Sensitive Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of sensitive topics, including crime, victimization, and incarceration which may be distressing to some listeners.

In this thought-provoking episode we sit down with Dr. Amy Nemmetz, program director and faculty member in Criminal Justice at Madison College. Dr. Nemmetz shares her journey from working in the justice system to shaping the next generation of criminal justice professionals through education and restorative practices. We explore the role of real-world learning, her students' work at Oakhill Correctional Institution and The Grow Academy, and how empathy, reflection, and community engagement are woven into the curriculum. Whether you're interested in justice reform, higher education, or the power of human connection, this episode offers meaningful insights and inspiration.

Amy Nemmetz joined the Madison College Criminal Justice program in 2018. Her interest in the criminal justice field began in 1992 when she was hired part-time to transcribe mini-cassette tapes for detectives at a Sheriff’s Department. She instantly knew this was the field for her; she subsequently pursued a career working with offenders and victims in the criminal justice system.

Amy has been fortunate to teach for 20 years and work in a variety of criminal justice and social work roles to include-community service officer & telecommunicator with police departments, case manager at a juvenile group home, social worker with a jail diversion court program, social worker with human services (child protection), restorative justice facilitator with offenders, and treatment provider.

Amy is currently the Program Director for the Criminal Justice Program at Madison College. She holds State of Wisconsin licenses in social work and substance abuse counseling. Simply stated, her passion is truly helping those in the criminal justice system to include facilitating restorative-justice based service-learning projects with her students for Department of Corrections every semester for the last 10+ years. She has presented on Restorative Justice at numerous conferences to include the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Conference and the National Restorative Justice Conference.

She was a tenured faculty member with UW-Platteville’s Criminal Justice program before joining the Madison College Criminal Justice Program. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in criminal justice from UW-Platteville and a PhD in Criminal Justice from Capella University. She has been fortunate to receive awards for teaching and service to include the Madison College Leader Impact Award in 2022. Amy is super grateful to be a part of the Wolfpack!

In this episode we step into the kitchen with Suzanne Daly and Cheryl Weise, the two full-time faculty behind Madison College’s Baking & Decorative Arts program. Suzanne and Cheryl share their paths into professional baking, their specialties in cake artistry, and how they bring real-world experience to their students—both in the classroom and through the college’s student-run bakery. We explore what it means to be a professional baker versus a home baker, the impact of baking competitions and TV shows, and how hands-on learning prepares students for sweet success. And yes—pie baking tips are included!

Suzanne Daly is the Director and Lead Instructor of the Baking & Decorative Arts Program at Madison College. She earned the designation of International Certified Judge in June 2019, as both a visual and tasting judge. Suzanne enjoys helping students grow in the art of baking and decorating by being the student mentor for the Skills USA Baking & Pastry Arts competition. She is also a member of the Wisconsin Bakers Association in which she was awarded the Wisconsin Baking Instructor of the Year in 2024.

Cheryl Weise grew up surrounded by a mother and grandmothers who baked everything from scratch and were also cake decorators. Their influence led her to continue baking and decorating while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts management with a concentration in graphic arts. She ended up as a project manager for a printing company learning the business and marketing side of a business while keeping her baking and decorating passion on the side. She became a member of the International Cake Exploration Society and became passionate about taking formal cake decorating classes from the world’s finest instructors including Nicholas Lodge, Colette Peters, Ron Ben-Israel, and Robert Hayes. As a lifelong learner she has taken over 100 classes to build on her skills. Cheryl started out teaching Wilton Cake decorating classes and did private decorating classes. She started her own licensed cake baking and decorating business, Frosted Memories, where she does cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other baked products in 2010. She became a full-time instructor in the Baking and Decorative Arts Program at Madison College in 2017 and has loved passing on her excitement to create something out of basic ingredients.

Madison College Student-Run Bakery Facebook

Madison College Student-Run Bakery Instagram

In this episode, we talk with Sara Finesilver, an English as a Second Language (ESL) faculty member at Madison College. Sara shares her passion for helping non-native English speakers succeed, both in and out of the classroom. She discusses her innovative patient health portal project, which helps ESL students build health literacy and digital fluency. Sara also introduces the "Teaching the Skills That Matter" (TSTM) program and how project-based learning transforms her classes. Additionally, we explore her perspective on the rise of AI tools in education.

Sara Finesilver is a collaborative and creative ESL Instructor, with over 20 years of experience. She began her teaching career within the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) in 2004 and has been a full-time faculty member at Madison College since 2018. Sara holds a BA in English with a TESOL certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s in Higher Education from Capella University.

Her expertise includes contextualized instruction, authentic assessment, curriculum development, and faculty training. She is particularly passionate about EL-Civics, including areas such as Health Literacy and Job Readiness & Employability, and enjoys finding ways to integrate Digital Literacy into diverse teaching contexts. Sara finds deep fulfillment in working with refugees and immigrant professionals, supporting their career and employment goals, and helping them connect with our community.

Outside the classroom, Sara enjoys writing poetry, kayaking, hiking, being silly playing board games, spending time with loved ones under twinkling lights, and most importantly: finding joy in small things.

Check out the AI song Sara created for me on Suno! Teaching the Skills that Matter

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Cherif Correa, an English faculty member at Madison College and the lead for the college’s new African Studies Certificate. Cherif shares his journey from being an international student to becoming a leader in both educational and DEI initiatives at the college. We explore his work on the African Studies Certificate, including the course topics it covers and the opportunities it creates for students. Cherif also discusses his involvement with the Institute of Equity and Transformational Change, as well as the college’s efforts in developing global partnerships and study abroad programs in Africa. Join us as Cherif shares his perspectives on African Studies, his role in fostering global connections, and his vision for enriching the educational experience at Madison College.

Resources:
Madison College African Studies Certificate

Dr. Correa's Publications:

• Islam in Europhone African Literature. The Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa. Eds., Toyin Falola, Fallou Ngom, and Mustapha Kurfi. Palgrave, 2020.
• "Islam and the Question of Identity in Ousmane Sembene's Film, Ceddo." Ousmane Sembène and the Politics of Culture. Eds Lifongo Vetinde and Amadou T. Fofana. New York: Lexington Books, 2014.
• Re-Union (A Poem). Postcolonial Text, Vol.2. No.1. Postcolonial.org, 2006 https://www.postcolonial.org/index.php/pct/article/view/434/834

To kick off season three of the podcast, we welcome Lynn Baldwin, faculty in the Business Technology program. Lynn shares her Madison College journey, from teaching in the Business Technology area to using her Instructional Design expertise to co-develop training for the college’s transition to the new LMS, Brightspace. She also offers advice on how faculty can prepare their courses for this migration.

We also explore Lynn’s recent Teach Access Fellowship, which focuses on embedding accessibility into education. Lynn discusses how the fellowship has shaped her teaching approach and how she’s integrating accessibility into her courses. Join us to hear Lynn’s insights on fostering an inclusive, future-ready learning environment at Madison College.

Lynn Baldwin is a Business Technology instructor in the School of Business & Applied Arts. She teaches a variety of computer software, customer service, and business classes and is a certified Entrepreneurial Mindset Facilitator.

In her teaching career, Lynn was awarded the 2021 Provost Award for Faculty Excellence and the 2015 Devi Bhargava Award for her focus on promoting student accessibility. This year, she was selected as a 2024 Teach Access Fellow working to advocate for accessibility and help equip learners to build a more inclusive world. Prior to her employment with Madison College, she held a variety of marketing, management, and administrative positions with Baker Tilly, The Douglas Stewart Company, and U.S. Cellular. Lynn has earned bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Comprehensive Business-Economics, and a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies. In her free time, she enjoys following Wisconsin sports teams, running, travel, and gardening.

Show notes:

Teach Access Fellowship

In this last episode of the season, we speak with Paul Flogel, the program director and a long-time instructor of the Automotive Technology program at Madison College. Paul discusses how he manages the program and prepares students for the evolving automotive industry. He also shares insights into the future of the industry, the importance of hands-on experience, and the success of the program’s job fairs and outreach programs.

Paul Flogel is a faculty member and program director for the Madison College Automotive Technician Program. He has extensive experience in the field and brings this into his work in the classroom and automotive repair lab. He is the program lead for student advising, scheduling, program accreditation, ASE student certification, and coordinates student job fairs each year.

In this episode we chat with Oana Martin, an instructor and program director in the Biotechnology Program at Madison College. Oana delves into the fundamentals of biotechnology, shedding light on its importance and the cutting-edge developments within the field. Listeners will gain insights into the career paths available to graduates, how the program aligns with industry trends, and the skills students acquire to succeed. Oana also discusses her approaches to teaching, focusing on collaborative testing and self-assessment to enhance learning experiences. Whether you're a biotech enthusiast or interested in getting some student assessment ideas, this episode has something for you.

Oana Martin, Ph.D. is a full-time faculty at Madison College and director of the Biotechnology Program. She has worked at the college since 2012. Oana started as a part-time faculty in Biotechnology Program and the Chemistry Department and then became a full-time faculty member in 2015. Before joining Madison College, Oana was a lecturer at UW-Madison in the Department of Chemistry and the School of Pharmacy, where she earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Oana is passionate about education and science communication. As part of the Biotechnology Program, she is involved in helping students find rewarding career pathways in the Biotechnology industry. Also, she is actively participating in science outreach in high schools, educating students and teachers about careers in the biotechnology field.

She is interested in curriculum development with an emphasis on career training and in equitable assessment.

In this episode, we have a conversation with Jodi Goldbeck, a dedicated instructor and innovator at Madison College. Jodi, who oversees the Small Business Entrepreneurship Program and serves as the Faculty Liaison for the Second Chance Pell Program, shares her inspiring journey into the realm of mindfulness, grit, and well-being. After facing personal challenges, Jodi developed the transformative "Mastering Mindfulness" curriculum, aiming to enrich students' lives with courses on gratitude, resilience, habit building, and more. Throughout our conversation, Jodi delves into the impact of these courses on students, her approach to integrating mindfulness into education, and her role in supporting incarcerated students through education. She offers insights into the challenges and rewards of teaching within the Department of Corrections. Jodi also shares her personal journey towards a minimalistic lifestyle, revealing how it has influenced her happiness and well-being. Join us for a conversation about the power of mindfulness in education and the impactful work Jodi is doing at Madison College.

Jodi Goldbeck has been a full-time instructor at Madison College since 2009. She began studying mindset, grit, and well-being in 2015 after experiencing a series of unexpected challenges in her life. Based on her studies and the unwavering belief that individuals can change the trajectory of their lives, she developed a curriculum called Mastering Mindfulness, which is a series of one-credit courses that focus on topics such as gratitude, resilience, habit building, listening and many other topics related to living a happier life.

Jodi is currently the Program Director for the Small Business Entrepreneurship Program at Madison College, as well as the Faculty Liaison for the Second Chance Pell Program (SCP). The SCP Program focuses on students in the care of Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) state prisons. Jodi teaches several DOC courses, as well as serving as a conduit between DOC Education Directors and faculty that teach for the SCP Program at Madison College.

Jodi has certifications in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and University of North Carolina. She has also completed a certification in the Science of Well-Being from Yale University and The Foundations of Well-Being Program through the University of California-Berkeley.

Jodi has presented on the topics of mindfulness and well-being at numerous conferences, including the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurs (NACCE), Online Learning Consortium (OLC), International Forum for Women in E-Learning (IFWE) and Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Jodi has been a full-time instructor at Madison College since 2009 and received the Excellence in Full-Time Teaching Award in 2017. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Northern Michigan University, embracing her roots as a proud Yooper! Additional Resources:

• Building Blocks of Well-Being Certificate
• Jodi's favorite author on the topic of habits
• Books on the topic of decluttering