Big Stories

Host Cleon Wall is ready to bring you tremendous tales and inspiring stories from the Big 12 footprint and beyond. You’ll hear from Landry Weber, former Kansas State wide receiver, who gave up his final year of eligibility to follow a call from God. And then there is Maddie McLaughlin, who after a 3-year battle with Lyme disease, played volleyball for Arizona State and is now playing pro volleyball. And then there is Baylor graduate Jimmy Dorell, who founded Church Under the Bridge, to serve the homeless in Waco, Texas. So get ready for season number 2 starting on August 26th.

It can be difficult for entrepreneurs to start a new business when they don't know what they are doing. They might not know how to get money or create a business plan, but many have a good idea. That's where the University of Houston and the SURE program comes in. SURE stands for Stimulating Urban Renewal Through Entrepreneurship. Under-resourced entrepreneurs can apply to the program and get free help from student consultants. In this episode, you'll hear the remarkable stories of the entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the guidance of Houston's future business leaders.

Guests:

 Dr. Saleha Khumawala - University of Houston Professor of Accounting, Founding Director of the SURE program

Heather Davis - Owner, Chic Sweets Fine Desserts

Kiley Summers - Owner, SpenDebt

Arneisha Sadler - Founder, CEO, Emeniss Call Center

Bilqees Adeymi - University of Houston Student Consultant

Makayla Lemons - University of Houston Student Consultant

DJ Buenaventura - University of Houston Student Consultant

Hanah Sadiki - University of Houston Senior Consultant

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes was founded so that athletes and coaches could promote the transforming power of Jesus Christ. But FCA at TCU is so much more than football players and volleyball stars witnessing to others that they are Christians. It's about being there to help anyone along life's journey. In this episode, find out how Chauncey Franks, Carrie Casey, and the Horned Frogs let their light shine and help others become disciples of Jesus Christ.

Chauncey Franks - TCU FCA Character Coach

Carrie Casey - TCU FCA Character Coach

Sutton McTavish - TCU Beach Volleyball Player

Riley Self - TCU Football Player

Summer Holt - TCU Soccer Player

Cory Hatchel - TCU Track Athlete

Go before you’re ready. That is Lt. Colonel Dan Rooney's life anthem. The former University of Kansas golfer mantra helped him become a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. It also pushed him to establish a non-profit that helps the families of fallen and disabled U.S. military service members receive scholarships. In this episode, we find out the genesis of Folds of Honor and how it helped one family during a dark time in their lives.

Guests:

Lt. Colonel Dan Rooney - Folds of Honor founder

Jen Stephens - Folds of Honor Recipient

The University of Central Florida was founded to support NASA. It's a fascinating story that UCF's Athletic Department wanted to tell the world. That's why they came up with the Space Game each football season, featuring out-of-this-world uniforms and nods to reaching the stars and beyond.

Guests:

Jimmy Skiles - UCF Senior Executive Associate Athletics Director, Chief Branding Officer

Manoj Chopra - UCF Professor of Civil Engineering, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Engineering and Computer Science

Jillian Gloria - United Launch Alliance Propulsion Systems Test Engineer, UCF alum

Charlene Martin - Lockheed Martin Engineer, UCF alum

Stephen Martin - UCF Football Wide Receiver, Charlene's Son

Thane Baker desired to run in the Olympics at an early age. His mother timed him every day running home with an alarm clock. Then an accident at garage almost derailed Thane's budding track career. In this episode, find out how Baker walked on to the Kansas State track team, lived out his dream as one of the fastest men in the world, and was eventually honored as one of the greats in Wildcat sports history.

Guests:

Thane Baker - former Kansas State and Olympic Track Star

Catherine Nicholson - Baker's daughter and author of the book, "Running in Borrowed Shoes: Thane Baker and the 1952 Summer Games"

Cliff Rovelto - Kansas State Track and Field Head Coach

What is a twirler? It's someone who performs routines and tricks with a baton. The University of West Virginia has a proud tradition of competitive twirlers and even won a national competition in 2014. But these twirlers spend lots of time and money to be a Mountaineer feature twirler. So why do they keep twirling when they could focus more on academics? For these women, the benefits go beyond twirling.

Guests:

Alexis Kiesling - WVU Feature Twirler

Kirsten Barincle - Former WVU Feature Twirling Coach, SMU Assistant Athletic Director for Development

Bill Potts loved his time as a student and marching band member at the University of Texas. Potts believed his time in Austin helped him become the man he is today and continually battle cancer. In this podcast episode, Bill details his fight with different cancers, what has kept him going, and how God encouraged him to write a book.

Guests:

Bill Potts - Author of Up For the Fight

Kim Potts - Bill's wife

Lauryn Salazar was mad. When she was 17, she was told she was too fat and ugly to be an opera singer. She didn't want anyone telling her what she could and could not do. Now, the Professor of Musicology at Texas Tech University has blown the roof off conventional musical studies at the collegiate level. She has turned her cultural anthem of Mariachi into a pathway for education and success for students in Texas and across the country.

Guests:

Lauryn Salazar - Associate Professor of Musicology at Texas Tech University

Marissa Hernandez - Texas Texas Mariachi Los Matadores

Gabby Olivarez - Texas Tech Mariachi Los Matadores

Conrad Hawley was living every football-loving boy’s dream. He had a scholarship to play quarterback for the University of Kansas. So, why did he give it all up to become a walk-on for the Iowa State basketball team? In this podcast episode, Conrad explains his decision and how he’s helping and benefitting from being the team’s CEO or Chief Energy Officer.

Guests:

Conrad Hawley - Iowa State Basketball Player

Tre King - Iowa State Basketball Player