Culture and Belonging

Ray White is the Vice Chancellor of Troy University’s Montgomery Campus, but 25 years ago, in a previous role at the University, he set out to establish the Rosa Parks Museum on the site of her 1955 arrest. He shares candid reflections on his work to build trust as he worked with Mrs. Parks and her family, collected materials, and consulted with Civil Rights experts to build the interpretive museu...

As a clinical sociologist, associate professor and associate dean of Troy University’s college of arts and sciences, Dr. Sharon Lindhorst Everhardt works to improve systems. Her book Gardening Behind Bars was released in February, and she sat down to talk to us about some of her experiences with the incarcerated women she worked with on this project. She reminds us that belonging is a basic need f...

Be curious. Have a conversation with a stranger. Try something new. Travel. What better ways are there to get out of our comfort zone? Dr. Kelly Suero, associate professor of Spanish language at Troy University, advocates travel as a means of stimulating intellectual curiosity. Her love of travel began with a study abroad trip to Argentina at age 18, and she says that we should all aim to become c...

Dr. Brandon Stewart studies ethnic politics and political violence. In this episode we'll talk with him about how cultural, political, and ethnic identities are constructed. And we'll learn how to promote understanding and cooperation within diverse populations.

Spanish language professor Dr. Johanna Alberich is passionate about sparking curiosity in her students and encouraging them to learn about people who are different from them. She defines culture as a belief system that can vary by individual and says belonging primarily focuses on adaptability. She serves as a resource for colleagues preparing to lead their first study abroad trip for students, an...

Author, librarian, and historian Dr. Christopher (Chris) Shaffer talks books, food, and travel with us on our ninth episode of the Culture and Belonging podcast. He agrees that culture is difficult to define and shares insights about why banning books is never a good idea (unless you’re hoping to spike book sales). He talks specifically about his own book, Moon over Sasova, and a sample of persona...

Cultural identity is often tied to where we call home, but what happens when that home changes? Today, we'll talk to Miguel Rodriguez-Blest, who lived most of his life in Puerto Rico before moving to south Alabama.

The US Surgeon General released an advisory earlier this year placing the pervasive problem of loneliness on the same level of public health concern as smoking. For this seventh episode of the Culture and Belonging podcast, Kim Serrano, Director of the Center for Inclusion and Belonging, spoke with us about her agency’s research around belonging, and their findings are thought-provoking! Belonging...

Librarians are here to help! Before coming to the States to study and become a librarian, Olga Casey worked as a translator in her native Ukraine, and she clearly continues that work today. Olga shares stories with us for episode six of the Culture and Belonging podcast about gifting materials to a Ukrainian sister library, preserving cultural heritage online, archiving wartime creative works, and...

Rebecca (Becky) Helms, academic advisor and disability services specialist on Troy University's Dothan Campus, helps us navigate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in our fifth episode of Culture and Belonging. Our candid conversation explores the differences between visible and hidden disabilities and the importance of creating a welcoming, safe space for students and colleagues to self-ad...

Music is a powerful tool to bring people together and a distinct marker of unique cultures. Dr. Scott Sexton, music educator and educator of future music educators, helps us find the quickest entry points to Culture and Belonging through music in our fourth episode of the podcast. Dr. Sexton sees culture as a means to find common ground and move towards belonging. He tells us about his work in pla...

For our third episode of Culture and Belonging, we asked Dr. Stephen Carmody, an associate professor of anthropology, to talk to us about how he defines culture and belonging. Anthropology is the study of the origin and development of human societies and cultures, and our conversation delves into the concept of becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable and focuses on how anthropologists seek c...

On our second episode of Culture and Belonging, we’ll hear from history instructor Joe McCall, a self-proclaimed frustrated Latin scholar, about how he defines culture in the context of advocating for international students and colleagues. Joe will help us try to answer the question, “What role does religion play in a culturally diverse environment?” Conflict is part of life, but humility and bein...

In a professional environment of increasing cultural diversity, what can administrators do to make sure everyone feels included? On the flip side, how can individuals speak up and make themselves heard? On this very first episode of culture and belonging, we’ll talk with Dr. Dionne Rosser-Mims, Vice-Chancellor of Troy University’s Phenix City Campus. Together, we’ll try to answer these questions,...