Community Colleges Episodes

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon, President, Virginia Peninsula Community College
This episode, President Series #496, is powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠ -Higher Ed's AI-Enriched Platform!


This episode is sponsored by the InsightsEDU 2027 Conference - focused on attracting & retaining the modern learner - February 23-25 in Phoenix, AZ! Use code EDUP & save $100! Early-bird pricing ends December 15, 2026!


This episode is brought to YOU by EdUp Leadership⁠ - the only intell...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Monique Reeves, Executive Vice Chancellor for the Future, Austin Community College District
In this episode, sponsored by EdUp Leadership, & the 2026 AcOps Conference July 29-31 by Coursedog


YOUR cohost is Bridget Moran , Director of Content Marketing, Coursedog
YOUR host is Dr. Jodi Blinco

If 74% of transformational change fails, what are the 26% doing differently?


What is a digital twin, & how does it turn a 45 minute student alert into 1 click?


Why i...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Bonny Ball Copenhaver, President, New River Community & Technical College
In this episode, President Series #458, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, sponsored by the ​ELIVE 2026​ Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, the ​HigherEd PodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17, & the 2026 AcOps Conference July 29-31 by Coursedog


YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a West Virginia community college serving 10 counties in coal field Appalachia retrain workers, combat gen...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Stephanie Fujii, President, Arapaho Community College
In this episode, President Series #453, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, sponsored by the ​ELIVE 2026​ Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, the ​HigherEd PodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17, & the 2026 AcOps Conference July 29-31 by Coursedog


YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does Denver's oldest designated community college with 15k students avoid the enrollment cliff while suburban growth & housing deve...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Deborah E. Preston, President, Mercer County Community College
In this episode, President Series #451, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the ​ELIVE 2026​ Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the ​HigherEd PodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17


YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a 6,000 student New Jersey college serve 2 different populations across West Windsor near Princeton & economically depressed downtown Trenton?


Why are 5 Mercer County ...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Madeline Pumariega, President, Miami Dade College
In this episode, President Series #447, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the ​ELIVE 2026​ Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the ​HigherEdPodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17


YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does democracy's college serve 125k students across 8 campuses with 2.5 million alumni by removing every point of friction to create belonging?


Why does turf, tradition & trust create ch...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Nichole Kang, Wellness Center Director, Montgomery County Community College
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR cohost is Dr. Jerry Walker, Executive Director of Mental Health Services, TimelyCare
YOUR host is Elvin Freytes

How does a community college launch wellness services during 2021 online operations with 2 centers...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Bernard A. Polnariev, Vice President for Administrative Services, UCNJ
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR host is ⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does New Jersey's first community college serving 12,000 students rise from Aspen Prize top 150 in 2021 to semi finalist in 2023 to finalist in 2025 by focusing on student success, pos...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Julius Sokenu, President, Moorpark College
In this episode, President Series #442, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR cohost is Dr. Bernard A. Polnariev, Vice President for Administrative Services, UCNJ
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a 15,000 student California community college become an Aspen Prize finalist twice while transfer students perform 20 points ahea...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Kristine Goodwin, Strategic Project Manager for the President, North Shore Community College
In this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by ⁠Integrity4Education
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠

How does a Hispanic serving institution with majority first generation students navigate AI by choosing not to fight the tidal wave but instead figuring out where to duck under, where to ride the wave & what to rebuild for an agile future?


Why does 1 stra...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Susan R. Snelick, President, Northern Pennsylvania Regional College
In this episode, President Series #439, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does Pennsylvania's only rural regional college serve 10 counties without a single campus based facility & why is this model critical for eliminating education deserts across northern Pennsylvania?


Wh...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Edward Bush, President, Cosumnes River College
In this episode, President Series #438, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a community college president lead the 9th most diverse institution in the nation while challenging traditional higher ed metrics that fail to capture the full spectrum of student success stories?



What does it m...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Rebecca I. Hopkins, Vice President of Learning, Western Technical College
In this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by ⁠Integrity4Education
YOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4Education
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠

How does Western Technical College support a diverse learner population by treating most academic integrity issues as developmental moments tied to citation, idea integration, & authentic learning?


How are faculty u...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Cathy R. Briggs, Dean of Student Success, & Gina Yanuzzi, Assistant Professor of Composition & Literature, Rowan College at Burlington County
In this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by ⁠Integrity4Education
YOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4Education
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠
How does academic integrity evolve when AI detectors prove notoriously inaccurate & faculty must rely on evidence based conversations instead of suspic...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Fernando Delgado, President, Lehman College
In this episode, President Series #431, sponsored by YELO Funding
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Elvin Freytes

How does a college president lead 13,000 plus students in the Bronx where 48% are first generation, 56% are Latino & mid 80s are Black & Brown students while creating a beacon of hope for an entire borough?


What happens when a college becomes so intertwined with its community that its mantra is "of the Bronx, by the Bronx & fo...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #430, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Mike Hobbs, President, Georgia Highlands College
YOUR co-host is Samyr Qureshi, Executive Chairman, Knack
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a college president grow enrollment by 1,100 students in 3 years while keeping tuition at just $105 per credit hour & offering bachelor's degrees fo...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #424, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Randall VanWagoner, President, Mohawk Valley Community College
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a 19 year community college president use ChatGPT for a 45 minute leadership reflection road trip & discover he's actually leading his "3rd presidency" at the same institution?


What ha...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #417, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Kimberly Beatty, Chancellor, Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
YOUR co-host is Christi Segal, Vice President Managed Services & Executive Business Engagement, Ellucian
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does a community college serving 18,000 students across 5 campuses get appr...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #411, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Clyne Namuo, President, Joliet Junior College
YOUR co-host is Christi Segal, Vice President Managed Services & Executive Business Engagement, Ellucian
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does America's 1st community college create a digital twin president called "Cyber Clyne" to personal...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #410, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Kristen Miller, President, Southern Maine Community College
YOUR co-host is Dr. Chuck Lloyd, Vice Chancellor, Community College System of New Hampshire
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does a community college president make the institution "student ready" rather than expecting studen...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #409, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is ⁠Dr. Lisa Avery⁠, President, ⁠Linn-Benton Community College⁠
YOUR host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠

How does a community college get students $90,000 jobs with just a 2 year degree in programs like non destructive testing for aerospace & marine manufacturing?
What happens when AI could revolutioni...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #408, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by Studiosity,


YOUR guest is Dr. Brian Knetl, President, Waubonsee Community College
YOUR cohost is Dr. Noreen Golfman, Former Provost, Podcaster, & Studiosity Advisory Board Member


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does a community college president create a strategic plan called RISE 2030 with over 160 employee volunteers across a 500,000 person district serving rural, suburba...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #407, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Alberto J. Román, Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does the largest community college district in the nation serve 200,000 students across 9 colleges while 25% (50,000 students) are unhoused?


What happens when a first generation im...

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #406, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Clay Christensen, President, Mountainland Technical College
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does the largest technical college in Utah achieve a 99.7% debt free graduation rate with 6,500 students & a 1,600 person waiting list?


What happens when 573 industry professionals serve on adv...