Level Up Academy by Dr. Leyland

Hello Level up Listeners! Ever wonder how to engage your students in the classroom while providing all the course outcomes?

Growing up in Costa Rica and acquiring a degree in Electronic Engineering and working for Intel, this amazing CEO started his simulation company with his 2nd grade best friend and a business partner based on what they saw was a need to innovate. Unlike any business out there, they started as a software mobile games developer to what is now used by Universities such as MIT for student engagement.

As professor's, we often wonder how we can engage our students and learn at the same time. Well, look no further as Javier's simulation is used worldwide by professor's and Universities to actively learn in the classroom using critical thinking skills, decision-making abilities, and solving capabilities while increasing student engagement.

His goal is to be the Netflix of simulation for learning from K-12 up to Higher Education. His company is always looking for ways to increase the use of their simulation to Universities while always striving to innovate for more ideas on student engagement and critical thinking. Curious yet, listen up!

Hello Level Up Listeners,

Thank you for tuning in today. This is a dream of a young student who wants to make a difference. Her goal is to someday become a congresswoman in California.

This young lady was one of my mentee through a mentorship program. In this episode of Level up we have an insight of how one young lady grew up in one of the roughest parts of Los Angeles, California yet she thrives and dream to make a change in her neighborhood. Equalizing the children who are underserved through education.

She talks about how even in brick and mortar schools, professors are having a hard time connecting and engaging with their students. She provided some insights for teachers on how they can engage with their students. She also provided advice for her fellow students on how they can better themselves. Some of the questions she provided for her professor to provide on the first day of class is to answer the question of why did you decide to be a teacher? Do you want to know more tips? Go on listen up and share our inspirational stories.

Her commitment, determination, and never giving up attitude got her through her cancer treatment, her domestic violence experiences, being a stay-at-home mom, and of course as a student. This episode is full of inspirational ideas, positive attitudes, and tips on how to be a successful student. She shares her time management skills, tools, and ideas on how to stay positive despite all of her adversities. If you are a stay-at-home parent or just thinking of going back to school, she shares her tips on what she has done to find the right school for her. Her number one tip is don't live your life in FEAR. What are you waiting for? Listen up....

Dr. Hascall has held many leadership positions in his career, including an Industrial Engineer to Campus President and now a graduate professor. He loves to teach because of “the opportunity to learn new perspectives and use new tools and provide tools for the workplace and at home.” He also added his way of engaging students in asynchronous classes. He said, “ I never agree with anybody in the discussion board”. Find out why by listening to his interview.

Some of his mantras are:

1. “I always surround myself with people smarter than me”

2. When it comes to Ethics, “ If I do it today, can I talk about it tomorrow?”

3. The attitude of “if it's not broken, don’t fix it” he believes would get any company to run you out of business. Always continue to innovate

4. “That’s good enough”—Dr. Hascall believes this will see you on the sidelines

5. My favorite of all times “Good is the enemy of excellence”

6. Lastly, “A leader should inspire, inform, and educate”

Curious what else he says? Listen up!

Ever wonder how your classes online/on ground are created? Who creates them? Not all classes are created equal. Today, let’s hear Dr. Hobson’s humble beginnings from a non-traditional student to an MIT ID and Program Manager. What are some of the ways that Instructional Designer (ID) creates/design your curriculum? How long does it take to create a comprehensive curriculum? What about how to test it properly for the right audience? He started as a high school drop out. Want to learn more? Listen up to this episode and hope that you will get inspired and let me know what you think.

There was once a 16-year-old international student away from home. Her goal was to pursue her college degree. She settled in Florida and then 23 years later, went back to school to get her graduate degree. She had a newborn, a 6-year-old, and took care of her mom who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Her mom was a renowned athlete to win the first gold medal and perform with Frank Sinatra. Care to know how she overcame her adversity and became an amazing professor? Listen to Dr. Racquel Thompson-Elliott's inspiring story and tips for both students and faculty.

Dr. Dominika Falsey shared her experiences as a 20 year global professor's change in the Higher Ed community. How does she engage with her students? She believes, "student's like to be challenged". She shares her passion for our military personnel as she aims to make a difference in their lives through higher education efforts. She motivates her students through calmness, flexibility, positivity, and letting them know that "we are in it together". She takes her role as an instructor as an opportunity to help her global community. Take a listen on the ways she engages her students and what she is grateful for that we should always think about.

This episode of level up is about one of my international student who is originally from Nigeria. She has a law degree already, but traveled thousands of miles away to come to America to find a better future for her. Listen to her inspiring and heartfelt story that many of our international students go through to be here and find a better future. Her father passed away, but she can't go home and pay respects to him because of COVID, yet she found strengths in her studies knowing that her father would be so proud of her efforts, ideas, and willingness to continuously improve her chances of a better future. She shares her ideal class set up and what keeps her motivated and engage in the classroom and what professors could do to keep her and other students engage in the classroom.

If you are an entrepreneur, a husband, a father, and a student, this is definitely a great inspirational podcast for you. Oftentimes during our journey called life, we meet people who are able to change our path. Dr. Libell’s journey to get here today consisted of adversity after his divorce. He had the courage to open up, communicate with his professor’s his needs beyond the classroom. Today, Dr. Libell would like to pass on that wisdom to his students on how to reach out to your professor. You will never know what opportunity it may bring to you. He also wanted his fellow professors to teach beyond the classroom and bring the human side of what we are today after covid has stayed and be part of our lives for two years. Dr. Libell provided many tips and ideas that both students and professors can take away from.

Becoming a parent pushes you to grow up and mature while learning about your capabilities and limitations. My next episode talks about her journey of changing programs from one school into another school due to the loss of school accreditation for her medical degree. She lost hope and trust in the education industry, but having a baby made her think about her family’s future. Demmi stated, “pursuing a degree is not for the weak hearted”. She went through many adversities and hardship, but through it all, education is the one thing that is consistent in her dream. She believes, “getting her degree is her golden ticket”. I encourage you to listen to her tips for student engagement, inspiration, and genuine passion for learning. She also wants $500 million dollars for her compassion project for Memphis, TN. Did you want to hear what it is all about? LISTEN UP…