In this episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Michael Klein to explore what it really means to use AI thoughtfully in academic and professional settings. Rather than treating AI as a magic solution, Dr. Klein emphasizes the importance of seeing it as one tool among many and why becoming overly dependent on a single technology can limit both creativity and judgment.

Tune in to hear:

• Why AI should complement, not replace, core skills like critical thinking
• How to avoid over-reliance on any one tool (AI or otherwise)
• What long-term impacts of AI we should be paying attention to, including environmental concerns
• How faculty can help students build resilient, adaptable, tech-informed learning practices
• Questions worth asking as AI continues to shape classrooms, research, and professional life

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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.

In this episode of the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum speaks with School of Media Art and Design professor Dr. Chen Guo about the field of interactive design and how the adaptive nature of the discipline has shaped her classroom and teaching techniques.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Understanding what interactive design is and how it works
• The value of a learner-centered approach in teaching
• Increasing student engagement in the classroom through hands-on experience
• Encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones and submit their work to conferences

Tune in to this discussion of the impact of a learner-centered approach and how your field can influence your teaching style.

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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.

In this episode of the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum talks with a JMU alum turned professor, Dr. Leonard Richards Jr, about his journey from student to educator and how that path shapes his teaching today. He reflects on mentorship, identity, and the importance of empowering students to take action and see their impact.

Listen in as they discuss:

• What it means to teach as a verb, not just a role
• Supporting first-generation students and students of color
• Navigating identity as a Black educator at a PWI
• The value of feedback, self-reflection, and growth
• Balancing personal life, mental health, and academic work

He also shares a reminder: be yourself, trust your journey, and know you’ve earned your place.

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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.

In this episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum talks with Dr. Joe Leblanc and Karla Kale about mental health first aid, a practical approach that helps faculty and staff recognize when someone may be struggling and respond with care. Using the metaphor of being a first responder, they discuss how educators can learn simple, evidence-based tools to start supportive conversations and connect people with help.

Listen in as they discuss:

• The ALGEE model, a flexible framework for approaching conversations and offering support
• How to move past the fear of saying the wrong thing when someone may be struggling
• Common warning signs of distress and how to respond thoughtfully
• Campus resources like Madison Cares and training opportunities through CFI and the Counseling Center
• The connection between well-being, burnout, and creating a supporting campus community

They also emphasize a key reminder: approaching someone with care is always a meaningful first step.

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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 Dr. Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Xuebin Wei, a geography professor whose work focuses on generative AI in data science, education, and geospatial analysis. Together, they unpack how AI is transforming the ways students learn, think, and engage with course material.

Dr. Wei shares insights on:

· Understanding large language models and their capabilities

· How students use AI and the new skillsets they need to develop

· Encouraging critical thinking in an AI-rich learning environment

· How generative AI is reshaping teaching practices and expectations

Tune in for this thoughtful conversation on learning, digital literacy, and the evolving role of AI in higher education.

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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.

In this episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum talks with Dr. Bobby Vaziri from JMU’s College of Business. Dr. Vaziri shares his transition from industry to academia, inspired by his father’s career and great mentors along the way.

Listen in as Dr. Vaziri discusses:

• How humor, real-world examples, and presence help create inclusive classrooms
• Why Success Workshops are making a difference in student engagement and stress reduction
• How songwriting, fitness, and rest fuel his personal and professional growth
• His advice for staying grounded: focus less on the rush, and more on the journey

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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.

In this episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Dr. Eric Magrum sits down with Professor Yasmeen Shorish to discuss the role of generative AI in higher education and how educators can navigate its use thoughtfully and responsibly. Through conversations centered on learning, awareness, and ethics, the episode emphasizes keeping knowledge-building at the core while addressing important considerations around privacy and cybersecurity.

Tune in to hear:

• How generative AI can support learning and knowledge-building when used intentionally
• Why prioritizing learning—rather than tools—matters in conversations about AI
• What it means to be aware of how AI is used in academic spaces
• How privacy and cybersecurity concerns should shape AI use in the classroom

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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.

In this Part 2 episode of The CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, host Eric Magrum continues the conversation with Dr. Julie Gochenour, diving into her personal teaching philosophy and what it means to create an engaging, trust-centered classroom. Through reflections on mutual respect, authenticity, and joy in teaching, the episode highlights how meaningful learning environments are built through connection—and a willingness to have fun along the way.

Tune in to hear:

• How Dr. Gochenour builds mutual trust and respect with her students
• Why classroom engagement is central to her teaching style
• What it looks like to make learning enjoyable for both students and professors
• Why the idea that “if I’m not having fun, you’re not having fun” matters for teaching and learning

Disclaimer: In describing the value of self-disclosure as a tool for building trust with students, Dr. Gochenour shares an experience that includes discussion of suicide and the loss of a parent. Listener discretion is advised.

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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.