swampED

304 - Supporting Rural Students Feb 28, 2020

We talked to Dreama Gentry, Executive Director of Partners for Education at Berea College, about her advocacy for rural students and her work creating a national dialogue around what educational success looks like for them. She also previewed the 2020 Rural College Access & Success Summit. As always, stick around for our moment of hope!

304 - Finding Identity In Education Feb 13, 2020

This week, we have an episode with Yolanda Savage-Narva, the Executive Director of Operation Understanding D.C. - a nonprofit D.C. organization working to build a generation of Black and Jewish community leaders who promote respect, understanding, and cooperation while working to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination. We talked about how she uses her diverse identity to help students understand the importance of the similarities between seemingly different cultures and backgrounds. As always, stick around for our moment of hope!

303 - Arts In Education Feb 06, 2020

In today's episode, Mario Rossero - Senior Vice President for Education at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - joins us to talk about the importance of arts in education and the role that the Kennedy Center plays in increasing arts education in schools around the country. Stick around for our favorite segment of every episode - our moment of hope!

302 - A Conversation with the 2020 School Counselor of the Year Jan 30, 2020

We sat down with Laura Ross, the 2020 School Counselor of the Year, to talk through her personal journey as a school counselor. Laura is a middle school counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Georgia - she talks to us about the challenges, the rewards, and the important moments that come with this important position in students' lives. Stick around for our moment of hope!

301 - Championing Equity in Education: A Conversation With Brian Coleman and Rodney Robinson Jan 23, 2020

We're back from a fun winter break with an exciting, exclusive conversation you'll only hear on swampED! We sat down with Brian Coleman, 2019 National School Counselor of the Year, and Rodney Robinson, the 2019 National Teacher of the Year to have a conversation around their experience as educators and championing equity in education. Join us for our first episode back and as always stick around for our Moment of Hope.

234 - The Growing Diversity of Higher Education Jul 25, 2019

Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper, President of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), joins Eric and Stephanie for a conversation on addressing the needs of today's higher education students, many of whom are low income, students of color, adults, veterans, parents, and immigrants.

233 - Public Charter Schools & Their Role In Education Jul 18, 2019

Richard Barth, CEO of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), joins Eric and Stephanie for a conversation on public charter schools and their role in educating and guiding students of all backgrounds. As always, join us for our moment of hope!

232 - Supporting the Educational Needs of Migrant Children Jul 11, 2019

Kavitha Cardoza, Education Week and PBS News Hour correspondent, joins Eric Waldo for a timely conversation on the influx of migrant children into American public schools and how educators can best support them.

231 - The Importance of Educational Programming in Jails and Prisons Jun 27, 2019

Yosmin Badie, Regional Manager of the Petey Greene Program, joins Stephanie for a conversation on the importance of educational programming in jails and prisons and what is being done to ensure incarcerated people have access to quality educational opportunities.

230 - Healthy Student Development and Academic Achievement Jun 20, 2019

The Executive Director, Washington D.C. for Turnaround for Children, Mike Lamb, joins Eric, Kyle, and Stephanie for a conversation on actionable steps and evidence-based practices that educators and schools can use to create supportive environments for all students, especially those impacted by trauma and adversity.

229 - Protecting Students and Holding For-Profit Colleges Accountable Jun 13, 2019

Aaron Ament, President of the National Student Legal Defense Network, joins Eric and Stephanie for a conservation on the Higher Education Act, federal education policies, and student/consumer protection. As always we end with our Moment of Hope.

228 - Creating a Memorable Graduation Speech Jun 06, 2019

Sarah Hurwitz, former senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and former chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, joins Eric and Stephanie for a conservation about what goes into crafting a great commencement speech. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

227 - The Broken Student Loan Repayment System and How to Fix It May 30, 2019

Colleen Campbell, the Associate Director of Postsecondary Education at the Center for American Progress, returns to swampED studios for a conversation with Eric and Stephanie about her recommendations for Congress on how to fix the student loan repayment system. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

226 - How One Organization is Addressing College Completion in California May 23, 2019

Michele Siqueiros from The Campaign for College Opportunity shares insights from her work in California to get more students to and through college. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

225 - Personal Statement May 16, 2019

Julie Dressner, director of the documentary “Personal Statement”, and Enoch, a student, join us for an eye-opening conversation about the barriers low-income students face accessing higher education. The film follows Enoch and two other seniors at Brooklyn high schools determined to get their entire classes to college, even though they aren't even sure they are going to make it there themselves. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

224 - $23 Billion Apr 11, 2019

Rebecca Sibilia, CEO of EdBuild, explains why predominantly nonwhite school districts get $23 billion less in funding each year compared to white school districts, even though they educate roughly the same number of students. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

223 - Why We Need Teacher Leadership Apr 04, 2019

Roberto Rodriguez, president and CEO of Teach Plus, talks about the importance of educators and how to elevate and advance the teaching profession. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

222 - Behind the Scenes: College Signing Day Mar 28, 2019

College Signing Day is May 1! Eric and Stephanie celebrate the fifth anniversary of this annual event and how you can get involved. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

221 - Fighting the Power: Oversight and Transparency in Higher Ed Mar 21, 2019

New America’s Director for Higher Education, Amy Laitinen, shares her unexpected journey into higher ed policy and how she’s holding colleges and universities accountable. Plus, Amy and hosts react to the college cheating scandal. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

220 - Deep Dive on Elementary and Secondary Education Policy Mar 14, 2019

Deb Delisle, the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education at the Department of Education during the Obama administration, joins us in swampED studios. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

219 - Creating opportunity for all students Mar 07, 2019

Elisa Villanueva Beard, CEO of Teach For America, talks to Eric and Kyle about her upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley, joining Teach For America, and creating educational opportunities for all students. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

218 - The Ripple Effect: The Cost of the College Dropout Rate Feb 28, 2019

Third Way’s Wesley Whistle breaks down his latest analysis of the economic benefits a college degree gives students and society at large. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

217 - How States Can Increase College Degree Attainment Feb 21, 2019

Tiffany Jones from The Education Trust talks with Stephanie about how the solution to increasing college degree attainment goes hand-in-hand with racial equity. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

216 - Why Improving Access to Higher Ed Benefits Us All Feb 14, 2019

Dan Porterfield, the president and CEO of The Aspen Institute, joins us in swampED studios. He discusses the transformative power of education and bringing more low-income, first-generation, and students of color into higher ed. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

215 - Why I'm A School Counselor Feb 07, 2019

In honor of National School Counseling Week, we're giving this year's School Counselor of the Year finalists the mic — get to know Roberto Aguilar, Jan Desmarais-Morse, Desiré DeSoto, Nwakaego Edordu Oriji, and Sarah Kirk.

214 - Meet the 2019 School Counselor of the Year: Brian Coleman Jan 31, 2019

We sit down with School Counselor of the Year Brian Coleman from Chicago. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

213 - 11 Ways Governors Can Prioritize Education Jan 24, 2019

The Center for American Progress’ Scott Sargrad sits down with Eric and Stephanie to talk about how newly elected governors can show they’re serious about education. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

212 - Strengthening Accountability in Higher Education Jan 17, 2019

Third Way’s Tamara Hiler joins Eric, Stephanie, and Kyle in swampED studios to talk about reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. Tamara shares her insights on improving higher education accountability, including what we can learn from No Child Left Behind. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

211 - What Was on Educators’ Minds in 2018 Dec 20, 2018

As the year draws to a close, Eric talks with Evan Stone, the co-founder and co-CEO of Educators for Excellence, about the biggest issues on educators’ minds, including unions and economic security. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

210 - The Children That Serve, Too: The sons and daughters of our military members Dec 13, 2018

The average military-connected child will move six to nine times, attending different schools along the way. Dr. Mary Keller, president of the Military Child Education Coalition, joins Eric in swampED studios to share how educators and school counselors can better support these students. As always we end with our Moment of Hope.

209 - Diversity in Higher Ed: How one organization is getting more diverse students on campus Dec 06, 2018

Kyle and Eric sit down with Beth Breger, Executive Director of Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), to talk about how LEDA is helping more diverse students attend our nation’s most selective colleges. Also joining us in swampED studios is LEDA Scholar and Georgetown University student, Jarian Lee. As always we end with our Moment of Hope.

208 - How a One-Time FAFSA Could Help More Students Access Higher Education Nov 29, 2018

Every year, students don’t complete or verify their FAFSA, leaving money on the table they could have used to go to college. Colleen Campbell from the Center for American Progress joins us to propose a one-time FAFSA and how it could help more students access higher education. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

207 - What the Election Results Mean for Future Education Policy Nov 15, 2018

The smoke from Election Day has (mostly) cleared, so we’re taking a look at what the results spell out for education, including school funding, the Higher Education Act, and oversight of Education Secretary Betsy Devos. Politico education reporter Caitlin Emma provides analysis on key gubernatorial races that could set the tone for education reform and what Democrats taking the House could mean for education policy. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

206 - How California's FAFSA Completion Competition Started w/ Michael McCormick, Superintendent of Val Verde Unified School District Nov 08, 2018

Submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the first step towards college success. Michael McCormick, superintendent of Val Verde Unified School District, joins Eric in the studios to talk about how he helped start "Race to Submit," California's FAFSA completion competition. As always we end with our Moment of Hope.

205 - How Student Activism is a Force for Change w/ Alexis Morin, co-founder of Students for Education Reform Nov 01, 2018

The power students have to tell their own stories and mobilize voters shouldn’t be underestimated. This week, Eric and Stephanie talk to Alexis Morin, co-founder of the nonprofit Students for Education Reform, about how students can influence decisions made by elected officials and what some of the biggest issues are in state and local elections across the country. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

204 - A Conversation with Chris Lu, Former Obama White House Cabinet Secretary Oct 25, 2018

Stephanie and Kyle sit down with Chris Lu, former Obama White House Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Labor to discuss hot-button issues in politics and education. We talk the upcoming midterm elections, the controversial Harvard affirmative action case, the movement to pay interns, and the need to prepare students for success in the twenty-first century workplace. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

203 - Taking Education to the Ballot Box w/Marlon Marshall, Former Special Assistant to President Obama Oct 18, 2018

With the midterm elections just weeks away, Americans are thinking about the issues in their communities that will inform their votes, including education. Our hosts sit down with Marlon Marshall, former special assistant to President Obama and founding partner at 270 Strategies, to talk about challenging our candidates to talk about education and getting voters and young people to organize around it. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

202 - Closing the College Completion Gap w/ Elissa Salas, CEO of College Track Oct 11, 2018

Today in the United States, only one in five students from low-income communities who enroll in college earn their degree. College Track CEO, Elissa Salas, shares how her organization is improving these odds by providing academic, financial, and social-emotional support from ninth grade through college graduation. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

201 - A Conversation with Arne Duncan, Former Secretary of Education and Author of "How Schools Work" Oct 04, 2018

We're back! First, we talk FAFSA and what the midterm elections mean for the future of education. Then former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joins us to talk about his new book, "How Schools Work," serving in the Obama administration, and how he's championing change with Chicago CRED. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

027 - Season 1 Finale: swampED’s Out for the Summer Aug 09, 2018

This is it! In the final episode of our first season, we recap our favorite moments and revisit some important questions like “Is college worth it?” We talk about our conversation with Kumar Garg on the White House Science Fair and how we just can’t get over School Counselor of the Year Kirsten Perry’s amazing journey. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope. Thanks for listening and see you in the fall!

026 - Why We Need to Hold For-Profit Colleges Accountable w/ James Kvaal, President of TICAS Aug 02, 2018

Secretary DeVos wants to roll back protections for defrauded students. We bring in James Kvaal, President of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) and former Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor in the Obama White House, to unpack the new Borrower Defense Rule and other policies designed to hold for-profit colleges and universities accountable. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

025 - How We Can Support Rural Students w/ John White, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach Jul 26, 2018

Rural students face distinct barriers accessing education compared to their urban peers. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach John White shares how to increase resources and opportunities for rural schools. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

024 - Decoding the Cost of College w/ Rachel Fishman from New America Jul 19, 2018

You’re not alone if you think financial aid award letters are confusing. Rachel Fishman joins us from New America to talk through the new report “Decoding the Cost of College,” a critical look at hundreds of financial aid award letters. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

023 - Why We Still Need HBCUs w/ Lezli Baskerville, President of NAFEO Jul 12, 2018

Historically black colleges and universities may date back to the Civil War, but they are needed more today than ever before. National Association for Equal Opportunity (NAFEO) President Lezli Baskerville joins us for a discussion on what HBCUs look like today and why they remain relevant.

022 - Getting Out the Vote on College Campuses w/ ALL IN Challenge Jun 28, 2018

Historically, student voter turnout is low – and even lower in midterm elections. What does it take to get them to vote? Kyle talks with Zaneeta Daver and Cat Fish from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a national awards program to improve civic engagement on college campuses. As always, we end with our Moment of Hope.

021 - Celebrating First-Gen Students at Beating The Odds Summit w/ Michelle Obama Jun 21, 2018

Eric and Stephanie give us the rundown on the fifth annual Beating The Odds Summit, which was started by former First Lady Michelle Obama to celebrate students overcoming barriers to attend higher education. Don’t miss out on excerpts from the conversation with Mrs. Obama, Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs, La La Anthony, and more, as they share advice for college-bound students.

020 - Lessons from a Lifetime of Teaching w/ Brad Jupp Jun 14, 2018

Eric and Stephanie sit down with Brad Jupp, former Senior Program Advisor at the Department of Education and middle school English teacher. Jupp shares his story of a lifelong career spent at the intersection of education and policy. We cover everything from educator unions to advice for new teachers. As always, we end with our Moments of Hope.

019 - Is College Still Worth It? w/ Brandon Busteed from Gallup Jun 07, 2018

What makes college worth the time, money, and effort students invest to earn a degree? Brandon Busteed, Executive Director of Education and Workforce Development at Gallup, joins our hosts in the studios to unpack the latest public opinion research on college satisfaction as he shares what students say made their higher education experience worthwhile after graduating. As always, we end with our moments of hope.

018 - Educating Refugees w/ Saria Samakie, Founder of Fikra 3al Mashi and Syrian Refugee May 24, 2018

Here in the United States we sometimes take education for granted, but we have to remember that millions around the world don’t have these same opportunities. Our hosts interview Saria Samakie, Founder of Fikra 3al Mashi and Syrian refugee, who has overcome incredible obstacles to continue his education. He’s now a student at Georgetown University and runs a non-profit in Jordan to help other Syrian refugees like himself continue to learn. As always, stay tuned for our moment of hope.

017 - School Discipline w/ Senator Chris Murphy, Democratic Senator from Connecticut May 17, 2018

Our hosts hit Capitol Hill to talk with Senator Chris Murphy about school discipline, his letter to Secretary #BetsyDevos, and breaking the school to prison pipeline. As always, we end with our moments of hope.

016 - College For All w/ Martha Kanter, Executive Director of College Promise Campaign May 10, 2018

Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign and Former Undersecretary of Education, joins Kyle and Stephanie in the studio to talk about college access, affordability, quality and completion as well as the movement for free community college. We end, as always, with our moment of hope!

015 - #RedForEd Walkouts and Rural Students w/ Kat Pastor, 2016 School Counselor of the Year May 03, 2018

Kat Pastor, 2016 School Counselor of the year from Flagstaff, Arizona, joins ours hosts in the studio for an insightful discussion on #RedForEd teacher walkouts and education challenges faced by rural students. Your dose of daily positivity is provided by our weekly moments of hope!

Special Episode - College Signing Day w/ Janel Young from OSSE DC May 01, 2018

On this week’s special episode, our hosts are joined by Janel Young from the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education to honor one of the best days of the year: College Signing Day. The conversation around the day’s history and the importance of this celebration is bound to brighten your day. As always, we close with our moments of hope.

014 - Education Leads Home w/ Barbara Duffield from SchoolHouse Connection and Stefanie Cruz from America’s Promise Apr 26, 2018

This week, we talk to Barbara Duffield, Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection and Stefanie Cruz, Vice President of Marketing and Digital Strategy at America’s Promise, about Education Leads Home, a national campaign building a stronger future for homeless students. An insightful conversation on homelessness in education followed by our moments of hope!

013 - Education Technology and Design w/ Richard Culatta and Karen Cator Apr 19, 2018

We are back on the road with a whole episode talking about technology and design in education. Helping us talk through the issues and solutions are Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education and Karen Cator, CEO of Digital Promise. Join us for moments of hope, stories from the Department of ED, and more!

012 - Measuring Success in Education w/ Ted Dintersmith, Education Advocate and Author of What School Could Be Apr 12, 2018

This week, author and education advocate, Ted Dintersmith, shares insights from visiting schools across all 50 states in his new book What School Could Be with our hosts. As always, join us for our moments of hope!

011 - Rebuilding Schools in Puerto Rico w/ Arne Duncan, Former Secretary of Education Apr 05, 2018

This week, Stephanie and Eric debrief on Eric's recent experience on a service trip to Puerto Rico. We get to hear all about his trip to restore an elementary school - six months after Hurricane Maria - where he interviews Arne Duncan, Former Secretary of Education and two local third graders. Join us for an inspiring episode!

010 - Civil Rights in Schools w/ Catherine Lhamon, Chair Of U.S. Commission On Civil Rights Mar 29, 2018

This week we tackle the most pressing civil rights challenges in our nation’s schools with Catherine Lhamon, Chair of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and Former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Tune in as we talk about inequity, restorative justice, Title IX rollbacks, and as always, don’t miss out on our moments of hope.

009 - Education Innovators at SXSW w/ Bridget Burns, Molly McMahon, James Campbell, & Lisa Brown Mar 22, 2018

In our first-ever field segment, Eric Waldo hits SXSW Education and interviews education innovators from around the country. But before that, the hosts unpack and react to Secretary Betsy Devos’s 60 Minutes interview.

008 - Facing the Challenges of Native American Education w/ Larry Roberts, Former Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior Mar 15, 2018

Join us this week as we examine the Obama Administration’s biggest challenges and accomplishments regarding American Indian affairs and the issues that face the education of Native American children and students today. This week, we have a special host filling in for Eric Waldo: Don Yu, Director of the Better Make Room initiative and former Chief Transformation Officer at the Bureau of Indian Education. As always, stick around for our moments of hope.

007 - Building Better Connections with Students w/ Angie Jerabek, Founder and Executive Director of the BARR Center Mar 08, 2018

On this episode, we talk about the Parkland students engaging, organizing, and leading a movement. How is this moment different than Sandy Hook or other school shootings? Also, we’re joined by Angie Jerabek, Founder and Executive Director of the BARR Center, as she talks about how schools can improve student performance through building better relationships.

006 - Tackling higher education's toughest challenges w/ Ted Mitchell, President of American Council on Education and Former Under Secretary of Education Mar 01, 2018

This week, our good friend Ted Mitchell is in the studio to discuss innovation in higher education. Join us as he shares stories from his time as Former Under Secretary of Education and expands on how universities and colleges can tackle their toughest challenges to maximize student success. Stick with us till the end as we share some epic moments of hope.

005 - Dreamers and Education w/ Cecilia Muñoz, Former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Feb 22, 2018

On this episode, we talk about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA. Tune in for a conversation with the former Director of White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz, and Christian, a Dreamer, about what it meant for him and 800,000 others like him when the program was established and its effect on access to education. As always, join us at the end for our moments of hope.

Special Episode: Demand Safe Schools Feb 18, 2018

On an emergency pod, we bring you a conversation with Kara Fitzgerald, from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Kara grew up in Newtown, CT and was motivated by the tragedy in her own community to fight for gun violence prevention around the country. Tune in to learn about how you can get involved in your community to fight for common sense gun violence prevention.

004 - The Importance of STEM w/ Kumar Garg, Former Advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Feb 15, 2018

This week we bring down the house with rockstar guest Kumar Garg. Kumar is the former Assistant Director of Innovation and Learning in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this episode, we discuss the Trump Administration's "war on science," how we can organize around advancing STEM education, and incredible never-before-aired stories about the first-ever White House Science Fair and that one time President Obama launched a marshmallow in the White House State Dining Room. And we will end this week’s episode the same way we do every week with our Moment of Hope. Are you ready for this?

003 - Why School Counselors Matter w/ Kirsten Perry, 2018 School Counselor of the Year Feb 08, 2018

This week our hosts discuss the essential role that a school counselor plays in education and why they are a true bedrock in school systems. Appropriately, the team welcomes Kirsten Perry and talks about her journey to becoming 2018 School Counselor of the Year.

002 - Champions of Change: College Opportunity Edition (w/CEO of College Advising Corps, Nicole Hurd) Feb 04, 2018

swampED talks about organizing around College Opportunity when Congress doesn't want to help you. And Nicole Hurd joins swampED to talk about her inspiration to activate recent college grads to get them to serve in schools and help more students get to and through college. We end with our Moment of Hope.

001 - Introducing Your Hosts (w/ Former Secretary of Education, John King) Feb 04, 2018

Welcome to swampED. Your hosts Eric Waldo, Kyle Lierman, and Stephanie Sprow Owens talk about their journey into the Obama Administration and the Year in Education that was 2017. Former U.S. Secretary of Education, John B. King, Jr., stops by as the first swampED guest to talk about the DeVos record on equity. Stay to the end to hear the first Moment of Hope.

Welcome to swampED Jan 31, 2018

We took three former Obama staffers who worked on education, put them in a room, and pressed the record button.

This is swampED. Coming February 4th, 2018.

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