What does it mean to parent with integrity within a digital environment? In this episode, Jenn Supple discusses issues that parents should reflect on before posting about their children on social media, including concerns about disclosure, boundaries, identity, and authenticity.

Featuring Jenn Supple, Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Jenn Supple’s article, "Parents’ Growing Pains on Social Media: Modeling Authenticity," from Character and . . . Social Media, volume 1 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Suspending our disbelief in reading scripture puts us in touch with the Author God. In this episode, Rev. Dr. Timothy Matthew Slemmons suggests that reading the Bible with an open mind and heart can be a transformative experience, revealing both God and ourselves to us in unexpected ways.

Featuring Timothy Matthew Slemmons, Professor of Homiletics and Worship at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Timothy Matthew Slemmons’ article, "Co-Authoring Your Story in Light of God's Epic: Human Identity and the Divine Word," from Character and . . . Identity, volume 6 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Today’s guest is Rev. Gregory Drumwright, public theologian, civil rights activist, and minister to George Floyd’s family during the Chauvin trial. Rev. Drumwright shares about his journey and purpose, and challenges us to cling to hope and God in the pursuit of justice.

Featuring Rev. Gregory Drumwright, founder of Justice 4 the Next Generation and pastor to the Citadel Church in Greensboro, North Carolina

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

Follow Rev. Drumwright @gregdrumwright.

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Today’s guests discuss the roles that the church and individuals play in bridging political divides. Featuring Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton, Founder and Executive Director of House United, with Rev. Dr. Beth McCaw, Associate Professor of Ministry at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Playfulness can be serious business, Brian Hallstoos asserts in this episode, pointing to century-old publications from the University of Dubuque. By engaging in “playful play,” Black student Sol Butler made friends in the early 1900s and helped build a campus community that was less likely to express and tolerate anti-Black racism. Yet photographs and text also point to the limits of playfulness in combatting hate.

Featuring Brian Hallstoos, Associate Professor of History at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Brian Hallstoos’s article, "Defusing Racism: Olympian Sol Butler’s Serious Playfulness," from Character and . . . Play, volume 9 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Contemporary scientific culture has evolved to focus on productivity, which often disincentivizes play. Yet, as Adam J. Kleinschmit discusses in this episode, play is a central element of curiosity-driven discovery science because it stimulates new ways of thinking and encourages the creative combination of ideas in novel ways. The external incentives that drive productivity culture can also adversely impact character virtues and lead scientists to compromise their integrity. Creating greater capacity to unleash the playful spirit of scientists has the potential to strengthen science as an institution and provide tangible benefits for greater societal good.

Featuring Adam J. Kleinschmit, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Adam J. Kleinschmit’s article, "Transformative Discovery Science: Character and Play as Key Elements" from Character and . . . Play, volume 9 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Flourishing as communities and individuals requires well-being in a variety of areas so that we thrive and grow toward our human potential. In this episode, Mary K. Bryant discusses how, if we engage with games in responsible and thoughtful ways, playing games can contribute significantly to our flourishing.

Featuring Mary K. Bryant, Director of Media and Programming for the Wendt Center for Character Education at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Mary K. Bryant’s article, "Gameplay and Human Flourishing," from Character and . . . Play, volume 9 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Performance, at its best, is a gift of play and hospitality. In this episode, Prof. Kristen Eby discusses the various responsibilities of both performer and audience to ensure a hospitable space that encourages an optimal, communal artistic experience.

Featuring Kristen Eby, Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Kristen Eby’s article, "Performance, Play, and Hospitality" from Character and . . . Play, volume 9 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.