This episode caps off the third year of the Culture and Belonging podcast. In that time we've talked to more than 36 guests, from students and staff to faculty and beyond. We've heard so many great stories and learned so many lessons about promoting intercultural competency.

In this episode, Rich and Wendy reflect on how the podcast started, how far they've come, and where they would like to go from here. And they give their own personal definitions of culture and belonging.

Troy University has more than 150 student organizations—so many that you could never hope to be an active member of them all. That hasn’t stopped Zara Smith from trying. She’s making it a priority to discover as many new experiences and perspectives as possible.

Zara is a member of Chi Omega sorority, a Trojan Ambassador, Chief Justice of the Student Government Association, and editor of Troy’s yearbook, The Palladium.

On this episode, Dr. Kerry Palmer shares how his experience working in K-12 education, particularly as a band director, changed his approach to leadership. And we'll talk about what we can do to promote a sense of belonging in higher education.

Today we’re talking to Dr. Javier Boyas, director of the TROY School of Social Work and Human Services. Together, we talk about how cultural understanding is not a destination but rather something dynamic and constantly evolving.

We are big believers in the power of study abroad trips. New sights, new sounds, new people—it all makes for a richer experience that goes beyond what students could learn from just reading about a new place. This month we’ve got another one of Rich’s students on to talk about her recent trip to Puerto Rico. Camille Bowers is a political science student here at Troy University. We'll hear what she learned in Puerto Rico and how she became a snowboarder despite living in Alabama.

To err is human. But being open about our mistakes in the workplace takes a culture of communication and trust. If you've ever been the new guy or gal in the office, you know it can take time to build that trust. Both of our guests today have changed departments at Troy University and share their experiences building a culture of openness.

Many people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on 9/11. That makes sense. It was a traumatic and unforgettable event that changed the course of history. But we are rapidly moving into a world where more and more adults have no memory of 9/11 because they were either too young when it happened or weren’t born yet. It’s been 24 years since September 11, 2001. And it’s difficult to explain to people who weren’t there just how much that day changed the culture of our institutions and our nation. Our guest today is here to offer his memories and reflections on 9/11. Dr. Duane Gunn is a lecturer and the Director of Operations for the Leadership Institute at Troy University. He served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force and was in the Pentagon when it was struck 24 years ago today.

We often think of culture as something that develops naturally, but, in an institutional setting, building the right culture takes a concerted effort. Dr. Laura Dove is the assistant dean at the Sorrell College of Business here at Troy University. She’s also the director of the Sorrell 360 Center, which prepares students for success in business and life. She’ll tell us how she promotes cultural competence in her students and builds an institutional culture of open communication.