Austin Community Conversations

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Discussions about the interests, backgrounds and projects animating the members of a vibrant college community

  1. Oct 26

    Eli Ryder: Fear as an Aperture to Deeper Experience

    Eli Ryder is a full time faculty member in the Creative Writing department at ACC.  Given that this episode will go live in the last week of October, I thought it fitting to feature Eli not only for his contributions to instruction and programming, but for his work as an author of horror fiction.  Here we talk about his own road to joining the ACC community, his thoughts on the horror genre as both an object of study and as a creative outlet, his views on the role that generative AI might play in the future of fiction, his role the Creative Writing department’s own podcast, and other topics.  Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Episode Overview(00:02:26) - Welcome and Setting Up the Conversation(00:02:34) - Eli's Path from Retail to Academia(00:04:49) - Graduate Studies and Teaching Aspirations(00:06:59) - Community College Students and Late Bloomers(00:09:37) - MFA Programs vs Community College Creative Writing(00:12:23) - Program Culture and Student Confidence(00:15:29) - Teaching Horror Fiction and Emotional Depth(00:17:43) - Fear, Empathy, and Emotional Investment in Writing(00:21:17) - Discussing a Published Horror Story(00:22:25) - The Role and Evolution of Horror Tropes(00:26:50) - Contemporary Horror Trends and AI Horror(00:29:53) - Exploitation Horror: The Substance and Him(00:32:43) - AI's Threat to Creative Writing and Voice(00:37:43) - Could AI Ever Create Real Fiction?(00:42:39) - The Write Mind Podcast and Speaker Series(00:46:19) - Building a Literary Community and Closing Thoughts

    Eli Ryder: Fear as an Aperture to Deeper Experience

  2. Sep 11

    Parker Garcia: Student Success Spotlight

    Parker Garcia is a recent ACC graduate who found his path to success through the college Honors Program.  As you’ll hear, Parker didn’t necessarily see himself as a quote-unquote ‘honors student’ when he first enrolled.  But the opportunities that he found in the Honors Program–and later as President of the Honors Student Organization– led to remarkable success in his transfer goal. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Disclaimer(00:02:16) - Meet Parker Garcia: Cornell Acceptance(00:02:57) - Coming to ACC After a Rough Start(00:06:07) - Struggles at Previous College as a Trans Student(00:07:45) - Discovering the Honors Program(00:08:55) - Meeting Jana and Joining HSO Leadership(00:10:24) - Honors Classroom Experience and Learning Style(00:12:27) - Imposter Syndrome in Honors Classes(00:14:43) - Leading the Honors Student Organization(00:18:28) - Chautauqua Summer Scholars Program(00:22:40) - Growth in Confidence and Public Speaking(00:26:52) - Hopes for the Future of the Honors Program(00:29:28) - Plans for Cornell: Government and Pre-Law(00:31:03) - Closing Thoughts and Farewell

  3. Aug 19

    Melissa Langley Biegert: "Make an Effort to Honor the Different Perspectives"

    Dr. Melissa Langley Biegert is the Director of High School Programs Academic Success at Austin Community College.  While she works to ensure that ACC’s scope and reach extends to a growing population of dual enrolled students taking college courses while still enrolled in high school, Dr. Biegert remains committed to her own curiosity and work as an historian.  She has recently published a book entitled “The Family Behind the Girl Scouts of America: Lives of the Kinzie-Gordon Clan”.  As we discuss the book and its origins, Dr. Biegert weaves in a story of her own student journey, and leaves us with a compelling set of connections.  The power of a community of support, and of an understanding of a history of that community, infuses the story of Girl Scouts of America founder Juliette Gordon Law, Dr. Biegert’s own story, and the stories of thousands of students currently enrolled at ACC. Chapters (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations(00:01:15) - Community College Lecture(00:02:31) - Melissa Langley Begert on her book(00:03:45) - The History of Girl Scouts(00:11:01) - The Lost Life of Juliette Lowe(00:15:45) - Uber Driver Gives a Mini Lecture on Savannah(00:22:04) - The Family History of Anne Frank(00:26:52) - In the Elevator With ACC's Dean(00:30:06) - The Importance of Taking Your Own Experience Seriously(00:38:36) - From the Book

    Melissa Langley Biegert: "Make an Effort to Honor the Different Perspectives"

  4. Jul 23

    All Too Human: The Obsession with 'Obsession' (with L Harter)

    On July 31, the School of Humanities and Communications at Austin Community College will kick off our new speaker series, 'All Too Human'.  The series aims at introducing humanistic inquiry, as well as the academic disciplines keeping it alive at ACC.L teaches courses in English and the Humanities at ACC.  The event will take place from 6-8pm at ACC's Highland Campus in Bldg. 2000, Rm 1550. Our speaker, and today's podcast guest, is L Harter. L teaches courses in English and the Humanities at ACC, and will speak on the cultural signifance of the recent films Obsession and Backrooms.  Here we talk about how her background and approach to the Humanities align particular well with this topic. Chapters (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations: All Too Human(00:02:35) - Talking to Steven Spielberg About Horror(00:04:12) - How To Write a Feature.(00:05:46) - Short Form Horror Film(00:10:23) - Adam Levine on Damian McCarthy's Horror(00:16:12) - Beyond Austin Film Festival: What else to Watch?(00:22:11) - Benedict Cumberbatch on His 'Doctor Who'(00:22:57) - How To Write a Horror Story(00:24:26) - Watching Hokum's Film(00:27:20) - The Low-Budget Film Experience(00:31:09) - A Talk on the Human Condition

  5. Apr 26

    Celebrating Academic Excellence: Brinda Roy and Alex Watkins

    On April 25, 2026, Austin Community College hosted its annual Student Research Symposium event, showcasing outstanding original academic work by ACC students across all disciplines.  Eleven ACC students were also honored at the annual Curiositas Academic Journal release ceremony, recognizing a carefully selected collection of noteworthy student submissions in the Liberal Arts.  For this episode I was  joined by Brinda Roy and Alex Watkins, who respectively serve as faculty leaders for the Symposium and Curiositas programs.  We were also honored to speak with Zoila Walston and Ashley Miramontes, two students who have been published in Curiositas. Chapters (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations(00:02:14) - The Conversation: Undergraduate Research(00:05:14) - The Future of the Liberal Arts(00:06:42) - Red Bench Interfaith Event Paper(00:10:52) - Ashley On Her Paper(00:13:40) - Ashley's Story of Scholarly Research(00:16:02) - The Ghost of Dorothy Barton(00:18:07) - Symphposium and the Liberal Arts(00:20:00) - The Center for the Liberal Arts(00:23:11) - The ACC Women's Symposium(00:29:44) - The Power of Academic Colloquia(00:32:33) - The Student Symposium and Curiosities Journal(00:37:42) - Ashley on her future(00:40:17) - Red Bench: The Literary Experience(00:46:32) - Share Your Paper With Family(00:52:37) - The Sensory Artists' Symposium(00:54:23) - CURIOSITY JOURNAL

    Celebrating Academic Excellence: Brinda Roy and Alex Watkins

  6. Apr 18

    Madeline Vosch: Empathy Through Memoir

    Madeline Vosch teaches courses in Creative Writing, Humanities and Religious Studies disciplines at ACC.  We discuss her book ‘Undead:  A Memoir of My Suicide’, soon to be published by Beacon Press.  The book integrates her interdisciplinary scholarly background and creative voice into a powerful invitation to explore the intersection of profound vulnerability and profound compassion.   Please note that this episode contains discussions of self-harm and suicide. Chapters (00:00:00) - Community Conversations(00:02:21) - How Teaching at acc involves three separate disciplines(00:04:48) - What's a Good Reason to Read Memoir?(00:10:48) - The Memoir of My Suicide(00:12:54) - memoir of my attempt to suicide(00:15:01) - Ray You White: A Memoir(00:18:03) - The Book of Writing(00:20:11) - Several Things That Can't Be Said in This Book(00:22:34) - The Story of Jairus Daughter(00:25:59) - A History of Madness: An Archaeology of That Silence(00:27:50) - This Book Fails in Its Argument(00:30:48) - Understanding the Reasons People Commit Suicide(00:34:03) - "Suicide: A Moral Failure?"(00:38:37) - In the Elevator With Suicidal People(00:46:08) - Austin Community College's Fight Against Suicide(00:50:41) - Talking To a Suicide Survivor

  7. Apr 7

    Bryan Port: Fostering Impactful Civic Leaders

    Bryan Port serves as the Director for the Center for Government and Civic Service at Austin Community College.  Bryan and his team bring civic engagement to life in new and innovative ways, and I invite you to learn about what they offer both to ACC’s students and the broader Austin community. Chapters (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations(00:01:10) - The Purpose of Public Education(00:03:04) - Brian Flannery on his Journey(00:04:17) - Professor Port on the Center(00:06:05) - The Center for Civic Engagement at Austin Community College(00:09:43) - The Civic Leadership Simulation(00:14:10) - The United Nations Climate Change Simulation(00:17:25) - Culture of Leadership Simulation(00:22:47) - The River Hacks Event(00:25:17) - The Center for Law and Community(00:33:13) - Questions for the Historians(00:36:33) - Community Partnerships at the Austin Center(00:39:32) - The Journalist Summit(00:41:22) - The Center for Clinical and Academic Research

  8. Mar 9

    ACC's Character Education Initiative: Kelly Greenwood, Ted Hadzi-Antich, Arun Johns and Grant Potts

    My guests today are Arun John, Kelly Greenwood, Grant Potts and Ted Hadzi-Antich, and they’ll be talking about their work on the Character Education Initiative at Austin Community College.  I think this work has the potential for profound impact on the way that we think about both teaching and learning, and invite you to imagine the possibilities along with us. This episode features discussion of Claire Elise Katz' "Stolen Valor: How the Humanities '@ Work' Are Hidden in Plain Sight". Chapters (00:00:00) - Austin Community Conversations: The Character Education Initiative(00:02:42) - Interview with Ted Hatziancic and Grant Potts(00:03:28) - Teaching at ACC: A Motley Crue(00:07:19) - The Mission of Character Education at ACC(00:18:30) - Post-Bacc MS in Technology(00:19:10) - Philosophy of Character and Virtue(00:22:13) - Virtues of Learning Math(00:24:09) - The moralization of higher education(00:28:26) - Questions about human flourishing in higher education(00:37:41) - The value of liberal arts education(00:44:46) - Enable Faculty: Character Education(00:52:59) - Faculty on the Character Education Initiative(01:01:42) - What Would You Want Your Community College Students to Know?(01:02:13) - The Future of Character Education(01:06:32) - The College Community Initiative

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Discussions about the interests, backgrounds and projects animating the members of a vibrant college community

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