Dr. Nate Woods, Jr. and Jason Wiedl: Modeling Inclusion and Making Tomorrow

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Welcome to Tomorrow Makers, where we explore how we learn, live, work, and play now and

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in the future.

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I'm Carlos Ramos.

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And I'm Sumer Beatty.

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Hi, Sumer.

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Hi.

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How are you doing?

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I'm great.

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How are you?

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I'm doing wonderful.

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So we're talking right before recording this.

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This is the very first Tomorrow Makers podcast.

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We're like, how do we make this thing, this Penn College podcast?

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This thing that's coming to everyone from Pennsylvania College of Technology.

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It's going to have experts and other guests from, not to say that other guests aren't

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experts but anyway.

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So they're all experts.

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Everyone's an expert.

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We are declaring that right now.

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So you know when you're listening, you're listening to an expert.

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So we got all these experts from across Penn College campus community.

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And we're like, how do we make this relevant?

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How do we say that this is relevant to everyone else out there because it is?

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How do we do that?

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Yeah, I think you did.

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I feel like if you're listening to this, give us five minutes, give us 10 minutes, you will

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see.

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I feel like you'll connect with us regardless if you're here on campus or you're across

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the nation.

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All right.

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Check it out.

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Perfect.

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Well, we start things off on a high note.

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And I think we're going to keep going higher as we go.

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But I mean, we set the bar high here with our first guests.

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You want to talk about it?

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So we have Dr. Nate Woods, and he is our special assistant to the President for Inclusion Transformation.

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And so before we started the podcast, we sent out a survey, just a bunch of people across

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campus here, who should we have on the podcast?

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And the name that just kept coming up.

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You got to have Nate on the podcast.

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And if you've met Nate, you know why.

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Yeah.

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Now, hopefully, we have a lot of people that don't know Nate.

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Yeah, sure.

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And if you don't know Nate, I think, you know, Carlos said, how do we describe Nate?

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I feel like he's a changemaker.

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I just think he's got that energy.

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And if you meet him, you will know.

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And when you hear him, I think you'll also know.

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So we're really excited about this one.

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And because we want this to be a conversation, we thought it made sense.

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Let's get a student in this.

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And Jason Wiedl, construction management student, he came to us and he's like, why

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don't you have a podcast?

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I think he said it a lot nicer than that.

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He did.

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No, so was that great?

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Yeah, we'll make a podcast.

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But guess who's going to be on that first one?

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So we have Jason.

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Yeah, that's great.

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So we got a little bit of back and forth with Jason and with Nate.

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And we got some new equipment and we played with the equipment.

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And that didn't go so wonderfully.

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But it is wonderful.

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Let them decide.

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Maybe they'll love it.

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Let us know what you think.

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So without further ado, here it is Tomorrow Makers, a Penn College podcast.

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Enjoy.

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Enjoy.

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This is so legit.

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We are recording now.

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So yeah.

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All right.

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What's happening?

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Oh, it didn't work.

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Oh, yeah.

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Still wildcat waiting.

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Oh my goodness.

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We still don't know the name of this podcast.

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It could be Wildcast.

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I think we're are we are we into that?

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The Wildcast?

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I don't think so.

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I don't think we're into that.

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No.

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Everybody likes Tomorrow Makers.

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Yeah.

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Welcome to the Tomorrow Makers.

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I did it again.

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I can't go the Tomorrow Makers, the Penn College podcast.

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It's got to be Tomorrow Makers.

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Welcome to Tomorrow Makers, the Penn College podcast.

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Yes, you got it.

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That's perfect.

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Yeah.

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I like it.

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All right.

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It's actually strong with the music, too.

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That makes so much sense.

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Oh, but it's not long enough.

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We're going to have to come up with some of our own music.

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All right.

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I'm Carlos.

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And I'm Sumer.

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And we're here with Jason.

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And do we say Dr. Woods or do you want to go more informal?

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We can go informal.

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We're here.

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All right.

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We're hanging out.

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All right.

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So you guys want to introduce yourselves?

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Yeah.

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So I'm Jason Wiedl.

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I'm a student here at Penn College in the construction management program.

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I'm also a student ambassador and a resident assistant.

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So yeah.

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You want me to follow that up?

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You got it.

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Okay.

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So I'm Nate Woods, special assistant to the president for inclusion.

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I don't have anything else.

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Oh, you don't?

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I thought your title was inclusion transformation.

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You left.

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That's not.

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So special assistant to the president for inclusion.

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Oh, transformation.

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You left off the heavy word there.

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Transformation.

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My goodness.

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I'm slipping.

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I thought maybe we were done.

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We're done transforming.

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You did your job.

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You made it happen.

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Not in a year.

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Not in a year.

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No.

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So special assistant to the president for inclusion transformation.

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I spend so much time talking about the inclusion portion because that's the real work is when

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you do the inclusion piece, the transformation happens.

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And so whoever came up with my title, we're forward-thinking and they really thought through

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that.

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So that's cool.

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But I'm saying, what's that Jason?

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Come on, man.

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Come on.

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Oh, this is awesome.

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I'm really looking forward to good conversation today.

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No doubt.

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No doubt.

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Yeah.

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And Jason, you just came from a final this morning, right?

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I did.

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I did.

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So last one, last one of the semester.

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So I'm excited.

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What are you doing this summer?

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I have an internship lined up back at home for a general contractor.

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We're doing some redevelopment in downtown Pittston right on Main Street.

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So looking forward to that.

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Nice.

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Redevelopment.

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Yep.

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Geez, man.

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Amazing.

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Amazing.

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I'm excited.

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So all right, let's get started here.

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All right, let's work.

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All right.

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So just kind of keeping it informal.

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It's been a little bit since we talked.

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So how's everything been?

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It's good.

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So family is great.

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I love being on campus and I love the people.

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I just spent, you know, two days ago, I was working in dining services.

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So I worked there from seven to two serving.

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And I think that this is what's amazing is you get an opportunity to like truly we get

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an opportunity.

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I get the privilege to go and work in different areas and departments to better understand

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the culture.

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And so that's been probably the most rewarding piece so far is getting to know everyone and

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spend time with them.

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So that's what's been happening.

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Nice.

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Yeah.

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So nothing new.

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I mean, I feel like you've been doing that since you started.

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Oh, yeah.

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So yeah, so kind of going off a little bit of our conversation already with your title

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of special assistant to the president for inclusion transformation.

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It's a tall order.

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So the word transformation is powerful and holds a lot of power there.

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So can you walk us through a little bit of like what you do here in your role at Penn

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College?

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Yeah.

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So there's a lot of things that happen.

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If I could just simplify it.

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What I do here in Penn College is twofold.

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So I work on systematic change and then programming.

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That's really the basis of what I do.

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So systematic is the things if you look at construction, the systematic portion are the

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things that I do behind the walls, like the electric, the plumbing, you know, the things

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people don't see, but it allows you to function at a greater capacity within your home.

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And then there's the programming portion, which is the things that you see.

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So the beautiful kitchen, you know, the bathroom, the tile is nice.

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You know, that's it.

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So it's the programming, the things that people see that makes the systematic work easier

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because they have a visible or something that's visual and tangible that they can touch.

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So they can say, oh, I see now what Nate was talking about because we have programming

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for that.

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It makes sense now.

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But it's the real work, the long-term work is in the systematic change.

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If that doesn't happen, programming is essentially useless because it's formality and not real

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change.

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Nice.

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So, yeah, so I mean, we're happy that you came here to Penn College, but it's been a

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long, long journey.

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And so what kind of brought you here to Penn College, to Williamsport, Pennsylvania?

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Wow.

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So I'm originally from North Carolina and a country boy from Salisbury.

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Shout out to Salisbury.

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It's not Salisbury.

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Salisbury steak.

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No, it's not that.

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Salisbury, North Carolina, originally from there.

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And when I just continued to progress in my career, we ended up in Washington state and

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I was the workforce dean of education there and a tenured faculty member in human services.

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And it was an amazing opportunity where we were at.

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My wife was in athletics as an assistant athletic director and we were doing great things, but

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we were homesick.

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East Coast, baby, let's go.

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So we needed to get back to the East Coast and my wife ended up being hired at Lycoming

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College and it was a great opportunity.

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And from there, Mike Reed and forgive me, Dr. Reed and Dr. Gilmore ended up getting

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my resume.

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We had a couple of conversations.

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Hillary was brought into the picture and I came here for an interview that lasted all

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day.

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All day.

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Yeah, all day.

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Like a hundred people.

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Yeah, they met with about 25 to 100.

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Yeah, it all literally all day interview.

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But it was amazing.

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And I was just floored at the campus and the amount of work.

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I met Pace and Joanna then and they showed me around.

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It was amazing.

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And I met so many people.

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I don't even remember everyone that I met that day.

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But there were so many people, so many people.

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But a funny story, Dr. Reed and I, this is how we talk about just authenticity and being

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like full of candor, right?

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And so we're sitting down and we're in the interview and he's sitting across from me

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and we're on the patio behind CC and he has a necktie on and I have a necktie on.

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You want to come right?

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So all tied up and we're just talking about candor and honesty and everything.

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And I said, look, if I can be transparent, I wouldn't have worn his necktie.

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He said, for real?

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He said, I don't wear a necktie either.

267
00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,000
I was looking at my wife saying, which tie should I wear?

268
00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,160
I said, I don't like neckties anymore.

269
00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:04,160
He said, I don't either.

270
00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:05,160
So guess what we did?

271
00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,080
He was like, I said, well, I'm about to take this off.

272
00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:08,080
He said, me too.

273
00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,840
And we snatched off our neckties and we finished the rest of the interview.

274
00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:17,040
And it was just, it was really cool because we came in the appropriate way.

275
00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,600
But after much dialogue and conversation, we were able to just connect a different way.

276
00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,640
And Pace was laughing.

277
00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,000
I've never seen this in an interview, but we just snatched our neckties off.

278
00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,680
I was like, cool, let's keep going.

279
00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,160
And it's feel a lot better now.

280
00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,600
We were able to let our hair down and continue in that authentic work.

281
00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,720
And I think it's shown in some of the work that we've been able to do so far.

282
00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,360
Yeah, I think that we see that here at the college.

283
00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:49,680
I mean, historically, we embrace the casualness when we need to, but when we need to get to

284
00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:50,680
work.

285
00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:51,680
Most times work.

286
00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:52,680
We get to work.

287
00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:53,680
Absolutely.

288
00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:56,000
And I think we move at a faster pace in most places.

289
00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,860
And some would say, no, no, no, no, we really do.

290
00:11:58,860 --> 00:12:02,440
We move at a faster clip than most places.

291
00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,760
They're going to spend a lot more time deliberating.

292
00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:11,000
And there's some things we still move slow with, but for good cause, right?

293
00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,120
Sometimes you need to slow down so you can move further.

294
00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:18,160
But we move at a faster pace than most organizations in education, seriously.

295
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:19,160
Oh, yeah.

296
00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:25,480
And I think we've seen that throughout your time here, throughout Dr. Reed's time, and

297
00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,880
hopefully in the future too, moving forward.

298
00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:28,880
Absolutely.

299
00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:35,080
So you kind of talk about the casual aspect of that day when you came for your interview

300
00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,080
here at Penn College.

301
00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,960
Was there anything else that day or that you've seen since that's really unique and stands

302
00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,840
out, catches your eye about Penn College?

303
00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:45,900
Yeah, I think more than anything, the people.

304
00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:48,720
So the people are unique.

305
00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:53,000
And so the fact that we have a lot of industry individuals here that are working, that are

306
00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,680
teaching, that's a big deal.

307
00:12:54,680 --> 00:12:56,680
And that's rare.

308
00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:00,700
Something else that you see is the heart for the student.

309
00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:05,040
So you can walk on this campus and we can disagree about 15,000 things.

310
00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:09,400
But the one thing everyone will agree on is we're going to do this for the students.

311
00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,920
And we're going to put aside our differences and we're going to make sure our students

312
00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,980
are in the best hands and they have the best equipment and they have the best experience

313
00:13:15,980 --> 00:13:20,120
so that they can be great Tomorrow Makers.

314
00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:25,120
You saw how through that plug.

315
00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:32,080
That's when we break for commercial.

316
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:37,120
So we talk about everything that Penn College has to offer and the uniqueness here.

317
00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,720
Is there anything that you want to see at Penn College, you want to see happen here

318
00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:43,520
in the near future?

319
00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:58,960
Yeah, well, one, I would love, I think one day, and Dr. Reed probably said it best, we

320
00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:05,840
shouldn't be, no longer should we be excited about being the hidden secret, like that hidden

321
00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:07,600
jewel or that hidden diamond.

322
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,520
Okay, those days are long gone.

323
00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,040
People need to know about us.

324
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,640
We should be talked about.

325
00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,680
And I think that's the one thing that I would like to see change is just, and that's not

326
00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:20,040
a marketing thing.

327
00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,800
It is an awareness, right?

328
00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,640
And so it's not just, because we've always so simple as marketing.

329
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,000
It's not that simple.

330
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:33,320
We need like people getting out speaking, showcasing our students.

331
00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,560
And when alum is out, like we talk about and we've seen that and that's why we're growing

332
00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:38,560
like we are.

333
00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,320
That's why scholarships are at an all-time high and you know, college relations are doing

334
00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:47,280
so well, raising funding and then workforce education is so strong is because we're getting

335
00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:48,640
our name out there.

336
00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:54,000
And all I would like to see is us continue that and not slow down, but just hit it harder.

337
00:14:54,000 --> 00:15:03,080
Even the idea of partnering with other colleges so that students want to come from other places

338
00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:04,080
here.

339
00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,240
So they may get some stuff there and then they come here or may get some stuff here

340
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,560
and you go there to get a master's or a doctorate.

341
00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,120
But because we have agreements, that would be amazing, right?

342
00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:19,920
So if Yale said, oh, we need that hands-on that you provide, but we want to offer something

343
00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:21,400
else and we would love to partner with you.

344
00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:23,180
That's mind-blowing.

345
00:15:23,180 --> 00:15:25,200
Not throwing them out there.

346
00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,480
It would just be cool to see that type of partnership with other institutions.

347
00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:29,480
Yeah, definitely.

348
00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:34,480
And when you have as many employers coming here for a career fair as there are students,

349
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,680
I mean, we definitely need to get some more students here.

350
00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:41,120
So the growth matters, right?

351
00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,580
We can't produce students fast enough.

352
00:15:44,580 --> 00:15:47,320
What an amazing problem to have.

353
00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,200
We can't produce students fast enough.

354
00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,200
That's amazing.

355
00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,720
And someone say, well, just get more students.

356
00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,680
Diminish the quality.

357
00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,920
So it's not as easy as just flipping a light switch to fix it.

358
00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,680
It takes strategy and it takes time.

359
00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:04,680
Yeah, definitely.

360
00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:05,680
Yeah, my man.

361
00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:06,680
Keep going.

362
00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:07,680
You're doing great, by the way.

363
00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:08,680
You're doing amazing.

364
00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,880
Do we have an applause on there?

365
00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,000
We do, but I'm afraid to hit one and find out what might be there.

366
00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:15,000
Try it.

367
00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:16,000
Just do it.

368
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,000
Let's go.

369
00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,000
You're doing amazing.

370
00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,000
I appreciate it.

371
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:28,400
I was one button away from the horn.

372
00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:33,120
So this kind of goes back to one of our first conversations.

373
00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:37,180
And it also plays into, as I said earlier, I'm a resident assistant.

374
00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:44,540
So for those who aren't familiar, resident assistants, we conduct all halls at the end

375
00:16:44,540 --> 00:16:52,120
of each year, academic year, which are kind of just a big event in our own little communities

376
00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,200
throughout the whole Penn College community.

377
00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,720
So there are several different all halls that go on.

378
00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:05,140
So going back to our conversation early, we had some, I know you threw out the idea of

379
00:17:05,140 --> 00:17:09,800
concert and I think you know some people.

380
00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,080
So I was thinking instead of doing all these mini...

381
00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:13,440
I feel like this is pressure right now.

382
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:14,440
I want to say we didn't know.

383
00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:19,440
I was going to ask because I have no idea what he's going to say.

384
00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,920
A little bit, but no, I just want to get your opinion on it.

385
00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:29,360
So instead of doing small little all halls, as we call them at the end of the year, I

386
00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:34,880
think we should get one big Penn College celebration.

387
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,200
I think that'll be great for our students.

388
00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:41,320
Yeah, I bet you do.

389
00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,200
I think we can get something behind it.

390
00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,840
You see, I saw you at the midnight breakfast.

391
00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:48,880
That's a huge event here.

392
00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:56,080
We have hundreds of students that come out to that event and really enjoy that event.

393
00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:57,080
Outfloured.

394
00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,860
You have faculty, you have administration that comes out to the event and shows their

395
00:18:00,860 --> 00:18:02,300
support as well.

396
00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:07,920
I think we can do the same in a concert setting or something for students right on the library

397
00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:08,920
lawn.

398
00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,640
I'm not opposed to that, but that's not my call.

399
00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,160
Let me be very clear.

400
00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:15,680
I think that would be cool.

401
00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:20,320
So a part of strategy is throw out ideas and we sit down, we take it back.

402
00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:23,200
We don't trash it and say, no, that's not what we're going to do, but there's something

403
00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:27,080
that we can definitely look into and then look at the security risk because there's

404
00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:28,800
a security factor involved.

405
00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:29,920
Especially if we do...

406
00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:30,920
The lawn is dope.

407
00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:31,920
Look out there.

408
00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:32,920
It's amazing.

409
00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:33,920
It's green, everything.

410
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,120
And my man's cutting it right now, so it looks really good.

411
00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:40,000
But the thing is, how do we do that?

412
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,000
What does that look like?

413
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,040
There is a cost factor involved.

414
00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:47,040
So that's something I'm okay with bringing that, taking it back to the team and having

415
00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:48,040
that conversation.

416
00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:49,040
Yeah.

417
00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,160
I just think when you look at other universities, other colleges, you see some of that.

418
00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,760
You see the concerts, the end-of-year celebrations.

419
00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,200
Who would you like to see?

420
00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,880
I think you'll have some differing opinions.

421
00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:04,360
So who would you like to see though?

422
00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:09,320
I do think that a country artist here at Penn College would be fitting.

423
00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,160
I think it would hit hard too.

424
00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,120
I think you'd get a lot of support behind that, a lot of student involvement.

425
00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,120
Let's ask the other guests.

426
00:19:16,120 --> 00:19:19,000
I mean the co-hosts and hosts and whatnot.

427
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,720
So what do we have?

428
00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:21,720
Who would you like to see on campus?

429
00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,880
Oh, I'd take Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters, the concert that I missed that hit...

430
00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:26,880
Foo Fighters.

431
00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:27,880
That's strong.

432
00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:28,880
That's strong.

433
00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,480
Who would you...

434
00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,120
I'm a Lumineers fan.

435
00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:33,120
I'm not familiar.

436
00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:34,120
Okay.

437
00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:35,120
Man.

438
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:36,120
Indy, I would say.

439
00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:37,120
Okay, Indy.

440
00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:38,120
I like that style.

441
00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:39,120
I think they border on country.

442
00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:40,120
Could they be country?

443
00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:41,120
There's some country vibe, maybe.

444
00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:42,120
I don't know.

445
00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:43,120
Do you know who they are?

446
00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:44,120
I like the Lumineers.

447
00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:45,120
Okay.

448
00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:46,120
It's one of my mom's favorites.

449
00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:47,120
Okay.

450
00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:48,120
No, he didn't do that.

451
00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:49,120
Did he just do that?

452
00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:50,120
He did that.

453
00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:51,120
Oh my goodness.

454
00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:52,120
All right.

455
00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:57,840
Well, we would pick a band that's appropriate for our student population.

456
00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,040
No doubt.

457
00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:00,040
That would be fun though.

458
00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:01,040
That would be fun.

459
00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,760
I think that would be really fun.

460
00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:06,520
We didn't hear yours though, Nate.

461
00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,520
I don't know, man.

462
00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,040
I'm a jazz fan.

463
00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:17,000
So no one would come to my concert.

464
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,000
I'm there.

465
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,000
Okay.

466
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,600
So very few people like, we're not going to sit out here this long and listen to jazz.

467
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,560
What in the world?

468
00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,400
That sounds like a good fit for the breakfast, the midnight breakfast.

469
00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:28,400
Yes.

470
00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:29,400
There you go.

471
00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,200
As long as they have sleeping bags because everyone will pass out.

472
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,040
Have to eat those pancakes right in the KDR, right?

473
00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,200
But no, so I don't know.

474
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:39,200
So many artists.

475
00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:43,400
I'm a Kendrick Lamar fan.

476
00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:44,400
Oh yeah.

477
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,400
Oh yeah.

478
00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:46,400
A J. Cole fan.

479
00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:51,040
So I would think it would be dope.

480
00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:52,720
I don't care who we bring.

481
00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,000
If we did something like that, it would be monumental on our campus.

482
00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:57,000
Oh yeah.

483
00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,000
It would be a first.

484
00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,000
Yeah.

485
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,000
Any first is monumental.

486
00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,000
No doubt.

487
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,000
No doubt.

488
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,000
Like this.

489
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:04,000
You got it right here.

490
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,000
Right here.

491
00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,000
This is a first.

492
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,760
And I think what he's doing is he's trying to set the stage, right?

493
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:09,760
So the first.

494
00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:10,760
Right.

495
00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:15,000
I'm starting to think this is the whole reason you wanted to help with the podcast to get

496
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,840
this concert to the college.

497
00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:20,800
It's been in the back of my mind.

498
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:29,160
But no, the podcast, things like bringing concerts, anything like that, that are firsts

499
00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:34,040
are big steps and there's some learning curves involved and things like that and a lot that

500
00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,560
goes into it.

501
00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:42,280
But anything like that is monumental and it brings great power behind it and for years

502
00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:43,280
to come.

503
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,640
But there again, it goes back to that, the question you was asking, what are the things

504
00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,200
that I would like to see?

505
00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:52,680
And seeing some growth and change and momentum, these are the things that are necessary, right?

506
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,600
Like hosting a TED Talk.

507
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:56,960
We can do it.

508
00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:58,920
We really can do it.

509
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,040
And we have the personnel to do it and facilitate something like that.

510
00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:03,040
Host a TED Talk.

511
00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:07,040
Now all of a sudden, institutions are coming here to give professional development and

512
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:08,040
to hear more.

513
00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:13,200
And all of a sudden, the people in our communities and expanding out of our communities are paying

514
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:19,120
attention because now there's a TED Talk being hosted in Williamsport, the home of the Little

515
00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:20,720
League World Series, right?

516
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,720
That's another commercial break.

517
00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,360
Well, you know who's going to get tapped to be the speaker.

518
00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:27,360
Not me.

519
00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:29,760
But it would be, it's fun.

520
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,720
I think that those are the things.

521
00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:37,540
I just finished the Innovation Series, so the Blue Belt with the Eureka Ranch, right?

522
00:22:37,540 --> 00:22:42,360
And I think that in that course, there's a system to innovation.

523
00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:48,280
And that's something that I think our institution should, like we do well, but I think we can

524
00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,480
really embody that and do that at an amazing level beyond well.

525
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,120
You get what I'm saying?

526
00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:56,220
But there's a system to innovation.

527
00:22:56,220 --> 00:22:58,440
It's not just throw something out there and then, oh, I think it works.

528
00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:03,840
I think, no, it's gather data, trial it, pilot it, let's vet it and see if it works.

529
00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,980
And if it works like that idea of the concert, we will vet it and see if it works.

530
00:23:07,980 --> 00:23:12,400
And if it makes sense with everything, with our stakeholders and with our students, does

531
00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:13,960
it speaks to our mission?

532
00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:15,660
Does it speak to the students?

533
00:23:15,660 --> 00:23:17,120
Does it speak to our values?

534
00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:23,400
And if so, and we have the resources to do it, maybe a concert coming up.

535
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:24,400
I don't know.

536
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:25,400
I didn't just vet it.

537
00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,840
I'm just saying that's what the process will look, because there's a system, right?

538
00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,840
And then we'll build from there.

539
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:36,340
And concerts more on the casual, relaxed side of things to give students like a little celebration

540
00:23:36,340 --> 00:23:37,340
at the end of the year.

541
00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:42,080
Definitely, like the TED Talks, TEDx hold conference here in Williamsport.

542
00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:43,440
I think that would be huge.

543
00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:48,360
That kind of goes back to the night of empowerment that we held here in Williamsport, which I

544
00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:49,360
thought was a great event.

545
00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:54,160
And I think we need more events like that, because students love going out to those and

546
00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,320
you learn a lot, something like that.

547
00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:02,160
An hour, two-hour long presentation conference, whatever it may be, you get a lot out of that

548
00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:08,040
and you kind of come back from it, thinking back on it and feeling like, wow, that was

549
00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:09,040
powerful.

550
00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:10,040
It was.

551
00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,160
And a couple of students got internships off of it as well.

552
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,320
So that's a big deal.

553
00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,920
Now I might be wrong, but I think there was a TedEx Williamsport group.

554
00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,680
I'm not sure if they're still active, but I think that might be some summer homework

555
00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:23,680
for you, Jason.

556
00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:24,680
Oh yeah, definitely.

557
00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:25,680
Find that out.

558
00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:26,680
That's your homework.

559
00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,560
That will be huge.

560
00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:31,840
That's a big deal.

561
00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:32,840
Yeah.

562
00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:33,840
Big deal.

563
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:35,760
All right, so what we got next, J?

564
00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:36,760
Oh yeah.

565
00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:43,160
So just kind of going off, what do you see as one of our biggest challenges here at Penn

566
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:44,160
College?

567
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:49,960
I know we kind of talked a little bit about being with the hidden gem and how we're trying

568
00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,320
to move on from that and grow upon that.

569
00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:58,240
And we talked a little bit about innovation, the Eureka Ranch, Blue Belt, and things that

570
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:04,440
we offer that people outside of Penn College may not know that we offer those things.

571
00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:09,560
I found Penn College through a Google search of innovative schools, and Penn College came

572
00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,980
up for number three on the Northeast region.

573
00:25:12,980 --> 00:25:19,000
We have a student from the Bahamas, I don't want to be wrong, from Caribbean.

574
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,520
And he looked up innovative colleges, and he found Penn College.

575
00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,640
I think we were number two.

576
00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:31,000
And so the question was, we need to work on that SEO.

577
00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,720
You just got done saying this wasn't a marketing problem.

578
00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:40,040
I was like, no, Nate, no we're not.

579
00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:45,160
But no, but like you said, people are trying, they're just searching and they're finding

580
00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,360
us.

581
00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:49,020
Still the hidden jewel, right?

582
00:25:49,020 --> 00:25:50,500
But they're finding us.

583
00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:58,680
Even if we have close to 5,000 that found us, what would it be if we're no longer hidden?

584
00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,600
If we're not hidden anymore?

585
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,240
I don't know if we would be able to contain what's coming, right?

586
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:05,800
Like it would be that much.

587
00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,040
And to me, that's exciting.

588
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:13,720
It makes me go back to my office and say, hey, we need to look at how we're going to

589
00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:14,720
handle this.

590
00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,680
Are we prepared for what's to come?

591
00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:18,680
That's encouraging.

592
00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,680
It shows opportunity.

593
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:26,040
I think one of the areas that would be an opportunity, just coming off of the innovation

594
00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:36,360
series, sometimes we're so busy, we don't make room for investments in the future.

595
00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:41,880
And what I mean by that is we don't take time, we don't allot or schedule ourselves time

596
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:46,160
to be innovative because we're always doing the next thing or we're always putting out

597
00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:47,240
a fire.

598
00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:54,480
And so I think just systematically looking at where we are as an institution, every department,

599
00:26:54,480 --> 00:27:01,400
every person and being authentic and saying, hey, all of us are busy, but are we all this

600
00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,600
busy?

601
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:12,680
If everyone is this busy, I think is the Eisenhower matrix says, if everything is urgent and important,

602
00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:14,680
nothing is.

603
00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:21,000
So if everyone is that busy, I'm just being real animated, that busy, not really that

604
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,000
busy.

605
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,600
It's a facade.

606
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,400
But if we say, OK, I have a lot of things on my plate and I'm managing my time well

607
00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:35,160
and I'm a schedule, every two weeks I'm a schedule an hour or once a month I'm a schedule

608
00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,320
an hour where we have an innovative hour in my department.

609
00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:43,880
Then this is the hour when we sit down and we don't cut out any ideas, just spitball

610
00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:44,880
out.

611
00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:49,600
So we have a list and then the next hour we're going to come through and pick out two and

612
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,320
we're going to go through the process.

613
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:53,640
There's a process to innovation.

614
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,120
We're going to go through the process on two.

615
00:27:55,120 --> 00:27:59,120
Then we come back and we'll go through the process on the next until we figure out what

616
00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:04,080
we can do best or until we figure out how to better manage the time so we can innovate.

617
00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,080
Wow.

618
00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,080
That was a lot.

619
00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:12,560
So do you see, like, can you give a little bit of a preview of any of the recent innovations

620
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:16,840
or things that you see come into fruition in your future?

621
00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,240
Currently I'm glad Carlos is in the building.

622
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:27,480
This is going to be a handoff I'm not prepared for.

623
00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:28,640
So not at all.

624
00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:35,880
So something that I'm working on is my project was it's called the representation campaign.

625
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:40,280
And so because we are a predominantly white institution, it is what it is.

626
00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:46,680
That's not bad, but because we are that, we have students that are of the global majority,

627
00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:48,720
come from various backgrounds.

628
00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,400
And what I want to do is do a representation campaign.

629
00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:57,160
Are we going to hire 25% more diverse clients tomorrow?

630
00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:58,760
I mean, staff and faculty?

631
00:28:58,760 --> 00:28:59,760
No.

632
00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,200
Are we going to increase our student body population by 25%?

633
00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:03,680
No, we're not.

634
00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,480
But what we can do is show representation and imaging.

635
00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:18,240
So my project was to go through every major and find greats in that particular field.

636
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:19,660
So construction, right?

637
00:29:19,660 --> 00:29:27,000
So find greats that someone that has a disability or someone that's transgender in that community,

638
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,000
someone that is of the global majority in that community.

639
00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:31,000
I don't say minorities.

640
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,960
I say global majority.

641
00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,720
There's a research around it.

642
00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:36,720
Hello.

643
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:37,720
Okay.

644
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:38,720
So.

645
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:44,960
And then we have these pictures and images of different people within construction, and

646
00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,480
we hang those and line the walls with them.

647
00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:49,480
What does that do?

648
00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,400
Does that make our campus more diverse?

649
00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:52,640
No, it doesn't.

650
00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:54,160
But it shows representation.

651
00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:58,760
So when students are coming on our campus or family members are on our campus, they

652
00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:00,880
can say, oh, this is the culture.

653
00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:01,880
They embody this.

654
00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:02,880
They welcome this.

655
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:04,520
This is a part of who they are.

656
00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,840
I think I'll be okay if I stop here.

657
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:11,680
If I stop here and not go to the next institution and make this my choice, I think I'll be okay.

658
00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:15,400
And I think what it does is culturally, it makes everyone more aware as well.

659
00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:20,120
And we do that in every major across our entire campus.

660
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:21,120
That's great.

661
00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:22,120
I love that.

662
00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:23,120
Representation campaign.

663
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:24,120
I appreciate that.

664
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:25,120
Yes.

665
00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:26,120
Good job.

666
00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:27,120
Let us know what you need.

667
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,460
I'll speak for Carlos.

668
00:30:29,460 --> 00:30:32,760
But Sumer knows exactly where that work's going to go.

669
00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:34,960
From here to here.

670
00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:43,000
But I think that it will be so low cost, high yield.

671
00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,800
And when we think about concerts, we have to, you know, you don't find the dopest artist

672
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:52,280
who's charging $60,000 a show, right?

673
00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,240
$150,000 a show.

674
00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:59,200
You have to find the next artist as they're inching their way in or someone on their way

675
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,840
out.

676
00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:02,840
Low cost.

677
00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,760
And you get a high yield, right?

678
00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:07,760
That's my idea.

679
00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:12,000
But we have so many brilliant ideas that are coming through the pipeline.

680
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,720
So I can't wait to see where we are.

681
00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,720
So what if someone has an idea, someone's listening to this and they have a really great

682
00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:19,720
idea?

683
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:20,720
What do they do?

684
00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:22,400
That's a great question.

685
00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:26,340
We don't have a think tank space yet.

686
00:31:26,340 --> 00:31:28,320
And I think we need to create a think tank space.

687
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:32,460
So if you have a great idea and you're like, I don't want it to get squandered, shoot me

688
00:31:32,460 --> 00:31:33,460
an email.

689
00:31:33,460 --> 00:31:37,240
You know, nwoods at, you know, the rest.

690
00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:38,240
PCT.edu.

691
00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:39,560
Put it in the show notes.

692
00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:40,560
Yeah.

693
00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,000
Just shoot me an email and I'll put it in an innovative folder that I have so then it's

694
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,100
not put to the, it's not thrown away.

695
00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:51,160
But I think that's something we can start thinking about big picture is how do we get

696
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:55,200
these ideas out and they not get cut down?

697
00:31:55,200 --> 00:32:02,880
And that just the psychology, the counseling in me starts to think of the word trust next.

698
00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:06,800
If I put my idea out there, can I trust that it's going to fully be vetted?

699
00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:11,640
Or is it going to be put to the side?

700
00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,000
And so with me, it won't be put to the side.

701
00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:18,760
It's going to be in a folder because I'm not the innovative team, right?

702
00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,040
But I think we can create something where we can start looking at innovative ways to

703
00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,960
enhance our campus.

704
00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:30,200
Something I've been working on and a couple other students and a couple faculty are student

705
00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:31,200
run businesses.

706
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:32,200
Yeah.

707
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,840
So any insight on there?

708
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,960
Any of your thoughts on student-run businesses and they mean coming to Penn College?

709
00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:40,960
Yeah.

710
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,120
So one, I think that's genius.

711
00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:44,960
We're teaching.

712
00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,220
There are a couple of parts to that that I think are important.

713
00:32:47,220 --> 00:32:50,160
So the first thing is one, we need that, right?

714
00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:55,440
We need if we're teaching you how to work for someone, we should also teach you how

715
00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,240
to work for yourself.

716
00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:00,600
You should also teach financial literacy.

717
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:05,360
We have students coming out of here making more money than their parents ever made.

718
00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:10,800
And somebody's going to get some new toys.

719
00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:15,840
And so how do we just give you the resources so that you don't put yourself in a bind

720
00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:19,580
because now you have access to more resources than you ever could.

721
00:33:19,580 --> 00:33:23,940
This is one of the things that most people struggle with is when people hit the lottery,

722
00:33:23,940 --> 00:33:26,840
you know, the mass majority of people that hit the lottery end up in worse debt than

723
00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:28,840
they were before they hit the lottery.

724
00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:34,120
Well, if I'm making more money than my parents ever made, and I'm just starting, that's

725
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,960
lottery.

726
00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,120
That is hitting the lottery, right?

727
00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:43,360
And I've never learned how to manage these resources, then that can create a situation.

728
00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:49,560
So with this having the student-run businesses, I think what it will do is it will give us

729
00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:54,600
new insight or give us push us to this place where we start thinking about financial literacy,

730
00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:55,600
how to run a business.

731
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:56,840
What does that look like?

732
00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:57,920
How do you do your paperwork?

733
00:33:57,920 --> 00:33:58,920
How do you file your paperwork?

734
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:03,240
And I mean, and it gives you the confidence to go out and work for someone else, respect

735
00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:08,080
helping someone grow their business, and then still also do your thing if you decide to

736
00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,820
do so and you have the confidence to do it.

737
00:34:10,820 --> 00:34:12,520
No better place to learn in right here.

738
00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:13,520
Oh, yeah.

739
00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:18,520
With all the resources that Penn College has to offer and the spaces and everything like

740
00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:24,520
that, I think we can really grow an entrepreneurial spirit and entrepreneurial culture mixed with

741
00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,360
the innovation of Penn College.

742
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:27,360
Absolutely.

743
00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:28,360
And do some great things.

744
00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:29,440
I think it will change.

745
00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,640
I think that alone will change how we teach.

746
00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:34,720
Oh, yeah.

747
00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:35,760
How we teach.

748
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:42,120
And then it also, what it also does is it reminds us as institutions, because sometimes

749
00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:48,020
we think because we have a doctorate or a degree or a certificate or we have some experience

750
00:34:48,020 --> 00:34:52,240
that we're smartest in the room, but that's not true always.

751
00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:58,840
And so we're smarter when we have more minds in the mix instead of just one mind.

752
00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:05,760
And so sitting down, listening to your input makes me better and it helps us as a campus

753
00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:06,760
big picture.

754
00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,940
And so I think there's a lot that we can learn from our students if we give them an opportunity

755
00:35:10,940 --> 00:35:15,980
for you to voice your opinions and your thoughts.

756
00:35:15,980 --> 00:35:16,980
So what do you see?

757
00:35:16,980 --> 00:35:23,920
You talked about some near-future goals and some things coming to fruition here.

758
00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:28,480
What do you see for big picture like 10 years down the road here at Penn College?

759
00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:38,240
Just thoughts like anything you think that you'd like to see down the road or anything?

760
00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:41,080
Wow.

761
00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:49,640
What I see is a campus that is more diverse than a city.

762
00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:54,180
And I see the city.

763
00:35:54,180 --> 00:35:59,560
What I see in my mind or my hope would be is our institution becomes the hub for the

764
00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:01,440
city.

765
00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:07,040
Our resources, connections, business, ag, whatever you want to call it will come, will

766
00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,520
be the center and will be the hub.

767
00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:15,300
And I think that's what most institutions really want to be, is be the innovative space

768
00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:20,120
or the hub and whatever community they're in so that everyone is going in and off the

769
00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:21,120
campus.

770
00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:24,920
It would be amazing to look out and we see people walking and spending time on our campus

771
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:26,680
that's not even a part of our campus.

772
00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:30,560
Not to do harm, but because this is the place to be.

773
00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:34,640
I'm just, families just, you need to see, they're walking their children when they're

774
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:40,440
five and six and seven across our campus to say, oh, you wouldn't believe what it was?

775
00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:41,440
Ten years ago.

776
00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:46,680
Oh, I can't wait to see you come on this campus.

777
00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:53,640
That's what my dream, that's my selfish dream, is to see my children walk off of this campus

778
00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:58,240
as graduates and going into the world doing great things.

779
00:36:58,240 --> 00:36:59,280
I really like that.

780
00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,240
I think it plays into everything that we've kind of talked about.

781
00:37:02,240 --> 00:37:06,920
You have the community coming to those Ted Talks and the Knights of Empowerment and you

782
00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:11,080
have the community supporting our student run businesses and things like that.

783
00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:18,440
That's, I mean, at the end of the day, I'm a fan of community so I don't see us operating

784
00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:19,820
outside of community.

785
00:37:19,820 --> 00:37:23,720
We need each other in order to build.

786
00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:25,240
Yeah.

787
00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:31,600
So knowing your role here with us is to spark transformation, do you have a call to action

788
00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,160
for our community here in Penn College?

789
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:43,920
Yeah, so my first call to action would be be patient with yourselves and with each other

790
00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:49,080
as we're learning to engage in different population groups.

791
00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:54,280
And so if this is a learning institution, if someone uses the wrong pronouns or say

792
00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:59,040
something that's offensive, don't immediately jump to defense.

793
00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:02,920
I can't say don't be offended because it may hurt, right?

794
00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:10,120
But if this is a learning institution, at least give them the space to learn.

795
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:14,240
So teach them how to say it the right way or to do it the right way and then give them

796
00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:17,040
space to learn to adapt so that they can.

797
00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:21,480
And I think that's really important on our campus is if anything new is going to come

798
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:27,320
in, sometimes we fear what we don't understand, but we have to be patient and learn.

799
00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,200
This is an educational institution.

800
00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:33,000
And if you can't learn here, where do you learn at?

801
00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:40,920
If you can't learn at a school, it sounds simple, but it's a big deal.

802
00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:45,840
If you can't learn at a school, where do you learn?

803
00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,960
So we have to really be patient with ourselves.

804
00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:53,280
I don't care who you are, where you from, your background, we have to really be like

805
00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:58,140
be patient and say, you said that wrong, that hurt.

806
00:38:58,140 --> 00:39:02,240
This is how I would prefer you to say it.

807
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:05,200
And I may not talk to you ever again, and that's okay.

808
00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,120
But what did I do?

809
00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,200
I took the time to walk you through how to do it the right way the next time.

810
00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:15,080
That's what it takes.

811
00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:20,040
So about a little bit of a piece of advice or anything like that, that you can leave

812
00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,440
us with today.

813
00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:27,040
Okay, so this one of my favorite things.

814
00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,880
My uncle told me this years ago, and I believe it through and through.

815
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:35,280
My uncle told me this, he said, Nate, where your mind goes often enough, your body will

816
00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:37,880
soon follow.

817
00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,120
Where your mind goes often enough, your body will soon follow.

818
00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:46,680
So the piece of advice is if you don't know affirmation statements or how to talk positive

819
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:52,080
to yourself, look it up on your phone.

820
00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:56,880
Go see, speak to one of the counselors about affirmation statements, talk to your bosses

821
00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:59,600
or one of your professors, or come see me.

822
00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:03,800
But you have to start talking positive to yourself, particularly if you hear a lot of

823
00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:08,260
negative self-talk, or you do a lot of negative self-talk, or that's what you've been taught

824
00:40:08,260 --> 00:40:09,480
to do.

825
00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:10,640
This is an opportunity.

826
00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:11,720
Learn an institution.

827
00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:15,720
Learn how to talk positive to yourself, because where your mind goes often enough, your body

828
00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:16,800
will follow.

829
00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:19,280
It will eventually follow you there.

830
00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:24,840
So be encouraged, keep your head up, and finish the semester strong.

831
00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:28,320
That's a great note to end on.

832
00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:32,360
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here with us today.

833
00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:33,360
Not too busy for this.

834
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:35,240
I appreciate you.

835
00:40:35,240 --> 00:40:36,400
Thank you, Jason.

836
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:37,720
Thank you, Dr. Woods, for your time.

837
00:40:37,720 --> 00:40:38,880
It's my pleasure.

838
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:39,880
Thank you.

839
00:40:39,880 --> 00:41:09,800
See you next time.

840
00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:11,360
It's been real.

841
00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:39,920
Catch you next time.