Office Hours with John Gardner
We are searching for big ideas that inspire hope and action in higher education around institutional transformation and innovation to advance student success outcomes. Joining John Gardner are higher education leaders and other relevant persons of interest who will discuss innovation and strategies that improve higher education.
All opinions and views expressed as part of “Office Hours with John Gardner” belong solely to the individual participants and do not necessarily represent those of the people, institutions, or organizations with which the individuals may be associated in a professional, educational, or other personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Likewise, all opinions and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Gardner Institute.
Episodes
171 episodes
Episode 171- A Practitioner's Guide to Supporting Graduate Students with Valerie Shepard
Valerie Shepard, PhD, CSAEd, is a student affairs scholar-practitioner who currently serves as the Senior Content and Assessment Analyst for UCLA Recreation, which is organized under Campus Life in the UCLA Division of Student Affairs. She repo...
•
49:06
Episode 170-Navigating Academic Leadership with J. David Arnold
As an academic leader and author, J. David Arnold has focused on learning communities, first-year programs, strategic planning with faculty and promoting the “teacher-scholar” model of faculty professional development at liberal arts institutio...
•
48:33
Episode 169- Navigating Higher Ed Leadership with Lisa Lambert and Jody Fournier
Dr. Lisa Lambert was appointed Interim President at Chatham University in 2025. After joining Chatham in 1985 as a faculty member in biology, she was promoted to Professor of Biology in 2012. While at Chatham, Dr. Lambert has served as C...
•
1:01:00
Episode 168- Innovating Through Debate: Insights with Paul Mabrey and Michael “Mike” Davis
Paul Mabrey is Director of Student Success Analytics and Associate Professor in Communication Studies at James Madison University. His work bridges holistic student success, data analytics, communication education, and civic engagement t...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 168
•
52:43
Episode 167- Leadership and Legacy in Education with Duncan Harris
Dr. G. Duncan Harris has had an illustrious 30-year career in higher education, most recently serving as the CEO of the Capital Campus of Connecticut State Community College (formerly Capital Community College) in Hartford, CT, from 2018 to 202...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 167
•
54:32
Episode 166- Preserving Institutional Values with Phil Cavalier
Dr. Phil Cavalier was named the 13th president of Kutztown in Pennsylvania on April 30, 2025 and will begin his tenure on July 7th. For the previous seven years, he served as the provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Un...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 166
•
51:07
Episode 165- Empowering First-Generation Students with Maria Erb and Anthony Jack
Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed. is the Inaugural Executive Director of the Boston University Newbury Center which was established to foster the holistic development and success of first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional studen...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 165
•
56:18
Episode 164 -The University Unfettered with Ian McNeely
Ian F. McNeely is professor of history and senior associate dean for undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A specialist in German history and the history of knowledge, he is the author of three books, inclu...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 164
•
53:49
Episode 163- Graduate and Professional Student Success with Dan Volchok
Dr. Dan Volchok is currently the Assistant Dean of Student Success at Harvard University’s Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. In this role he supports nearly 5,000 Master’s and PhD students studying in 57 graduate pr...
•
Season 1
•
40:37
Episode 162- Pathway Out of Poverty with Teresa Rivenes
Teresa R. Rivenes is currently the Senior Vice President for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, also known as the NWCCU, which is a previously regional and now international accreditation agency. Before this role, Dr....
•
Season 1
•
Episode 162
•
47:29
Episode 161- Technology for All Students with Nariman Farvardin
Dr. Nariman Farvardin, Stevens Institute of Technology's seventh president since 2011, has transformed the university into a nationally prominent technological research powerhouse. Under his leadership, undergraduate applications surged ...
•
45:55
Episode 160- Intentional Innovation with Drew Koch
Dr. Koch is a child of immigrants who came to the United States in pursuit of a better life. His first language was not English, and postsecondary education was valued by his family as a means for realizing the American Dream. A recipient of ne...
•
55:03
Episode 159- Graduate Student Orientation with James Black and Marc Ebelhar
James Black, Ph.D. is an administrative faculty member currently serving as the Director of Student and Academic Affairs in the Office of Graduate Education at Georgia Tech. He reports to the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctor...
•
53:17
Episode 158- Supporting Graduate and Professional Students with April Perry
Dr. April Perry (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the M.Ed. Higher Education Student Affairs program and serves at Department Head/Chair for Human Services at Western Carolina University. Her research is primarily on college student identi...
•
45:44
Episode 157- Providing Time and Space with Cate Denial
Cate Denial is the Bright Distinguished Professor of American History and Director of the
•
51:49
Episode 156- Connections are Everything with Peter Felten, Leo Lambert, Oscar R. Miranda Tapia, & Isis Artze-Vega
Isis Artze-Vega, Ed.D. serves as college provost and vice president for academic affairs at Valencia College in Central Florida, a Hispanic-Serving Institution that serves about 70,000 students annually and has long been regarded one of ...
•
1:01:18
Episode 155- From History to Impact with Chaouki Abdallah
Chaouki T. Abdallah became the tenth president of the Lebanese American University (LAU) on October 1, 2024. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President for Research at The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), from September...
•
1:04:47
Episode 154- Engaging with Learning Centers with Amanda Haney-Cech
For nearly a decade, Amanda worked in TRiO programs, spending a year with Talent Search and the next nine leading an Upward Bound project. In 2008, she joined the staff at Marietta College directing the Academic Resource Center (ARC). As the Di...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 154
•
58:07
Episode 153- Understanding Curricular Complexity with Greg Heileman
Gregory (Greg) L. Heileman, Ph.D., currently serves as the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona, where he is responsible for facilitating collaboration across...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 153
•
1:03:34
Episode 152- Learning to Learn Courses with Taylor Acee and Russ Hodges
Dr. Taylor W. Acee is professor in and program coordinator of the Graduate Program in Postsecondary Student Success in Learning, Literacy, and Mathematics at Texas State University. His research is focused on college student learning, mo...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 152
•
58:49
Episode 151- Duane Williams- Creating Tradition
Duane A. Williams, Ph.D, is the Associate Vice Provost of Student Success and Retention at TexasA&M San Antonio. In his role, he oversees Undergraduate Academic Advisement, the StudentAcademic Success Center, First-year Experience, a...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 151
•
46:01
Episode 150 - Andy Person- Active Engagement in Student Support
Dr. Andy Person serves as the Chief of Strategy and Advancement at Long Island University, a nationally recognized research institution, where he leads transformative initiatives to drive institutional growth, enhance strategic planning,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 150
•
51:12
Episode 149- Digital Education with Nuno Fernandes
APUS President Nuno Fernandes is a visionary leader who has been successful in making online higher education more affordable and accessible, while deliver...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 149
•
1:01:03
Episode 148- Amber Fallucca, Ambra Hiott, & Silvia Patricia Rios Husain- The Carolina Experience
Amber Fallucca serves as the inaugural Director of the Carolina Experience, University of South Carolina’s focus on providing access to a comprehensive undergraduate experience through an emphasis on transfer, sophomore, junior, and seni...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 148
•
53:08
Episode 147- Colleen McCabe- Getting to Know your Learners
Dr. Colleen McCabe serves as the Provost and Vice President for the Wisconsin Technical College System. In this role, she provides leadership and administrative oversight for the development and delivery of technical college educational program...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 147
•
51:44