Speaking of Simpson

Simpson's 60-year-old Dunn Library has just opened after an 18-month remodeling project. College Librarian & Archivist Cyd Dyer is on the podcast this week to talk about Dunn's history and what users will find when they visit the new space in the center of campus.

The first associate dean for student success at Simpson, Teresa Swan Tuite manages several programs and offices that help students succeed in the classroom and across campus. She comes on the podcast this week to talk about how that effort is key to Simpson's mission, and how it often means concentrating on individual student success.

Coming off a 16-3-2 season, Simpson women's soccer coach Jeremy Reinert visits the podcast to talk about the Storm's run to an NCAA national tournament birth in Division III. Despite a second-round, season-ending loss to Wisconsin-LaCrosse in the tournament, Simpson is well positioned to make another tournament run in 2024.

For 15 years, Lisa Carponelli has brought her expertise in local television news to Simpson students. Now she's back on the air as a part-time weekend anchor at WHO-TV Channel 13 in Des Moines. Carponelli joins the podcast this week to talk about her work at Simpson, her recent return to the airwaves, and — as if that's not enough to keep her busy — her line of women's cycling clothing Velarosa

Simpson's longtime director of speech, debate and mock trial, Spencer Waugh, has stepped into a new role at the college this fall, becoming the college's first leader of the Center for Exploratory Studies and director of academic recruiting. Spencer comes on the podcast this week to talk about his transition and his work helping undecided students find a path to determining what they'll study at Simpson.

Winning national championships isn't news for Simpson's speech, debate, and mock trial program — but having new leadership is. This week's podcast features new SDMT director Tiana Brownen, new assistant Justin Fields, and veteran assistant Marisa Mayo talking about the challenges of taking over the nationally prominent program and their hopes for the season just getting started.

Tracy and Jason Dinesen are longtime members of the Simpson community — she a faculty member in Spanish and administrator, he a graduate and adjunct accounting professor — who've done something many of us long to do: Sell their possessions and move to another country. In the Dinesens case, they and their two teenaged sons have moved to Portugal, and they tell their story on this week's podcast episode. The Dinesens also are documenting their story on their own podcast, As The Dinesens Turn, which you can find on all major podcasting platforms.

It's Homecoming 2023 at Simpson College, and Alumni Director Andy English stops by the podcast this week to talk about the traditional and the new events that will welcome alumni and community to campus for Simpson's premier fall celebration. The football team takes on Coe for the biggest event of the week, but Homecoming 2023 offers a full range of events for campus visitors young and old.

Colleges and universities must be accredited by an outside body for their students to qualify for governmental financial aid — and for students and their families to know that schools produce the higher education they need to succeed in life and career. This week, Jennifer Miller, dean of continuing, graduate and online education at Simpson, talks about her leadership of Simpson's reaccreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission.

Andrea Singsass '05 is founder and CEO of The Tyne Group, a leadership coaching and development firm based in Cedar Rapids. She's on the podcast this week to talk about how she found her calling, balancing personal and professional life, and her passion for supporting American military spouses around the globe.