We sit down with Todd Bowie, a faculty member and Program Director for the Video/Audio Design program at Madison College to discuss his background and what's available for students interested in video and audio production!

Before joining the college, he spent nearly two decades touring internationally as a backline technician and sound engineer for major artists including the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Ringo Starr, Beck, and The Flaming Lips. Prior to his current role, Todd served in several capacities at Madison College, including part-time faculty, ViComm Instructional Lab Specialist, and Marketing Department Video Producer. He now brings his extensive industry experience into the classroom, helping students develop real-world skills in audio, video, and live event production.

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Sargent, Sociology instructor at Madison College, to explore contemplative pedagogy, an approach to teaching that cultivates presence, awareness, and connection in the classroom. Matthew discusses how practices such as mindful breathing, reflection, and sensory grounding can help students reduce anxiety, build focus, and connect more deeply with themselves and others. He also shares ideas for how educators and institutions can weave contemplation into their daily work to foster belonging and a stronger sense of community.

Dr. Matthew Sargent

BA, Anthropology with Religious Studies minor

University of Louisville, 1996

MA, Sociology

University of Louisville, 1998

PhD, Sociology

University of Kentucky

I have been at Madison College since 2004. Before this, I was a research specialist at UW-Madison working on tobacco control as a part of the state’s program evaluation team. From my education background, my focus has been on theoretical perspectives regarding individuals’ relationships with institutions and the state. In this regard, I have studied how the role of religion and social movements have been influential in social discourse. Outside of theory, however, I have begrudgingly gained a lot of experience as a survey researcher, an evaluator, and a low-level quantitative analyst.

At Madison College, I have been fortunate to be a part of the Sociology Department for twenty years. During this time, I have been the chair of the department, co-chair of the school’s diversity and community relations council, a member of the IT council, and the school’s representative to the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.

In this episode, we sit down with Lindsay Amiel, Economics instructor at Madison College, and Ellen Lansink-Top, visiting faculty member from Aventus in the Netherlands. Through a faculty exchange program, they share their experiences across cultures, comparing classrooms, exploring educational systems, and reflecting on what connects students and teachers around the world. Whether you’re passionate about global education, cross-cultural collaboration, or new perspectives on teaching, this conversation offers a meaningful look at how educators learn from one another across borders.
Lindsay Amiel is an economics instructor and program director for the University Transfer Economics and Business Pre-Major at Madison College, where she’s been teaching since 2014. A Wisconsin native from Monroe—the self-proclaimed cheese capital of the U.S.—she earned her undergraduate degree from UW–Madison in Economics and International Studies. She went on to complete a Master’s in Secondary Education at the University of Pennsylvania and later earned a Master’s in Agricultural and Applied Economics from UW–Madison, focusing on regional economics and community development. Lindsay is passionate about community development and creating equitable, sustainable economic systems. She enjoys helping students think critically about the kind of world they want to live in, and how economic structures and institutions can be designed in support of those visions. At Madison College, she also works closely with students exploring pathways in economics, business, and public policy—guiding them as they reach their academic goals and prepare to transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

Ellen Lansink-Top is a teacher from Lochem in the eastern Netherlands, where she lives with her husband, Marco, and their two sons. She has been an educator for 22 years, beginning her career in primary education for eight years before transitioning to secondary education as a math teacher, a role she held for nearly 15 years. For the past three years, Ellen has taught at Aventus, a Regional Training Centre (ROC) serving the Stedendriehoek area including Apeldoorn, Deventer, and Zutphen. Aventus offers secondary vocational education (MBO), adult education, and upper secondary general adult education (VAVO). At Aventus, Ellen has many roles: she teaches math/calculation, coaches all math teachers in the Economics, Trade, and Creative Industries sector, participates in the national Learning Network for Mathematics, supports student guidance at the Zutphen location, and oversees educational quality for the Fashion, Interior Design, and Spatial Design programs.For more information on the Faculty & Staff Exchange Program see the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs website.