Welcome to Small College America!

Videos

Oct. 1, 2025

Small College America Dr. Dean McCurdy - President Colby Sawyer College

Small College America Dr. Dean McCurdy - President Colby Sawyer College

Kent Barnds: “Welcome to Small College America, a podcast dedicated to exploring the role and value of small colleges in the higher education landscape. I'm Kent Barnds, and I’m joined by my co-host, Dean Hoke. Dean: “Today, we are speaking with Dean McCurdy, president of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire.…

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Sept. 23, 2025

Small College America Dr. Jeremiah Williams - Professor of Physics Wittenberg University

Small College America Dr. Jeremiah Williams - Professor of Physics Wittenberg University

Small College America interviews Dr. Jeremiah Williams, a Professor of Physics at Wittenberg University since 2007, where he teaches the full spectrum of undergraduate courses and leads an undergraduate-focused research program in plasma physics. He received a BS in Physics and Mathematics from Dickinson College, an MS in Physics from…

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Sept. 16, 2025

Small College America - Gary Daynes, Interim President of Salem Academy and College

Small College America - Gary Daynes, Interim President of Salem Academy and College

On this episode of Small College America, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Gary Daynes, Interim President of Salem Academy and College, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With a career devoted to leadership in small colleges, Gary has guided institutions through transformation and written extensively on higher education. Gary holds a…

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Sept. 2, 2025

How Small College Presidents Are Leading Through Uncertainty

How Small College Presidents Are Leading Through Uncertainty

Small colleges across America face an unprecedented convergence of challenges—demographic shifts, federal policy changes, evolving student expectations, and the lingering effects of COVID-19. In a recent Small College America webinar hosted by Dean Hoke and Kent Barnds, three presidents shared how they are navigating these pressures with fresh strategies and…

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June 1, 2025

Brian Pertel speaks with Small College America

Brian Pertel speaks with Small College America

Brian Pertl, Dean of Lawrence University Conservatory of Musi,c describes how the college prepares you to tackle the world.

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April 5, 2025

Small College America - Charles Kim, Trustee Augustana College and Westminster College, Missouri

Small College America - Charles Kim, Trustee Augustana College and Westminster College, Missouri

Today, we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing small colleges with Charles Kim, who’s been at the forefront of strategic financial advising in higher education. Charles Kim is a retired strategic and financial advisor who, for more than 30 years, advised leading healthcare systems, academic medical centers, and…

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March 28, 2025

Small College America - Chet Haskell and Wendy Heckler Coalition for the Common Good

Small College America - Chet Haskell and Wendy Heckler Coalition for the Common Good

Our guests today are Wendy Sherman Heckler from Otterbein University and Chet Haskell of Antioch University. They discussed their unique partnership, the Coalition for the Common Good. They also discussed the growth model of their shared services operation, the transition of Antioch from a financially constrained institution to a new…

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March 27, 2025

Small College America - Dr. Paige Turner Provost and Executive Vice President at Aurora University

Small College America - Dr. Paige Turner Provost and Executive Vice President at Aurora University

Dr. Turner serves as the Provost and Executive Vice President at Aurora University, located in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Before joining Aurora University in July 2024, she spent six years as Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University. Dr. Turner began her…

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March 27, 2025

Small College America - Eric Lindberg of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio

Small College America - Eric Lindberg of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio

In this episode with Small College America, Kent Barnds, and Dean Hoke sit down with Eric Lindberg of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio, to discuss the role and value of small colleges in US higher education. Eric shares his personal experiences and the Foundation's approach to philanthropic…

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