Sincerely, South

Dr. Drew Gossen joins the podcast as a first-time guest, and Dr. Katie McCorrison returns as a regular guest to the show. In this lively episode, Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson discuss research initiatives surrounding motivators for K-12 students to become STEM professionals. NSF S-STEM grant, STEM STARS (Strive, Thrive, Achieve, and Realize goals of STEM careers), building a bridge for low...

Join Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson in this episode as they welcome new faculty member Dr. Emily Tanner and return guest Dr. Hannah Szatkowski. Dr. Tanner shares an exciting partnership with Chickasaw City Schools, made possible through a grant from the Alabama State Department of Education. Along with Dr. Szatkowski’s background in the science of reading, the two are planning The Literacy...

In this episode, Dr. Joe Gaston is joined by three individuals who have earned (or are earning) their master's degree in educational media & technology. Find out why 6th grade teacher Ginna Johnson, videographer Kevin Morris, and IT guru Ray Pitre chose this degree path and how it has impacted their lives.

National Board Certification (NBC) processes, support, and significance are highlighted as Dr. Joe Gaston is joined in the studio by Dr. Stephanie Hulon,  Director of South Alabama Research and  Inservice Center  (SARIC), Danette Ballard,  Coordinator of Professional Learning for Mobile County Public School System , and Stephanie Pettis , National Board Certified Teacher and Media Specialist at Hu...

Common Read/Common World is a voluntary learning initiative based on a shared learning experience of students, faculty and community members. The program was developed for all USA students, particularly first-year students, and aims to: Improve understanding of differences and commonalities across the world; Develop a more sophisticated understanding of values and ethics; Increase awareness of glo...

Associate Dean and Sincerely, South Producer, Dr. TresStefurak welcomes returning guest College of Nursing faculty Dr. Candace Selwyn and recent Interdisciplinary Studies graduate focused in trauma counseling, Jamie Renee Simpson. Jamie Renee discusses her journey from midwifery to trauma counseling for sex-trafficked victims and victims of child abuse. Connecting to the previous podcast feature o...

Have you been wondering about online AI assistants and applications? Are you curious about how artificial intelligence is impacting the educational landscape? In this third episode of their series highlighting aspects of AI, Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson are joined by Sage, a Google Gemini AI Assistant. Sage discusses her perspective on AI in education and industry as well as her self-perc...

In this second of a multi-episode series exploring the latest in how AI impacts our educational landscape, hosts Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson chat with Timothy Johnson. As a regional director for Alabama Technology in Motion, Johnson visits schools and classrooms to help educators navigate the new opportunities that have arisen as a result of AI technologies.  Tune in as the three discuss...

Dr. Angela Rand, Director of the Marx Library and College of Education and Professional Studies liaison discusses AI with hosts Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson. In this first of a three part series about artificial intelligence, Dr. Rand discusses concerns and conversations about over use of AI and the positive aspects and implications for its use in higher education. In our first video enha...

The Robert Noyce program supports talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers. It also supports experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become teacher leaders who continue as classroom teachers in high-need school districts.  Each year the Southeast Regional Noyce Conference hosts recipients of...

In this special grad edition of Sincerely, South hosted by Dr. Tres Stefurak, Dr. Jim Van Haneghan discusses the history of the Instructional Design doctoral program at South as well as the core of the program that attracts students from all disciplines. Mentorship throughout the program is highlighted as one of the components that drives success from the beginning, through dissertation, and beyon...

Dr. Jeremiah Newell has been part of Accel Day and Evening Academy Charter School in Mobile, AL since its start and now serves as CEO of the Mobile Area Education Foundation. In this episode of Sincerely, South he illuminates the need for alternative education and alternative paths to help students recognize their educational goals, including flexible scheduling to help students earn their high sc...

How do faculty and advisors influence the way students feel a sense of belonging in higher education? Science Education Advisor Dr. Katie McCorrison co-hosts with Dr. Joe Gaston in a special alumni highlight episode. Alternative school teacher Sophia Houston discusses how engaging, hands-on experiences such as onsite field trips offer new perspectives for students with limited experiences. Informe...

"Peer Helpers Plus" equips people with tools to healthily treat and support each other and to destigmatize the term "mental health". Join host Dr. Joe Gaston with guest host Dr. Tres Stefurak as they talk with the founder of Thrive Way LLC and Executive Director of the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation , Allison Moore. Tune in as Moore discusses basic level coping skills and character curriculum fo...

Dr. Kathy Thompson shares the inspirational story of her career as a black, female educator in STEM education as she celebrates mentors, taking chances, and high-bar goal setting. Tune in with hosts Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Susan Ferguson as they learn how productively run local and state grant projects can attract invitations to attain and administer federally run grant-funded programs.

Join Dr. Tres Stefurak as he hosts the first Grad Edition of Sincerely, South , a series that highlights graduates of the College of Education and Professional Studies. He is joined in the studio by USA graduate Jason Williams as they discuss inspiration to teach as influenced by early experiences working with students with special needs, as well as the need for male influence in the elementary cl...

Dr. Joe Gaston is joined in the studio by Physical Education faculty, Dr. Craig Parks and Dr. Shelly Holden. Dr. Parks discusses his internal grant funded research exploring student attrition from undergraduate physical education programs, as a microcosm of the trend in declining undergraduate enrollment and program completion. Dr. Holden talks about lessons learned from the EdTPA portfolio evalua...

This is the second in a two part episode where we hear directly from high school students in teacher preparation academies about what motivates them to pursue teaching as a career. Drs. Joe Gaston and Susan Ferguson continue the conversation with guest Dr. Allan Allday as they listen to interviews with high school juniors and seniors who visited the podcast studio as part of a campus preview initi...

In this episode we hear directly from high school students in teacher preparation academies about what motivates them to pursue teaching as a career. Drs. Joe Gaston and Susan Ferguson welcome back to the show chair of the Department of Leadership and Teacher Education, Dr. Allan Allday, as they listen to interviews with high school juniors and seniors who visited the podcast studio as part of a c...

Tune in as Dr. Angelia Bendolph shares her journey as a first generation college graduate who has made her mission serving students in P-12 through higher education and effecting change in government, engineering, and industrial arenas through human-centered/learner-centered design and solutions. From her early career as an engineer to her doctoral journey in Instructional Design, Dr. Bendolph&#39...

The HEART Project (Health, Empowerment, and Recovery from Trauma) is a college campus based initiative for supporting victims of sexual assault through counseling and medical care. SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program advocates serve as liaisons between victims and Title IX and law enforcement, as well as helping them navigate their emotions and rights post-assault. Dr. Candice Selwyn disc...

Hosts Drs. Joe Gaston and Susan Ferguson discuss the array of experiences that have guided Dr. Allan Allday along his journey of supporting children, family, and educators through behavioral interventions and perspective-keeping, both in the United States and abroad. Tune in as Dr. Allday optimistically talks about the role hope plays in the lives of families and children who have a variety of nee...

What inspires people to be change careers and become K-12 teachers in STEM? Ramsey Willis, a local high school mathematics teacher and adjunct faculty member at the University of South Alabama, joins the hosts of 'Sincerely, South' to discuss the National Science Foundation Noyce Pathway to Mathematics II grant. As a recipient of an NSF Noyce Grant, Willis is one of more than 100 local edu...

“Sincerely, South” meets STEM education in episode 16! Join host Dr. Joe Gaston as he meets with the University of South Alabama Noyce STREAM (Science Teacher, Research, Education and Methods) team about their newly-funded National Science Foundation grant that puts undergraduate science majors into middle and high school classrooms across the region. As a Noyce scholar, students receive a $40,000...

Join Dr. Joe Gaston and Dr. Caitlyn Hauff as they discuss student athlete mental wellness with Clinical and Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student Kellen Hill. Informed by his own experience in athletics, Hill has been instrumental in providing mental wellness support for college athletes. Hear how the CHAMPS (Champions of Healthy Athletes for Mental Performance Strategies) initiative is removing...