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We’re packing more and more into kids’ days. They face pressure to achieve at younger ages, screens fill more of their free time and even downtime can feel like something that needs to be productive. But what may be getting lost is something deceptively simple: play.

“Play is really children’s opportunity to explore and test out their ideas about the world,” says Kelley White, professor of education in the School of Education at the College of Charleston. 

On this episode of Speaking Of… College of Charleston, White talks about why play is an essential part of learning, from helping children solve problems and navigate relationships to giving them a way to process difficult experiences. She also explains what play-based learning looks like in the classroom, why it shouldn’t disappear as children get older and what adults might gain from making more room for play in their own lives.

Resources

• Kelley White’s article in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/play-is-essential-for-young-children-including-when-it-comes-to-their-learning-285572
• Kelley White’s College of Charleston faculty page: https://charleston.edu/school-education/faculty/white-kelley.php
• Nathan E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center: Early Childhood Development Center 
• College of Charleston School of Education: https://charleston.edu/school-education/index.php

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Nobody likes to struggle, but what do we lose when every answer is just a click away?

As artificial intelligence continues to disrupt and transform classrooms, new questions are emerging. What’s the best way for students to learn? Why does struggle matter in the learning process? And happens when technology eliminates the struggle? In this episode of Speaking Of... College of Charleston, Ian O’Byrne, associate professor in the School of Education, answers these questions and discusses the future of learning in an AI-driven world. 

In This Episode

• Why learning isn't supposed to be effortless
• The promise and pitfalls of AI in education
• What AI-powered schools like Alpha School are getting right—and wrong
• The growing debate over cognitive offloading and whether AI is changing how we think
• The difference between the “orchestrator” and the “outsourcer” when using AI
• Why great teachers still matter in an age of artificial intelligence
• How students can thrive in an AI-driven future

Featured Guest

Ian O'Byrne, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the School of Education at the College of Charleston. His research focuses on digital literacy, artificial intelligence, online reading comprehension, emerging technologies and education. He works with educators and students to better understand how technology can support meaningful learning while preserving the human elements that help people grow and succeed. 

Resources

• Read Ian O’Byrne’s article in The Conversation: AI Schools Promise Efficiency, but Can't Replicate the Messy Process That Helps Kids Learn 
• Learn more about Ian's work at wiobyrne.com 
• Explore more episodes of Speaking Of... College of Charleston on the College of Charleston podcast page

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In this episode of Speaking Of… College of Charleston, College of Charleston marketing professor Kelley Cours Anderson discusses her latest research on burnout among social media managers and the pressures shaping digital marketing careers. The work, recently published in The Conversation as The hidden burnout crisis facing social media marketers, traces its origins to a student project in Anderson’s social media class. The alumna’s bachelor’s essay on social media wellness helped identify the early themes that informed Anderson’s research.

As Anderson and her co-authors write in The Conversation, “For the people who run brand accounts on social media, the workday never really ends.”

Drawing on interviews with industry professionals, Anderson explains how constant content demands, real-time engagement and the expectation to monitor trends make it difficult for social media managers to fully disconnect. Many spend significant portions of their day on social platforms, blurring the line between work and personal time. 

The conversation also explores the realities behind what is often seen as an entry-level role. Social media managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks, including content creation, brand voice, analytics, customer service and crisis communication, often with limited support. 

Anderson shares what students and aspiring professionals should understand before entering the field, including the importance of setting boundaries, managing expectations and developing both creative and analytical skills. 

Beyond the workplace, the episode highlights the often-invisible labor behind social media and encourages listeners to better understand the human impact of managing the digital spaces people use every day.

Key Topics

• Burnout among social media managers
• Digital marketing careers
• Always-on work culture
• Social media job expectations
• Digital wellbeing

Resources

• [Dis]Connect Collective 
• AIC (American Influencer Council)
• Academic Article that The Conversation article is based upon.
• CofC + Global Day of Unplugging - CofC Unplug Week this Fall will be the last week of September 28th
• We will screen Your Attention Please (date tbd - aiming for Mid-September)
• Recommend Summer Reading List:
• Attensity by The Friends of Attention
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
• How to do Nothing by Jenny Odell

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President Andrew Hsu joins Speaking of… College of Charleston to look back on a landmark academic year for the College. In this year‑end conversation, he highlights record‑breaking philanthropy, major academic expansions, and the continued rise in student demand that’s shaping the future of the university.

The episode explores transformational gifts supporting new facilities and programs — including the Michael and Amy Bennett School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and the expansion of the School of Business. President Hsu also discusses the launch of high‑demand academic offerings such as the joint BS in Nursing with MUSC, along with growth in engineering, computing, and STEM programs.

Listeners will hear standout stories from across campus: NCAA tournament appearances, CAA championships, national research awards, and student achievements reaching the International Space Station. President Hsu also welcomes new academic leaders and shares a heartfelt message to the graduating Class of 2026.

A celebratory, forward‑looking episode for students, families, alumni, and anyone invested in the future of the College of Charleston.

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Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, U.S.). In South Carolina, you can also call the Mobile Crisis line at 833-364-2274. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. 

On this episode of Speaking of… College of Charleston, alumnus Luke Shirley ’18 shares how depression and isolation shaped his sophomore year and how that experience helped inspire Quest, a Charleston-based nonprofit focused on strengthening the mental fitness of students and young adults through community and peer support. 

Luke also explains what Quest means by “mental fitness” and why movement and the outdoors can help people get out of their heads and connect with peers. 

Featured event: Quest’s flagship fundraiser, Sound of Mind, is March 29 at The Refinery in Charleston with headliner River Whyless. 

Learn more:

• Quest (Quest in Recovery): questinrecovery.org 
• Quest on Campus (student-led program at the College of Charleston and The Citadel): questinrecovery.org 
• CofC Office of Student Wellness and Well-being: charleston.edu/wellness 

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In this episode, we explore the College of Charleston’s Life Design Center and how it helps students move from uncertainty to action through individualized coaching, practical tools, and community support.

What You Will Learn

• What the College of Charleston’s Life Design Center is and how it helps students build clarity and confidence with practical tools and coaching. Life Design Center 
• How Life Design differs from traditional advising or career planning by focusing on individualized support and real-world experimentation. 
• What students can expect in a first visit, including the kinds of questions coaches ask to help students clarify what they want and what to try next. 
• The difference between Design My Charleston (for early college exploration) and Life Launch: Design My Life (for students preparing for graduation), and how students can start in either place. 
• How to take the first step, including where to find the Life Design Center and when to drop in. 
• Where to go next on campus for degree planning and job or internship preparation, including Academic Advising and the Career Center. 

Resources from this episode:

• Life Design 

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The College of Charleston is excited to announce the launch of a new podcast from the Athletics department. On the Prowl with Charleston Athletics is hosted by longtime men’s basketball play-by-play announcer Everett German. For more than two decades, German has been the voice behind some of the College’s most memorable moments on the court. A job that he says brings him joy. 

“As I often tell people, I have the coolest part-time gig in the world,” says German.

On the Prowl will bring listeners behind the scenes of Cougar athletics, offering candid conversations with student-athletes, coaches, and administrators across all of the College’s 19 varsity sports.

“We’re excited to launch “On the Prowl,” says Matt Roberts, Director of Athletics at the College. “With the everchanging landscape of college athletics, we continue to look for unique ways to communicate with Cougar fans around the country. On the Prowl will deliver in-depth stories from student-athletes, coaches and staff giving our fans, donors, and stakeholders insight to the happenings of not only Charleston athletics, but the college athletics landscape as a whole.”

And for German, who was recently named a 2025 Cougar Trailblazer for his impact on the College and the local community, the opportunity to spotlight the next generation of athletes is especially meaningful. 

“We have so many unique student-athletes who represent the College on and off the court, and we want people to see who they are beyond the jersey,” says German. 

“They’re not robots, they’re going to make mistakes, and they have feelings and emotions just like everyone else. Some of them have overcome serious medical challenges to get where they are. Others have come from countries where English isn’t their first language. This podcast is a chance to tell those stories and help people understand what our kids go through, the training, the travel, the academics and the pressure from social media. Hopefully this can connect generations of Cougar fans and give everyone a deeper appreciation of who these student-athletes really are.”

On The Prowl will launch in February 2026. Cougar fans can listen and follow the show on all major podcast platforms. 

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Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but how does it fit into the world of art and arts education? On this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, three faculty members discuss how AI is reshaping creative practice and teaching, from sculpture studios to fundraising classes and art history seminars. 

Guests include:

• Bex Ferrell, assistant professor in Arts Management 
• Jarod Charzewski, studio art professor in sculpture
• Marian Mazzone, professor in Art History 

They share candid insights on the opportunities and tensions AI brings to the arts, why the creative process still matters and how educators are helping students balance efficiency with authenticity.

From fundraising and marketing to sculpture and art history, this conversation dives into the opportunities and tensions AI brings to the arts. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Real classroom examples of students experimenting with AI tools
• How arts managers gamify AI for fundraising and marketing
• Why the creative process is messy and why that matters
• Insights on the future of AI art, including major museums collecting AI-generated works

Resources and links:

• Learn more about the College of Charleston’s Arts Management, Studio Art and Art and Architectural History programs
• Explore contemporary AI artists like Refik Anadol
• Los Angeles’ AI Museum Dataland, opening spring 2026
• Full transcript and additional resources in the episode show notes

Or, visit  today.charleston.edu/cofc-podcast for more episodes.

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Lauren’s tips for hosting dinner parties:

• Get people involved and feel wanted in the kitchen, give them tasks
• Handwritten timeline
• Get as much done ahead of time as possible

Resources from this episode:

Focaccia Bread Recipe

Les Dames d’Escoffier 

Lauren’s Favorite Cookbooks:

1. "Deep Run Roots" by Vivian Howard

2. "Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking" by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart

3. "Dining In" by Alison Roman

4. "Everyday Italian" by Giada de Laurentiis

5. "Essentials of Italian Cooking" by Marcella Hazan

6. "Chasing Flavor" by Dan Kluger 

Lauren’s Faves:

• Best olive oil ever is available locally at farmers markets and from the owner, they also ship directly to customers
• Local wood shop owned by Brad Ferguson
• The Veggie Bin is a great spot for local food products, produce and more, plus the friendliest hospitality: https://www.instagram.com/veggiebinchs/?hl=en
• Crosby's Seafood 

Butchers: 

• Ted's https://www.tedsbutcherblock.com/
• NY Butcher Shop in Mount Pleasant https://www.nybutcher.com/mount-pleasant
• Peculiar Pig Farm https://www.peculiarpigfarm.com/

Farmers: 

• Fire Ant Farms, https://www.fireantfarm.org/
• LowLand Farms 

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Discover how CofC students are leading a movement for civil discourse. Hear their strategies for navigating tough conversations and why empathy is the key to bridging divides.

Does pineapple belong on pizza? 

It’s an easy yes or no question for most. It’s an easier question to answer then one about politics or religion and it’s the kind of question that the Civility Initiative Free Expression Fellows call “low stakes.” 

Resources from this episode:

Want to join the conversation? Follow the Civility Initiative on Instagram at @cofc_civility or visit the Civility Initiative webpage for upcoming events.