Govs on the Go

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition, Dean Hoon sits down with Brian Hogg, a 1996 Austin Peay State University alumnus from the Department of Music and an accomplished musician and educator. Now an associate professor at Northern Kentucky University, Brian has built a career that blends performance, teaching, and mentorship in the world of jazz. With experience as both a professional...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition, Dean Hoon is joined by Jeff Hardin, a 1990 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Languages and Literature with a degree in English and an accomplished poet and educator. Now a professor of English at Columbia State Community College, Jeff has built a distinguished literary career, publishing multiple collections of poetry and ea...

In this special episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with dual APSU alumni Austin and Erin Leigh McKain, both from the Department of Communication. Austin, now a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual, and Erin, a Program Coordinator for Engagement and Belonging at Maryville University, have each built careers centered on helping others plan for the future and f...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Daniel Armitage, a 1983 graduate of Austin Peay State University with a degree in Speech, Communication, and Theatre. Now serving as Associate Vice President in Student Affairs at the University of North Texas, Daniel brings decades of experience in higher education leadership and student engagement. As he wraps up h...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition, Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Mason Devers, a 2018 graduate of Austin Peay State University with a degree in Communication and Media Studies. Now serving as Communications Director for House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, Mason leads national media strategy, legislative messaging, and constituent communications at the highest level...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Hoon sits down with Lexi Putter, a 2021 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance. Now based in Chicago, Lexi has spent the past four years building a career as an actor, comedian, and improviser, performing with several theaters across the city. Originally from Flower Mound, Texas, Lexi reflects on her decis...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Hoon sits down with Darcy Schein, a 1994 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Communication and co-founder of the nationally recognized bakery Pie Junkie. What began as a home-cooking hobby evolved into a thriving business in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District, with Pie Junkie earning features in People , Vogue , Travel + Lei...

In this episode of  Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Hoon talks with Joe Weyant, a 1998 Austin Peay State University graduate with dual degrees in Communication Arts and Political Science. Now a Nashville-based attorney with extensive experience in state, federal, and appellate courts, Joe has built a reputation as a creative and tenacious advocate. He has served as a Montgomery County Commis...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Dr. Joseph Miller, an alumnus of Austin Peay State University’s Department of History & Philosophy who earned his bachelor's degree in 2002 and now serves as Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing at Winthrop University. Dr. Miller shares how his APSU experience laid the foundation for a suc...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Tori Felton, a 2015 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Art + Design. Now a designer with M&S Brands, Tori brings more than eight years of experience leading creative teams and developing impactful visual strategies across diverse media platforms. She and Dean Hoon discuss her journey to APSU...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Ebony Walton, a 2019 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Art + Design. Now working as a Content Developer for Hyster-Yale Materials Handling in North Carolina, Ebony shares how her time at APSU helped her discover her creative voice and build a career in graphic design. She reflects on her growth...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Will Roberts, a two-time graduate of Austin Peay State University with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Communication. Now serving as Communications Director for Ardent Health in Nashville, Will reflects on his path from growing up in Maryville, Tennessee, to finding community and direction at APSU through mentors, frate...

In this episode, Dean Hoon catches up with Art Ruangtip, a 1997 graduate of the APSU Department of Music. With over 25 years of experience as a music educator in Texas, Art currently serves as the Director of Wind and Percussion Studies at Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Art shares stories from his time at Austin Peay, reflecting on the faculty and students who...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon talks with Kali Woodward, a 1989 graduate of Austin Peay State University with a degree in Spanish and a minor in Communication. Kali is the founder and executive director of the American Youth Literacy Foundation, which he has led for the past 18 years. A former Spanish and Arabic linguist with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Jonathan Castile, a 2004 theatre graduate of Austin Peay State University. An award-winning actor, filmmaker, and magician, Jonathan has performed on stage and screen, co-founded Runes Picture Company in Los Angeles, and created illusions for film, music videos, and television. From his early days performing sketch c...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Hoon speaks with Arthur Orr, a 2023 graduate of Austin Peay State University with a Master’s in History with a concentration in Military History. Arthur currently serves as Executive Vice President at Cook’s Pest Control and has represented North Alabama in the State Senate for nearly two decades, where he chairs the Appropriations Committee...

In this episode, Dean Hoon sits down with Darren Michael, professor of acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Austin Peay State University. A seasoned performer, director, and published playwright, Darren shares insights from more than two decades of professional theatre experience across the South and beyond. From his early love of performance to his nationally produced pl...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Zacharie Kinslow, a 2019 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of History and Philosophy. Now the Executive Director of the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum in Dickson, Tennessee, Zacharie shares his academic journey, his time working at the President James K. Polk Home & Museum, and his ongoing rese...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Faculty Spotlight Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon talks with Dr. Linda Crenshaw, a longtime faculty member in the Department of Languages and Literature at Austin Peay. A scholar of Southern literature, Dr. Crenshaw shares how her academic journey—from the University of Arkansas to Vanderbilt University—shaped her love for authors like Faulkner, O’Connor, and Welty. She...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Hoon sits down with Kyle Christmas, a dedicated APSU alumnus who has earned a bachelor's and master's degree from the Department of Languages and Literature, a master's degree from the College of Education and is currently completing his EdD in Higher Education. Now serving as the Executive Director of Accreditation & Externa...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Faculty Spotlight Edition, Dean Buzz Hoon talks with Professor Lauren Edmonds, assistant professor of music and director of Austin Peay’s Music Therapy program. A board-certified music therapist, Lauren has worked extensively with children with disabilities and in mental health settings. She shares how she’s transforming APSU’s Music Therapy program with a method...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Lakyn Earhart, a 2016 graduate of Austin Peay State University’s Department of Communication. Now a Personal Executive Assistant and Client Success Manager at Project 2231 Profit—the parent company of Miss Lucille’s, The City Forum, and Dock 17—Lakyn shares how a teacher’s advice sparked her passion for event plannin...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Faculty Spotlight Edition , Dean Hoon sits down with Wansoo Kim, a professor in the Department of Art + Design at APSU. Born and raised in a small town in South Korea, Kim discovered his passion for art at an early age. After studying abroad at Grand Valley State University and earning his graduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kim now teaches A...

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition , Dean Buzz Hoon sits down with Shana Thornton, a two-time graduate of Austin Peay State University with a Bachelor's and Master's in English. Now the Managing Editor of Second & Commerce , a magazine published by the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, Shana is also an accomplished author, playwright, and community leader.

In this episode of Govs on the Go: Alumni Edition, Dean Hoon chats with Richard Ripani, a 1998 graduate of APSU’s Master’s of Music program and founder of the Nashville Jazz Youth Ensemble. Richard shares his journey as an educator, his transition into retirement (which hasn’t slowed him down!), and his passion for providing Middle Tennessee students with opportunities to grow through jazz music....