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.

From Rural Roots to Global Classrooms: A Conversation with Dr. Modjadji Choshi

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 speaks with Dr. Modjadji Choshi, Associate Professor of Nursing at James Madison University, about her inspiring journey from a remote village in South Africa to becoming a globally experienced nurse educator.

In this episode, Dr. Choshi shares:

- Her clinical and academic path through South Africa, Ireland, and the U.S.

- Insights from her PhD research on self-care among rural women post-coronary intervention

- The value of empowering nursing students and staying current with industry advancements

- How she creates supportive, student-centered learning environments

- The transformative impact of her South Africa study abroad program on cultural competence and hands-on learning

Dr. Choshi’s story is a powerful reminder of the global dimensions of healthcare education and the role educators play in shaping compassionate, culturally competent practitioners.

Tune in for an engaging conversation on nursing, mentorship, and the future of community-based learning.

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.

Imaginative Teaching, Embracing Discomfort, and Leading with Play – A Conversation with Dr. Delores Phillips

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 speaks with Dr. Delores Phillips, Director of the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Center at JMU, about her journey through higher education and her bold, creative approach to teaching and leadership.

In this episode, Dr. Phillips shares:

-How her path began as a teaching assistant at the University of Maryland.
-The value of imagination and play in creating meaningful learning environments.
-Why she encourages students to demonstrate knowledge through more than just traditional essays.
-How discomfort, especially in conversations about race, can lead to deeper understanding.
-The ongoing challenge of balancing personal well-being with professional responsibilities.
-The role gaming and community play in her self-care.
-The advice she’d give her younger self: Love yourself. Face the challenge. Ask for help.

Dr. Phillips offers a compelling look at how joy, challenge, and transformation can coexist in education. Tune in for a reflective and energizing conversation about teaching, equity, and care.

DISCLAIMER:

Dr. Phillips uses the phrase “heavy guns” as a metaphor to describe the powerful, creative, and courageous contributions her students bring to class discussions.

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.

Faculty Wellness and Well-being Week: A Conversation with Dr. Mollie Stambler

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the ideas, experiences, and challenges shaping academic life. In this Faculty Wellness and Well-being Week (FWWW) episode, host Dr. Eric Magrum speaks with Dr. Mollie Stambler, assistant professor at James Madison University, about health and wellness rhetorics, institutional wellness programs, and why community-focused approaches matter.

In this episode, Dr. Stambler shares:

-Her personal journey with wellness, weight, and chronic illness
- Concerns about employee wellness programs focused more on cost reduction than care
- Why terms like “wellness” need to be redefined through more inclusive, human and community-centered lenses
- JMU’s Okanagan Charter
- Ideas for shifting institutional priorities to reduce faculty burnout and support holistic well-being
-Faculty workloads and balance

Tune in for a thoughtful and critical reflection on how universities can move beyond check-the-box wellness and work toward true, community-centered health.

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.

Creating a Classroom That Feels Like Home: A Conversation with Dr. Cindy Klevickis

Welcome back to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, where we explore the experiences and strategies of passionate educators. In this episode, host Dr. Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Cindy Klevickis from JMU’s Faculty of Integrated Science and Engineering to discuss her journey from industry to academia and how she fosters a learning environment that feels like home.

In this episode, Dr. Klevickis shares:

-Her transition from working in the pharmaceutical industry to teaching at JMU

-What excellence in teaching means to her and how she continues to learn from others

-The role of enthusiasm and hands-on experiences in student engagement

-How food, real-world examples, and even dog walks inspire her classroom

-The quote that guides her philosophy: “A classroom should be the next best place to home”

-Why being a lifelong learner helps her grow alongside her students

Tune in for a thoughtful and grounded conversation about curiosity, connection, and the everyday joys of teaching.

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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.

Teaching Excellence, Personalizing the Classroom, and Building Rapport – A Conversation with Dr. Robyn Kondrad

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. Robyn Kondrad, Associate Professor at JMU’s Department of Psychology, to discuss her journey in academia, her approach to excellence in teaching, and how she fosters strong connections with her students.

In this episode, Dr. Kondrad shares:
-Her journey as an educator, teaching on a ship, and how she arrived at JMU.
-What excellence in teaching means to her.
-The unique qualities she brings to her role.
-How she integrates her personal life into her teaching using real-life experiences, including sharing photos of her own placenta!
-The importance of professor-student rapport and how building strong relationships enhances learning.
-Strategies for balancing faculty responsibilities with personal life.
-Expert advice on managing and engaging large classes effectively.

Dr. Kondrad’s approach to teaching highlights the power of authenticity, connection, and global perspectives in education. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on making learning engaging, personal, and impactful.

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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 to the CFI Faculty Lounge Podcast, a space for continuous learning and actionable insights for faculty.

In this first episode, host Eric Magrum sits down with Dr. Timothy Ball, Professor in the School of Communication Studies at James Madison University, to explore his journey through academia, the key moments that shaped his career, and what excellence in teaching means to him.

In this episode, Dr. Ball shares:
-His journey as an educator, where it started and how he arrived at JMU.
-The mentors and turning points that shaped his path.
-What it means to be excellent in his role.
-The hobbies and interests that bring fresh energy to his work.
-How he balances faculty responsibilities with personal life.
-Advice he’d give his past self before his first day at JMU.

Disclaimer: In discussing his transition from journalism to academia, Dr. Ball shares an experience that includes a difficult conversation with a grieving parent. Listener discretion is advised.

Join us for an insightful conversation about career growth, work-life balance, and the evolving definition of scholarship 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.