LearningWell Radio

Invented Here: Cultivating Purpose-Driven Leaders with Julia Macias, Washington University of St. Louis

October 21st, 2025  |  15 mins 5 secs

Julia Macias believes “leading is not about formal position.” She tells us “everyone, regardless of formal status, has the potential to influence and energize others towards a common goal.” On this episode of Invented Here, Dr. Macias shares the origins of the George and Carol Bauer Leaders Academy at Washington University of St. Louis and how her program has scaled to ensure all WashU students have integrated and immersive opportunities to become purpose driven leaders of character and capability.

Ep. 11 AI’s Impact on the Student Brain: Unpacking the Research with Beth McMurtrie, Senior Writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education

October 7th, 2025  |  24 mins 48 secs

Ep. 10 Hacking College: Rethinking the Major and Redesigning the Path to Success

April 21st, 2025  |  31 mins 42 secs

The authors discuss how students can leverage higher education to get a richer college experience and in doing so, may change the system.

Ep. 9 Growing up Gen Z with Dr. Jean Twenge

March 25th, 2025  |  28 mins 14 secs

Renowned psychologist and author Jean Twenge discusses generational change, the iPhone and social media, and their unprecedented influence on adolescent and young adult mental health.

Ep. 8: Embracing Neurodivergent Learners

January 28th, 2025  |  16 mins 12 secs

In this episode of LearningWell Radio, Kelly Field discusses her new report: The Nuerodivergent Campus, Supporting Students, Faculty and Staff, for the Chronicle of Higher Education.  The interview provides evidence and information about neurodiversity (students with autism, ADHD and certain learning disorders), and explores the needs and assets of this growing category of college students.

Invented Here: Sukhwant Jhaj, Arizona State University

January 21st, 2025  |  22 mins 30 secs

Sukhwant Jhaj, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Student Achievement at Arizona State University, spoke with Dana Humphrey, co-host of Invented Here, about ASU’s Work+ program, a bold and transformative initiative redefining how we think about student employment. Sukhwant shares how Work+ evolved, its impact, and the lessons he’s learned in bringing the initiative to where it is today. Learn more about the Work+ Collective here: https://theworkpluscollective.asu.edu/.

Ep. 7: How Learning Influences Wellbeing

October 16th, 2024  |  18 mins 55 secs

A conversation with Holly White, doctoral candidate at the University of Maine, and lead author of the recent PNAS Nexus article, Cultivating long-term well-being through transformative undergraduate education.

Invented Here: Dr. Joe Tranquillo, Bucknell University

October 1st, 2024  |  43 mins 15 secs

LearningWell Radio co-host Dana Humphrey talks to Dr. Joe Tranquillo, Associate Provost for Transformative Teaching and Learning and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Bucknell University. Tranquillo is the driving force behind the Thrive Framework, which aims to fulfill the promise laid out in Bucknell’s strategic plan – “to educate individuals and, through that education, change people’s lives…. to offer students a transformative experiences that prepares them to thrive not only at Bucknell but throughout their lives.” The framework has been used to generate over 300 university-wide initiatives that enhance the student experience, addressing the ways students struggle – meeting their basic needs, enhancing their sense of belonging, improving access and use of resources and enabling holistic growth. This episode is part of LearningWell Radio's series “Invented Here,” which spotlights innovative, transformational learning programs at colleges and universities across the country.

Ep. 6: Talking Student Mental Health and Wellbeing With Experts on Campus

September 10th, 2024  |  23 mins 1 sec

Dr. Zoe Ragouzeos, Vice President for Student Mental Health and Wellbeing at New York University and Dr. Eric Wood, Director of Counseling and Mental Health at Texas Christian University discuss what they are seeing in students returning this fall, how traumatic events of the past several years are affecting incoming students, and trends in the way we think about student behavioral health and wellbeing in higher education.

Invented Here: Dr. Angela Lindner

August 13th, 2024  |  37 mins 42 secs

LearningWell Radio co-host Dana Humphrey in conversation with Dr. Angela Lindner, professor and former Associate Provost of Undergraduate Affairs at the University of Florida. Lindner helped create and lead UF Quest, a 4-year signature course aimed at providing intimate, interactive learning communities within the large land-grant university in Gainesville. Part of the general education program that begins with a first year Humanities course, UF Quest engages students with questions that Lindner says “are difficult to answer, but impossible to ignore.”

This episode is part of LearningWell Radio's series “Invented Here,” which spotlights innovative, transformational learning programs at colleges and universities across the country.

Invented Here: A new series for LearningWell Radio

July 23rd, 2024  |  25 mins 28 secs

A conversation with Dr. John Volin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Maine, on introducing research experiences to first year students as a pathway to belonging, wellbeing and retention.

Trailer: Invented Here

July 19th, 2024  |  32 secs

From LearningWell and the Coalition for Transformational Education, a new series that features stories of innovation in learner-centered education that fosters life-long wellbeing. Marjorie Malpiede and Dana Humphrey interview the founders of the innovative programs at Coalition schools about the initiatives they built.