Crafting Your Narrative: An Interview with Olin College's Jonathan Adler

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by special guest David Silverberg, director of the Telego Center for Educational Improvement at Ashland University and the author of Institutional Change from Within: Teaching & Learning in Higher Education and Empowerment at the Tower: Leadership & Identity in Higher Education. Join Dave and David as they further explore how we can transform our institutions to meet the needs of today’s professors and students, as well as delve into how the case studies shared in David's books can help to inspire and empower real-world improvement efforts.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by special guest Nancy Lee Sánchez, Executive Director of the Kaplan Educational Foundation and the author of Your 2018 Guide to College Transfer. There are many myths surrounding college transfer. A lot of students aren't sure transferring could work for them, if they are desirable to schools, or if they can afford the cost. But with a greater understanding, college transfer can change lives and unlock opportunities. Join Dave and Nancy as they further explore the work of the Kaplan Educational Foundation, delve into the impact that college transfer can have on students, and discuss some of the obstacles facing low income or under-represented students who are trying to reach their educational goals.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by special guest Carol O'Donnell, Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), a unit of the Smithsonian Institution that is dedicated to transforming the learning and teaching of science throughout the nation and world. The SSEC uses an inquiry-driven curriculum that is research-based, highlights professional development, materials support, administrative and community support, and appropriate assessment to help prepare schools and students to be scientifically literate in our ever-changing society. Join Dave and Carol as they further explore the work of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, delve into the impact the SSEC has had on students, and discuss how higher education can implement the same principles for student success in STEM.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by special guest Dan Heath, co-author, along with his brother Chip, of four New York Times bestsellers: Decisive, Switch, Made to Stick, and their latest book, The Power of Moments. The Power of Moments is written for anyone who cares about improving experience: service executives improving the customer experience, or HR managers improving the employee experience, or caregivers improving the patient experience, or parents improving their kids’ experience. Join Dan, Dave, and A Whole New Engineer co-author Mark Somerville as they explore how to improve the experience of others by creating moments that matter.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg welcomes Dr. Mark Goulston back to Big Beacon Radio. Mark is the author of Just Listen, the top book on listening in the world, as well as Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life. A former UCLA professor of psychiatry and FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer, Mark also hosts “Prison Letters with Dr. Mark Goulston”, a weekly podcast where Mark reads letters sent to him from inmates and proceeds to empathize with the writer, as well as educate podcast listeners on what he discovers about their minds and their humanity. Join Mark and Dave as they explore the importance of listening and empathy in today's world.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by returning Big Beacon Radio guests, Jeff Evans and Kate Goodman—who both presented at the 2017 Educational Transformers Unconference held at Lehigh University this past June. The Unconference brought together a diverse group of educators, students, Big Beacon networkers, and other like-minded and like-hearted transformers to engage mind-to-mind, hand-to-hand, and heart-to-heart for the first time, share stories of transformation, and exchange inspiring ideas in the spirit of the Big Beacon movement. Join Kate, Jeff, and Dave as they delve into their big takeaways from the event, and explore how the culture and practices of the event helped to shape change outside of the Unconference.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by Bob Harder, Dean of Engineering at George Fox University. Bob is a knowledge enterprise architect, with a long history of developing and sustaining innovative academic programs in collaboration with industry partners and community stakeholders. Join Bob and Dave as they delve into what makes George Fox's engineering program unique, discuss the role that GFU's Christian orientation plays in creating a transformative educational experience, and explore how entrepreneurially minded learning is shaping higher ed.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by Emma Schoenfelner—Big Beacon program coordinator and program assistant for Big Beacon Radio—to reflect on 99 episodes of Big Beacon Radio. For over two years, Dave has been having inspiring weekly conversations with academic change leaders, authors, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Join Dave and Emma as they explore some of their favorite guests, episodes, and unleashing stories, and delve into the role these conversations play in creating a deeply authentic culture of trust and engagement in higher education.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by Meagan Pollock, Director of Professional Development for the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity. NAPE is a national team of equity professionals that build educators’ capacity to implement effective solutions for increasing student access, educational equity and workforce diversity. Join Meagan and Dave as they explore the challenges and solutions to fostering greater diversity in engineering education.

In this episode, host Dave Goldberg is joined by Fred McBagonluri, Dean of Engineering at Ghana's Ashesi University. Fred has held various roles in Engineering, Strategy, Marketing and Research, and has worked with several institutions in the U.S, including Princeton University, Siemens Healthcare and Becton Dickinson and Co. In 2008, Fred was awarded the Black Engineer of the Year’s Most Promising Scientist, and has over forty patents and patent applications in his name. Join Fred and Dave as they explore the role of engineering in facilitating Africa’s development and delve into what makes Ashesi's engineering program unique.