Technology now shapes almost everything we do, and it reaches children earlier than ever, often before they can speak. That has left parents and educators with a hard question: how much screen time is too much, and what does it cost a developing brain? A growing body of thinking compares heavy screen use to ultra-processed food, useful for a quick fix, but a poor substitute for what children actually need to grow.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Yolanda Carlos, Professor of Early Childhood Development at Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School, who brings nearly forty years of experience across every level of early childhood education. Together they explore why device bans are spreading through school districts, what technology industry parents understand about delaying screens, and how play, not software, builds the creativity and self-regulation children carry for life. Professor Carlos also shares how she prepares the next generation of teachers to use technology wisely, supporting learning without letting it replace the human connection at the heart of education.

Rather than framing technology as simply good or bad, this conversation focuses on building a healthier relationship with it, one that protects early childhood, strengthens human connection, and preserves each learner's own voice. It is a thoughtful, practical guide for educators and parents navigating a device-driven world.

In this episode:

• Why heavy screen use is being compared to ultra-processed food, and what it does to young brains
• What the people who build technology understand about delaying their own children's screen time
• How play-based, self-directed learning builds creativity, focus, and the ability to delay gratification
• Where technology genuinely supports learning, and where it should never replace a student's own voice
• Why protecting early childhood and play may be one of the most important investments a society can make

For most of higher education's history, a global education has looked the same: a traditional undergraduate spending a semester abroad in London or Barcelona. But that model leaves out the working adults, career changers, and first-generation students for whom picking up and leaving for months is simply not possible. If global perspective is essential to how students learn and lead, why is access to it still so narrow?

In this role-reversal episode of Radical Cooperation, Stephanie Bihr, Associate Director of Communications at The Community Solution, again turns the microphone on Dr. Michael Horowitz. Their conversation centers on global perspective, one of the seven superpowers of radical cooperation from Dr. Horowitz's book, The Community Solution: the Power of Radical Cooperation in Higher Education. Drawing on his own path as the child of immigrants and decades of building higher education programs, he shares how the system reimagined study abroad for adult learners. From a first Spanish immersion trip to Mexico to multi-institution courses in Germany, Cuba, and Japan, Dr. Horowitz and Stephanie discuss why the exchange always runs both ways.

Rather than treating global learning as a luxury reserved for the few, this episode focuses on the many ways institutions can open students' minds to the world, whether through a single week abroad, welcoming international students, or building partnerships across borders. It is a candid, wide-ranging look at why a global perspective keeps both students and institutions strong.

In this episode:

• Why the traditional semester-abroad model overlooks working adults, and how to redesign it
• How a single embedded week in another country can reshape how students see the world
• What pairing law and psychology students in Germany revealed about learning across disciplines
• How international students, immigrants, and cross-border partnerships bring the world to an institution. 
• What American higher education can learn from how other countries teach, eat, and train physicians

Higher education measures success in grades, credits, and completion rates. What those metrics rarely capture is what gets in the way: a broken-down car, a missed bus, a laptop the student doesn't own, or twenty dollars that the family can't spare. For a significant share of students, the difference between persisting and stopping out has nothing to do with academic ability and everything to do with circumstances no syllabus accounts for.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Bhaktirose Dawdy, Director of Student Basic Needs Initiatives at Mt. Hood Community College, about the emerging discipline of basic needs work in higher education. Drawing on Bhaktirose's 31-year career bridging social services and education, the conversation explores what students actually need to participate in college, how Mt. Hood's Equity and Community Resource Center was co-designed with students, and why small interventions, sometimes as small as twenty dollars or a one-month bus pass, can drive double-digit gains in retention.

Rather than framing basic needs as a peripheral student-services function, this episode focuses on what it looks like when basic needs are treated as central to institutional strategy. The conversation also examines the under-told story of community colleges, the role of national accreditation standards in legitimizing this work, and why the real first question for any college serious about student success may not be how to teach better, but how to remove the obstacles that keep students from showing up at all.

In this episode:

• What "basic needs" actually means and why technology and transportation often outrank food
• How co-designing with students changes the model of student support
• Why small dollar interventions can drive significant retention gains
• How community colleges serve populations the rest of higher ed underestimates
• What national accreditation standards are emerging around basic needs work

Higher education is often framed as a competition for students, rankings, and resources. But as financial pressures grow and the challenges facing colleges become more complex, some institutions are exploring a different path — one built on partnership rather than isolation.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Thomas Evans, President of the University of the Incarnate Word, about the creation of CHARISM, a new alliance of four Catholic universities across San Antonio, New York, Chicago, and San Juan. Together, they discuss how mission-driven institutions can collaborate to expand opportunity, strengthen sustainability, and preserve institutional identity while building something larger together.

Grounded in the principles of The Community Solution, the conversation explores the practical realities of building trust across institutions, launching shared initiatives, and creating partnerships rooted in shared values rather than competition.

In this episode:

• How CHARISM came together and what it means for its founding institutions
• Why long-term leadership matters in building successful partnerships
• The growing importance of bilingual and bicultural education
• What other colleges can learn from CHARISM’s collaborative model
• Advice for presidents and trustees considering institutional partnerships

The disconnect between higher education and the workforce is widely acknowledged but rarely addressed at the institutional level. Most universities respond by adding internships, expanding career services, or launching new programs. Few are built on the premise that half of what students need to learn cannot be taught in a classroom.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Robert K. McMahan, President of Kettering University, about what it looks like when a university makes industry integration central to its identity. Drawing on Dr. McMahan's 15 years leading Kettering and the institution's century-long cooperative education model, the conversation explores how universities can build real professional experience into every student's path, why long-tenured presidencies make structural change possible, and what colleges owe the communities they sit in.

Rather than defending the traditional academic model, this episode focuses on what becomes possible when universities are willing to reinvent themselves. The conversation also looks at higher education's resistance to change, the rapid disappearance of entry-level roles in an AI-driven economy, and what genuine collaboration between universities, industry, and community looks like in practice.

In this episode:

• Why long-term presidencies make meaningful institutional change possible
• How Kettering's cooperative education model integrates classroom learning with professional experience
• What universities can do to support the cities and communities around them
• Why higher education often treats change as a threat rather than a need
• How AI is reshaping entry-level roles and what it means for higher ed

Radical cooperation is the key to building stronger, more resilient institutions—and in this episode, you’ll learn exactly how it works. Radical cooperation isn’t just a concept; it’s a practical framework made up of seven elements that can transform how teams collaborate and succeed. If you’ve ever wondered why some organizations thrive together while others struggle, this conversation reveals the structure behind real collaboration.

Hosted by Dr. Horowitz and Associate Director of Communications for The Community Solution Education System, Stephanie Bihr, this episode explores the 7 elements of radical cooperation from Dr. Horowitz’s book, The Community Solution: The Power of Radical Cooperation in Higher Education, and how they apply. From niche superpowers and two-way learning to productive humility and continuous urgency, you’ll hear how these principles help institutions navigate uncertainty, strengthen partnerships, and drive meaningful outcomes. Whether you're leading a team, managing change, or building community, this episode offers a clear framework for working better together.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The 7 elements that make radical cooperation actually work
• How to identify and leverage your organization’s niche superpower
• Why two-way learning strengthens teams and communities
• The role of humility and risk-taking in effective collaboration
• How continuous urgency drives real impact and momentum

Don’t risk operating in silos while others build stronger, more adaptive partnerships. Learn how to apply radical cooperation to create lasting impact.

What is radical cooperation, and why is it becoming a powerful solution in higher education?  In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Horowitz and Associate Director of Communications for The Community Solution Education System, Stephanie Bihr, explore the core concept at the heart of his book, The Community Solution: The Power of Radical Cooperation in Higher Education and why it offers a new path forward for institutions facing growing complexity and change.

Drawing on nearly two decades of leadership experience, Dr. Horowitz explains how radical cooperation enables colleges and universities to maintain their unique identities while sharing resources, aligning around a common mission, and working together to scale impact. Through real-world examples, this conversation brings the ideas from the book to life and offers practical insight for leaders looking to apply them within their own organizations or teams.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why radical cooperation works when traditional collaboration fails
• How shared infrastructure creates growth across institutions
• The role of leadership and governance in making cooperation succeed
• Practical ways to break down silos within your organization
• How culture drives long-term collaboration success

Higher education leadership is under more pressure than ever—and in this episode, we explore how media narratives are shaping public trust in the sector. Today’s leaders must navigate misinformation, political scrutiny, and financial instability while still delivering meaningful outcomes for students.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, host Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Sara Custer, Editor-in-Chief of Inside Higher Ed, to examine the growing tension between media coverage and institutional reality. Together, they unpack how public perception is formed, why trust in higher education is increasingly fragile, and how leaders can respond with clarity and strategy in a rapidly shifting landscape.

From leadership transitions after founders step down to the rise of AI-generated content and its impact on journalism, this conversation offers a nuanced look at the forces reshaping higher education. Grounded in the principles of The Community Solution, it also highlights how collaboration, transparency, and shared strategy can help institutions build resilience and better serve students.

What you’ll learn:

• How media narratives shape public trust in higher education
• The most pressing leadership challenges facing colleges and universities
• Why financial pressures and institutional closures are accelerating
• How journalism—and AI—are transforming the information landscape
• What it takes to successfully step into leadership after a founder exits