Can I Get A Retake?

Elizabeth Griffith didn't set out to love chemistry, but maybe that's what makes her such a compelling teacher of it. In this episode, the author of General Chemistry for Engineers talks about what it takes to reach students who would rather be anywhere else than in a chemistry class, why framing a course around applications (not content) changes everything, and what led her to write the textbook...

Dr. Tracey Ward has spent her career at the intersection of pharmaceutical research and education, holding patents in Alzheimer's treatments while teaching future pharmacists how drugs work at a molecular level. In this episode, she walks us through the surprisingly long and expensive journey from drug discovery to pharmacy shelf, explains why the gut microbiome matters more than most people reali...

Kaustavi Sarkar has spent decades doing something rare: turning passion into profession. As an associate professor, author, and practitioner of Odissi (a centuries-old Indian classical dance form), she's built a career at the intersection of tradition and innovation. In this episode, Kaustavi shares how she navigates the tension between honoring an ancient art form and pushing it into new spaces,...

What does a Wall Street veteran who helped build trading floors for Salomon Brothers have to teach college students about money? Everything they weren't taught but desperately need to know. Elven Riley, professor of finance at Seton Hall University's Stillman School of Business and author of Unavoidable Money Decisions, spent decades in tech and finance before landing in academia with a mission: c...

Before Atwan was a chemist, an educator, a researcher, a business owner, or a community advocate, he was a kid on his grandmother's porch, making Sunday tea — unknowingly learning about solubility, heat transfer, and acid-base chemistry without a textbook in sight. That origin story shapes everything about the way he teaches today. In this episode, Dr. Antwan Daniels — community college chemistry...

What does it mean to truly learn a language? For Hélène de Fays and Pello Huesa, coauthors of Gente, Lengua Y Cultura and educators at UNC Chapel Hill, it's never just about memorizing vocabulary or conjugating verbs. Language learning is about engaging with the enormous linguistic, cultural, and political diversity within Spanish-speaking communities—and understanding that language itself is iden...

In this season finale, we're taking a different approach by celebrating the educators who've partnered with Great River Learning to create their own course materials. You'll hear from faculty across disciplines—from music appreciation to forensics, horticulture to economics—who faced the same challenge: existing textbooks just weren't working for their students or their teaching style. These are s...

What if the real problem isn't that students struggle with math—it's that we've taught them it's okay to give up on it? In this episode, mathematician and educator Dr. Jeanette Mokry gets refreshingly honest about her own middle school math confusion, the pandemic's lingering impact on student preparedness, and why she's ditching traditional lectures for approaches that let students "create their...

What happens when a Peace Corps volunteer contracts malaria in a remote village and discovers that the traditional healer's definition of "health" completely upends everything Western medicine taught her? Medical anthropologist Dr. Diane Hardgrave takes listeners from emergency refugee camps in Somalia to sacred Hopi mesas, revealing why the youngest medical system on Earth (hint: it's ours) might...

Traditional textbooks are failing students. Bombarded with information from every direction, including their 1500-page business law texts, students tune out. That is, except for Thane Messinger's digital textbook, Business Law: Navigating the turbulent realm of commerce. Messinger, a business law professor at the University of Hawaii, shares his journey from practicing law in Texas and Micronesia...

Meet Don Bryn, a musical renaissance man whose journey from globe-trotting performer to innovative educator reads like a composer's symphony—unexpected, layered, and beautifully orchestrated. Having graced stages across 130 countries, Don discovered that music truly is humanity's universal language, a revelation that now drives his mission to shatter what he calls "musical prejudices" in the class...

Dr. Anne-Valerie Brittan-Leibundgut, a French-born composer, performer, and lecturer at the University of Oklahoma shares her remarkable journey from studying piano at the Conservatory of Cannes to finding her calling in the heart of the US - Oklahoma. There she's dedicated herself to making classical music accessible and engaging for non-music majors. Through her innovative storytelling approach,...

In this episode, we chat with Keith Kropp from Great River Learning about how his company went from showing off a simple CD-ROM back in 2001 to becoming one of the go-to names in education tech. Keith shares some great stories, like how they got the company name from an actual road nearby and why they had to rebrand from "Great River Technologies" to "Great River Learning" after years of being mis...

Hosts Michelle and Deanna sit down with Dr. Johnny Hrebik, Department Chair of English at Cape Fear Community College and author of "Memories and Melodies: The Essential First Year Writing EP." Dr. Hrebik shares his journey from aspiring musician to English professor, explaining how he revolutionized composition instruction by integrating music into the classroom. His innovative methods include cr...

Three former state trade directors—Peter Cunningham, Mary Regel, and Liz Cleveland—analyze the current trade wars and economic challenges facing the United States in this episode of "Can I Get a Retake?". Drawing on their extensive experience representing American states internationally, our guests provide economic insights into how protectionist policies can disrupt industries, from automotive ma...

Hosts Michelle and Deanna interview three veteran international trade directors—Peter Cunningham, Mary Regel, and Liz Cleveland—who share their fascinating experiences with international commerce and diplomacy. The trio, who collectively authored "The Trade Director Diaries: Real Life Experiences Navigating International Trade," recount how they shaped state-level international trade programs in M...

Hosts Michelle and Deanna talk with Professor Cathy O'Dell. a multifaceted theater professional who brings her extensive acting and directing experience into the classroom. In this episode of "Can I Get a Retake?", O'Dell shares her journey from actor to author and educator, discussing her passion for theater, her approach to teaching introduction to theater, and her insights into the evolving lan...

Here's the not-so-secret truth: Higher education is at a breaking point. Students are checking out, traditional methods are falling flat, and the need for real change has never been more urgent. That's why we're here . At Great River Learning, we're redefining how students connect with knowledge and prepare for their futures. Our mission? To create learning experiences that don't just teach—they i...

Discover the intricate world of digital textbook publishing with Project Development Coordinator Deanna Ploessl. Deanna provides an insider's perspective on the comprehensive journey from manuscript to published digital textbook. Join us as we unpack the critical steps, challenges, and considerations authors should anticipate when entering the digital publishing landscape. Want to become a publish...

For Black Americans in the US, the path to living a healthy lifestyle is littered with remnants of systemic racism. In this mini episode, Dr. Carlton Cooper, Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Delaware, takes us inside one of his courses, Race and Health, where he dispels misinformation within the community, and elucidates some of the reasons why people of color statistically...

Most of us probably didn't study real estate investment or tax law in school....in fact, thinking about taxes probably makes most of us cringe. Luckily, we have Mallory Meehan, licensed attorney, realtor, and appraiser, Associate Clinical Professor of Real Estate, and Assistant Director of the Institute for Real Estate Studies at Penn State, to break it down for us. In this episode Mallory demysti...

What do you do when students just don't care about the intricacies of microbiology? Drs. Carlton Cooper and Ben Rohe have cracked the code on how to make even the most seemingly dry subjects come alive for their students. And it's not about lecturing (spoiler alert: that's actually the least effective way to teach!). Join us as we dive into their innovative approach, which combines empathy, human...

To be human is to be constantly evolving: our personalities, our relationships, and the paradigm through which we view the world. Alongside Dr. Heather Von Bank, Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Consumer Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato, we explore the nuances of lifespan development, the micro and macrosystems that affect family dynamics, and how systems of oppression...

As a Mexican-American conservationist, Dr. Erim Gomez knows first-hand the importance of diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. In part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Gomez, professor of Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana, we explore what it means to students, especially those of minority backgrounds, to have mentors and representation in their field. Come along as we explore how to be...

In Part 1 of an expansive 2-part dialogue, Dr. Erim Gómez, a trailblazing Mexican American professor of Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana, flips the script on who and what gets prioritized in the world of conservation. As a researcher studying resilient amphibians and as a mentor guiding the next generation of Wildlife biologists, Erim gives a voice to overlooked and underrepresented c...