Digital Squared

On this episode of Digital Squared: From the Archives, Tom revisits his 2021 conversation with Melissa Woo, Executive Vice President for Administration at Michigan State University, as well as the Chief Information Officer and President of the MSU Foundation. Together they discuss her career, passions, and unique challenges as a technology leader-turned higher education executive. 

On this episode, Tom talks to Susan Grajek, Vice President for Partnerships, Communities and Research at EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association with the mission to advance higher education through the use of information technology and data. Together they discuss the future of technology in higher education, how ‘radical creativity’ can be used to unlock novel ideas, and the critical relationship between culture and innovation.

On this episode, Tom chats with Kim Majerus, Vice President, U.S. State & Local Government and Education, Amazon Web Services, Worldwide Public Sector. Together they discuss how to ensure technology and connectivity are accessible to everyone, the AWS approach toward environmental sustainability and how the company provides reskilling opportunities to develop workforce resilience.

On this episode, Tom interviews four UC Irvine leaders who have played major roles in the institution’s Student Success Initiative. Together they discuss the journey over several years to understand student success, the different aspects that impact it - from policies to what happens in the classroom - and how the role of technology and data are transforming the way we can personalize and improve the student experience. 

Podcast Guests:

• Michael Dennin, Vice Provost and Dean, Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
• Patty Morales, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
• Diane O’Dowd, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel
• Richard Arum, Professor of Sociology and Education

On this episode, Tom talks with Dr. Michael Pfeffer, Chief Information Officer and Associate Dean for Stanford Health Care and Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Pfeffer is unique as a CIO because he is also a clinical professor and actively practicing Hospitalist Physician. 

Together they discuss Dr. Pfeffer’s unique role, the increasing reliance and incorporation of technology in healthcare, and the possibilities of what technology can offer to healthcare providers, as tools to allow them to offer more personalized, people-centered care.

In this episode, Tom talks to New York Times bestselling author, Jeff Selingo. Jeff has written about higher education for more than two decades and his latest book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, was named among the 100 Notable Books of the year by the New York Times. 

Together they discuss how education is evolving in the wake of the pandemic, what it means to create lifelong relationships with students, and why investing in continued education for higher ed employees is essential to a university's livelihood.

In this episode, Tom speaks with Soul Machines CEO and Co-Founder, Greg Cross. Together they discuss the Metaverse, Covid’s impact on digital transformation and how digital people can help shape the future of our increasingly digital and transactional world.