Smarter Campus Podcast

Zach Kinzler

Changing education one conversation at a time. The Smarter Campus Podcast dives into the future of learning, spotlighting how students, educators, and innovators around the world are using AI to reshape education. Hosted by Zach, Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, each episode features real conversations with passionate voices—from student leaders to professors—about what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s next. Whether you're curious about AI in the classroom, how schools are adapting, or what students actually want from their education, this podcast keeps it honest, inspiring, and practical. Tune in weekly for powerful ideas, global perspectives, and a smarter take on the campus experience.

  1. 1d ago

    When the System Doesn’t Fit the Student: Mia Kinzler on Disability, College, and AI

    In this deeply personal episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with his sister, Mia Kinzler, a sophomore studying Psychology at Loyola Marymount University, to talk about an experience that is often discussed about students but rarely heard directly from them: what it actually feels like to navigate higher education with severe learning disabilities. Mia was diagnosed in fourth grade with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and ADHD. She has spent years learning how her brain processes information and developing strategies to succeed academically. But in college, she has encountered a different challenge: a system of accommodations that can be far better at checking boxes than understanding how an individual student actually learns. Mia describes being able to demonstrate her understanding of material verbally in a matter of minutes while struggling for hours with a written multiple-choice exam—not because she doesn't know the content, but because the format itself creates processing barriers. She shares the exhausting amount of self-advocacy required to receive support, what happens when an accommodation doesn't fit neatly into an institution's existing options, and how repeatedly struggling in environments that don't reflect what you know can change the way you see your own intelligence. The conversation also offers a very different perspective on AI in education. For Mia, generative AI isn't a tool for avoiding thinking. She uses it as a cognitive translator—talking through her own ideas and asking AI to help structure those thoughts into the written formats college requires. She specifically tells the AI not to give her answers. Yet in an environment increasingly suspicious of AI use, the same technology that can provide accessibility can also expose students with disabilities to assumptions that they're cheating. This episode isn't ultimately about AI. It's about whether higher education is willing to recognize that equal opportunity doesn't always mean asking every student to demonstrate learning in exactly the same way. And Mia's message to educators is remarkably simple: when a student tells you how their brain works and asks for help, trust them.

    When the System Doesn’t Fit the Student: Mia Kinzler on Disability, College, and AI

  2. Oct 26

    Students Don’t Trust AI—But They’re Still Using It: Elijah Craft on the Student Perspective

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Elijah Craft, a Computer Science and Psychology student at Furman University and Student Fellow for Emerging Technologies, to hear what the AI conversation actually looks like from the student perspective. Elijah describes an interesting “convenience paradox” emerging among students. While some enthusiastically embrace AI and others strongly oppose it, there is a growing group that distrusts or even dislikes AI while continuing to use it because of the convenience it provides under demanding academic workloads. The conversation also explores one of the biggest sources of tension on campuses: unclear AI policies. Elijah explains why blanket bans can create confusing gray areas and how greater transparency around what is—and isn’t—acceptable can help students make better decisions. He also shares examples of faculty using AI as a study partner rather than simply a shortcut or replacement for learning. For educators trying to understand how students are navigating this moment, Elijah offers simple advice: be specific about expectations and actually spend time using the technology yourself. Bridging the AI divide between students and faculty may start with more open conversations about what students are already doing.

    Students Don’t Trust AI—But They’re Still Using It: Elijah Craft on the Student Perspective

  3. Oct 19

    AI Can’t Be Top-Down: John Hillsman on Faculty Ownership and Breaking Higher Ed Silos

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with John Hillsman, Founder and Partner at Access Alliance for Education, to look at today’s AI transformation through the lens of nearly 40 years of change in education and technology. John has watched higher education navigate everything from VHS and closed-circuit television to the internet, online learning, and digital homework platforms. He sees similarities between those transitions and what institutions are experiencing with AI—but with one major difference: the speed of change is unlike anything higher education has dealt with before. The conversation explores why successful AI adoption can’t simply come from administrators or technology teams. Faculty need ownership, students need a voice, and institutions need to break down what John calls their “Silos of Excellence.” What works for a business school may look completely different in healthcare, law, or the arts, making collaboration and open dialogue essential. John also challenges educators to start by simply talking with their students. Instead of banning AI or pretending students aren’t already using it, ask how they’re using it, learn alongside them, and experiment together. As AI changes the relationship between students and educators, the opportunity may be to move beyond the traditional “sage on the stage” and toward a more collaborative model of learning.

    AI Can’t Be Top-Down: John Hillsman on Faculty Ownership and Breaking Higher Ed Silos

  4. Oct 12

    Stop Throwing AI at Everything: Lissa Frésquez on Building EdTech That Actually Helps Students

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Lissa Frésquez, Director of Technology Innovation on the Learning Team at EdPlus at Arizona State University, to explore what it actually takes to evaluate, test, and scale emerging technology across a massive online learning ecosystem. Lissa shares how her team manages dozens of EdTech partners while supporting nearly 119,000 online learners. From automated systems that monitor vendor updates to targeted 7.5-week pilots with individual colleges, the conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how new technology moves from an interesting idea to something students and faculty can actually use. The conversation also explores why smaller startups can sometimes make great partners, the importance of security and accessibility from day one, and why institutions shouldn't simply “throw AI at everything.” Lisa advocates for thinking about AI as augmented intelligence—technology that enhances the learning experience rather than replacing the people at the center of it. Ultimately, Lisa argues that even as online education becomes more technologically sophisticated, one of the biggest opportunities is surprisingly human: creating more intentional, authentic interactions between students and faculty.

    Stop Throwing AI at Everything: Lissa Frésquez on Building EdTech That Actually Helps Students

  5. Oct 5

    Going All In on AI: How Pikes Peak State College Rolled Out AI Campus-Wide

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with a leader from Pikes Peak State College to talk about what it actually looks like to move from experimenting with AI to making it available across an entire institution. Pikes Peak initially began with a small pilot group evaluating different tools and approaches. But when the team brought a limited rollout proposal to college leadership, the response was much bigger: go all in. The result was campus-wide access for students, faculty, and staff, with collaboration and shared learning at the center of the strategy. The conversation also explores why community colleges require especially thoughtful approaches to AI adoption. Different states structure technical education, transfer pathways, and workforce programs very differently, meaning there is no single model that works everywhere. For educators who are still figuring out where to begin, the advice is simple: start small, understand what people are actually afraid of, and use AI as a starting point rather than a finished product. The episode is a practical look at what institutional AI adoption can look like when access, experimentation, and human judgment are built into the rollout from the beginning.

    Going All In on AI: How Pikes Peak State College Rolled Out AI Campus-Wide

  6. Sep 28

    Your Research Deserves an Audience: Kevin Anselmo on AI and Strategic Communication

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Kevin Anselmo, strategic communications consultant and founder of Experiential Communications, to explore an overlooked side of the AI conversation in higher education: communication and research impact. While much of higher education’s AI conversation has focused on cheating, grading, and classroom policies, Kevin argues there is a massive opportunity for researchers, faculty, and academic leaders to use AI as a kind of personal PR assistant. The technology can help translate complex ideas, prepare for interviews, repurpose research, and communicate important work to audiences far beyond academia. Kevin also breaks down his Clarity, Capability, and Momentum framework for AI adoption. The key is starting with your goals, audience, and message—not the technology. From there, customized AI workflows can dramatically reduce the time spent on communication while still keeping human strategy and judgment at the center. The conversation also explores “AI slop,” why dismissing AI because of poor outputs misses the larger opportunity, and why higher education may need to rethink everything from slow-moving AI policies to traditional four-year credentials. For researchers in particular, Kevin leaves listeners with a challenge: great research only creates impact if people actually understand it.

    Your Research Deserves an Audience: Kevin Anselmo on AI and Strategic Communication

  7. Sep 21

    Make Students Think Harder, Not Less: Dave McCool on AI and Experiential Learning

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Dave McCool, President & CEO of Muzzy Lane, to explore how AI can help higher education move beyond traditional assignments and create more experiential, authentic learning. Dave argues that some of the most promising uses of AI aren’t about inventing entirely new approaches to education. Instead, AI can make proven methods—simulations, role-playing, authentic problem-solving, and skills-based assessment—dramatically easier for faculty and instructional designers to build and scale. He shares how Muzzy Lane has used AI to reduce the creation time for simulation-based assessments from weeks to minutes while keeping humans in the loop. The conversation also tackles AI detection, the return to blue books, “experience inflation” in the job market, and why students often cheat when coursework feels disconnected from their lives. Dave shares examples of virtual internships and scenario-based assessments that allow students to demonstrate durable skills like critical thinking while gaining experiences they can actually talk about with employers. For educators and higher education leaders, the episode raises an important challenge: AI shouldn’t make learning easier by removing the thinking—it should help us design experiences that make students think harder.

    Make Students Think Harder, Not Less: Dave McCool on AI and Experiential Learning

  8. Sep 14

    AI Is a Human Problem: Chad Okrusch on Integrity, Ethics, and Leading Through Change

    In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Dr. Chad Okrusch, a tenured Professor of Philosophy and Communication and Montana Tech’s first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer—the first role of its kind within the Montana University System. Chad brings an unusually human perspective to AI leadership. With roots in IT and more than two decades of work across philosophy, ethics, environmental studies, and communication, he argues that AI shouldn’t simply be treated as another technology problem. It is a social disruption that forces institutions to think deeply about human agency, integrity, and what they are ultimately trying to preserve. The conversation explores Chad’s concept of systems integrity, why campus AI leaders should spend more time listening to skeptics, and how AI can actually give people time back for the parts of their jobs that are most human. He also explains why “soft skills” like communication, critical thinking, ethics, and character are becoming increasingly durable skills in an AI-driven world. For higher education leaders navigating AI adoption, Chad offers a refreshingly simple starting point: listen first. Understand the system, the people within it, and their fears before prescribing solutions. AI leadership isn’t about being the AI police or blindly championing every new tool—it’s about helping institutions adapt without losing sight of human flourishing.

    AI Is a Human Problem: Chad Okrusch on Integrity, Ethics, and Leading Through Change
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About

Changing education one conversation at a time. The Smarter Campus Podcast dives into the future of learning, spotlighting how students, educators, and innovators around the world are using AI to reshape education. Hosted by Zach, Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, each episode features real conversations with passionate voices—from student leaders to professors—about what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s next. Whether you're curious about AI in the classroom, how schools are adapting, or what students actually want from their education, this podcast keeps it honest, inspiring, and practical. Tune in weekly for powerful ideas, global perspectives, and a smarter take on the campus experience.

Information

  • Creator
    Zach Kinzler
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Zach Kinzler
  • Show Website
    Smarter Campus Podcast