Jessie and Nolan speak with Blake Colclasure and Tyler Granberry about their experiences teaching and studying multi-semester capstone research programs. They’re the authors of a recent Teaching & Learning Inquiry article, “Challenges and Supports Experienced by Students Completing a Multi-Semester Capstone Undergraduate Research Experience: Reflections from Program Graduates.” The two provide valuable recommendations about how to run an engaging, multi-semester, undergraduate research program.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth. The background image is from Elon University’s flickr account.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.

Jessie L. Moore and Nolan Schultheis talk with Kasey Wozniak about how vertically integrated project (VIP) courses support student project ownership, authentic undergraduate research, and career readiness. Drawing on her research at Idaho State University, Wozniak shares how flexible course design, near-peer mentoring, and public presentations help students build confidence, collaboration skills, and a sense of belonging—making college learning more meaningful and worthwhile.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. 

Episode art was created by Jessie Moore and Jennie Goforth. The image in the episode art is by pch.vector on Freepik.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. 

In this episode, we explore a first-year course that provides a foundation to inspire and foster undergraduate research. We speak with Dr. Cynthia Fair, a Professor of Public Health Studies and Human Service Studies at Elon University, and Dr. Dave Gammon, a Professor of Biology at Elon University. Together, they describe a course that scaffolds research, starting with asking effective questions, and sets up an engaging four-year research experience.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. 

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth. 

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. 

In this episode, we explore the technical, ethical, and social complexities of using AI in engineering. We speak with Dr. Blake Hament, Assistant Professor of Engineering at Elon University, who shares an example of developing a voice-enabled robotic guide dog in close collaboration with members of the visually-impaired community. Our conversation also examines the long history of AI in engineering, illustrating that GenAI is an updated application of a longstanding technology.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. 

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth. 

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. 

Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. 

In this episode, we explore strategies to keep students engaged in research in the humanities. We speak with Dr. Mary Isbell, an associate professor of English at the University of New Haven, and Dr. Kevin Ostoyich, a professor of history at Valparaiso University. Our conversation focuses on course-based undergraduate research experiences they’ve developed. Listen in to learn how they scaffold research experiences in the humanities!

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.

In this episode, Nolan and Jessie speak with Dr. Mandy Olejnik, the Assistant Director of Writing Across the Curriculum at Miami University of Ohio. Dr. Olejnik has been monitoring generative AI and its use for the instruction and practice of writing in higher education classrooms. Listen in to learn more about how AI is affecting writing in higher education! 

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a third-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.

In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Travis Maynard, Tim Peeples, and Paula Rosinski about their recent research on alumni perceptions of generative AI. Drs. Maynard, Peeples, and Rosinski share what they're learning about the role of AI in professionals' day-to-day lives, across professional, civic, and personal spaces. They also highlight what they've learned about "power users" of AI and suggest implications for teaching and practicing effective AI use in higher education.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Jessie L. Moore also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, an international research center.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) - https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.

In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Dr. Paul Miller about facilitating reflection in undergraduate research. Collaborating with colleagues in experiential learning, Paul and Jessie created the FIRE Toolkit, a free resource to foster students’ self-reflection and mentoring conversations with peers, staff, and faculty. Engaging with the FIRE Toolkit helps students deepen their experiences with global engagement (study abroad or Study USA), internships, leadership, research, and service (community-based learning).

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth.

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) - https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.  

In this episode, Nolan and Jessie talk with Dr. Melinda Adams and Dr. Jody Jessup-Anger about the relational aspects of internships. Our guests' research explores how trust and sense of belonging contribute to students’ satisfaction with their internship experiences.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, Amanda Sturgill shares insights from her ongoing exploration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and engaged learning in higher education. Dr. Sturgill is the 2024-2026 Center for Engaged Learning Scholar and an associate professor of journalism at Elon University. We discuss the potential benefits of integrating GenAI into higher education teaching and learning activities, as well as tips for students, faculty, and staff who are navigating this quickly evolving technology.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, guest hosts Ellie MacMillan, Kassidy Puckett, and Carolina Martinez consider the impact service learning has on career development, social cohesion, and community involvement. Joining them are Elon University’s Bob Frigo, Assistant Dean of Campus Life, and Phillip Motley, Professor of Communication Design. They share insights on how service learning shapes students’ skills, perspectives, and future opportunities. 

This episode was co-hosted and edited by Ellie MacMillan, Graduate Apprentice for the Center for Leadership at Elon University; Kassidy Puckett, Graduate Apprentice for Admissions at Elon University; and Carolina Martinez, Graduate Apprentice for the Moseley Center at Elon University. Nolan Schultheis completed additional editing for the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, Anne-Marie Fannon and Soumya Garg from the Work-Learn Institute at the University of Waterloo share new research on the work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences of equity deserving groups. They focused on understanding the barriers that students from equity deserving groups experienced in WIL and then partnered with students to identify solutions to these barriers. Our conversation highlights the learning value of WIL and existing workplace strengths that employers can integrate into WIL experiences to better support all students on their teams.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we consider how undergraduate research impacts a student’s inquiry, sense of belonging, and long-term career. Drawing from in-depth interviews with alumni across the disciplines, Kristine Johnson and Michael Rifenburg explored the benefits of undergraduate research: meaningful intellectual engagement, a sense of belonging in the campus community, and vocational clarity and career success after college. Our conversation highlights rich examples from their interviews and reinforces the long-term value of undergraduate research.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

This episode covers the complexities of a work-integrated learning experience including, both the benefits and the challenges. With guests, Dr. CJ Fleming, an associate professor of psychology and Annelise Weaver, a senior at Elon with an undergraduate degree in psychology, we learn about the impactful practice of WIL’s.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth. Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) - https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio.

This episode explores what use of AI integration in collegiate assignments can do for student learning. With guests Aaron Trocki, a math professor at Elon university, and Alyssa Collins, who is studying to be a secondary education teacher and worked through one of Trocki’s assignments, we explore the use of AI in a math assignment and the outcomes for student learning.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. 

Episode art was created by Nolan Schultheis and Jennie Goforth. 

Funky Percussions is by Denys Kyshchuk (@audiocoffeemusic) – https://www.audiocoffee.net/. Soft Beat is by ComaStudio. 

Dawn Whitehead and Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, two of the co-editors of Mentored Undergraduate Research in Global Contexts: Integrated High-Impact Practices for Student Success, join our podcast to talk about the intersection of these high-impact practices. We explore topics like accessibility, challenges, and the benefits of mentored undergraduate research in global contexts (whether local or abroad!) for student learning and development.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode of "Making College Worth It," hosts Nolan Schultheis and Jessie Moore delve into student-faculty partnerships in higher education. They interview Olivia Choplin, an associate professor at Elon University, and Emily Ford, a 2020 alumna, who collaborated on redesigning a study abroad course to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Olivia and Emily discuss the challenges and successes of their partnership, emphasizing the importance of student input in course design to reduce grading anxiety and improve learning experiences. The episode highlights how these types of collaborations are essential moving forward in higher education.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a second-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we focus on student-faculty partnerships in higher education. We talk to Sophia Abbot, a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education Program at George Mason University and a long-time contributor to partnership practice and scholarship. She currently works as a graduate assistant on the Anti-Racist and Inclusive Teaching (ARIT) team in Stearns Center for Teaching & Learning, and she’s a co-editor of The Power of Partnership: Students, Staff, and Faculty Revolutionizing Higher Education. 

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we visit with Amanda Sturgill, Associate Professor of Journalism at Elon University, who co-edited Mind the Gap: Global Learning at Home and Abroad. She shares strategies for facilitating global engagement closer to campus and highlights research from the edited collection.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Jessie L. Moore also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we visit with Jennifer Eidum, Associate Professor of English at Elon University, and Laura Lomicka, Professor of French and Applied Linguistics at the University of South Carolina, who co-edited The Faculty Factor: Developing Faculty Engagement with Living Learning Communities. They share how living-learning communities can inform students' college experiences, and they examine the impact faculty can have in campuses' residential spaces.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis and Jessie L. Moore also edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we visit with Susan Hrach, director of the Faculty Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning and professor of English at Columbus State University, and Ashley Holmes, interim director of Teaching Effectiveness in the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Online Education, and associate professor of English at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. Both have written about the spaces learners embody and interact with during their college studies.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Nolan Schultheis edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we visit with Carol Van Zile-Tamsen, associate vice provost for curriculum, assessment, and teaching transformation at the University at Buffalo, about UB's ePortfolio capstone requirement for general education.

Carol Van Zile-Tamsen is the associate vice provost for curriculum, assessment, and teaching transformation at the University at Buffalo. Her primary focus involves student learning assessment, psychometrics, and using data for improvement efforts. She teaches pedagogy and psychometric theory for graduate students from across the university, as well as first-year seminars for incoming freshmen and transfer students. She is an alumni of UB, earning her doctorate in educational psychology in 1996. 

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Jessie L. Moore edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we visit with Helen Walkington, Professor of Higher Education at Oxford Brookes University, UK, and Eric Hall, professor of exercise science at Elon University, about the salient practices of mentoring undergraduate research. These practices can facilitate a high-quality mentoring pedagogy. Professors Walkington and Hall were part of a research team that conducted an extensive review of the literature on mentoring undergraduate research, identifying ten salient practices which support effective mentoring of undergraduate researchers, and they continue to research the ways that mentoring informed by the salient practices makes college "worth it" for students.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Jessie L. Moore edited the episode. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, we focus on living-learning communities, which combine students’ on-campus housing experiences with academic experiences like linked courses, shared academic interests, or other learning opportunities. We talk to Professor Mark Ward from Purdue University and Professor Jonathan Manz from Lewis and Clark College, two of the creators of The Data Mine Living Learning Community at Purdue, and we learn more about how the program fosters relationship-rich educational experiences.

Caroline Ketcham and Tony Weaver, co-editors of Cultivating Capstones: Designing High-Quality Culminating Experiences for Student Learning, share strategies for faculty and students to make the most of these high-impact opportunities for learners to integrate and reflect on the skills and knowledge they've developed across their college experiences.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In a 2021 survey of recent U.S. college graduates, conducted by the Elon Poll and the Center for Engaged Learning, 94% of participants indicated that writing was somewhat or very important to their day-to-day lives, but only 80% had developed effective writing skills during college. College students and the people who support them need to attend to the writing students are doing in college and how those writing experiences prepare them for lifelong and lifewide writing. 

We visit with our guests - Professors Alexis Hart from Allegheny College, Ashley Holmes from Georgia State University, Íde O’Sullivan from the University of Limerick in Ireland, Yogesh Sinha from Ohio University, and Kathleen Yancey from Florida State University - about how students make connections among their spheres of writing as they write for college courses, co-curricular activities, internships, work, civic or community activities, and self-motivated purposes.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Nolan Schultheis, a first-year student at Elon University, studying Psychology with an interest in law. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In a 2021 survey conducted by the Elon University Poll and the Center for Engaged Learning, 54.5% of recent college graduates indicated that they’d encountered meaningful relationships with faculty or staff multiple times, and 69.1% reported multiple meaningful relationships with other students. Unfortunately, 16.4% reported never developing those relationships with faculty or staff, and 9.8% never developed meaningful relationships with peers. How can students make connections in college?

Our panelists - Isis Artze-Vega (Valencia College), Oscar R. Miranda Tapia (North Carolina State University), and Peter Felten (Elon University) - share strategies from their new book (with Leo Lambert), Connections are Everything: A College Student's Guide to Relationship-Rich Education. Read the book for free on Project Muse, thanks to a grant from the Gardner Institute. Explore teaching and faculty development resources related to the book on the Center's website.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, and Sydni Brown, a senior at Elon University who is majoring in Communications Design and Strategic Communications. Making College “Worth It” is produced by Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In a 2021 national survey of recent college graduates in the U.S., young professionals indicated that writing was very important to their daily lives, but only 80% reported developing the writing skills they needed while in college. How can college students prepare for writing they'll encounter in the workplace?

Our panelists - Stephen Macharia (Swathmore University, Kenya), Amanda Sturgill (Elon University, U.S.), and Neil Baird (Bowling Green State University, U.S.) - share their international research on young professional's writing experiences. They offer tips for students on how to make the most of college experiences to prepare for workplace writing, and they share recommendations for university faculty and staff across the university on supporting students' writing development.

This episode is co-hosted by Jessie L. Moore, Director of Elon University's Center for Engaged Learning, and Sydni Brown, a senior at Elon University. Making College "Worth It" is produced by Elon University's Center for Engaged Learning.

New episodes release every other Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and learn more at www.CenterForEngagedLearning.org.