On this week's episode of BeyondU, OKWU President Jim Dunn talks all about leadership: how to stay focused long-term, how to create a proactive and positive culture for your team, and what it means to for an organization to stay "on mission." Jim also discusses resources and tips for how to create margin and be proactive as a leader which we know you will find helpful.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:07 Give Week Update

04:28 Jim's leadership experience

19:25 The Importance of Developing and Trusting Others

28:55 Focusing on the Mission, Not the Method

35:40 Creating Margin for Proactive Leadership

42:52 Being Part of Something Bigger

https://www.okwu.edu/giveweek/

On this week's BeyondU, OKWU coaches Kirk Kelley (baseball) and Donnie Bostwick (men's basketball) join the show to talk about the impact the transfer portal is having on collegiate athletics and what coaching at a place like OKWU means to them.

Consider investing in the next generation of servant leaders at Oklahoma Wesleyan University during Give Week 2024:

https://www.okwu.edu/give-week

On this week’s episode of BeyondU, OKWU professor of history Julie Hufstetler to discuss this year’s Oscar nominated films Oppenheimer and Zone of Interest. Both films are set in the World War II period, and Hufstetler talks about why this period of history continues to resonate with audiences all these years later. You’ll enjoy this conversation about film and history!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:20 Teaching History through Storytelling

03:13 The Banality of Evil and Ordinary Perpetrators

05:31 The Appeal of Movies about History and World War II

09:27 The Importance of Visual Media in History Education

10:21 Zone of Interest: Depicting the Holocaust

13:46 The Banality of Evil and Hannah Arendt

23:39 The Power of Individual Stories

32:19 Oppenheimer: Pursuit of Scientific Achievement

39:11 Lessons from History and Human Nature

41:36 Finding Hope in Studying History

42:25 Historically Inaccurate Movies: Victoria and Pearl Harbor

We celebrate #MarchMadness as OKWU Women's Basketball Head Coach Heidi Messer joins BeyondU this week to talk about the growing support and interest in women's athletics. The conversation touches on the influence of dynamic personalities like Caitlin Clark and the impact of social media on the visibility of women's sports. Heidi also discusses the impact sport has made on her life and what led her to becoming a coach at the collegiate level.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:45 Coach Messer's Journey

04:30 March Madness and Bracket Talk

06:00 The Rise of Women's Basketball07:30 Influential Female Figures

09:08 Factors Contributing to the Growth of Women's Sports

11:13 The Impact of Social Media

16:20 NCAA's Impact on Small Christian Colleges

20:28 The Influence of Caitlin Clark

21:35 Advice for Players and Parents

23:39 The Discipleship Element in Coaching

28:46 The Hope in Coaching

On this week’s episode, Professor Sam Johnson joins the show to talk about the study of organizational psychology. The conversation tackles workplace culture, the psychology of today’s workers, and how employers can better understand a new generation of employees.  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:06 Passion for Teaching and Psychology

06:19 Interest in Organizational Psychology

07:11 Rebounding Organizations after COVID

09:58 Changing Dynamics in the Workplace

13:08 Shift in Employee Loyalty

16:25 Managing and Mentoring Young Employees

20:14 Investing in Employees

23:39 The Role of Culture in the Workplace

25:33 Preparing Students for the Workforce

30:38 Hope for the Future Generation

32:00 Advice for Job Seekers

33:28 Advice for Employers

https://www.okwu.edu/academics/undergraduate/bachelor-psychology/

Kyle White, the Vice President for Student Affairs at OKWU, discusses the importance of personal agency in mental health and how forgiveness is a critical step in moving from victimhood to empowerment. Kyle also shares his insights on the resilience and potential of college students and the ways OKWU is equipping them for the present and future.

Chapters

00:00 Show starts

01:28 Kyle's background

05:03 The Importance of Responsibility in Mental Health

06:38 The Concept of Forgiveness

08:00 Labels and Identity

10:09 Barriers to Taking Agency in Mental Health

12:37 Moving from Victimhood to Empowerment

18:49 The Relationship Between God's Forgiveness and Our Ability to Forgive

23:11 Misconceptions about Gen Z/College Students

26:07 Equipping Students for the Present and Future

30:26 Hope for Students and Their Futures

https://www.okwu.edu/beyondu/

In this week’s episode of BeyondU, Torrey and Ben are joined by Sandy Lynn, a professor at OKWU. Lynn teaches courses on emotional intelligence, and the three discuss the importance of emotional intelligence and how this skill is relevant for any profession. Professor Lynn has spent over thirty years in nonprofit organizations, is a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner, and leads the Business Communication degree program at OKWU.

This week, Ben Rotz and Torrey Martin are joined by Tommy Lister, associate provost at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. They continue the discussion on AI, including some of the specific implications AI could have on higher education in the months and years to come. How can educators best implement AI into their day-to-day roles in the classroom?

00:47 Show Starts

03:21 The Impacts of AI on Higher Education

04:20 Current State and Future of AI in Education

08:04 Implications of AI for Education

12:00 Stewardship of AI in Christian Higher Education

18:05 AI's Ability to Enhance Creativity

18:57 AI's Role in Research and Resource Gathering

20:20 The Value and Limitations of AI-generated Art

21:49 Using AI to Inspire and Create

28:48 AI's Impact on Jobs 

29:23 Ethical Considerations in AI and Education

31:30 Talking to Your Children about AI in Education

35:24 Hope for the Future of AI in Education

Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/uXfMuAlK5Kw

It’s been over a year since AI has come to the forefront of public conversation with the launch of Chat GPT 3. Ben and Torrey talk with Kenny Jahng, a marketing expert who consults with faith-based, cause-driven organizations and non-profits on utilizing AI for effective engagement. They discuss the recent advances in generative AI and its' impact on every aspect of work and life, what our response to AI says about our theology, and how we can change our perspective to faithfully engage and utilize this new technology.

00:00 Show starts

02:28 Introduction to Generative AI

04:19 Accessibility and Everyday Use of AI

06:16 Impact of AI on Everyday Life

08:31 AI in the Church

09:58 Navigating AI Conversations in the Church

11:24 AI as Intimidation or Innovation

12:21 Theology of AI and Divinity

13:19 Using AI Responsibly

15:16 AI in Education

18:32 AI in Higher Education

20:02 Ethical Use of AI in Education

23:19 Implementing AI Policies

26:10 Concerns and Future of AI

27:50 The Future of AI in the Church

31:28 Multimodality in AI

33:52 AI and Job Displacement

36:11 Personal Use of AI

40:18 Theology of Technology and AI

On this week’s episode of BeyondU, Ben Rotz is joined by Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken for a conversation about his latest book, spiritual scam artists, and what lessons we can learn from the early Church.

You can learn more about The Judas We Never Knew: A Study on the Life and Letter of Jude here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/the-judas-we-never-knew/