Dr. Sandie Morgan, Dr. Bonni Stackowiak, and Prof. Warren Doody discuss the importance of overlapping networks as a method for pursuing interdisciplinary work. Together, they discuss Dr. Elizabeth Dermody Leonard, a significant mentor in all their professionals and personal lives, who encouraged and pushed them all to think and work outside their traditional academic and professional realms.

Bonni Stackowiak

Dr. Bonni Stachowiak is the Dean of Teaching and Learning at Vanguard University of Southern California. She’s also an Associate Professor of Business and Management and teaches a couple times a year in an Educational Leadership doctoral program. She’s been teaching in-person, blended, and online courses throughout her entire career in higher education. Bonni gets the privilege of speaking with exceptional educators on a weekly basis, as the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast. Since 2014, her podcast has provided a space to explore the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning. Teaching in Higher Ed also explores how to improve our productivity, so faculty can have more peace in our lives, and be even more present for our students. Bonni and her husband, Dave, are parents to two curious kids, who regularly shape their perspectives on teaching and learning.

Warren Doody

Warren Doody is the Associate Dean of the Division of Education, Arts and Humanities, and he is also the current Chair of the English department. As Professor of English, his range of classes runs from Shakespeare to American Literature to a variety of creative writing courses – Travel Writing, Playwriting and the Short Story. In his spare time, he is a working playwright, and his original scripts include Life Without Parole, Development, and Enlightenment.com. His most recent effort, Angels in Disguise, received its World Premiere in December 2019. His plays have received productions in New York, Los Angeles, and Canada, and throughout the United States.

Key Points

Resources

Transcript

Dave Stachowiak  0:00

You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode number 253, Overlapping Networks with Podcasts, Performing Arts, and Professors.

Production Credits  0:11

Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.

Dave Stachowiak  0:32

Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.

Sandra Morgan  0:38

And my name is Sandie Morgan.

Dave Stachowiak  0:41

And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Sandie, as we have talked about on the show before, you are really an expert at overlapping networks and helping different folks, different organizations, and all kinds of networks to come together. It’s one of the things that I just think you’re so brilliant at. And one of the places where we have overlapping networks, both you and I, is my wife, Bonni Stackowiak, and she has a podcast called Teaching in Higher Ed, which helps faculty at universities to continue to improve their teaching skills, stay centered on student learning, and help them to really build and enhance their own personal productivity. And actually, we have a connection there as well, because it does have a little bit to do with ending human trafficking, because I know you listen to the show as well.

Sandra Morgan  1:38

I do! And she inspires me, and challenges me, and I hone my teaching skills. I also have learned so much from her about interdisciplinary work, which is really important because I oversee our interdisciplinary Women and Justice Minor. And so, as she and I were talking about one person who impacted us a great deal early on when we came to Vanguard, Professor Elizabeth Dermody Leonard, she started dreaming about a podcast that would honor that interdisciplinary legacy. And eventually, we actually recorded it. And it’s an interview with our professor, friend, and colleague from performing arts in the English department, Professor Warren Doody, and myself, and Dr. Bonni Stachowiak. And so I want to use this interview as an example of how we bring a variety of disciplines to a social justice issue, violence against women, and what that looks like in the media and in the arts. I think, Dave, when you interviewed me on coaching for leaders, it was a wonderful opportunity for me to understand how significant this idea of overlapping networks is in our movement. And as our movement matures in ending human trafficking, we have to be more inclusive. Last podcast with Kathy Givens, we talked about mentoring, and instead of one-on-one mentoring, she wants a network of mentors. And so, I think this is a great example of those overlapping networks. And the Coaching for Leaders episode that we did is number 205 here, and what is it in Coaching for Leaders, Dave?

Dave Stachowiak  3:56

I believe we said 422 earlier. Did I, uh, let me look here just to make sure. Yep, it’s 422. And we’ll have that linked up in the episode notes for this episode as well.

Sandra Morgan  4:07

Oh, that’s great. So what I really want people to do is listen to this story. This is about a very dear friend, and colleague for all three of us in this conversation. And she has unfortunately, passed on but she points us in a direction of research, and teaching, and making a difference through education. So listen in and think about how you might start reaching out to other networks.

Dave Stachowiak  4:44

So many of us have been touched by the life of Elizabeth Leonard, and so we’re bringing this interview to you from the teaching in Higher Ed podcast. Here’s Bonni, Sandie, and Warren.

Bonni Stackowiak  4:56

Today, I am joined by two friends and colleagues, Sandie Morgan, who’s the Director of Vanguard’s Global Center for Women and Justice. She’s also an interdisciplinary thinker and professor in her own right, as you’ll hear a...