Degrees of Impact

Law students at St. Mary's University of San Antonio are gaining real-world experience by assisting renters who are facing evictions and homeowners struggling with title issues. In this episode, Genevieve Fajardo and Greg Zlotnick , both professors at St. Mary’s University, talk about how students move from the classroom to the community in a way that creates a winning combination for their e...

Grant funding can provide resources that allow colleges and universities to achieve goals they otherwise couldn’t without external dollars. In this episode,  we delve into ways that institutions might leverage outside support to navigate the funding process. We’re joined by Jessica Gerrity , a senior vice president at McAllister & Quinn , a federal grant consulting and government relations fir...

College honors programs are different than the honors classes that high school students encounter. Forrest Clingerman, director of the Honors Program at Ohio Northern University , and Haley Brown, an honors student also at Ohio Northern University, discuss the ins and outs of college honors programs, including the benefits and experiences they offer, and who should and who shouldn’t consider enrol...

Before you grab another plate of the nachos, listen to Aaron Mansfield , an assistant professor of sport management at Merrimack College , discuss his research into the connection between sports fandom and its effect on our physical health, especially in regard to the ways it shapes our eating habits.  Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas...

This episode dives into the critical conversation of cultivating faculty diversity, an action that benefits not just underrepresented populations but rather the entire campus community. Two distinguished Provosts, Tarshia Stanley of Wagner College and Leanne Neilson of California Lutheran University, will share their challenges, successes, and innovative approaches to recruiting and retaining facu...

In this episode, we talk with Lisa Jasinski whose book “Stepping Away: Returning to the Faculty After Senior Academic Leadership” looks at the benefits and challenges of transitioning from senior leadership to faculty, a scenario that is both unique to yet common in higher education. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the people behi...

Wine-making is synonymous with the Willamette Valley in Oregon where Linfield University is located. Linfield recently the Acorn to Oak Wine Experience, a wine tasting room that affords real-world experience to students across different majors. In this episode, Acorn to Oak’s manager, Paul Johnson, talks about working with students in this college-owned business. Thank you for tuning in to this ep...

Colleges and universities are well-positioned to tackle challenges facing the world, but when the issue is as large as climate change, it can feel insurmountable. Matt Packey, associate vice president for sustainability and institutional planning at Queens University of Charlotte, joins us to discuss their efforts to move the needle on campus sustainability. While it’s a major undertaking, the ins...

Brandon Slade, founder and CEO of Untapped Learning , shares how his personal history led him to create a company that helps students with ADHD and dyslexia improve their executive functioning capabilities to achieve better success in school and college through research-backed strategies . Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the peopl...

The college admissions process can be a stressful journey, and with big changes coming to the FAFSA federal aid application, families might be feeling even more anxious this year. In this episode, Amy Staffier, assistant vice president of enrollment student services and director of financial aid at Simmons University in Boston, will help demystify the financial aid process.  Thank you for tuning i...

To achieve an organization's goals, we often need to work with others who have different backgrounds and opinions from ours. What can we do to better learn how to collaborate with others? Our guest, Grayson James , author of  Full Contact Performance: The Internal Art of Organizational Collaboration, has coached business leaders to improve their collaborative business performance and facilita...

Our guest is Dr. Jillian Peterson , a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, whose research engaged undergraduate students in creating the most comprehensive database of every mass shooter in America since 1966. With that research, Dr. Peterson has co-authored a book called The Violence Project : How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic which offers...

A desire to lift up others so they may go on to fulfill their personal life missions has driven a decades long career for Devorah Lieberman, president of the University of La Verne. Join us as she takes a moment to reflect on her work in higher education, contemplate what’s next in retirement, and share insight into what college presidents need to consider for the future. Thank you for tuning in t...

Robert Alexander , political science professor and founding director of the Institute for Civics and Public Policy (ICAPP) at Ohio Northern University , talks about ICAPP’s work and the importance of civics education, both for students and throughout the community.  Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the people behind them in higher...

Work experience is integral to a student’s college experience. Student Jessica Taddeo talks about her time working as an intern with the National Organization for Women in Washington, DC, and how that has shaped her view for the future.  Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the people behind them in higher education. To learn more abou...

Inspired by his TEDx Talk on how higher education is failing Black educators, Faheem Curtis-Khidr, a history professor at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, discusses how higher education can support both Black faculty and students from underrepresented backgrounds. He also talks about connecting his research in Dayton to the classroom and his philosophy on teaching skillsets rather than...

Andrea Chapdelaine, president of Hood College, discusses how mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, and collaborations can positively affect student support and campus-wide goals. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we explore innovative ideas and the people behind them in higher education. To learn more about NACU and our programs, visit nacu.edu . Connec...

Greg Jones, president of Belmont University and co-author of Navigating the Future: Traditioned Innovation for Wilder Seas (with Andrew P. Hogue), talks about his enjoyment of behind-the-scenes work that allows others to flourish, how he’s working to foster innovation in an established institution, and why cross-disciplinary collaboration in higher education is necessary to find creative solutions...

University of Richmond Chief Information Officer, Keith “Mac” McIntosh , has more than 30 years of experience in information technology. In this episode, he talks passionately about advancing DEI in the IT profession and shares his perspective on remote work, cybersecurity, and data analytics in higher education’s operations and academics. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impa...

Virginia Wesleyan University President Scott Miller has served as a college president for 32 years at four different institutions. The veteran president, who started his career as a sports writer, talks about differentiating one's campus in a congested marketplace, expanding into new markets, and how today's presidents can be successful master generalists. Thank you for tuning in to this...

Author and associate professor David Staley leverages his strategic foresight to discuss alternative universities such microcolleges and an institute for advanced play, as outlined in his 2019 book. He talks about the approach he thinks leaders need to incorporate into strategic planning and how the pandemic caused higher ed to realize that ‘going online’ was not the innovation everyone predicted...

How do we balance personal freedom with responsibility to others? What is the shape of a meaningful life? Andrew Delbanco , president of The Teagle Foundation , talks about the importance of humanities in giving students the opportunity and skills to explore these questions and why that is essential for a democratic society. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Degrees of Impact, where we ex...

Michael Murray , president of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF), talks about how the organization balances its commitment to its historical areas of focus while addressing new issues affecting society. Dr. Murray specifically talks about AVDF’s work to promote civil discourse on campuses, including what approaches are successful, and the cultivation of purpose as it pertains to education....

NACU teams up again with David Finegold, president of Chatham University and creator of The Future of Higher Education podcast . In this episode, David speaks with legendary educational entrepreneur John Katzman, founder of the Princeton Review, 2U, and, most recently, Noodle. Katzman shares his perspective on three key issues in higher education: 1) strategies that small private and regional publ...

In the second of a two part series, Sean Creighton interviews David Finegold, president of Chatham University and creator of The Future of Higher Education podcast . David talks about how Chatham honors its past as a women’s college by maintaining structures and programs to advance women today. He also talks about Chatham’s new 400-acre campus that provides hands-on learning and modeling of sustai...