange correlation. The more we spend, the less our kids actually enjoy their sport. So, did you have any more insight into that?   Brian Smith: (29:21 - 30:50) Yeah, this was a real study that was done at Utah State. Researchers found that the more money parents are spending, again, let's say well-intentioned parents, the more we're spending in sports, the less our kids are enjoying. And the more they have dug into it, they're finding, and intuitively it makes sense.   If you buy your kid a $600 baseball bat, what's the expectation that they're supposed to do with this really expensive bat? When they swing, they better hit the ball, and they better get on base. If we're going to buy you this expensive of a bat, you can't just have process goals with it.   You better swing and hit it. And that's causing stress for kids. If you travel across state lines and you go to Disney to play at their sports complex, you're not there for vacation.   You're there to perform. So even if parents are saying we're trying to have fun, kids know when you're traveling and you're getting all this good equipment and you're on the elite team and you're receiving the best of the best stuff, they know it comes with some sort of an expectation. College athletes can barely handle that type of pressure and expectations, but we've placed this professional on youth sports from fifth five-year-olds to 15-year-olds, and it's just crushing them.   It's crushing them. Again, college athletes and professional athletes can barely handle it. They need mental health coaches for sports, but we're expecting that our five-year-olds can handle it, and they can't.   Ed Uszynski: (30:51 - 31:19) And they may not even be able to articulate it. So that's the other thing. They may not be able to identify what's actually going on inside and put it into words.   So again, that's why we're trying to sound the alarm for ourselves and for others who are listening, because we can do it different. Again, just to even keep spinning it back in an encouraging direction, we can do this different. We can change this this week in our corner of the bleachers.   We can start over again.   Laura Dugger: (31:21 - 31:48) Absolutely and make a difference. And before we talk about even more of the pros with sports, I think it's also necessary to reflect and maybe even grieve a few things. So, what would you say are some things families are missing out on when they choose youth sports to overfill their calendar, that that's all that they make time for?   What do you think they're missing out on?   Brian Smith: (31:51 - 33:16) Yeah, I think a couple that come to mind are family dinners are a big one. That's big for us in the Smith house, is just having the ability after a long day to sit at the dinner table together, to eat food together, and to process the day and be with one another. But when my kids' practice goes late, it means we're either eating almost towards bedtime or we're eating in different shifts.   And so that's something that we grieve. I think for me, when my schedule is full, I'm tempted to adopt the mindset that what's happening on the wrestling mat or on the track matters more than it actually does. And it robs me of the ability to just take a deep breath and smile and enjoy watching my kids play sports.   That without an intervention or a pregame devotional in the car for myself, I risk sitting in the stands or being on the sidelines, being stressed out and putting pressure on myself and pressure on my kids and gossiping about why the coach didn't put this kid into the people next to me, instead of just enjoying the gift that is sports and watching my kid try and succeed and try and fail. That is a gift available to me as a dad to watch my kid do that. But the busyness often robs me of that perspective.   Ed Uszynski: (33:17 - 36:06) Well, and the busyness robs, again, if you're married, that busyness eventually wears away at your relationship. And it's not just sports. I mean, busyness, we can fill our schedule, overfill our schedules with any number of things.   We can overfill our schedules with church stuff to a point where it becomes detrimental to our relationship. If we don't set boundaries so that we're making sure we're doing what we need to do to be face-to-face and to be going to areas beneath the surface with each other in our relationship and being able to do that with our kids as well, eventually there's negative consequences to that. It may not happen right away, but I've definitely experienced that.   We've experienced that in our home where it's easy to maybe chase one kid around for a while, but what happens when you add three into the mix and you haven't really done a time budget or paid attention to the fact that when we sign up for all these things, you get a month into it and you realize, oh, we have to be in different places at the same time. So, we're not even watching stuff together anymore. We're just running.   I can endure anything for a season, but what youth sports wants now in every sport from the youngest ages is that it becomes a year-round commitment. So, you're not even signing up to play a season anymore. You're signing up for a year in most cases because after the games, then they're going to have training.   They're going to have this other thing going on. And so again, can we say, well, we'll play the actual season, but then we're not going to do the additional training over these next three months. Again, we want to give parents' permission that you can say no to that.   Well, we paid for it. Well, it's okay. If you want your kid to be on that team and you like this club or whatever, then you pay the money and you just say, we're going to sit those three months out and we're going to use those three months actually to have people over our house for dinner.   Again, whatever's on the list, Laura, that you said about being more holistic and not letting sport operate like an idol in our life where it's taken on, it's washed out everything else in our life. We can get back in control of that by just saying no a little bit. You can go to church on Sunday.   Even if there's tournament games going on on Sunday, you can go to the coach early and say, hey, we just, in our family, we just don't want to be available before 12. Are you okay with that? And most of the time coaches will be.   The kid might have to sit extra maybe for not being, whatever. Okay. That's not going to be the end of the world that they had to sit out an extra game or had to sit out a half because they weren't available on Sunday morning.   It might actually make a huge difference that they weren't at church for two and a half years in the most formative time of their life.   Laura Dugger: (36:07 - 37:36) And a lot of times the way of wisdom includes reflection, getting alone with the Lord and asking, have we overstuffed our schedule this conversation today? Let's talk specifically with youth sports. Is that trumping everything else?   Because what if we're putting it in a place it was never intended to be as an idol where we sacrifice hospitality or discipleship or community or even just a more biblical way of life? I think we have to bring wisdom into the conversation for what you've mentioned. Whether it's worth it, if they're even enjoying it, how much we're spending on it, and do we have the budget to allocate our finances that way and evaluating the time just to see and make sure that it's rightly ordered.   Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights? Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy!   But if we flip that to if youth sports are rightly ordered, then what are some things that we can celebrate or reasons that you would want families to give this a try?   Brian Smith: (37:37 - 40:09) The massive positive that we keep coming back to is we have a front row seat to see our kids go through every possible emotion in sport, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And then if we have the right perspective, we are armed with awesome opportunities and awesome information that we're seeing. We get to see what our kids are really good at.   We get to see their character gaps. And then we get to be the ones who, again, who are their primary response, primary disciplers. It really goes back to like, are we trusting youth sports for too little in our kids' lives?   Like many of us are trusting that our investment is going to get them a spot on a team, or maybe they get an opportunity in high school, maybe in college. And what we're saying is, yeah, that maybe. And that's not a bad end goal.   But if that's everything that you're investing into youth sports, it's not enough. Like what you have available to you every single day is to ask your kid if they showed somebody else's dignity on the field. You don't know if your kid's going to hit a home run today.   That may not be available to them their entire life. What's available to them every single day is to ask a question to their teammate, to see somebody and show dignity to them. And that's really, it's like, it's almost the opportunity of a lifetime for us as parents who, when our kids get home from school, we really don't know what happened most of the day.   We asked them how it went and we get the one-word answer. In sports, we don't have to guess. We get to see everything that happens.   And again, if we are actually trusting youth sports for discipleship investment, that's a good ROI. That's a good return on our investment. But we need a consistent intervention almost daily to say, no, this is why they're in sports.   Yes, I want to see them get better. I want to see them have fun, but Holy Spirit, would you help me see things today that I normally don't see? Holy Spirit, would you put them in circumstances and relationships today and in the season that's going to help them look more and more like Jesus by the time the season's done?   Holy Spirit, would you convict me in the moment when I am being a little too mouthy and saying things that I shouldn't? Would you help me to repent? And God, in those moments where I'm actually doing wrong on behalf of my kid, would you help me to humble myself and apologize to them?   And God, would you repair our relationship that way? So again, all of these options are available just because our kid's shooting a ball or they're on the field with somebody else tackling other people. We're trusting youth sports for too little.   Ed Uszynski: (40:10 - 41:10) That's all big boy and big girl stuff. It just is. I don't normally naturally do any of that.   I have to be coached into that. I have to be discipled myself. I have to work through my own issues, my own baggage, my own fears about the future, my own idolatrous holding onto this imagined future that I have for my kid, irrespective of what God may or may not want.   I've got my own resentment. I've got my own regrets from the past. I wish things had gone differently for me, so I'm going to make sure they go different for you when it comes to sports.   And it's hard to look in the mirror and admit that I have anger issues. I mean, youth sports create a great opportunity for me to get up all my pent-up frustration from the day. We've given ourselves permission to do that, in most cases, to just yell and yell at refs and gripe about coaches and yell at kids.   Brian Smith: (41:10 - 41:31) Because that's what we do at the TV, right? When our favorite team is playing, we've conditioned ourselves to say, awful call, that was terrible. Then we get on social media and we complain about it.   We are discipling ourselves to this is how it's normative to respond within the context of sports. Then we carry all that baggage to our six-year-old soccer game.   Laura Dugger: (41:33 - 42:02) Well, I love how you keep pointing it back toward character and discipleship. You clearly state throughout the book, sports don't develop character, people do. But could you maybe elaborate on that a little bit more and share more now that we've listed pros and cons, you still list a completely different way that we can meaningfully participate while also pushing back?   Brian Smith: (42:04 - 43:49) I'll start with the first part, and then you can answer the second. We use the handshake line as a great example of why character needs to be taught to our kids. If you just watch a normal handshake line left without coaching, the kids are going through it, especially the ones who lose with their head down, they have limp hands, there's no eye contact, and they're mumbling good game, good game.   Sometimes they don't even say it, they'll say GG stands for good game. They don't just learn character by going through the handshake line. If anything, that's going through it like that without any sort of intervention or coaching, that's malforming their character.   That's teaching them when things don't go well, that it's okay for them not to be a big boy or a big girl and look somebody in the eye and congratulate them. What needs to happen? An adult needs to step in and say, hey, as we go through the handshake line, whether you win or lose, here's how we do it with class.   We shake somebody's hand, we look them in the eye, and we say good game. Even if in those moments we don't actually mean it, we still show them dignity and honor. And then when we're done going through the handshake line, guess what we're going to do?   We're going to run down the refs who are trying to get in their car and get out of here, and we're going to give them a high five and say, thank you so much for reffing today. That stuff needs to be taught. Our kids don't just come out of the womb knowing how to do that.   We have to teach them how to do it. Sometimes good coaches will do that, but the more and more we get sucked up into the sports industrial complex, we're getting well-intentioned coaches, but we're getting coaches who care more about the big W, the win, than the character formation stuff that happens.   Ed Uszynski: (43:49 - 45:27) They need to keep hearing it over and over again. I have a ninth grade Bible study in my house the other day with athletes and a whole bunch of my son's basketball team. Exactly what Brian just said, I actually was like, wow, I've got them here.   There was a big blow up at a game the other day, and we wound up talking about it. I said, I'm going to take this opportunity actually to say what Brian just said. When you go through a handshake line, this is how you go through it.   I watched what happened in the game a couple days later. Basically, they did the exact opposite of what I told them to do, and they lost. It was just what Brian said.   They went through limp handed. They didn't look anybody in the face, and they weren't even saying anything. I just chuckled to myself, and you know how this is as a parent.   They may or may not do it. Of course, those aren't my kids. I have more stewardship over my child, who actually, he is doing what I've asked him to do because I've re-emphasized it across time now.   It's not a failure because they didn't do what I said. Again, the pouty side of me wants to be like, forget it. I'm just not even going to try anymore.   It's like, no, they're kids. That was the first time they've heard that. They're going to do what their patterns have, the muscle memory that's been created by their patterns, just like we do as adults.   The next time I have a chance to bring that up again, I'm not going to shame them. I'm just going to go over it again with them. Here's how we do it.   It's super hard to do this, guys, when you just want to be violent with people or you want to cry. You got to pull yourself together. That's what big men do.   That's what big women do in life. They pull themselves together in those moments and do the right thing.   Brian Smith: (45:28 - 46:01) You don't know whether the fifth time you say it is going to stick or the 50th time. Your responsibility as the Christ-following parent is to do it the sixth time and the seventh time and the seventh time and trust that God is going to take those moments and do what he does. We're ultimately not responsible for our kids' behavior.   We're responsible for pointing them in the right direction, and then hopefully, yeah, the Holy Spirit steps in and transforms and changes and convicts in those moments, but it might take some time.   Ed Uszynski: (46:02 - 47:47) Tom Bilyeu So that's how you push back, Laura. You were asking that. How do we push back without being just completely involved in it or going for the same ride that everybody else is going for?   There's just little moments like that scattered throughout. Literally, every day that my kids are involved in youth sports, the car ride over, what happens on the way home, how we talk about it, what happens during the game and what we wind up talking about out of that, the side conversations that happen that just get brought up apart from games of how we interact with people and so-and-so looks like they're struggling. What do you know about that?   That's how we push back, that in our corner of the bleachers, oh, how we interact with other parents. We haven't even talked about that yet, that I can take an interest in more than just my own kid in the bleachers and spend way more energy actually in cheering for other kids and just trying to give them confidence and spend way less time trying to direct that at my own child who knows that I'm there. In fact, my side kid has said he doesn't want to hear my voice during the game.   It distracts him. He's like, I'd much rather that you cheer for other people. It's like, okay.   Having questions ready for other parents during timeouts and as you sit there for hours together, what do you talk about? Well, I could be the one that actually initiates substantive conversations over time with them and asks them about what's going on in different parts of their life. And in having done that, people want to talk.   They want a safe place actually to share what's going on in their So let me be the sports minister. Let me take on that identity and actually care about other people.   Laura Dugger: (47:49 - 49:47) I love that. Even that practical idea of just coming to each game, maybe with a different question, ready to open up those conversations. And I'll share a quick story as well.   Our two oldest daughters recently just gave cheerleading a try at a local Christian school that allows homeschool kids to participate. And this is an overt way that somebody chooses the different way. So, it's the coach of the basketball team.   His name is Cole. And at the end of every game, we saw him consistently throughout this season when it was a home game, whether their team won or lost, he would ask them, okay, shut off the scoreboard. It's all blank.   He gathers both teams. As soon as the game is over teams, cheerleaders, the stands stay filled with all the parents. And he says, this is not our identity.   The world and Satan, our enemy, who's very real. He wants us to put our identity here, but it's not here. You made us better tonight by the way that you played and you were able to shine Jesus.   And we're going to go a step further and we're going to do what we call attaways. So, he's like, all right, boys, you open it up. And his team is trained.   They say to the other team, Hey, number 23, what's your name? I loved how you pushed me so much harder tonight and says, my name's Ben. And so, their Attaway is, Hey, Ben.   And everybody goes, Hey, Ben. Yeah, Ben. Yeah, Ben Attaway.   And everybody just erupts in clapping. And the other team is always blown away and they are just grinning, whether they just lost. So, the boys go through that for a while and then they open it up to the other team and they start sharing Attaways.   And then they open it up to the crowd and the parents are able to say, I see the way you modeled Jesus by being selfless with the ball or whatever it is. So, Cole said that his college coach did that many years ago and he's passed that on. And I love that's one way to redeem the game.   Ed Uszynski: (49:47 - 51:39) Wow. Beautiful. Beautiful.   Yeah. That's amazing. And, you know, I, so Brian and I talk about this too.   And I coached at a Christian school. So, we, we think that it's really important if you're going to play sports and you're going to be a Christian coach that you actually take the game seriously. And that we actually are here to compete and we are here to try to win.   There's nothing wrong with that. And we're going to pursue excellence when we show up with our bodies, and we train for this sport and we're going to try to win. Cause I think sometimes we end up kind of going all or nothing, especially within our Christian circles.   We're uncomfortable with that. And it's like, yes, do that. And on the backside of that to do what that coach did is amazing.   It's that, that is, that is exactly what we're saying. We're also going to try to form our souls in the midst of this. We're going to try to win on the scoreboard.   Okay. The game's over, we lost, we won, whatever. There's more going on here than just that. And can we access that together? And again, that's so rare. Probably everybody listening has never even heard of anything like what you just said.   It would be amazing if a bunch of people did, but that's what we're saying. Let's do more of that. Let's find ways to have more of those conversations in our sphere of influence.   Maybe we're not the coach, but we can do that in our car. We can do that when we're at dinners with the other, with other players and other team, you know, we, we can do that. We can take that kind of initiative.   If we have those categories in our mind, instead of just being frustrated that my kid didn't get to play as much tonight. And I'm that bugs me. It's like, okay, it can bug you.   And now I gotta, I gotta be a big boy and get more out of this than just being frustrated that he or she didn't get to play as much. It's hard.   Laura Dugger: (51:40 - 52:11) Absolutely. Well, and like you guys are doing having Bible studies outside of the, the team that you can instill values in that way and share scripture that they're memorizing to go out there with excellence for the Lord. So, I love all of that.   And I've got just a few quick questions, just kind of for perspective. I want to draw out something from the book. Is it true that young athletic success predicts adult athletic success?   Brian Smith: (52:13 - 53:51) It is not true. This is, this is not a hot take. This is researched back more and more research they're doing on this.   And they're finding that there's not a direct correlation between a young elite athlete and them continuing that up into the right trajectory and being an elite athlete later in life in large part, because when puberty hits, like everything is a game changer. So, this is, I found this fascinating and this is probably going to be new to you too. This just came out today.   At the time we're doing this podcast, the winter Olympics is going on in Norway. It's just like, they're killing it. Nor Norway's youth sports system.   This is wild. They give participation trophies for all the kids. They don't keep score until 13 years old.   They don't do any national travel competitions, no posting youth sports results online. So, there's no online presence of youth sport results. And their country motto is joy of sport for all.   And they're, they're killing it right now in the Olympics. So, like, that's not to say, like you got to follow their model and then you're going to win all these gold medals, but it is, there is something to just let the kids have fun. And the longer they play sport, because it's fun, the better opportunity you're actually going to have to see them blossom and develop some of these God-given gifts that they might have.   Don't expect it to come out before they're 13. Even if it does, there's no guarantee that it's going to continue on until they're 23. Just let them have fun.   Ed Uszynski: (53:52 - 55:55) Brian, we, Brian and I got to speak at a church the other day about this topic. And there was a couple that came up afterwards and they asked the question of what, so when do you think we should let our kids play organized sports or structured sports? And so again, Brian and I are careful.   Like I, there's no, there's no one size fits all answer to that. We would suggest as late as possible, wait as long as possible. Because once you start doing structured sport where there's a coach and you have to be at practices and the games are structured and there's reps, it just cuts away all the possibility they have to just play and just to go up to the YMCA and just play for three hours at whatever it is that they like to do.   And they said, well, it's encouraging to hear that they said, because we, we actually are way more into just developing their bodies physically. And so, we do dance with them, and we do rock climbing and they were kind of outdoorsy people, and they just started listing off all these things they do because we want them to become strong in their bodies, and learn to love activity like that. And I just thought, again, that's, that probably would cause a lot of people to freak out to hear that, that they have eight, nine-year-olds that aren't on teams yet.   They're just, they're training their bodies to appreciate physicality and to become coordinated and to, you know, to get better at movement. And it's like, what sport is that not going to be super helpful in five years from now, even when they're 12, 13 years old. And now they really do want to play one sport, and they do want to be on a team.   They're going to be way ahead of the kids actually that just sat on benches or stood in the outfield, you know, day after day after day at practices. Again, that's maybe hard to hear, but maybe there's some adjustments that need to be made again; to give ourselves permission to say, we don't have to get on that train right now. You don't have to, your kid's not going to be behind.   They actually could be ahead. If you do the kinds of things we just talked about.   Laura Dugger: (55:56 - 56:11) I love that. And even that example with what it looks like played out with Norway and also, do you have any other quick tips just for instilling and cultivating a heart of gratitude and youth sports rather than entitlement?   Brian Smith: (56:13 - 57:33) I'm a high school cross country and track coach, and I have kids on my team who want to get faster at running, but instead of running, they want to lift weights and they want to do plier metrics. So, there's, yes, there's a spot for that. But the way you get better at running is to run.   You got to run more miles and more miles. And I think gratitude is similar. That gratitude, part of it is a, it's a feeling, but it's also a muscle that we can flex even if we don't feel it.   And so, I would encourage parents who are trying to instill gratitude into their kids to give them practical things like, hey, after practice, just go shake your coach's hand or give them a fist bump and tell them, thanks for practice today, coach. That that's a disciplined way to practice gratitude that will hopefully build the muscle where they're, they're using it later in life. After a game, I taught my kids this when they were young and they still do it today.   Go shake a ref's hand. I mentioned this earlier, just a really, really practical way to show thankfulness and gratitude to somebody who really doesn't get a whole lot of gratitude pointed at them during a game or after a game. If anything, they have people chasing them through the parking lot for other reasons.   I want my kids to be chasing them down to give them a fist bump or a high five. And so, gratitude is something that we can just practice practically. And hopefully the discipline practice will lead to a delight and actually doing it.   Ed Uszynski: (57:34 - 59:39) And how do we cultivate an inner posture? Cause I tend to be a cup half empty type person. I'm a, I'm a whiner by nature and a continuous improvement.   There's always something wrong. And I'm, it's easy for me to find those things just as a person. I'm not even saying that as a dad or a coach or anything.   And it's been super helpful to me in the last decade, even to just like, I can choose to shift that. There, there is, there's a list of things that are broke, but there is always a list of things that are good. There's always something good here to be found.   And even as I've tried to like, again, tip the scales more in that direction, I can keep pushing that out of my kids. So, so this, you know, my ninth-grade son tends to just like, he doesn't like a whole bunch of what's going on in basketball right now. So, I keep asking him if he's having fun.   He says, no, like, why not? Or like, who did, why did you not have fun today? So, it's just the same thing every day.   I'm like, okay, who did you enjoy even being with today? Nobody. And I'm like, dude, I don't believe that actually.   I just, I don't believe that. There was somebody that you had some moment with today that you enjoyed, or you wouldn't want to keep going back up there because, and he does. So, give me a name.   Okay. Lenny. What happened with Lenny that was fun? And I make him name it. Like I'm, I'm, I'm trying to coach him through it. And sure enough, he does have some sentences of what was fun today.   And it's like, good, let's, let's at least hold onto that in the midst of all the other stuff that's not right. Let's choose to see the thing that was good and that you enjoyed and that we could be thankful for. Not everybody got to have that today.   Again, I have to have my, I have to be the parent. I have to be the discipler. I have to be in, you know, in charge of my own soul that wants to be negative all the time and say, nope, we're going to, we're going to choose gratitude today because the Bible tells us to do that.   There's something about that posture that opens the door for the gospel to be expressed through us. So, let's practice.   Laura Dugger: (59:40 - 59:50) Well said, and there's so much we could continue learning from both of you. Where can we go after this chat to learn more from each one of you?   Brian Smith: (59:52 - 1:00:14) Yeah, we do a lot of our writing online at thechristianathlete.com. And so, if you go there, you can see articles that are specifically written for parents, for coaches, for athletes, all around this idea of what does it look like to integrate faith and sport together? So, the

Recently, Nadine Saylor has been creating a series of gas and oil cans featuring imagery of her local surroundings. These more "masculine" objects remind her of the things her grandfather had in his shed. In thinking about gender and how it relates to the objects with which we surround ourselves, she investigates what role gender plays in our world writ large. Assistant Professor of Glass and Sculpture at University of Nebraska, Kearney, Saylor is originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania. She received her BFA in Photography from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and her MFA in Glass from Alfred University in upstate New York. Since then, she has taught at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania, and at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. In addition to teaching at the collegiate level, she has taught many workshops internationally including The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass and Penland School of Craft in North Carolina. She has also given demonstrations nationally and lectured internationally. Saylor has exhibited in many exhibitions across the country including the Cafesjian Art Trust, in Shoreview, MN, Toyama's International Glass Exhibition 2024 in Japan and has shown at SOFA Chicago. She recently completed a commission of two works Carrie Oilcan and Copper Kettle Nebraska for the Federal Reserve Board Gallery to be on display in Washington, DC, and to compliment her works commemorating American industry that were purchased in 2024. Derivative of her childhood, Saylor's works are instilled with love of Americana and history along with an interest in the stories behind the objects, the places, and the lives they have touched.  For example, Saylor's series of pincushions began with the familiar Tomato and Strawberry forms. In researching the history of these objects, the artist learned the pincushion was placed on the mantle to ward off evil spirits. When tomatoes were out of season, women made them out of fabric and used them as voodoo dolls. "I enjoy these kinds of historical narratives and use them as a vantage point in my work," she says. Imagery tells a story on the surface of many Saylor works. For example, Foggy Morning in the Black Swamp is a replica of an antique coffee pot she found in an antique store. The imagery on the surface is inspired by the artist's bike rides on the old railroad trail bike path through the Black Swamp.  She states: "My surroundings continue to affect the imagery on my glass as I lived on a farm in Southern Illinois with an array of chickens, goats and horses. This nostalgic life took me back to traveling to my grandmother's house in the countryside of rural Pennsylvania. Not only does my current rural life in Nebraska play a part in my glasswork, but I am also interested in the memories sparked by certain objects and what roles they play in our lives."   

Are you struggling to decide if you should take action now, or wait for the "perfect" time to launch your career? What if the path to a life you love lies not in waiting, but in betting on yourself and following proven systems? In this high-voltage episode, Steve welcomes Aidan Licata, National Executive of the Year at YEAA and a record-breaking student entrepreneur, for an exclusive look at how mindset, discipline, and real-world action create surprising results. From extreme ownership to the art of choosing your circle, Aidan Licata shares battle-tested frameworks for winning, whether you're a rookie manager or aspiring leader. This is more than advice; it's a call to action for anyone ready to break out of average and build a story worth telling. Don't miss the deep truth bombs and actionable steps that could save you from years of regret. Tune in now for the strategies and inspiration you won't find anywhere else.     Timestamped Highlights [00:00] – The raw truth behind a student's life-changing business journey [00:03] – Why betting on yourself feels terrifying and why Aidan did it anyway [00:07] – "I failed fast"—The hidden power of embracing struggle and learning quickly [00:09] – Panic, laziness, and self-betrayal: Are you sabotaging your own victory? [00:13] – Extreme ownership: The Navy SEAL mindset that beats excuses every time [00:16] – How "choosing your circle" really determines your future (and your mindset) [00:21] – Failure as fuel: Aidan's unconventional take on why chasing mistakes unlocks growth [00:26] – Blunt accountability, real goal setting, and why most interns miss the mark [00:34] – High-impact compartmentalization: Winning at business and at life with focus [00:36] – Why waiting for the right time is a myth (and the daring shortcut to action)     About the Guest Aidan Licata is the National Executive of the Year at Young Entrepreneurs Across America (YEAA), known for leading rookie managers to record-breaking results and running a $440K student painting business while still in college. Grounded in a finance and accounting education at Bowling Green State University, Aidan has mastered the art of coaching, mindset transformation, and leadership under pressure, making him a sought-after mentor for aspiring young entrepreneurs

In this episode of BG Ideas, Dr. Kristine Ketel joins us to discuss the relationship between humans and robots. Kristine recently earned her PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University in the Spring of 2025. Based on her research on the cultural and ethical implications of artificial intelligence and human robot interaction, she argues that robots aren't all bad. She highlights how robots are not replacing humans but instead they are being used as a tool to help flourish human relations and interactions. While integrating robots into more aspects of our lives may initially feel threatening, she reminds us that these technologies also bring meaningful possibilities and benefits. Listen to find out what else she says about human relationships with robots. Do you want to know more about Kristine and her work? Check out her LinkedIn here.A transcript for this episode can be found here.

Host Joe DeMare starts out talking about the "Day of Dialogue" hosted by Bowling Green State University and how it actually demonstrated the lack of dialogue and the basic failings of our political systems right now. Next, he interviews Janine Migden-Ostrander about the Ohio Senate's recent hearings on SB 294. This bill would literally outlaw wind and solar energy by declaring them "unreliable" and forbidding the Ohio Power Siting Board from approving any wind or solar installations. NOTE: For A Green Future does NOT endorse utility "decoupling."  Rebecca Wood tells us all about horses. Ecological News includes: the Potomac River sewage spill; the Trump White House taking over and neutering the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and upper atmosphere pollution from satellites burning up.#FAGF #ForAGreenFuture #NRC #nuclearenergy#SB294 #FireHorse #Environmentalnews #Decoupling #Sweagespill #Climatechange 

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn joins us to recap and discuss her State of the City message (at 14:48) --- Ahead of the President's State of the Union address, the Democracy and Public Policy Network at Bowling Green State University released the results of its first national poll of registered voters on the midterms and beyond... BGSU Political Science Professor Dr. Robert Alexander shares his thoughts on both (at 26:00) --- Around Town: It's always a flippin' good time... This year's Kiwanis Pancake Day event is almost here (at 49:38)

Host Polly Swingle is joined by the physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and clinical psychologists involved in the creation and implementation of the Memory Health Program (MHP) at The Recovery Project. This program is built to support both those living with dementia and their loved ones through their journey with compassion, expertise, and personalized care. Visit therecoveryproject.net to learn more!Abbey Seevers is an Occupational Therapy Doctoral student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) where she plans to graduate in May 2026. Abbey earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Human & Sport Physiology at Wayne State College in 2023. She has a passion for working with patients with dementia and has a long history working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in long-term memory care and home health throughout her high school, college and graduate schooling years. For her Doctoral Capstone project at UNMC she has partnered with TRP to develop this Memory Health Program.Jordyn Sebastian, MA, CCC-SLP, graduated with a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University. She is licensed in SPEAKOUT! and a certified VitalStim provider for dysphagia therapy.Riley Janssen, OTD, OTRL, is a licensed Occupational Therapist who earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University. She joined The Recovery Project in 2024 following graduation. Riley serves as one of the occupational therapists on the Power Over Parkinson's program team at the Clinton Township location. She is passionate about working with individuals with neurological conditions and is committed to ongoing learning and evidence-based practice to provide the highest quality care.Dr. Madeline Wideman, PT, DPT, has been a Physical Therapist at The Recovery Project since 2018. She earned her Bachelors degree in Allied Health Science from Bowling Green State University in 2014 prior to her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Oakland University in 2017. She specializes in neurological and orthopedic diagnoses with a primary focus in spinal cord injury and CVA. She is also dry needling certified.Dr. Tiffany Tuttle is a clinical psychologist who provides mental health services to adults and older adults with underlying medical issues. She treats depression, anxiety, distress, and assists in trauma recovery. She has over 20 years of experience providing counseling and her approach is strength-based, supportive, and always patient centered. Helping individuals live their best life despite barriers they have encountered is a hallmark of the work Dr. Tuttle provides her patients. She can be reached at 248-245-2306 and found online at patientcenteredpsych.com.Learn more about The Recovery Project! View our website at www.therecoveryproject.net Call us 855-877-1944 to become a patient Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Thanks for listening!

Benjamin grew up on the irrigation ditches on the 100th meridian.She received her Bachelors in Arts from Hastings College in 2001 and worked as a studio assistant for Jun Kaneko until 2006. In 2008, I received my M.F.A from Bowling Green State University, Ohio.Benjamin fuses water drought data with monumental, scaled ceramics, and her work has been featured  at the Joslyn Art Museum, Museum of Nebraska Art, the Great Plains Art Museum, and private galleries in the Midwest. In 2013, the Nebraska Arts Council awarded me an Individual Artist Fellowship Grant. My artwork has been published in Ceramics Monthly, Clay Times, NY Arts Magazine, Lark Crafts: The Best of 500 Ceramics, 500 Ceramic Sculptures, and in Sculpture Magazine.

In this episode of BG Ideas, Dr. Clayton Rosati, Associate Professor in the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University and ICS Fall 2025 Faculty Fellow, discusses how the raise of artificial intelligence (AI) impacts our landscapes, communities and resources. Specifically, he focuses on the growing infrastructure that is being built around the country, from Virginia, the so-called internet capital of the world, to Northwest Ohio. Dr. Rosati touches on his studies regarding the history of culture and how AI is affecting the data that is being collected in different places where data can be stored, such as “server farms” or “data plantations.” Listen as he explains how server farms impact labor, natural resources such as water, and energy cost. We invite our listeners to check out Dr. Rosati's work which can be found on his page: https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/media-and-communication/faculty-and-staff/clayton-rosati.html.A transcript for this episode can be found here.

DAN DAKICH- American basketball sportscaster. He is a former player, assistant coach, interim head coach for the Indiana University Hoosiers, former head coach at Bowling Green State University and a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall Of Fame.

In this episode of BG Ideas, Dr. Rachel Walsh, Associate Teaching Professor of English and International Studies at Bowling Green State University and ICS Faculty Fellow in the fall of 2025, discusses Pat Heartly and Dick Fontaine's recently restored documentary on James Baldwin, I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1982) and how it foreshadows the current backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion. In I Heard It Through the Grapevine, James Baldwin visits the settings of the 1960's civil rights struggle in the south. Join us, as Dr. Walsh explores the power of multiethnic US literature from James Baldwin to Ocean Vuong to resist disenfranchising. Listen to how Dr. Walsh talks about the struggles with traditional literature and the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in literature. Want to know more about Dr. Walsh? Click here to check out her website. A transcript for this episode can be found here.

Welcome to the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast. On this podcast, let's step aside from our busy lives to have fun, fascinating life giving conversation with inspiring authors, pastors, sports personalities and other influencers, leaders and followers. Sit back, grab some coffee, or head down the road and let's get the good and the gold from today's guest. Our host is Jeff Pinkleton, Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to connect men to men, and men to God. You can reach Jeff at GatheringMV.org or find him on Facebook at The Gathering of the Miami Valley.Brian Smith ran track and cross-country at Wake Forest University, where he graduated with a communications and journalism degree. He has been on staff with Athletes in Action for the past 15 years, helping athletes and coaches live biblically at the intersection of faith and sport. He is the author of The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports and coauthor of Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. He resources the athletic community at The Christian Athlete. Ed Uszynski (PhD, Bowling Green State University) has been a content specialist for Cru, Athletes in Action, and FamilyLife for over three decades. He also serves as a oneness and diversity consultant for church and parachurch organizations. He has written for a range of online platforms such as Desiring God, Mockingbird, and The Washington Times. He is a frequent speaker and podcaster on topics of race, sport culture, and marriage.

In this episode of the Elevate Care podcast, Nishan Sivathasan sits down with Eric Wallis, Senior Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer at Henry Ford Health, to discuss the changes happening in acute care. Henry Ford Health is leading the way by reimagining how care is delivered.Eric dives into the successful implementation of a virtual care model designed to support bedside nurses, reduce burnout, and improve patient outcomes. He shares insights on navigating the change management process, the vital role of listening to frontline staff, and the exciting future of AI in healthcare.About Eric WallisEric Wallis, DNP, MSA, RN, NE-BC, FACHE, was appointed Senior Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer in December 2021, bringing over 20 years of nursing and healthcare leadership experience. His career began as a bedside nurse and progressed through roles of increasing responsibility in both large academic medical centers and community hospitals, including serving as the President of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. A transformational leader passionate about improving healthcare delivery, Eric holds degrees from Bowling Green State University, Central Michigan University, and Texas Christian University. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, is certified as a Nurse Executive, and serves on the Michigan Hospital Association Legislative Policy Panel and the Oakland University School of Nursing Board of Visitors.Chapters00:00 – Introduction00:20 – From Bedside to Boardroom03:13 – The Need for a Virtual Care Model06:16 – Designing the Workflow10:22 – Selecting the Right Technology Partner12:11 – Leading Through Change15:07 – Measuring Success18:56 – The Role of AI in HealthcareHenry Ford Health: Henry Ford Health | Henry Ford Health - Detroit, MIAMN Healthcare: amnhealthcare.com Sponsors: We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare. Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare. Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.About The Show: Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here. Connect with Our Hosts:Kerry on LinkedInNishan on LinkedInLiz on LinkedIn Find Us On:WebsiteYouTubeSpotifyAppleInstagramLinkedInXFacebook Powered by AMN Healthcare Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jay Harrington discuss:Reframing business development as relationship-buildingThe power of owning a book of businessClarifying motivation to overcome resistance to business developmentExecuting business development with focus, structure, and preparation Key Takeaways:Business development is not selling or persuasion but consistent, helpful relationship-building over time. The myth of “natural rainmakers” keeps lawyers from starting when business development is actually a learnable skill. Approaching business development like legal training makes it practical, repeatable, and less intimidating.After several years of practice, firms expect lawyers to have portable client relationships. A book of business creates leverage, autonomy, and flexibility across firms or career paths. Without one, even strong lawyers may find their options limited.Many lawyers avoid business development due to fear, overwhelm, or discomfort with selling. Sustainable effort starts by defining a clear personal “why,” such as freedom or stability. Because client work always takes priority, business development only happens when time is protected intentionally.Consistent actions like scheduled outreach, focused contact lists, and light thought leadership compound. Effective networking prioritizes generosity, warm introductions, and strategic communities. Securing a meeting is only the start; preparation and process determine whether opportunities close. "Business Development is not some secret. It truly is just relationship building, being consistent, being helpful to people." —  Jay Harrington Check out my new show, Be That Lawyer Coaches Corner, and get the strategies I use with my clients to win more business and love your career again. Ready to go from good to GOAT in your legal marketing game? Don't miss PIMCON—where the brightest minds in professional services gather to share what really works. Lock in your spot now: https://www.pimcon.org/ Thank you to our Sponsor!Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/ Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/ About Jay Harrington: Before joining Latitude, Jay spent more than 25 years in the legal industry as a practicing attorney and entrepreneur. He began his career in corporate restructuring with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Chicago and later practiced at Foley & Lardner LLP in Detroit. In 2009, he founded his own boutique law firm in Detroit, where he represented companies and executives in complex business disputes and restructuring matters.For the past decade, Jay has advised lawyers and law firms on business development, marketing, and strategy through his own consulting firm. He is a frequent keynote speaker and workshop leader at law firm retreats, bar association events, and professional conferences, focusing on topics such as productivity, leadership, and practice growth.Jay is also the author of three books for lawyers—The Productivity Pivot, The Essential Associate, and One of a Kind—each focused on helping attorneys build rewarding, sustainable, and successful practices.He earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and his B.A. from Bowling Green State University, where he played Division I baseball and competed in the 1998 College World Series Regionals.Outside of work, Jay is a U.S. Soccer–licensed coach and manages his twin daughters' competitive North Storm club team. He and his wife, Heather, live in Michigan with their three daughters. He enjoys spending time outdoors—hiking, mountain biking, and paddle boarding—and experience has taught him that the best ideas often come while on the trail or on the water. Connect with Jay Harrington:  Website: https://latitudelegal.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayharrington/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Amy Boros and Shari Insley teach middle school science in different parts of the state, but they share a passion for bringing the real world into their classrooms for their students. Over the summer, the Perrysburg Education Association member and the North Olmsted Education Association member shared grant funding to travel far out into the real world for a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience that will enhance their students' learning for years to come. On this episode, they share how they're using what they saw and did in Iceland to help their students learn and grow in Ohio, and their advice for other educators who want to experience this kind of real-world professional development for themselves.SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS | Click here to see some of Shari's photos from the Fund for Teachers fellowship in Iceland. Click here to see Amy's highlights from the trip. EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES | Amy and Shari mentioned several grants and learning opportunities available to Ohio science educators. See the following links for more information about some of them:Fund For Teachers Grant  Teacher Air Camp  Yellowstone Educator Opportunity Summer 2026 Amy and Shari also shared an OEA Technology Grant to buy cameras and go pros to use on their trip and in their classrooms back home. Please note, OEA is in the process of redeveloping and streamlining the Affiliate Grant Program, and as part of the transition, no applications are being accepted for Technology Grants for the 2025-26 cycle. Make sure you listen to Episode 16 of Public Education Matters to learn more on the OEA grants being offered right now.SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | If you'd like to share your feedback on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear about - or talk about - on future episodes, please email educationmatters@ohea.org. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.Featured Public Education Matters guests: Amy Boros, Perrysburg Education Association memberAmy Boros teaches 5th and 6th grade Science at Hull Prairie Intermediate School in Perrysburg. She has experience in classroom teaching at the elementary, middle school and collegiate levels; educational classroom technology; grant researching, authoringand evaluation, as well as educational consulting and conference presentations in both mathematics and science. With degrees from Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo, Amy is currently in her 30th year in education.Amy is an accomplished grant writer who has been awarded thousands of dollars in grants for her classroom, school, district, and outside organizations. In addition, Amy has authored several articles about middle school science education in Science Scope Journal and Science and Children Journal, publications of The National Science Teachers Association.In 2019, Amy was invited to participate in an extensive research project onboard the Lake Guardian, an EPA research vessel on Lake Erie; selected as one of 15 educators to collect data alongside scientists. While on board, she evaluated the presence ofmicroplastics, toxic algae and microbial organisms in surface water and sediment throughout Lake Erie's basins.She continues to work alongside scientists by helping with research, most recently in Costa Rica and Yellowstone National Park.Amy was awarded the 2022 President's Innovation Award in Environmental Education, a joint award from the White House and the EPA for her environmental education work inside and outside of the classroom.Shari Insley, North Olmsted Education Association memberShari Insley is a middle school math and science teacher for North Olmsted City Schools with 20 years of experience in education. Of her 20 years in education, the past 18 years have been dedicated to North Olmsted, and her first 2 years were spent teaching in Gallup, New Mexico.Shari earned a B.S. in Middle Childhood Education in Mathematics and Science and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. In addition to her teaching expertise, Shari was honored as the recipient of the 2024 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. She has also served on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Science Education Council of Ohio the past 2 years.Since 2016, Shari has dedicated her summers to participating in educator courses to expand her knowledge of freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes. She has taken part in grant opportunities through Ohio Sea Grant at The Ohio State University's Stone Laboratory, sailed aboard the R/V Lake Guardian with the EPA, and worked with the Gelfand STEM Center at Case Western Reserve University. Most recently, Shari was awarded a Fund for Teachers grant to travel to Iceland in the summer of 2025, where she explored the country's unique geothermal and glacial environments to enrich her environmental science curriculum.Connect with OEA:Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topicsLike OEA on FacebookFollow OEA on TwitterFollow OEA on InstagramGet the latest news and statements from OEA hereLearn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative WatchAbout us:The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools.Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. S...

Send me feedback!Is a relationship between an 18 yr old and 40-yr old appropriate? I evaluate two clips of Andrew Wilson arguing in favor and argue why he's wrong.SUPPORT THE SHOWGet a 10% discount by using the code LibertyDad at Black Guns Matter shop.OR, use the referral linkFIND ME ELSEWHERELinktreeSHOW NOTESwhatever (Dating Talk #182)Bowling Green State University

In this exciting new episode of BG Ideas, we sit down with Dr. Clayton Rosati, Associate Professor of Media Studies at Bowling Green State University and Claire Cromly, an undergraduate student who took Dr. Rosati's course about media, place, and power through the works of James Baldwin. During this conversation, our guests navigate the construction of social environments, the values within them, and the importance of illuminating minority voices and experiences in the dominant narrative. Listen as they discuss their respective experiences of teaching and learning. For Claire, reading Baldwin in the classroom has encouraged her to think critically and to reframe the way she understands the world in which she lives. For Dr. Rosati, Baldwin is an avenue through which he can illustrate the racialization of spaces, using his work to act as a liaison that showcases the interconnectedness of spaces we don't generally think of as related. His goal is to empower minority voices and experiences in America through the amplification of them in classroom spaces and larger scholarly discussion. A transcript for this episode can be found here.

The ability to pay for a college education usually depends on stable economic conditions and clear, predictable rules. But what happens when everything seems to change every day? Amy and Mike invited financial aid advisor Ed Recker to explain what federal policy changes mean for financial aid. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What federal policy changes will have the potential biggest impacts to students? What federal policy changes will have the potential biggest impacts to colleges & universities? Has the U.S. Department of Education's reduction in force (RIF) impacted the financial aid process? Were there any changes to the FAFSA or federal student loans? Are there any benefits to completing the FAFSA early? MEET OUR GUEST Ed Recker is a Director of High School Relationship Management with Sallie Mae, serving high schools, states, and professional organizations throughout the U.S. He joined Sallie Mae in 2019, and has over 20 years' experience in the financial aid and enrollment industry.  Prior to joining Sallie Mae, Ed was a Senior Consultant within the Enrollment Division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, held the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Findlay, and held various financial aid positions at the University of Findlay, Terra State Community College, and Bowling Green State University. Ed holds a M.Ed. in Higher Education from the University of Toledo, and resides in Ottawa, OH with his wife Kate and daughter Evelyn. Ed appeared on the podcast in episode #492 to discuss The Better FAFSA For New And Previous Filers and in episode #544 to discuss First Impressions Of The Better FAFSA. Find Ed at Edward.Recker@salliemae.com. LINKS FAFSA 2026-27 - How to Apply for Financial Aid FAFSA Simplification: A Better FAFSA Process Means a Better Future for Borrowers | Federal Student Aid - Financial Aid Toolkit RELATED EPISODES HOW ARE POLITICAL CHANGES SHAPING HIGHER ED UNDERSTANDING YOUR COLLEGE TUITION BILL WHAT IS A NET PRICE CALCULATOR? THE PRICE YOU REALLY PAY FOR COLLEGE ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

We have a good snapshot of how Ohio voters are feeling, a year out from the election that will decide the governor's office and Congress. Bowling Green State University is out with its latest poll.

Bobby and Meghan talk with Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski about how families can keep faith central in the world of youth sports. They discuss what inspired Away Game, how parents can manage emotions and expectations, and practical ways to support kids without sideline coaching. Hear real stories of transformation as parents shift from performance-driven mindsets to gospel-centered parenting that brings spiritual health and joy, both on and off the field. Get the Book Here.Download a FREE Parenting Athletes Guide at Empoweredhomes.org.About the Authors As two dads who've seen both the challenges and beauty of youth sports, Brian and Ed offer relatable wisdom to help parents guide their children spiritually in every season. Brian Smith is the author of several books, including The Christian Athlete, and has been on staff with Athletes in Action since 2008. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Brian has a master's degree in Theology and Sports Studies through Baylor University. Brian lives in Lowell, Michigan, with his wife and three kids and writes regularly at the christianathlete.com. Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades' experience discipling college and professional athletes. He's written articles, essays, and training manuals at the intersection of faith and sport and is the lead strategist for Content Mercenaries. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in Xenia, Ohio.About Empowered Homes Who we are? The primary purpose of Empowered Homes is to connect church and home by equipping families, leaders and ministries to grow in the areas of marriage, parenting, personal growth. discipleship strategy, family ministry, and leadership development. We value the family as the first institution designed by God for spiritual formation, relationships, and reflecting His image. We seek to ensure that every element of church life supports and equips that essential role. What we do? Empowered Homes Ministry provides practical, gospel-based resources to connect church and home. The majority of our resources are offered online through our website empoweredhomes.org. We also partner with churches and ministries to provide conferences, equipping events & ministry coaching.Empowered Homes Podcast Show us some Love! Do you appreciate The Empowered Homes Podcast? Like, subscribe, comment, share. Every bit of your engagement helps us be open-handed in sharing resources to grow strong families, leaders and ministries. Thanks for your help in Empowering Homes for the gospel! FB : https://www.facebook.com/EmpoweredHomesResources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweredhomesresources/ Youtube: ...

In this episode of Purple Political Breakdown, we're diving into the data that reveals what Ohio voters are actually thinking ahead of the midterms. I break down a comprehensive survey from Bowling Green State University and YouGov that exposes the priorities, concerns, and political attitudes shaping Ohio's political landscape.What You'll Discover:The Voting Gap Crisis - Why 10% of non-white Ohioans didn't vote compared to just 3% of white voters, and what this means for future electionsEconomy Takes Center Stage - 22% of voters cite the economy as their top concern, with threats to democracy tying at 22%. Learn what specific economic issues are driving Ohio votersThe Male Voter Problem - Exclusive breakdown of why male voters are the only demographic saying we're headed in the right direction, and what Democrats need to do about itGovernor Mike DeWine Exposed - A complete profile of Ohio's current governor, from his gun control flip-flops to his evolving stance on LGBTQ+ rightsThe Independent Advantage - 70% of independents say we're on the wrong track. If you're running for office in Ohio, this is your opportunityParty Line Reveals - Crime and immigration dominate Republican concerns (11% and 18%), while Democrats focus on threats to democracy (46%). Understanding these divides is critical for 2026 strategyKey Takeaways for Ohio Candidates:Housing costs and grocery prices are THE winning issuesHealthcare messaging needs work across all partiesThe National Guard issue has built-in Republican support through crime/immigration concerns50% of Republicans say economic conditions are "about the same or worse" under TrumpWant to be on the show? If you're an Ohio political candidate or want to discuss Ohio politics, reach out: thetrendgoldenfate@gmail.com Subscribe on YouTube: Purple Political Breakdown Available on all major podcast platformsPurple Political Breakdown - Bringing you local political analysis that inspires advocacy and action in your community.Standard Resource Links & RecommendationsThe following organizations and platforms represent valuable resources for balanced political discourse and democratic participation: PODCAST NETWORKALIVE Podcast Network - Check out the ALIVE Network where you can catch a lot of great podcasts like my own, led by amazing Black voices. Link: https://alivepodcastnetwork.com/ CONVERSATION PLATFORMSHeadOn - A platform for contentious yet productive conversations. It's a place for hosted and unguided conversations where you can grow a following and enhance your conversations with AI features. Link: https://app.headon.ai/Living Room Conversations - Building bridges through meaningful dialogue across political divides. Link: https://livingroomconversations.org/ BALANCED NEWS & INFORMATIONOtherWeb - An AI-based platform that filters news without paywalls, clickbait, or junk, helping you access diverse, unbiased content. Link: https://otherweb.com/ VOTING REFORM & DEMOCRACYEqual Vote Coalition & STAR Voting - Advocating for voting methods that ensure every vote counts equally, eliminating wasted votes and strategic voting. Link: https://www.equal.vote/starFuture is Now Coalition (FiNC) - A grassroots movement working to restore democracy through transparency, accountability, and innovative technology while empowering citizens and transforming American political discourse FutureisFutureis. Link: https://futureis.org/ POLITICAL ENGAGEMENTIndependent Center - Resources for independent political thinking and civic engagement. Link: https://www.independentcenter.org/ Get Daily News: Text 844-406-INFO (844-406-4636) with code "purple" to receive quick, unbiased, factual news delivered to your phone every morning via Informed ( https://informed.now) All Links: https://linktr.ee/purplepoliticalbreakdownThe Purple Political Breakdown is committed to fostering productive political dialogue that transcends partisan divides. We believe in the power of conversation, balanced information, and democratic participation to build a stronger society. Our mission: "Political solutions without political bias."Subscribe, rate, and share if you believe in purple politics - where we find common ground in the middle! Also if you want to be apart of the community and the conversation make sure to Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/ptPAsZtHC9

In this episode of BG Ideas, we speak with Dr. Sidra Lawrence, Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology, and Dr. Amy-Rose Forbes-Erickson, Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies at Bowling Green State University. Together, they were recipients of the ICS Interdisciplinary Team-Teaching Program, through which they co-designed and co-taught a course titled Africana Performance and the Aesthetics of Resistance. Through the Team-Teaching Program, their course brought students into conversation with the history of Black theatre and music from the 1960s to the present, highlighting how artistic expression has long served as a form of cultural resistance. Drawing on dramatic literature, performance, and sound, Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Forbes-Erickson encouraged students to think critically about the intersections of colonialism, race, gender, and sexuality, and to consider how genres such as jazz, rap, and hip-hop, have shaped political and creative movements across time. In this robust discussion, we reflect on the rewards and challenges of collaborative teaching, exploring how their disciplinary perspectives came together to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. We also learn how Black performance and music traditions continue to influence activism, community building, and the ongoing pursuit of liberation both in the United States and around the world.A transcript of this episode can be found here.

Dr. Kim Lombardy shares a story about a gentleman who presents with neck pain after having a surgical fusion. Dr. Kim Lombardy is a native of Sandusky, Ohio. After suffering from chronic pain and illness, stemming from a childhood accident, and being under medical care for 20 years, he was referred to a local Sandusky chiropractor, Dr. Vince Darr. After a series of spinal adjustments, Dr. Lombardy's pain began to recede, and his health was restored. He was so impressed that he changed his major from Pre-Veterinary Medicine to Pre-Chiropractic. After completing his undergraduate studies at Bowling Green State University, he enrolled in Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, SC, where he graduated in 1980. Dr. Lombardy moved to Augusta, GA, and opened Woodland Chiropractic Life Center which later became Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic. He practiced for 29 years before being appointed Assistant Clinical Professor in the Orthopedic Department of the Medical College of Georgia, the first chiropractor to obtain that position in the history of MCG.   After two years he returned to private practice. Dr. Lombardy served as Vice-President of the Georgia Chiropractic Association for three years. He has the highest level of training in Activator Methods (painless instrument adjusting) and Cox Technic for disc problems. He has also studied Advanced Clinical Nutrition to help the body heal from the inside as well. Dr. Lombardy brings over 40 years of clinical experience to better help patients regain their health naturally. He is married to Edna Lombardy, and they have four children and nine grandchildren. They are members of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church.   Resources:   Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Patients Undergoing Flexion Distraction Chiropractic Treatment: A Case Series To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lombardy Find a Back Doctor The Cox 8 Table by Haven Medical

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Erin Slaughter and Lena Ziegler interview each other about literary friendship, navigating disclosure, dignity, and responsibility in memoirs about trauma, writing with compassion about your previous self and real-life people who have harmed you, the emotional realities and real-life risks of publishing memoir, and more.Erin Slaughter is the author of The Dead Dad Diaries (Autofocus Books, 2025). She is also the author of the short story collection A Manual for How to Love Us (Harper Perennial, 2023), and two books of poetry: The Sorrow Festival (CLASH Books, 2022) and I Will Tell This Story to the Sun Until You Remember That You Are the Sun (New Rivers Press, 2019). Her writing has appeared in Lit Hub, Electric Literature, CRAFT, The Georgia Review, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. Originally from Texas, she holds an MFA from Western Kentucky University and a PhD from Florida State University. She is currently Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Coastal Carolina University.Lena Ziegler is the author of A Revisionist History of Loving Men (Autofocus Books, 2025). Her writing has appeared in Split Lip Magazine, Indiana Review, Literary Orphans, Miracle Monocle, Duende, Dream Pop Press, Anti-Heroin Chic, Gambling the Aisle, and others, and she has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is a co-founder of the literary journal and press The Hunger. She holds an MFA from Western Kentucky University and a PhD from Bowling Green State University. She is the host of the music and literature podcast Reading Michael Jackson, available on all major podcast platforms. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband. She believes in magic, the transformative power of language, and the resilience of the human heart. Both these books are available together as part of the Autofocus Fall 2025 box.____________Conversation topics include:-- Becoming best friends and ideal readers a decade ago-- Starting The Hunger journal and press after MFAs and going into PhDs-- Their memoirs with Autofocus coming out a week apart-- Non-judgement and trust as readers, audiences, and friends-- Lena's A Revisionist History of Loving Men, which deals with understanding sexual abuse in a context of normalized sexual violence-- Erin's The Dead Dad Diaries, which deals with the murder of her father by her stepmom when Erin was 16 (and its effects as she came of age in her twenties)-- The dangers of memoir in creating a fixed narrative for the self-- Navigating disclosure, dignity, and responsibility in memoirs about trauma-- Memoir as the willingness to take up space -- The value in writing from personal experience-- Capturing the messiness of your coming of age with compassion-- The terminology victim and survivor and the complexity of human experience-- Accepted or expected narratives of trauma / self-determining justice-- Bringing compassion and humanity in writing to people who have harmed you-- The emotional reality about publishing a personal book about family or that family may read-- Bending form to tell these stories in memoir-- Questioning the story you're telling in memoir-- The shifting nature of truth-- More about the emotional reality about publishing a personal book about family or that family may read-- Shame and healing (and not healing)_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

In this episode of the Braun Performance & Rehab Podcast, Dan is joined by Madison "Maddy" Foster to discuss her journey as a student studying forensic sciences, as an athlete in cross country and track and field, and beyond. Madison “Maddy” Foster is a senior cross country and track and field athlete at Bowling Green State University, where she's competed on the roster for two Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships. A Michigan native and former Michigan State University runner, Maddy's journey reflects both speed and self-discovery. With personal bests of 17:23 in the 5K and 21:30 in the 6K, and a 4th place finish at the 2021 Michigan Cross Country State Championships, she's proven her competitive edge on the course. But beyond the times and titles lies a deeper story, one of overcoming mental health struggles, injury setbacks, and performance plateaus that tested her identity and resilience as a Division I athlete.Today, Maddy shares an honest look at the reality of collegiate running, balancing ambition with wellbeing, and the lessons learned from chasing both personal growth and podium finishes. Follow Maddy on Instagram: @maddyfoster13*SEASON 6 of the Braun Performance & Rehab Podcast is brought to you by Isophit. For more on Isophit, please check out isophit.com and @isophit -BE SURE to use coupon code BraunPR25% to save 25% on your Isophit order!**Season 6 of the Braun Performance & Rehab Podcast is also brought to you by Firefly Recovery, the official recovery provider for Braun Performance & Rehab. For more on Firefly, please check out https://www.recoveryfirefly.com/ or email jake@recoveryfirefly.com***This episode is also powered by Dr. Ray Gorman, founder of Engage Movement. Learn how to boost your income without relying on sessions. Get a free training on the blended practice model by following @raygormandpt on Instagram. DM my name “Dan” to @raygormandpt on Instagram and receive your free breakdown on the model.Episode Affiliates:MoboBoard: BRAWNBODY10 saves 10% at checkout!AliRx: DBraunRx = 20% off at checkout! https://alirx.health/MedBridge: https://www.medbridgeeducation.com/brawn-body-training or Coupon Code "BRAWN" for 40% off your annual subscription!CTM Band: https://ctm.band/collections/ctm-band coupon code "BRAWN10" = 10% off!Ice shaker affiliate link: https://www.iceshaker.com?sca_ref=1520881.zOJLysQzKeMake sure you SHARE this episode with a friend who could benefit from the information we shared!Check out everything Dan is up to by clicking here: https://linktr.ee/braun_prLiked this episode? Leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes Abashek Bhati, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Bowling Green State University, to dive deep into the ever-buzzing world of social media fundraising. Spoiler alert, it's not just about asking for money. Drawing on fresh research, Dr. Bhati reveals that nonprofits who blend a variety of six message types (instead of hammering the “donate now” button nonstop) can boost their fundraising results by a whopping 96%. That's nearly doubling your impact just by mixing up your posts. So, what are these six magical message types? Beneficiary stories, mission-focused content, engagement asks, expressions of gratitude, goal attainment updates, and fundraising ask. While asking remains the most frequent (and necessary) message, Dr. Bhati's research shows that over-reliance on it can lead to donor fatigue faster than you can say “algorithm change.” It turns out donors want to feel part of a story, not just a transaction. The conversation gets even juicier when Bill and Dr. Bhati dig into the science behind why these message types matter. Want more donations? Try publicly thanking donors (which can lift giving by 59%). Need to hit that campaign goal? Posts showing you're just $50 short create FOMO that can spike donations by 79%. It's all about creating that “whirlpool effect” of engagement, where your message spreads further and deeper. They wrap with practical tips for fundraisers of all organizational sizes. Don't have a massive marketing team? No problem. Start by planning posts ahead, use scheduling tools, and lean on your board, volunteers, and existing supporters to build your social media presence. Because as Dr. Bhati reminds us, social media fundraising isn't a magic bullet, it's a strategic dance. And when you choreograph your messages well, donors don't just listen, they leap in.

At the Glass Art Society's (GAS) 2025 conference, Trailblazing New Traditions, held in May in Arlington and Fort Worth, Texas, Zachary Layhew and Hoseok Youn presented a unique collaborative glassblowing demonstration where Youn's Venetian fantasy vessels intersected with the baroque, cubist influences of Layhew's practice. The artists shared their unique approaches to traditional techniques and designs, both makers transforming the context of tradition through the lens of their original personalities. The result was a figurative sculpture constructed from historical goblets and decorative stemware, combined with the line patterns of cane. Goblets and cane are common and popular in the glass tradition, but this demonstration showed the community a creative and innovative way to elevate those methods to new frontiers while paying respect to their origins. Layhew started his glass career at the age of 14 by taking an introductory intensive at the Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) called Teen Bootcamp. He quickly fell in love with the material and the community surrounding it. Through the years, the artist has focused on his technical skills in glass and developing his personal voice through sculpture. His work revolves around a combination of glassblowing, cold working, and then further reheating, manipulating, and assembling the pieces.  Working as an artist and instructor at PGC, Layhew assists other Pittsburgh artists in his spare time. He will teach Lines, Rings, and Patterned Things at Foci, the Minnesota Center for Glass Arts, from November 12 through 16. In December, the artist has a residency at Keystone College, Factoryville, Pennsylvania, and through the rest of 2025 and 2026, he will teach eight-week classes at PGC. Additionally, Layhew creates production work that is sold online and in person.  A South Korean glass artist specializing in glassblowing, Youn holds a BFA degree in glass and ceramics from Namseoul University, Cheon Ahn, Korea, and earned an MFA in glass from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois. He has taught at Bowling Green State University as an adjunct professor, was a studio artist at Toledo Museum of Art and a studio lead at Belger Arts in Kansas City, Missouri.  Youn's artistic practice focuses on Venetian traditional glass, figurative sculptures, and photography. He is inspired by heroes and villains based on pop culture and toys. His work reflects the image of his ideal successful self, combining crystal clear glass, elaborate vessel forms, intricate stemware, and abundant details. In 2026, he will teach a workshop at Pilchuck Glass School, session 7. Click this link for details https://www.pilchuck.org/programs/sessions/lost-and-found Enjoy this conversation with Layhew and Youn about their individual work in glass as well as their groundbreaking collaborative demo at the 2025 GAS conference.  

How can Christian parents and other Christian leaders best navigate youth sports? What are some of the toxic elements of youth sports that Christians can avoid, or strategically use as an opportunity for ministry and growth? Our guest today, Ed Uszynski, is the author of a new book Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. Ed joins Sean and Scott to discuss how our perspective of youth sports needs to shift so we can better watch, coach, and help young people participate in youth sports. Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades of experience discipling college and professional athletes. He has written articles, essays, and training materials at the intersection of faith and sports. He received his PH.D. in American cultural Studies from Bowling Green State University. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Today's guests are Ed Uszynski and Brian Smith, authors of the book Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. Their book and today's conversation are designed to help parents transform the complexity of youth sports into a platform for discipleship. The book equips parents with practical, Biblically based solutions for raising athletes in secular sports culture. Topics:How do sports develop character?How do we stand out in youth sports culture?How can we support our kids through their failures?How do we view winning and being the greatest?What can we learn from Uncle Rico?Find out more about the book HEREAbout Brian Smith Brian Smith is the author of several books, including The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports. He has been on staff with Athletes in Action since 2008. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Brian has a master's degree in Theology and Sports Studies from Baylor University. About Ed Uszynski Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades of experience discipling college and professional athletes. He's written articles, essays, and training manuals at the intersection of faith and sport and is the lead strategist for Content Mercenaries. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University.Purchase a copy of The Sports Devotional: Pro Football Edition TODAY.Visit the Fantasy Football Fellowship website to sign up and participate in our exciting and encouraging ministry.Learn more about our sponsor, Upward Sports, to find out how you can reach people for Jesus through sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Ed Uszynski (PhD, Bowling Green State University) has been working with collegiate and professional athletes in various roles with Athletes in Action since 1992. He's the author of Untangling Critical Race Theory: What Christians Need to Know and Why It Matters (IVP) and his most recent book, Away Game: A Christian Parents Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, coauthored with Brian Smith. To listen to our "extra innings" conversation, head over to Theology in the Raw's Patreon page to become a member of the Theology in the Raw community. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.