Podcasts about first year seminar

Higher education institutions continue to struggle with student retention, career readiness, and underemployment among graduates. Traditional college advising models focus heavily on selecting a major, yet many students graduate with empty degrees that fail to translate into meaningful careers. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Scott Carlson and Dr. Ned Scott Laff, authors of Hacking College: Why the Major Really Doesn't Matter and What Really Does, about how institutions can rethink academic advising, faculty engagement, and student success strategies to better serve today's learners. Carlson, a senior writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, and Laff, who has over 35 years of experience in college and university settings helping students design successful undergraduate experiences, discuss how universities can shift away from a rigid, major-centric model to a personalized student success framework. They explain how students who lack career clarity often end up in underemployment, taking jobs unrelated to their degrees. Their research shows that institutions must evolve their advising structures to help students identify vocational purpose, leverage experiential learning, and navigate the hidden job market. The Problem with Traditional Academic Advising The outdated focus on major selection leads students into rigid career paths, often misaligned with their strengths and interests. A one-size-fits-all advising model leaves first-generation and low-income students struggling to navigate the complexities of higher education. Limited faculty-student engagement prevents students from leveraging university resources and professional networks. Lack of career-aligned experiential learning results in students graduating without the necessary skills and industry connections. Revolutionizing College-to-Career Transition Carlson and Laff propose a new model where higher education leaders integrate career-focused advising and faculty mentorship into the student experience. This involves: Helping students explore hidden intellectualism—their deeper interests and skills that could shape their career trajectories. Connecting students with faculty and industry professionals to uncover career pathways beyond traditional job titles. Expanding experiential learning opportunities through internships, mentorships, and project-based learning. Teaching students to research the hidden job market to discover roles they might never encounter through a standard career fair. Institutional Strategies for Student Success For university presidents, boards, and executive leaders, improving student outcomes requires a fundamental shift in how advising and faculty engagement are structured. Institutions should: Encourage faculty to act as mentors, guiding students beyond coursework to explore real-world career applications. Train advisors to support students in creating flexible, goal-oriented academic plans that integrate experiential learning. Strengthen career services by building industry partnerships and embedding career readiness into academic programming. Utilize existing institutional resources—including government affairs, research opportunities, and alumni networks—to connect students with career pathways. The Hidden Job Market and Career Readiness Career exploration should begin early in a student's academic journey. Institutions must help students develop the ability to recognize opportunities beyond traditional job titles by: Encouraging proactive networking with faculty, professionals, and industry leaders. Teaching students to research and navigate the hidden job market, where many opportunities exist outside of standard recruitment channels. Expanding experiential learning options, such as internships and project-based coursework, to provide practical experience that aligns with evolving workforce demands. With AI-driven automation threatening traditional advising roles, institutions must act now to redefine how they support student career pathways. Colleges that fail to adapt will continue to see declining retention, underemployment, and dissatisfaction among graduates. Five Takeaways for University Presidents and Boards Be Open to Change – Institutions must actively remove barriers that prevent student success. The current advising model is failing many students, and colleges need to adopt a more flexible, student-centered approach that helps learners navigate their academic and career paths effectively. Preserve Academic Variety – Colleges are eliminating liberal arts programs due to financial pressures, but this limits students' ability to create multidisciplinary educational experiences. Institutions should strive to maintain a diverse academic landscape that allows students to explore various career pathways. Engage Directly with Students – University leaders should make an effort to understand student concerns firsthand. By informally engaging with students—whether in common areas or casual settings—presidents and board members can gain valuable insights into what students need to thrive. Empower Students to Take Ownership of Their Education – Instead of following rigid degree structures, students should be encouraged to design their own academic experiences by integrating coursework, experiential learning, and industry engagement in ways that align with their career goals. Advisors and faculty should support this by shifting from a prescriptive model to one that helps students think critically about their education. Rethink Institutional Priorities – Colleges can maintain their research and tenure agendas while also fostering a culture that encourages student success. Leaders should create systems that help students perceive higher education as an interconnected network of opportunities rather than a series of disconnected courses. Higher education institutions that fail to evolve will continue to see declining retention and job placement rates. Listen in as Dr. Drumm McNaughton, Scott Carlson, and Dr. Ned Laff explore how colleges can implement meaningful advising reforms to improve student success, institutional sustainability, and long-term career outcomes. Institutions looking for solutions to align their academic programs with evolving student needs should explore Academic Realignment and Redesign strategies. Read the podcast transcript on our website: https://changinghighered.com/transforming-college-advising-new-approach-to-student-success/ #AcademicAdvising #HigherEducation #StudentSuccess   About the Podcast Guests Dr. Ned Scott Laff has over 35 years of experience in college and university settings, helping students design successful undergraduate experiences. He has taught both English and Honors courses and has broad interests in liberal arts education, the quality of undergraduate education, and the role of academic advising in liberal learning. He was Founding Director of the Center for the Junior Year at Governors State University; Director for Advising at Augustana College; the Director for General Education, Director of Contractual Studies, Director for Service-Learning and Director of the Center for Engaged Learning at Columbia College; former Academic Program Coordinator for Core Curriculum and Director for First Year Seminar at Loyola University Chicago. He has served as Director for Academic Program Development at Barat College of DePaul University; and as Associate Dean for Curriculum at Mundelein College of Loyola University Chicago. Connect with Ned Scott Laff on LinkedIn → Scott Carlson is a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education who explores where higher education is headed. Since 1999, he has covered a range of issues for the publication: college management and finance, facilities, campus planning, energy, sustainability, libraries, workforce development, the value of a college degree, and other subjects. He has written such in-depth reports as “Sustaining the College Business Model,” “The Future of Work,” “The Right Mix of Academic Programs,” “The Campus as City,” and “The Outsourced University.” Carlson has won awards from the Education Writers Association and is a frequent speaker at colleges and conferences around the country. His work has also appeared in The Baltimore Sun and Baltimore City Paper, among other publications. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Connect with Scott Carlson on LinkedIn → About the Podcast Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton is the founder, CEO, and Principal Consultant at The Change Leader, Inc. A highly sought-after higher education consultant with 20+ years of experience, Dr. McNaughton works with leadership, management, and boards of U.S. and international institutions. His expertise spans key areas, including accreditation, governance, strategic planning, presidential onboarding, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. Dr. McNaughton's approach combines a holistic methodology with a deep understanding of the contemporary and evolving challenges facing higher education institutions worldwide to ensure his clients succeed in their mission. Connect with Drumm McNaughton on LinkedIn→  

Welcome to Episode 128 of the Think UDL podcast: HyFlex Love Affair with Kenyada McLeod. Kenyada McLeod is Associate Professor of Web Design at Brightpoint Community College in the central Virginia region. I first came in contact with her work when she helped me through the QM certification process years ago when I had my First Year Seminar course QM certified. It was then we struck up a friendship around UDL and kept in touch over social media. Just recently, we crossed paths again when I saw she had written about her HyFLex model in practice and I decided it was time to interview her for the podcast to learn about how she has integrated UDL into her HyFlex world. Her teaching in the HyFlex model has been exemplary and is something I think we have needed to revisit on the podcast so I have invited her to talk about how she has been able to remove barriers to learning for her students and for faculty as well. Tune into this conversation to learn more about how to help today's faculty and students who have varied demands on their time survive and thrive in a HyFlex learning environment.

Do you remember your favorite book as a child? If you do, there's probably a good reason for that. Must have left an impression on you. Something about it was impactful. Maybe it taught you something you didn't know before, or you were able to see yourself in the main character's shoes. Whatever the reason, children's stories are important in this episode, we're talking about taking those stories and adapting them to a new medium and even a new audience. This fall, I co-taught a First Year Seminar course at Shenandoah University with LaTasha Do'Zia, Executive Director of Selah Theatre Project. All semester, our students explored the concept of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's seminal concept) through multicultural picture books, performance, community service, and reflection and class discussion. This very special podcast episode is their culminating project for the semester. Narrated by FYS Mentor Jenny Cortez, you'll explore five different chapters or points of view involving windows and mirrors, ranging from visual storytelling, music and storytelling, books that resonated in childhood, how gender connects with storytelling, and the impact of the digital age and censorship and boundaries in storytelling. 1:25: How do we adapt children's picture books into visual storytelling for all ages? (Riley, Josie, Petra, Jaxon)6:44: How do you tell a story through performance? (Emma, Anna, Barbara, Tegan)12:40: Sponsor Ad14:22: What personal connections do you have to picture books and why? (Brooke, Kaitlyn, Jessica, Emane, Miles)19:51: How do gender and storytelling intersect with windows and mirrors? (Alejandro, Patrick, Adam)27:29: Blurred lines -- a look at how generational differences in media consumption impact issues of free speech and age appropriate media (Eli, Xavi)The opinions and ideas expressed here are those of the students. I hope that you find them as engaging and thought-provoking as I did. Note: This episode was edited and produced by Shenandoah University first year student Jaxon Allison.Support the showRead the full show notes, visit the website, and check out my on-demand virtual course. Continue the adventure at LinkedIn or Instagram. *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

Convocation is a defining event where you will be formally inducted into the College and have the opportunity to hear from College leaders, attend your First Year Seminar (FYS 1000) class of the semester, and participate in engaging programs. For members of Class 2026, the important event took place on August 23, 2022 which began with President S. David Wu speaking to the audiences. Professor Esther Allen, Director of Sidney Harman Writer-In-Residence, introduced this year's Baruch Writer-In-Residence, Daphne Odeh, and followed by Daphne's talk to the Class.      

Ron Hantz, Executive Director of Network for Developing Conscious Communities, and educator/author Dr. Ann Gessler give an overview of the upcoming Black Cooperative Agenda National Conference, and New Orleans' cooperative development. Ron Hantz has been instrumental in advocating a new community development paradigm based on “conscious community development” He is a former Adjunct Professor, in the Africana Studies Department, at the University Maryland Baltimore County, and founded the Network for Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC) in 2014. He now leads the organization's efforts on advocacy and building a sustainable ecosystem for Black governed community development organizations. Under his leadership, NDCC has emerged as a grass roots voice on promoting the use of principle-based practices to regenerate under-resourced Black communities. Dr. Anne Gessler is a clinical associate professor in the First Year Seminar and Humanities programs at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She is the Mieszkuc Memorial Professor in Women's and Gender Studies for 2021-2022. Dr. Gessler will discuss her upcoming luncheon address, “Cooperating in the Crescent City: Lessons Learned from New Orleans's Intergenerational Black Cooperative Movement,” at the Black Cooperative Agenda National Conference. Based on her book, Cooperatives in New Orleans: Collective Action and Urban Development, where Dr. Gessler traces how New Orleans community cooperatives contribute to a social history of grassroots social justice mobilization in the South. She examines how the long civil rights movement shaped current New Orleans cooperatives. Exploring the work of Black hospital administrator Albert Dent, who worked with multiracial New Deal southern liberals to establish a cooperative public health plan for Black Louisianans. The Network for Developing Conscious Communities was founded 2014 as a 501 © (3) non-profit community development membership organization. Through implementing principles of conscious community development, the organization seeks to build economically cooperative and equitable communities through transparency, inclusiveness and collectivism. NDCC successfully works to improve financial sustainability, encourage business ownership and increase residential real estate ownership in Black neighborhoods.

Kennesaw State First-Generation student Josh Brown joins the show to talk about transferring to KSU from Georgia Tech, the impact of First-Year Seminar on his KSU experience, types of jobs he hopes to pursue and being a first-generation student. This episode was recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit uc.kennesaw.edu/covid19.php for information on University College's departments, programs and services and how they are operating online during this time.

In Episode 4 of Conversations Beneath the Cupola, podcast host, Gettysburg College President Robert W. Iuliano, is joined by four members of the Gettysburg College community—Director of First-Year Seminars and Alumni Prof. of Mathematics Darren Glass, Psychology Prof. Kathy Cain, and first-year students Katherine Schmitz ’23 and Demaro Ricketts ’23. Each guest highlights the innovative nature, purpose, and lasting impact of the College’s First-Year Seminar program through their unique lens.

In this episode, we join professors Daniel Mendelsohn, Lauren Curtis and Omar Cheta to learn more about Bard College's First Year Seminar program.

Dr. Marc Marenco is a member of the philosophy department at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He teaches courses in bioethics as well as philosophy of religion, science and religion, and First Year Seminar. He took his first graduate degree from Yale Divinity School in 1983 (M.Div.) followed by a degree in philosophy from Oxford in 1992. (D.Phil.) With a colleague in biology (Lisa Sardinia) he was awarded a $257,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to work for two years with twenty-one religious communities in the greater Portland area in Oregon. The program was adapted for use by the Canadian Council of Churches. Marenco lives in Forest Grove with his wife, Ale, and their son, Paul. His wife is a molecular biologist. His son... is not. He is a fanatical longboard enthusiast and discovered in addition to dubstep he digs Chopin and Beethoven (alright... and Scott Joplin). Marenco also has a daughter, Dascha, who will graduate from Pacific University this year in International Business. Marenco looks forward to hosting an exchange student from Costa Rica soon. To learn more about Holden Village, visit: www.holdenvillage.org or to listen to more audio recordings visit: http://audio.holdenvillage.org

In episode 2 of the University College podcast, we're joined by freshman nursing student Kaylin Woodring, who joined the Kennesaw State family during the summer 2018 semester. She talks about what led her to KSU, the degree she's pursuing and experience in the First-Year Seminar class. University College Podcast host Brandon Apter also runs down some college updates, bidding farewell to long-time Kennesaw State Orientation staff member Mark Pilgrim. Also, details on UC's Coffee with the Dean event in October, which is open to University College students, staff and faculty.

Chuck Carlson from the Marketing and Communications office sat down with professor of history Wes Dick and his wife, Leslie Keller Dick. Topics discussed include Albion’s history, the former West Ward School, their First-Year Seminar, and 50 years of “planting seeds” in Albion. Recorded April 15, 2018.

In the debut episode of the University College Podcast, we're joined by Kennesaw State offensive lineman Terrell Paxton. The new KSU student talks about his experience in the required First-Year Seminar course and how he plans to balance his school work with athletics.

Abstract: In this ninth episode, part II of the MJAS Exclusive, Elizabeth and Karin and their guests, fellow academics, Lisha McDuff and Roberta Meek, continue the discussion on Michael Jackson's art, resonance and cultural impact alongside the late musician, Prince. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, Elizabeth Amisu, Roberta Meek, and Lisha McDuff. "Episode 9 – MJAS Exclusive: Michael Jackson & Prince Part II (with Lisha Mcduff & Roberta Meek)." Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation 2, no. 3 (2016). Published electronically 7/06/16. http://sya.rqu.mybluehost.me/website_94cbf058/episode-9-7-6-2016-mjas-exclusive-michael-jackson-prince-part-ii/. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies.” Episode 9 – MJAS Exclusive: Michael Jackson & Prince Part II By Karin Merx, Elizabeth Amisu, Lisha McDuff and Roberta Meek There was such a backlash, such an intense distrust of Michael Jackson that spills over into the scholarly reception of him as well. Scholars are people as well and we are all affected by popular culture in ways that we may not even be aware of… We're just at the beginning. – Lisha McDuff As that pain subsides, that pain also drives curiosity, intellectual curiosity, analytical curiosity… yes there was scholarship before Michael died, but it was fairly superficial. Any biographical work was superficial… when you look at the explosion of scholarly inquiry after his death, the same is going to happen for Prince. – Roberta Meek. Episode Questions: 1. What can MJ fans learn from Prince? 2. What can Prince fans learn from MJ? 3. Fan communities of both artists seem disparate to us at MJAS. What are the connections? 4. Let's discuss the critical reception of MJ, especially in terms of gender, ethnicity and sexuality. 5. Final thoughts. This episode is available for sale as an edited book via Amazon Kindle. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of  ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam'. Find out more about Karin here. Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Lisha McDuff is a classically trained professional musician with an MA in Popular Music Studies from the University of Liverpool. She is currently continuing her research at McMaster University, focusing on the art of Michael Jackson. She is the co-presenter of the acclaimed academic blog, Dancing with the Elephant: Conversations about Michael Jackson, His Art and Social Change. Find out more about Lisha here. Roberta Meek is a full-time lecturer at Muhlenberg College. A historian trained at Temple University, she specializes in African American history and the history of race and social movements in the US context. In Fall 2015, she was able to put both her scholarly expertise and knowledge to work in teaching a First Year Seminar on Michael Jackson. Find out more about Roberta here. All Our References and Where to Easily Find Them 1. Article by ?uestlove in Rolling Stone, 'Questlove Remembers Prince: In This Life, You're on Your Own' (April 25, 2016). 2. ?uestlove on Michael Jackson, In BBC Culture Show (December, 2009). 3. 'Prince fans mourn the loss of music legend outside his Paisley Park home' The Guardian (April 22, 2016).

Abstract: In this eighth episode, an MJAS Exclusive, Elizabeth and Karin are joined by guests, fellow academics, Lisha McDuff and Roberta Meek, to discuss Michael Jackson's art, resonance and cultural impact alongside the late musician, Prince. In the first of two podcast episodes, we delve into facets of Jackson and Prince that you may never have thought of before, offering new perspectives on their careers and their posthumous reception. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, Elizabeth Amisu, Roberta Meek, and Lisha McDuff. "Episode 8 – MJAS Exclusive: Michael Jackson & Prince Part I (with Lisha Mcduff & Roberta Meek)." Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation2, no. 3 (2016). Published electronically 28/05/16. http://sya.rqu.mybluehost.me/website_94cbf058/episode-8-28516-mjas-exclusive-michael-jackson-prince-part-i/. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies.” Episode 8 – MJAS Exclusive: Michael Jackson & Prince Part IBy Karin Merx, Elizabeth Amisu, Lisha McDuff and Roberta Meek 'When you have a great artist they are going to fool you every time. They are going to take whatever you give them and they're going to make art out of it.'- Lisha McDuff 'Prince is the epitome of cool, from the 1980s on, for black audiences, for black male audiences... This is not a dependency on a crossover. This is not a dependency on a white mass audience... Prince like Michael was sexually appealing to anybody and everybody on the gender spectrum on any level...'– Roberta Meek Episode Questions: 1. Do you find significance in the fact that Michael Jackson died at 50 and Prince died at 57?2. We have a lot of comparative discussions about MJ. How helpful or unhelpful do you think these comparisons are3. Does the tendency to compare African-American artists tell us about how they are perceived by the establishment.4. 1987's Bad was intended as a duet between MJ & Prince. What are your thoughts on that?5. Let's discuss MJ & Prince difficulties with their record labels. How do you think this affected artistic output of their careers? © Elizabeth Amisu Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of  ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam'. Find out more about Karin here. Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife.  Lisha McDuff is a classically trained professional musician with an MA in Popular Music Studies from the University of Liverpool. She is currently continuing her research at McMaster University, focusing on the art of Michael Jackson. She is the co-presenter of the acclaimed academic blog, Dancing with the Elephant: Conversations about Michael Jackson, His Art and Social Change. Find out more about Lisha here. Roberta Meek is a full-time lecturer at Muhlenberg College. A historian trained at Temple University, she specializes in African American history and the history of race and social movements in the US context. In Fall 2015, she was able to put both her scholarly expertise and knowledge to work in teaching a First Year Seminar on Michael Jackson. Find out more about Roberta here.

The University of Guelph First Year Seminar course, Beyond Literacy, explores the idea of post-literacy through interviews and experiments.