In this episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Tiara Brown from the College of Education at JMU. Dr. Brown shares her path from agriculture and sports administration to special education, spotlighting the power of inclusion and what meaningful transitions from high school to college really look like.

Tune in to hear:

-Why “small wins” matter—like one student learning to support a classmate with autism

-Dr. Brown’s 50/50 rule for maintaining work-life balance

-The role of mentorship in faculty growth (and why she recommends the CFI mentoring program)

-Ideas for future conversations around navigating change and sustainable career practices

Subscribe to the Podcast listserv!

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences, challenges, and strategies of dedicated educators. In this episode, host Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Bob Kolvoord, JMU’s Interim Provost, to discuss how the university—and higher education more broadly—is evolving in response to emerging technologies and shifting student needs.

Dr. Kolvoord shares insights on:

• The ethical use of AI in teaching and learning
• How education continues to evolve at JMU
• Creating an environment where faculty can thrive

Tune in for this thoughtful conversation on leadership, innovation, and the future of teaching at JMU.

Subscribe to the Podcast listserv!

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences, challenges, and strategies of dedicated educators. In this episode, host Eric Magrum continues the conversation with Dr. Meghalee Das, diving deeper into how user experience (UX) design principles can shape more intentional and student-centered classrooms.

Dr. Das shares insights on:

• Applying UX design to create engaging learning experiences
• Navigating the possibilities and challenges of AI in the classroom
• Emphasizing process over product in writing and learning

Tune in for part two of this thoughtful conversation with Dr. Das as she reflects on the role of design, technology, and reflection in fostering authentic student learning.

Subscribe to the Podcast listserv!

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences, challenges, and strategies of dedicated educators. In this episode, host Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Meghalee Das to discuss how principles of collaboration and user experience (UX) research can transform teaching and learning.

Dr. Das shares insights on:

• Building collaboration and trust in academic and workplace settings
• Applying UX research to enhance learning experiences
• Encouraging empathy and understanding in the classroom
• Fostering connection in both in-person and online environments

Tune in for an insightful conversation with Dr. Das as she reflects on the value of empathy-driven teaching and the power of thoughtful design in education.

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences, challenges, and strategies of dedicated educators. In this episode, host Eric Magrum sits down with Colleen Watson, a statistics teacher here at JMU, to discuss how authenticity and mentorship shape her teaching.

Professor Watson shares insights on:

• Staying authentic in the classroom
• Keeping students engaged in statistics
• Directing MadiSTEM, a program designed to encourage middle school girls to explore STEM fields
• Staying organized while balancing multiple responsibilities

Tune in for an inspiring conversation with Colleen Watson as she reflects on her teaching journey and the ways she builds meaningful connections with her students, both inside, and outside the classroom.

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the ideas, experiences, and challenges shaping academic life. In this episode, math educator Dr. Elizabeth Brown joins us to talk about becoming a teacher, connecting with students, and navigating the balance between professional and personal life.

Elizabeth Brown shares:

• The journey to becoming a math teacher and what inspired that path
• Approaches to building authentic connections with students inside and outside the classroom
• How hobbies like rescuing dogs and competing in Ironman races bring perspective and balance
• Strategies for maintaining well-being while meeting the demands of teaching

Tune in for an engaging conversation about teaching with heart, sustaining balance, and bringing one’s whole self into the classroom.

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Overcoming challenges, embracing opportunities, and using your resources: A compilation of advice from faculty

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences, challenges, and strategies of dedicated educators. In this special episode, host Eric Magrum shares a collection of interviews with various faculty members, each responding to the question: If you could go back in time, and meet yourself before your first day at JMU, what advice would you give -- and why?

Faculty members share advice on:

• Staying present
• Networking
• Recognizing your skills
• Planning
• Community-building
• Being open to new experiences
• Using campus resources
• Engaging in meaningful teaching

Tune in for an inspiring compilation of faculty members reflecting on their early experiences at JMU.

Listen to advice from various JMU faculty members at the timestamps indicated below

Dr. Bobby Vaziri 0:30 – 1:42

Dr. Chen Guo 1:43 – 3:05

Professor Colleen Watson 3:06 – 4:20

Dr. Delores Phillips 4:21 – 5:18

Dr. Elizabeth Brown 5:19 – 6:44

Dr. Eric Guinivan 6:45 – 7:59

Dr. Leonard Richards 8:00 – 10:16

Dr. Modjadji Choshi 10:17 –12:41

Dr. Robyn Kondrad 12:42 – 14:05

Dr. Tiara Brown 14:06 – 15:15

Dr. Timothy Ball 15:16 – 18:58

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.

Empowering Student Success Through Creative Collaboration: A Conversation with Dr. Eric Guinivan

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the ideas, experiences, and challenges shaping academic life. In this episode, Grammy-nominated composer and associate professor Dr. Eric Guinivan joins us to talk about teaching, creativity, and the ongoing effort to support students while sustaining a meaningful work-life balance.

Dr. Guinivan shares:

• Early teaching experiences, from high school marching bands to graduate teaching at Indiana University
• His innovative work at a public charter school with mixed-age classrooms and peer mentorship
• How enthusiasm, analytical thinking, and creativity shape his teaching philosophy
• Strategies for setting boundaries and maintaining well-being as a faculty member
• Reflections on a workload equity project and what it revealed about faculty expectations
• Thoughts on collaboration, composition, and stepping outside his creative comfort zone

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about empowering students, embracing experimentation, and building a collaborative learning environment rooted in care.

CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast would love hearing from you! Do you have a question for our guests, a teaching tip to share, or a story about faculty life? Send us a message by clicking on this text. Your message might make it into a future episode.