Culture and Belonging

Many people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on 9/11. That makes sense. It was a traumatic and unforgettable event that changed the course of history.But we are rapidly moving into a world where more and more adults have no memory of 9/11 because they were either too young when it happened or weren’t born yet. It’s been 24 years since September 11, 2001. And it’s difficult to explain to people who weren’t there just how much that day changed the culture of our institutions and our nation.Our guest today is here to offer his memories and reflections on 9/11. Dr. Duane Gunn is a lecturer and the Director of Operations for the Leadership Institute at Troy University. He served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force and was in the Pentagon when it was struck 24 years ago today.

We often think of culture as something that develops naturally, but, in an institutional setting, building the right culture takes a concerted effort. Dr. Laura Dove is the assistant dean at the Sorrell College of Business here at Troy University. She’s also the director of the Sorrell 360 Center, which prepares students for success in business and life. She’ll tell us how she promotes cultural competence in her students and builds an institutional culture of open communication.

Like it or not, the AI revolution is upon us. College students the world over are using generative AI and large language models like ChatGPT to do everything from helping with brainstorming and research to actually writing their papers for them. But there are responsible ways to use this new technology. Dr. Scott Nokes is a professor of English at Troy University and the director of Troy University’s AI Forward Initiative. He’ll tell us how he’s teaching students to use AI ethically and effectively.

Before he was Director of Graduate and Specialized Programs at Troy University, Jahaziel Martinez was an ESL teacher, and he says that experience has helped him relate to people from all backgrounds.
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Alex Nesmith is political science major at Troy University. She'll be graduating later this month with a minor that we designed called intercultural competence.Alex shares what she's learned in the program and her experiences growing up bilingual.

We're celebrating two years of Culture and Belonging with a conversation with our producer, Austin Toy. He'll give his definitions of culture and belonging and his thoughts on how infrastructure affects culture in small town America.
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Were you a "gifted" kid, growing up? It's a label applied to students who show a higher aptitude in one or more areas. But, as our guest Dr. Shirley Farrell tells us, being gifted is not a golden ticket to success, and many misconceptions exist about what gifted students need for success in the classroom and later in life.
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In this episode, we talk to Troy University student Kelsey Rumler about her trip to Puerto Rico and Peru and her involvement with the Global Scholars Program. We spoke to Kelsey before and after her trip to gauge how her experiences might change her perspective.
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December of 2025 will mark 70 years since Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus. On this episode, we're talking to Donna Beisel, Director of Museum Operations at the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery. We'll talk about what has changed in the 70 years since the Montgomery bus boycott and the obstacles that still remain.
 
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In this episode Kyle Gassiott, Director of Radio at Troy Public Radio, shares what he’s learned in his 15 years as a radio, print, and television journalist about crafting a story that connects with listeners. We also talk about how our experiences and the stories we tell contribute to culture.