Engaged By Design

As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in higher education, institutions are facing new questions about governance, academic integrity, and strategic implementation. In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith continue their conversation with Heather Pelkie , who leads AI initiatives at West Coast University and serves as an Assistant Profess...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping higher education and the workforce our students are entering. The question for institutions is no longer whether to engage with AI—but whether they will do so intentionally. In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith talk with Heather Pelkie , who leads AI initiatives at West Coast University and serves as an Assi...

In this final installment of their conversation with Dr. Kate Zatz , Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith explore one of the most difficult and urgent topics facing higher education today: antisemitism on college campuses and the responsibility of institutional leaders to respond with integrity and wisdom. Kate begins by sharing personal background about her family, her children’s Jewish upbringing, an...

In part two, the conversation turns to artificial intelligence and its impact on higher education. Kate shares her experiences teaching during the rapid rise of AI tools and discusses the challenges they create for assessment, academic integrity, and course design. The discussion also explores how educators can respond by designing meaningful learning experiences that emphasize collaboration, crit...

In part one of this conversation, Dr. Kate Zatz shares the personal story that shaped her commitment to students and higher education. From her journey as a first-generation college student to her leadership roles across multiple institutions, Kate reflects on mentorship, student involvement, and the importance of belonging in higher education. She also discusses her decades of work with the Girl...

What can leaders learn from the natural world? In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith continue their conversation with Dr. Kathy Hagler and Robin Graham , co-authors of The ABCs of Murmuration: Collective Wisdom of Nature. Building on the concept of Flock Logic , the conversation explores how leaders and organizations can adapt, move together, and learn...

In this episode, Michael and Vernon continue their conversation with Dr. Ira Lovitch as they explore the final two elements of his Five M’s framework for innovation . While technology and processes matter, Ira argues that lasting innovation ultimately comes down to people and the environments in which they work and learn . The conversation highlights how leadership, culture, and care for students...

In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Michael and Vernon welcome Dr. Ira Lovitch, an experienced business faculty member and longtime educator in online higher education. Ira introduces his Five M’s framework for innovation , a model that helps leaders understand how change happens inside organizations. In this first part of the conversation, the discussion focuses on the first three e...

Episode Description In Part 2 of this conversation on the Engaged By Design Podcast , Dr. Michael Cottam continues his discussion with Andrea Dunn , focusing on the evolving landscape of Open Educational Resources, generative AI, and change leadership in higher education. Andrea reflects on how institutions are responding to rising costs, emerging technologies, and shifting learner expectations—an...

Episode Description In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , Dr. Michael Cottam and Dr. Vernon Smith are joined by Andrea Dunn , a strategic technology and operations leader with more than 20 years of experience driving large-scale initiatives in higher education. Andrea shares behind-the-scenes insights from her work leading enterprise course materials and Open Educational Resource (OER...

Episode Description What does it really take to lead change from the middle of an institution? In Part 2 of this conversation, Dr. Michael Cottam and Dr. Christina Dryden explore leadership, trust-building, and the realities of managing change across complex higher education organizations. The discussion then turns to AI—how instructional design, assessment, and faculty roles are evolving, and why...

Episode Description How do students really choose a college—and what do families often overlook? In Part 1 of this conversation, Dr. Michael Cottam and Dr. Christina Dryden explore how students make college decisions, what criteria matter most to them, and why the true value of higher education goes far beyond rankings and prestige. Drawing from Christina’s experience as a Vice Provost, assessment...

Episode Description In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Kate Smith , we turn our focus to the future of learning, workforce development, and artificial intelligence in higher education. Kate shares how Rio Salado College is partnering with national employers, emerging industries, and workforce organizations to create flexible, skills-based pathways for learners across the country. We explore pa...

Episode Description In Part 1 of our conversation, we sit down with Dr. Kate Smith , President of Rio Salado College, to explore how culture, empathy, and innovation shape sustainable leadership in higher education. Kate shares her personal leadership journey—from completing an Ironman to stepping into the presidency at a pivotal moment—and reflects on what it takes to intentionally steward cultur...

Episode Description: In the final episode of this series, Dr. Tom Lombardo challenges us to see the future as a shared act of creation. Wisdom, agency, and responsibility—at both individual and collective levels—are essential to shaping what comes next. Key Topics: - The future as participatory, not predetermined - Wisdom as future-directed action - Individual and collective agency - Nurturing the...

Episode Description:  In part two, Dr. Tom Lombardo explores science fiction as more than entertainment—it is the evolutionary mythology of the future. This conversation examines how stories shape our imagination, reflect cultural values, and expand our understanding of what humanity could become.    Key Topics:  - Science fiction as modern mythology  - Stories as tools for ethical and future thin...

Episode Description:  In part one of this three-part series, Dr. Tom Lombardo reflects on the experiences that shaped his lifelong curiosity about time, history, and the future. From childhood fascinations with dinosaurs and the Civil War to formative lessons learned through weightlifting, mentorship, and education, Tom explores how character, discipline, and imagination form the foundation for wi...

In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , we welcome back Kathy Hagler and Robin Graham , co-authors of The ABCs of Murmuration . Together, we explore Flock Logic —a powerful nature-inspired framework drawn from the mesmerizing behavior of starlings—and how it applies to leadership, teamwork, and learning organizations. You’ll discover: Why high-functioning groups don’t need a single lead...

Podcast: Engaged By Design Episode: Part 3 — Becoming Happy Now Guest: Dr. Sylvia Nemmers — scientist, educator, department chair, survivor, and author of Happy Now . Episode Summary In this powerful final chapter of her story, Dr. Sylvia Nemmers discusses what it means to truly know yourself, especially after life has shaken the identity you’ve relied on. She describes the quiet courage of rebuil...

Podcast: Engaged By Design Episode: Part 2 — Faith, Culture & Courage Abroad Guest: Dr. Sylvia Nemmers — scientist, educator, world traveler, multilingual mother, and author of Happy Now . Episode Summary In this second installment of our three-part conversation, Dr. Sylvia Nemmers takes us around the globe—Pakistan, Jordan, Greece, and beyond—to explore what happens when identity, faith, disa...

Podcast: Engaged By Design Episode: Part 1 — Authenticity & Resilience Guest: Dr. Sylvia Nemmers — scientist, educator, and author of Happy Now: Shattering the Myth of Happily Ever After Episode Summary From childhood blindness to becoming a scientist and department chair, Sylvia traces how authenticity, curiosity, and courageous mentors shaped her leadership. She shares her early life in an i...

In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Michael and Vernon sit down with Rachel Sweeney, Scholarly Communications Librarian at Bucknell University, for a deep and candid conversation about how generative AI is reshaping scholarship, copyright, authorship, and trust in academic knowledge. Drawing on her background in documentary filmmaking, copyright, and publishing, Rachel explains why t...

Episode Summary In this special conference edition of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Michael and Vernon bring listeners directly into the heart of the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) conference exhibit hall. This episode blends thoughtful narration with real, unedited booth-floor audio conversations between the Engaged By Design team. You’ll hear Michael and Vernon reflect on conference attendanc...

Kathy Hagler and Robin Graham return to explore the “ME” in their ABCs of Murmuration framework—where awareness, beliefs, and connection lay the foundation for leaderful collaboration. In this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast , Dr. Vernon Smith and Dr. Michael Cottam welcome back Dr. Kathy Hagler and Robin Graham, authors of The ABCs of Murmuration . They unpack the “ME” in their leadershi...

In Part Two of their conversation with Dr. Guieswende Rouamba, Michael and Vernon explore how storytelling brings project management to life. Guieswende introduces us to Bob and George — two characters who illustrate resilience, resistance, and the power of leading without a title. Together, they discuss how story helps us make meaning, navigate change, and see ourselves in the leadership journey....