Dr. Matheny Joins EdUp Experience Podcast
During a recent gathering of higher education leaders in Nashville, FVTC President Dr. Chris Matheny shared his insights as a guest on the national podcast The EdUp Experience.
He was joined by Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia, Ed.D., president of Chippewa Valley Technical College, and together the two Wisconsin technical college presidents discussed everything from the value of community colleges, helping students stay in school, how to retain faculty and staff, and the future of higher education.
The episode was recorded during the Alliance for Innovation & Transformation (AFIT) Summer Institute. AFIT is a group of higher education CEOs committed to innovation and leading by example. The theme of this year’s Summer Institute was Talent & the Future of Work: Leading with Happiness & Humanity.
A few of Dr. Matheny's comments during the conversation:
On helping students stay in school:
"We really try to meet our students where they are. The relationships between individuals, whether as a manager, an employee or a faculty member and a student—taking the student by the hand and getting them to the bookstore, the Bursar's office, or to their classroom on day one, is maybe the most important person in the institution for someone who's afraid or uncertain about whether they belong there. And just to have a friendly face and somebody to say, ‘let me take you there.’ And along the way, say, ‘oh, I'm glad you're going to be a nursing student or a manufacturing student or whatever. Best of luck on day one.’ It makes a real difference."
On helping people understand the value of higher education:
"Redefining and expanding the idea of what higher education looks like is so important. The right path for you at the right time might mean you go from us to a four-year baccalaureate degree, and then come back. And I think we have to get the public and policymakers especially thinking that does not mean failure. It means success at a particular point in your life, and that institution and that program might be a good fit for the student."
Listen to the complete podcast >