HomePodcasts Making College “Worth It” Share: Section NavigationSkip section navigationIn this sectionPodcasts – Home 60-Second SoTL Limed: Teaching with a Twist Making College “Worth It” Special Series First-Year Seminars Land Acknowledgement Making College “Worth It” examined engaged learning activities that contribute to a high-quality, equitable education and increase the value of college experiences. In each episode, we shared research from Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning and our international network of scholars. We explored engaged learning activities that recent college graduates associate with their financial and time commitment to college being worthwhile. Making College “Worth It” was created by Jessie L. Moore and produced by the Center for Engaged Learning at Elon University. Browse episodes and show notes below, or listen on your preferred podcast app. The Center published episodes from September 2023 through March 2026. Listen on Your Preferred Podcast Provider Show Credits Hosts/Producers Jessie L. Moore, PhD, hosted and produced Making College “Worth It.” She continues to host 60-Second SoTL. Jessie is director of the Center for Engaged Learning and professor of English: Professional Writing & Rhetoric. She is the author of Key Practices for Fostering Engaged Learning: A Guide for Faculty and Staff and co-editor of five edited collections on engaged learning topics. In addition to coordinating the Center’s research seminars, Jessie produces the Center’s videos and other web resources and co-edits two book series: the Routledge/Center for Engaged Learning Series on Engaged Learning and Teaching and the Center for Engaged Learning Open Access Book Series. Jessie’s professional service to the scholarship of teaching and learning was recognized with the 2019 International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) Distinguished Service Award. In 2021, Jessie received Elon University’s Distinguished Scholar Award. Nolan Schultheis ’27 is a student at Elon University studying Psychology with an interest in law. Eager to assist others in their learning and college process, Nolan adds his creative input into the podcasts. In addition to working in the Center for Engaged Learning as Podcast Producer, Nolan is also a legal professions scholar. The program provides mentoring and learning opportunities for students interested in legal education. Sydni Brown ’24 served as an inaugural host and podcast intern while a senior at Elon University. She graduated with majors in Communications Design and Strategic Communications with minors in Poverty and Social Justice and Leadership Studies. As a co-host of Making College Worth It, she offered a student insight college experiences. She also was a Leadership Fellow and worked in both the Truitt Center and the Gender and LQBTQIA Center. Art and Music Credits Original show art was created by Jennie Goforth, former managing editor for the Center for Engaged Learning. Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. Browse All Episodes Multi-Semester Capstone Undergraduate Research Experiences Making College “Worth it” – Season 3, Episode 6 Jessie and Nolan speak with Blake Colclasure and Tyler Granberry about their experiences teaching and studying multi-semester capstone research programs. They’re the authors of a recent Teaching & Learning Inquiry article, “Challenges and Supports Experienced by Students Completing a… Student Ownership in Vertically Integrated Undergraduate Research Projects Making College “Worth it” – Season 3, Episode 5 In this episode, Jessie and Nolan talk with Kasey Wozniak about how vertically integrated project (VIP) courses support student project ownership, authentic undergraduate research, and career readiness. Drawing on her research… Paths of Inquiry: Course-based Undergraduate Research for First-year Students Making College “Worth it” – Season 3, Episode 4 In this episode, we explore a first-year course that provides a foundation to inspire and foster undergraduate research. We speak with Dr. Cynthia Fair, a Professor of Public Health Studies and… Incorporating Artificial Intelligence into Engineering Making College “Worth It” – Season 3, Episode 3 In this episode, we explore the technical, ethical, and social complexities of using AI in engineering. We speak with Dr. Blake Hament, Assistant Professor of Engineering at Elon University, who shares an example of developing a voice-enabled… Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in the Humanities Making College “Worth It” – Season 3, Episode 2 In this episode, we explore strategies to keep students engaged in research in the humanities. We speak with Dr. Mary Isbell, an associate professor of English at the University of New… Navigating Generative AI in Higher Education Making College “Worth It” – Season 3, Episode 1 In this episode we explore how generative AI is influencing current writing pedagogies in higher education. We speak with Dr. Mandy Olejnik, Assistant Director of Writing Across the Curriculum at Miami… Alumni Perceptions of Generative AI Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 10 In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Travis Maynard, Tim Peeples, and Paula Rosinski about their recent research on alumni perceptions of generative AI. Drs. Maynard, Peeples, and Rosinski share… Facilitating Reflection in Undergraduate Research Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 9 In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Dr. Paul Miller about facilitating reflection in undergraduate research. Collaborating with colleagues in experiential learning, Paul and Jessie created the FIRE Toolkit, a free… Sense of Belonging in Internships Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 8 In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Dr. Melinda Adams and Dr. Jody Jessup-Anger about the relational aspects of internships. Our guests’ research explores how trust and sense of belonging contribute… AI and Engaged Learning in Higher Education Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 7 In this episode, Amanda Sturgill shares insights from her ongoing exploration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and engaged learning in higher education. Dr. Sturgill is the 2024-2026 Center for Engaged Learning… The Impact of Service Learning Making College Worth It – Season 2, Episode 6 In this episode, guest hosts Ellie MacMillan, Kassidy Puckett, and Carolina Martinez consider the impact service learning has on career development, social cohesion, and community involvement. Joining them are Elon University’s… Attending to Equity in Work-Integrated Learning Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 5 In this episode, Anne-Marie Fannon and Soumya Garg from the Work-Learn Institute at the University of Waterloo share new research on the work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences of equity deserving groups. They… Undergraduate Research and Implications for Life Development Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 4 In this episode, we consider how undergraduate research impacts a student’s inquiry, sense of belonging, and long-term career. Drawing from in-depth interviews with alumni across the disciplines, Kristine Johnson and Michael… Exploring the Value of Work-Integrated Learning Making College “Worth It”- Season 2, Episode 3 This episode covers the complexities of a work-integrated learning experience, including both the benefits and the challenges. With guests, Dr. CJ Fleming, an associate professor of psychology, and Annelise Weaver, a senior… Perspectives on Using Generative AI in College Assignments Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 2 This episode explores what AI integration in college assignments can do for student learning. With guests Aaron Trocki, a math professor at Elon university, and Alyssa Collins, who is studying to… Mentoring Magic: Mentored Undergraduate Research in Global Contexts Making College “Worth It” – Season 2, Episode 1 Dawn Whitehead and Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, two of the co-editors of Mentored Undergraduate Research in Global Contexts: Integrated High-Impact Practices for Student Success, join our podcast to talk about the intersection of… Student-Faculty Partnerships for Co-Constructing Learning Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 12 In this episode of “Making College Worth It,” hosts Nolan Schultheis and Jessie Moore delve into student-faculty partnerships in higher education. They interview Olivia Choplin, an associate professor at Elon University,… Fostering Partnership Projects in Higher Education Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 11 In this episode, we focus on student-faculty partnerships in higher education. We talk to Sophia Abbot, a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education Program at George Mason University and a long-time… Crossing Borders at Home Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 10 In this episode, we visit with Amanda Sturgill, Associate Professor of Journalism at Elon University, who co-edited Mind the Gap: Global Learning at Home and Abroad. She shares strategies for facilitating global… The Faculty Factor in Living-Learning Communities Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 9 In this episode, we visit with Jennifer Eidum, Associate Professor of English at Elon University, and Laura Lomicka, Professor of French and Applied Linguistics at the University of South Carolina, who… Learning, Space, and Place in Higher Education Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 8 In this episode, we visit with Susan Hrach, director of the Faculty Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning and professor of English at Columbus State University, and Ashley Holmes,… ePortfolios as Capstone Experience Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 7 In this episode, we visit with Carol Van Zile-Tamsen, associate vice provost for curriculum, assessment, and teaching transformation at the University at Buffalo, about UB’s ePortfolio capstone requirement for general education…. Salient Practices of Mentoring Undergraduate Research Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 6 In this episode, we visit with Helen Walkington, Professor of Higher Education at Oxford Brookes University, UK, and Eric Hall, professor of exercise science at Elon University, about the salient practices… The Data Mine Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 5 In this episode, we focus on living-learning communities, which combine students’ on-campus housing experiences with academic experiences like linked courses, shared academic interests, or other learning opportunities. We talk to Professor… Capitalizing on Capstone Experiences Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 4 Caroline Ketcham and Tony Weaver, co-editors of Cultivating Capstones: Designing High-Quality Culminating Experiences for Student Learning, share strategies for faculty and students to make the most of these high-impact opportunities for… Lifewide Writing in College Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 3 In a 2021 survey of recent U.S. college graduates, conducted by the Elon Poll and the Center for Engaged Learning, 94% of participants indicated that writing was somewhat or very important… Making Connections in College Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 2 In a 2021 survey conducted by the Elon University Poll and the Center for Engaged Learning, 54.5% of recent college graduates indicated that they’d encountered meaningful relationships with faculty or staff… Preparing for Workplace Writing Making College “Worth It” – Season 1, Episode 1 In a 2021 national survey of recent college graduates in the U.S., young professionals indicated that writing was very important to their daily lives, but only 80% reported developing the writing…
