We invite you to tune in for this month’s episode of our podcast, Distance Learning Roundtable where for 30 minutes, we gain insights from industry experts. Meet our guest: Dr. Robert A. Alsop, president of Waldorf University Topic: Waldorf University’s Master of Education in Social-Emotional Learning

About this episode: Waldorf has become a pioneer in online education for educators, offering four individual Master of Education programs for teachers and administrators who want to grow personally and professionally. The programs are fully online and have no set course times, so our students achieve their degrees on schedule.In recent years,

 Waldorf University partnered with world-renowned educator and founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation, Erin Gruwell, to develop a Masters in Education degree in Social Emotional Learning. The school provides all the original Freedom Writers students from Erin’s classroom with a full scholarship to the M. Ed program. It continues to support those educators who go through the Freedom Writers Foundation Institute with Waldorf University credit and a discount on tuition for those who wish to apply those credits towards their M. Ed in Social Emotional Learning.

Join Pat Cassella,  President of the USDLA, and Dean Hoke Managing Partner of Edu Alliance Group with guest ​Amrit Ahluwalia the Editor in Chief of The EvoLLLution. This episode's podcast Topic is Bucking Enrollment Trends to Grow in a Challenging Environment.  Distance Learning Roundtable is produced by Hope GIbbs founder of The Inkandescent® Radio Network.

Meet our guest: Jennifer Williams, Executive Director, Take Action Global and Transformational Leader in Education.

Today’s Topic: Get Ready for Change – Instructional Design Practices Through Meaningful Uses of Technology. Recognized as a transformational leader in education, Dr. Jennifer Williams has dedicated herself for nearly 25 years to the field of education through her roles as an education activist, professor, school administrator, literacy specialist, and classroom teacher. She speaks, writes, and consults on practices that develop global perspectives and social good through creative uses of technology. Her research interests include innovations in teaching and learning, equity and diversity in education, and social action. Jennifer is inspired daily by teachers and students who are catalysts for improving the world! Learn more at jenwilliamsedu.com.

Higher Ed Without Borders invites you to our monthly podcast series "Distance Learning Roundtable" where Dean Hoke of Edu Alliance and Pat Cassella of the United States Distance Learning Association speak with Kate Colbert and Joe Sallustio - authors the best selling book Commencement the Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education. Today's topic is The New Era of Education

Today’s Topic: How K-12 educators dealt with the pandemic and what the future of learning looks like for America’s superintendents

About our Guest: ​After an extensive, nationwide search, the Falls Church City School Board selected Dr. Peter Noonan as the ninth Superintendent of Falls Church City Public Schools in May 2017.

Dr. Noonan began his career as a special education teacher in New Mexico, where he was named Teacher of the Year in 1993. Most recently, Dr. Noonan served as Superintendent for Fairfax City Public Schools after serving for 11 years in the Fairfax County Public Schools division. At Fairfax County, he was assistant principal at Langley High School, principal at Lanier Middle School and Centreville High School, and assistant superintendent for Cluster VII schools. Finally, Dr. Noonan was the assistant superintendent for the Instructional Services Department, overseeing academic programs for the system’s 180,000 students.

Dr. Noonan has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of New Mexico. He also completed studies to obtain the education specialist designation in educational administration. He completed his doctorate in education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).

Dean and Pat ask Peter: 

• Dean: Tell our viewers and listeners about the Falls Church Public City Schools. Can you give us a profile of the district and its student population?
• Pat: In our conversations with school districts across the country, the COVID pandemic was not something public and private K-12 schools were prepared for, especially in providing education in a virtual world. Can you tell us about your district experience and how you took on this monumental challenge ranging from students to teachers to parents?
• Dean: Did you have champions within your schools who could help others in this different type of teaching?
• Pat: Tell our audience about your district’s current use of educational technology post-pandemic, and you told us before the show about a unique use of distance learning for some of your students.
• Dean: Peter, you came from the teaching ranks before moving into administration and then being a superintendent. You started your career as a special ed teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and were named Teacher of the Year in 1993. Teaching in Special Ed requires a much more individualistic approach for the students. How did being a special ed teacher help you be a Superintendent and a leader?
• Pat: Peter, we would like to know your thoughts about the future of distance learning in the K-12 world both from an educational technology perspective and, more importantly, as a teaching tool

Dr. Janelle Vanasse is the President of Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska. Dr. Vanasse has been a leader in education for more than 30 years, specifically at schools and institutions that prioritize Alaska Native education. Immediately prior to joining APU, Vanasse served as superintendent in Sitka. She also held a range of leadership roles in the Bethel area, including principal.  Throughout her career, Dr. Vanasse has elevated the educational experience for Alaska Native students. She believes that scholarship and leadership are enhanced when influenced by our authentic selves.

Dr. Vanasse holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from St. Cloud State University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University. Her most recent academic work includes research about the power of cultural self-identity in college persistence.

 Questions

• Let’s start off by talking about Alaska Pacific University. Can you do a brief profile of APU? Tell me about your students and degree programs. What are some of the programs you are most noted for?
• With the school located in a state with a population of less than 750,000, you can’t just depend on students coming from a 100-mile radius like schools located in states with millions of people. What attracts students to come to Alaska Pacific?    
• About 25% of your students are Alaska native students. In your opinion, how do high school native students and families perceive higher education and the reasons they opt into or out of attending higher education
• When we talked with you as we prepared for the show, you spoke to us about the university is working toward becoming a tribal college. Can you tell us what is a tribal college and what are the advantages?
• Like many other Alaskans I’ve known, they seem to be adventurers.  The Bemidji Pioneer, your hometown paper in Minnesota, interviewed you, and you talked about your career as an educator, which led you eventually to Bethel, Alaska.  You first went to Fairbanks for a year, and then you said to the paper: “When that didn’t feel like an adventure enough, I moved out to Bethel, Alaska, which is a rural, off-the-road community”. You seemed to have found what you were looking for. Tell us what did you find and how did that experience attracted you to become President of APU?   
• The school was established in the late 1950s, just prior to Alaska being the 49th state to enter the union. During these past 60-plus years, I imagine APU has established a number of partnerships that have benefited the school and the outside community. Can you tell us about a few of those partnerships?
• A final question we ask all the Presidents in this series. Why are small colleges and universities like yours important?

 Close

We would like to thank our special guest Dr. Janelle Vanasse President of Alaska Pacific University. That concludes this special episode of Higher Ed Without Borders, Small College America.  If you would like to comment on today’s show and suggest a future guest, please go to www.higherededwithoutborders.com Comments section.

On behalf of our guest Dr. Vanasse, Dean Hoke, Edu Alliance, and myself, thank you, and make sure to subscribe via your favorite podcast app. 

Joining us today is President Ryan Smith, President of the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College. He joined the institution as President in October 2019. 

Ryan spent the first 23 years of his career working as a Vice President and partner with Smith financial advisors. In 2007 he was elected to the Gallipolis City School board, and in 2012 he won election to be State Representative for the 93rd District of Ohio.  He served as Finance Chairman and in 2018, Ryan was elected to serve as the 103rd Speaker of the Ohio House until stepping down from his post in October 2019. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B. S. degree in Finance. His wife, Vicki, graduated from Rio Grande, and they are the proud parents of four children.

Questions include:

• Tell our audience about the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College.  These are two separate institutions that have one President. Can you give our audience a brief history of your institution's profile of the students and programs offered? 
• The University of Rio Grande is a private university and Rio Grande Community College is a public community college. They have separate boards and funding structures. Can you discuss with our audience about this unusual model and its advantages?  
• For a small institution located in a rural region, Rio Grande has quite an intercollegiate athletic program. Tell us about the program and the students who participate. 
• You do not come from a traditional path to become a university president. However, you have been a public servant first at the local school board and then the state legislature, where you served not only as a legislature but as Speaker of the House. Are they similar in any way, and what lessons in leadership you learned in public office are applicable in your current position?   
• The school has been in the community since 1876. Can you tell us about the school’s involvement with the outside community meaning businesses and people in the region? 
• A number of articles and people over the past years have questioned the viability and sustainability of smaller colleges and universities. Tell us why in your opinion, the value of small schools such as yours to higher education 

If you would like to comment on today’s show and suggest a future guest, please go to www.higherededwithoutborders.com Comments section.

Joining us today is Dr. Stefanie Niles, President of Cottey College, with an enrollment of 311 students, She is a national leader in her field, and she has been a successful, strategic, and innovative leader at multiple outstanding liberal arts institutions. Dr. Niles came to Cottey from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, where she served as the Vice President for Enrollment and Communications. 

In 2018-19, Dr. Niles served as the president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. In 2017, Dr. Niles was the recipient of a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) award and participated in a cross-cultural exchange examining the higher education systems in France and Belgium. 

Dr. Niles holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a Master of Science degree in education from Indiana University, and a doctor of education degree in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
Questions asked included

• Let’s start off by speaking about Cottey College. Can you give our audience a brief history of the origins of your institution, your students, and your programs? 
• In 1927, the founder of the school, Virginia Alice Cottey, bequeathed the college to an organization titled the P.E.O. Sisterhood, making it the only nonsectarian college owned and supported by women. Tell us about the P.E.O. and this rather unique relationship in today’s world.  
• There are less than 100 private four-year liberal arts colleges with less than 500 students in the United States and I image even fewer that are all women. Some people argue that small colleges are not sustainable and should close. What, in your opinion, is the reason why schools like Cottey are important to society? 
• In preparing for our conversation today, we learned that besides having international students from over 20 countries, your students at an early stage in their college career get to travel to another country with classmates and faculty for no tuition fee, and the airfare and hotel is covered. That’s quite a commitment. Why does Cottey believe this is so important to the student? 
• Dr. Niles, this is a series of questions I’ve asked many of our guests. First, what attracted you to a career in higher education? Second, did you have mentors, and how did they help you; finally, what lessons did you learn from them about being a leader of an organization?

We like to thank our special guest Dr. Stefanie Niles President of Cottey College. That concludes this special episode of Higher Ed Without Borders, Small College America.  If you would like to comment on today’s show and suggest a future guest, please go to www.higherededwithoutborders.com Comments section.