Podcasts

On TESU’s Edison Sound Stage, we have meaningful conversations with business and community leaders, and with our students, who are actively engaged in their professions and communities — all while earning a degree that builds their careers, advances their professions, and empowers their lives.

Edison Sound Stage is recorded and produced on TESU’s campus in Trenton, New Jersey.

Episode 16: Strength Behind the Service

In honor of Military Appreciation Month and in recognition of Memorial Day, we celebrate the resilience and sacrifices made not just by our service members, but by the families who support them. In episode 16 of Edison Sound Stage, Maja Mendez, TESU’s Associate Director of Military and Veteran Recruitment and Outreach; Jonathan Sloan, BSBA ’22; and Sherri Hamm, B.S. ’22, M.S. ’24, discuss the challenges and joys of being military spouses and dependents for a new appreciation of those who serve through their own commitment and responsibilities at home.

Episode 15: Navigating the Changing Landscape in Educational Leadership

Today's schools are evolving at a pace unprecedented in history, shaped by forces distinct from those just a decade ago and forever altered by the recent global pandemic. In episode fifteen of Edison Sound Stage, Dr. Scott Rocco, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators 2022 Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of Schools for Hamilton Township School District, tackles some of the big questions about what it means to be an educational leader or administrator today, sharing his fresh perspectives about emerging issues, school law, visionary leadership, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in schools.

Episode 14: Leading the Way: The Path to Effective Educational Leadership

Educational administrators are crucial to serving as agents of change while building equitable and just communities in schools. They must be able to articulate a clear vision, strategize, and drive purposeful and sustained change in educationally diverse environments. But if you are aspiring to a school administrator or supervisor position, are you ready to do that? In episode fourteen of Edison Sound Stage, a panel of today’s educational leaders discuss their experiences and insights for those seeking a successful transition into effective school leadership.

Episode 13: An Insider’s Guide to Job Hunting

On the thirteenth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Ceceilia "Ceil" M. O'Callaghan, Director of TESU's Office of Career Development, welcomes guest co-presenter and professional staffing recruiter, Caitlin Heymann, Vice President and Recruiting Manager at Robert Half International, as they discuss hands-on advice and successful strategies for job-hunting and interviewing.

Episode 12: Shining a Light on Our Community During National Volunteer Week

On the twelfth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, President, joins students, staff and alumni who share the University’s strong commitment to the community in recognition of National Volunteer Week. Panelists Jennifer Hutchinson, Gabriela Mendoza, DJ Weltch and Melody Ward discuss the importance of volunteerism and giving back to their communities in their professional and personal lives.

Episode 11: 2nd Annual Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

On the eleventh episode of Edison Sound Stage, Rev. Dr. Charles Boyer, pastor of Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Trenton and the founder of Salvation and Social Justice, a non-partisan Black faith-rooted organization, joins Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, President, in TESU’s 2nd Annual Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. for a discussion on health equity, DEI issues, the pandemic’s effect on Trenton residents and MLK’s mission as it relates to the Trenton community.

Episode 10: The Benefits of Prior Learning Assessment for Graduate Studies

On episode ten of Edison Sound Stage, Ann Prime Monaghan, associate dean, and Dr. Malcolm Oliver, dean, discuss opportunities for Graduate-Level Prior Learning Assessment (Grad PLA) in the John S. Watson School of Public Service with Dr. Christine M. Willard, TESU mentor and Professor of Education, Director of Childhood & Childhood Special Education at Nyack College; and students Joel Heller (B.S. ’94, currently pursuing M.S. in Public and Municipal Fundraising and GCERT in Fundraising and Development) and Gerard Cardenas (M.S. ’21, current DBA student), both of whom earned Grad PLA credits as part of their degree pursuits. Graduate-level PLA allows students the opportunity to earn graduate credit for graduate-level knowledge acquired through work; corporate, military or industry training; workforce development programs; in-depth professional research; and other learning experiences.

Episode 9: Leveraging America’s Talent to Meet the Needs of an Evolving Workforce

On the ninth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, President, explores the innovative ways top employers are identifying, preparing and retaining diverse talent for the workforce of today and tomorrow with Maurice Jones, CEO, OneTen.org; Dr. Lillian Lowery, Vice President, ETS and former Delaware Secretary of Education; and Michele Siekerka, president and CEO, New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA).

Episode 8: Preparing Individuals for Successful Re-entry into the Workforce After Incarceration

In the eighth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Ann Prime-Monaghan, associate dean of the John S. Watson School for Public Service, interviews trailblazers from the New Jersey State Library to discuss Fresh Start @ Your Library, a program that aims to prepare individuals for successful re-entry into the workforce after incarceration.

Episode 7: How to Find and Receive Funding for Nonprofits

On the seventh episode of Edison Sound Stage, Ann Prime-Monaghan, associate dean of the John S. Watson School for Public Service, welcomes Matt Hugg and Leigh Clark to discuss strategies and opportunities to receive funding for nonprofit organizations, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hugg is a TESU mentor, member of the Watson School’s Curriculum Committee and a consultant for nonprofit organizations. He teaches a number of classes on nonprofit management and hosts a website of resources called Nonprofit​.Courses.

Clark is the Business and Funding Information Librarian at the New Jersey State Library Information Center. She regularly assists nonprofits with funding research and coordinates the State Library’s Funding Information Center.

Episode 6: Challenges to Today’s Volunteer Fire Services

On the sixth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Christopher Schultz, assistant dean, Heavin School of Arts, Sciences, and Technology, discusses issues of recruitment and retention of fire service volunteers as communities change with guest, William F. Jenaway, Ph.D.

Jenaway is the chair of the John S. Watson School of Public Service, Curriculum Committee. He is a 12-year incumbent municipal elected official, served as a fire chief in two communities, and counseled fire and EMS around the U.S. A former International Association of Fire Chiefs – Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year, he also serves as President of the Congressional Fire Service Institute and manages the Pennsylvania Firemen’s Association Recruitment and Retention Grant program. As a long-time collegiate educator, established author and lecturer, he is the author of the monthly “Recruitment and Retention Tip of the Month” in Pennsylvania Firemen magazine.

Episode 5: Cultural Competency in K-12 Classrooms

On the fifth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Dr. Joseph Youngblood, dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service, joins Ana I. Berdecia, MEd, Senior Fellow/Director of the Center for the Positive Development of Urban Children (CPDUC) at the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy of Thomas Edison State University, and Sandra GB Iturbides, supervisor of ESL, Bilingual and World Language Program for Secondary Schools for the Trenton School District, to discuss cross-cultural awareness and practice in our children’s classrooms. Iturbides holds a BS in Clinical Psychology from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, her native country; a master’s in ESL Education from Trenton College of New Jersey, and a master’s in Education Administration from Grand Canyon University. With 25 years of experience as an educator, Mrs. Iturbides advocates for biliteracy and equitable access to education for all children.

Episode 4: A Public Health Crisis and How Hospitals Have Responded

On the fourth episode of Edison Sound Stage, Dr. Joseph Youngblood, dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service, discusses the COVID-19 pandemic and how two local hospitals have responded to this public health crisis with Dan Moen, president and chief executive officer, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, and Michelle Morrison, chief hospital executive at Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin.

Episode 3: Our Voices Count, Your Vote is Your Commodity

On the third episode of Edison Sound Stage, Ann Prime-Monaghan, associate dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service, discusses voter registration history and the importance of civic engagement through voting with Gloria Frederick, PhD, and Barbara George-Johnson, executive director of The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy. Dr. Frederick has more than 30 years of experience in community development programs, non-profit and organizational development, management and training and serves as mentor and online course developer at Thomas Edison State University as well as a member of the University curriculum committee.

Episode 2: Public Service Leadership

On the second episode of Edison Sound Stage, Christopher Schultz, assistant dean of the Watson School, sits down with Dean Joe Youngblood to discuss the origins, mission, and motivations of the both the Watson School and Institute.

Episode 1: Social Engineering

Dr. Jane LeClair, president of the Washington Center for Cybersecurity Research and Development, Cybersecurity advisory board member and Cybersecurity program advisor for Thomas Edison State University, explores why social engineering is a people problem and how serious this threat can be, impacting nearly 4 out of every 5 breaches today. So, what can we do to halt hackers’ activities?