Character Explorations

What does being a good citizen look like for a public servant? In this episode, Shea Chapin and Vladimir Hudson explore the meaning of citizenship and virtues that aid in public service.

Featuring Shea Chapin, Assistant Professor of Law, and Vladimir Hudson, a senior Flight Operations major at the University of Dubuque

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

How do we engage with the political sphere in a meaningful way? In this episode, Adam Smith and Chloe Breitbach discuss voting, civic virtue, and the difference between spectating and participating in politics.

Featuring Adam Smith, Professor of Political Philosophy talking with Chloe Breitbach, a first-year student majoring in Human Health Science at the University of Dubuque.

You can read Adam Smith’s essay, “The Strenuous Life,” referenced in the episode here.

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

What responsibilities do citizens have in the United States of America? Are there certain virtues that lead someone to be more responsible as a citizen? In this episode, Adam Hoffman and Jackson Drobac explore civic virtues and the actions that good citizens take to support the common good.

Featuring Adam Hoffman, Professor of Environmental Chemistry, and Jackson Drobac, First-year Biology Student at the University of Dubuque.

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

The rise of the internet has impacted the way we mourn in ways that may be beneficial in some cases and harmful in others. In this episode, Daniel Fleming argues that, however we choose to mourn online, paying attention to ourselves and others is essential to mourning well.

Featuring Daniel P. Fleming, Assistant Professor of Computer Studies at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director Emerita of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Daniel P. Fleming’s article, "Attention and Digital Mourning," from Character and . . . Inevitability, volume 10 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

The deaths of love ones can lead us into despair if we do not find a way to find focus on hope and positivity. In this episode, Dale Easley discusses how storytelling can help us navigate our grief and create meaning around loved one’s deaths, so that we can move forward in hope.

Featuring Dale H. Easley, Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director Emerita of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Dale H. Easley’s article, "The Inevitability of Dying," from Character and . . . Inevitability, volume 10 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Aging is an inevitable part of life. In this episode, Katie Boyer discusses how we can embrace the process of aging and make choices that support our well-being during any stage of life.

Featuring Katie E. Boyer, Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director Emerita of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Katie E. Boyer’s article, "Aging Well," from Character and . . . Inevitability, volume 10 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

The abundance of contradictory and even misleading information about climate can lead to dismay and apathy on a grand scale. In this episode, Donovan Tann suggests that using our imaginations to create a new story about climate will allow us to get over the hump of despair and into collective action.

Featuring Donovan E. Tann, Professor of English at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director Emerita of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Donovan E. Tann’s article, "Beyond Inevitability: Telling Another Story about Climate," from Character and . . . Inevitability, volume 10 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

What does it mean to parent with integrity within a digital environment? In this episode, Jenn Supple discusses issues that parents should reflect on before posting about their children on social media, including concerns about disclosure, boundaries, identity, and authenticity.

Featuring Jenn Supple, Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Dubuque

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Jenn Supple’s article, "Parents’ Growing Pains on Social Media: Modeling Authenticity," from Character and . . . Social Media, volume 1 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Suspending our disbelief in reading scripture puts us in touch with the Author God. In this episode, Rev. Dr. Timothy Matthew Slemmons suggests that reading the Bible with an open mind and heart can be a transformative experience, revealing both God and ourselves to us in unexpected ways.

Featuring Timothy Matthew Slemmons, Professor of Homiletics and Worship at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

The content in this episode comes from Timothy Matthew Slemmons’ article, "Co-Authoring Your Story in Light of God's Epic: Human Identity and the Divine Word," from Character and . . . Identity, volume 6 of the Wendt Center for Character Education’s annual journal, Character and . . . .

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.

Today’s guest is Rev. Gregory Drumwright, public theologian, civil rights activist, and minister to George Floyd’s family during the Chauvin trial. Rev. Drumwright shares about his journey and purpose, and challenges us to cling to hope and God in the pursuit of justice.

Featuring Rev. Gregory Drumwright, founder of Justice 4 the Next Generation and pastor to the Citadel Church in Greensboro, North Carolina

Interviewer, Annalee R. Ward, Director of the Wendt Character Initiative at the University of Dubuque

Follow Rev. Drumwright @gregdrumwright.

Find other character resources and Wendt Center publications here or learn more about the Wendt Character Initiative here.