Longwood GradCast - Beyond the Degree

In this powerful episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson sits down with Ebony Cherry (B.S.’04, M.S.’22), a double Longwood alumna, former student-athlete, and innovative school leader, to explore a journey defined by resilience, relationships, and purpose-driven leadership. Ebony shares her full-circle path from navigating childhood trauma and arriving at L...

How does a French soccer player end up co‑founding a global content brand with millions of followers? In the Season 3 premiere of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson sits down with Alex Durand (MBA ’22) —international student‑athlete turned entrepreneur and co‑founder of AT Frenchies —to explore how resilience, relationships, and opportunity intersect to create gl...

This season, we’re exploring The Power of People : the relationships that influence our paths, sustain us through change, and leave a lasting imprint long after graduation. Education is more than a degree. It’s the mentors who guide us, the professors who challenge us to grow, the classmates who stand beside us, and the communities that believe in our potential. Behind every success story, every c...

In this final episode of Season 2 of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson engages with Janine Cervantes (M.Ed.’05), a school librarian from Honduras, to explore her remarkable journey in education and libraries across the globe. Janine reflects on her roots and early life influences in Honduras, where her parents instilled a love for learning and languages. She shar...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson welcomes two remarkable alumni, Katie Jamrozy-Hamby (B.S.’11, M.S.’21) and Kim Van Acker (M.S.’21), graduates of Longwood University’s Educational Leadership master’s program whose friendship has become as influential in their careers as the degree itself. Their conversation is equal parts professional insight...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Maria Hamilton (‘21), a Student Success Coordinator at Longwood University whose educational journey is marked by resilience, reinvention, and a hearty dose of humor. From her early days teaching and coaching in Virginia to her graduate studies in Longwood’s Reading, Literacy, and Learning (RLL)...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Daija Fowler (M.S.’23), a speech-language pathologist whose journey from psychology major to Communication Sciences and Disorders leader highlights the power of purpose, mentorship, and professional reinvention. Daija traces her path back to her undergraduate days at UNC Greensboro, where a shif...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Travis Mason ( MBA ’22), a former helicopter flight paramedic whose journey has taken him from the adrenaline-fueled world of emergency medicine to the strategic helm of sales leadership across the Northeast region. Travis traces his career back to his teenage years as an ambulance paramedic, sh...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson welcomes Jason “Ferg” Ferguson (M.S.’12, Counselor Education ), Dean of Admissions at Longwood University , whose journey is a powerful testament to the value of involvement, mentorship, and intentional leadership. Originally from a small town in Georgia, Ferg reflects on his formative undergraduate years at H...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson welcomes Devin Kaiser (B.S.’21, M.S.’22, Special Education ) , a passionate Longwood University alumna whose journey showcases the power of adaptability, purpose, and lifelong learning . Devin began her college career with dreams of becoming an opera singer but soon shifted her focus to special education —an u...

In the first episode of Season Two of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson welcomes Wil Miles B.S.’16, M.S.’17 , a dedicated health and physical education teacher at Powhatan Middle School , as well as a coach and Director of Social Media at Powhatan High School . Wil shares his remarkable journey from Longwood undergraduate and graduate student to educator, mentor...

Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree – Season 2 Trailer Welcome back to Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , where we continue to share the stories of Longwood University graduate alumni shaping their industries, communities, and careers in meaningful ways. WHAT TO EXPECT IN SEASON 2 In this season, we dive into the diverse journeys of Longwood graduate alumni—leaders, innovators, and career cha...

In this season finale of Longwood GradCast Beyond the Degree , host Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Quincy Goodine (B.A.’16, M.Ed.’17), a double Longwood alum and the Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs and Leadership Development at Longwood University . Quincy shares the story of his Longwood journey, which began as an undergraduate in 2012 and continued through his master’s in couns...

In this enlightening episode of Longwood GradCast Beyond the Degree , host Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Judy Deichman, a Longwood alumna whose passion for libraries blossomed while volunteering in her children’s schools. Judy recounts the moment she realized that school librarianship was more than a personal interest—it was her career calling. Encouraged by librarians who were also Longwoo...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Alicia Alvarez (B.S.’23, M.S.’25), a future double Lancer and current student in Longwood University ’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Master's program , focusing on speech-language pathology. Alicia shares her journey as a transfer student, drawn to Longwood for its tight-knit, supportive...

In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Allison Donlan, a dedicated educator and proud triple Lancer , to explore her inspiring academic and personal journey at Longwood University . Allison’s Longwood experience spans a bachelor’s in Elementary Education (BS ’17) , a master’s in Educational Leadership (MEd ’20) , and her current purs...

In this inspiring episode of Longwood GradCast Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson is joined by Sadie Hodges , B.S.’19, M.S.’20, a Longwood double alum who completed both the five-year Special Education program and her master’s in Special Education . Sadie shares her journey from early influences—like volunteering with the nonprofit Jacob’s Chance and her own cousin’s experiences wi...

In this inspiring episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Kevin Napier (B.S. ’18, M.S. ’20, Educational Leadership) —a proud double Lancer, former Student Government Association president, and Leadership Gift Officer at Longwood University . Kevin’s journey began with deep family ties to Longwood and a clear calling to education. After earning hi...

In the second episode of Season One of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson welcomes Maddie Hommey B.S. ’21, M.S. ’22 , a proud Double Lancer and Health & Physical Education alum whose Longwood journey embodies resilience, leadership, and the power of embracing opportunity. Maddie reflects on her path from undergraduate student-athlete to graduate assistant, sh...

In the first episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, we invite you to join us as we sit down with two remarkable double alums, Ginny Gills B.S.’89, M.Ed’05 (a Reading, Literacy, & Learning alum) and Pamela Stepko B.S.’07, M.S.’16 (an Educational Leadership alum). Our host, Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson, speaks with these two dedicated educators whose experiences at Longwood helped them to...