Small College America
@edualliance.bsky.social
Small College America is a podcast series that shines a spotlight on the powerful impact of small colleges across the nation. Hosted by Dean Hoke and Kent Barnds.
Pinned
From Silent Stakeholders to Strategic Partners: Donor Engagement in College Mergers
November 2, 2025, By Dean Hoke — When Sweet Briar College’s trustees voted to close in 2015, they framed the decision as a financial necessity. Alumnae mounted an extraordinary campaign—raising $28…
edualliancegroup.blog
Mergers don’t succeed on spreadsheets alone. In my new blog posting, I pull lessons from numerous mergers to show how early, authentic donor engagement can make (or break) transformation.
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
How can small colleges survive in an era of consolidation? Dr. Haskell and Dr. Ryan examine the economic forces and partnership models reshaping small, independent colleges, drawing on insights from our recent webinar on mergers and partnerships.
edualliancegroup.blog/2026/01/05/t...
edualliancegroup.blog/2026/01/05/t...
The Inevitable Question: How Can Small Colleges Survive in an Era of Consolidation?
January 5, 2026 – Editor’s Note: Last week we published a synthesis of insights from Small College America’s 2025 webinar series, featuring voices from seven leaders navigating ch…
edualliancegroup.blog
January 5, 2026 at 2:28 PM
How can small colleges survive in an era of consolidation? Dr. Haskell and Dr. Ryan examine the economic forces and partnership models reshaping small, independent colleges, drawing on insights from our recent webinar on mergers and partnerships.
edualliancegroup.blog/2026/01/05/t...
edualliancegroup.blog/2026/01/05/t...
Reposted by Small College America
Poor working conditions, lack of support, and low pay—all reasons some early career educators decide to leave the field. Review the full results of CAP’s survey: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-to-increase-the-retention-of-early-career-teachers
December 31, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Poor working conditions, lack of support, and low pay—all reasons some early career educators decide to leave the field. Review the full results of CAP’s survey: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-to-increase-the-retention-of-early-career-teachers
The Eighteen-Month Rule: What College Leaders Learned About Change, Culture, and Strategic Partnerships edualliancegroup.blog/2025/12/29/t... Why real change in higher education takes time, and why rushing partnerships often backfires. #highered #highereducation
The Eighteen-Month Rule: What College Leaders Learned About Change, Culture, and Strategic Partnerships
December 29, 2025 – Editor’s Note by Dean Hoke: This fall, Small College America convened two significant webinars bringing together college presidents, merger experts, and strategic ad…
edualliancegroup.blog
December 29, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The Eighteen-Month Rule: What College Leaders Learned About Change, Culture, and Strategic Partnerships edualliancegroup.blog/2025/12/29/t... Why real change in higher education takes time, and why rushing partnerships often backfires. #highered #highereducation
Merry Xmas 🥺The Trump administration will start garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers in default in early January. More than 5 million student loan borrowers are currently in default, and that total could swell to roughly 10 million borrowers soon apple.news/AuyyX9NWzT-m...
Trump administration to start seizing pay of defaulted student loan borrowers in January — CNBC
The Trump administration will start garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers in default in early January.
apple.news
December 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Merry Xmas 🥺The Trump administration will start garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers in default in early January. More than 5 million student loan borrowers are currently in default, and that total could swell to roughly 10 million borrowers soon apple.news/AuyyX9NWzT-m...
We talked with Jeff Selingo author of Dream School and Who Gets In & Why about how families are really evaluating value, the persistent misperceptions facing small colleges, and where presidents and trustees should focus their attention next.
🎧 Listen smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/33
🎧 Listen smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/33
Small College America | Small College America Jeff Selingo - Podcast Co-Host Future U
Welcome to Small College America, a podcast dedicated to exploring the role and value of small colleges in the higher education landscape. I'm Dean Hoke, and I’m joined by my co-host, Kent Barnds.K...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
December 16, 2025 at 2:35 PM
We talked with Jeff Selingo author of Dream School and Who Gets In & Why about how families are really evaluating value, the persistent misperceptions facing small colleges, and where presidents and trustees should focus their attention next.
🎧 Listen smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/33
🎧 Listen smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/33
Our webinar on small-college mergers is now available!
Watch the replay featuring Chet Haskell, Barry Ryan, AJ Prager & Stephanie Gold.
Podcast: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/32
YouTube: youtu.be/lZ-HH_y_TT4
Watch the replay featuring Chet Haskell, Barry Ryan, AJ Prager & Stephanie Gold.
Podcast: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/32
YouTube: youtu.be/lZ-HH_y_TT4
Small College America | Small College America Webinar Navigating Higher Education's Existential Challenges
Welcome everyone to this special edition of Small College America. On December 3rd we held a live webinar titled “Navigating Higher Education’s Existential Challenges: From Partnerships and Mergers...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
December 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Our webinar on small-college mergers is now available!
Watch the replay featuring Chet Haskell, Barry Ryan, AJ Prager & Stephanie Gold.
Podcast: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/32
YouTube: youtu.be/lZ-HH_y_TT4
Watch the replay featuring Chet Haskell, Barry Ryan, AJ Prager & Stephanie Gold.
Podcast: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/32
YouTube: youtu.be/lZ-HH_y_TT4
New Small College America episode! 🎙️
Hendrix College President Karen Petersen says her college is “scrappy” and “punches above its weight.”
Congrats to Hendrix on a $10M Windgate Foundation challenge grant boosting scholarships & faculty excellence.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/31
Hendrix College President Karen Petersen says her college is “scrappy” and “punches above its weight.”
Congrats to Hendrix on a $10M Windgate Foundation challenge grant boosting scholarships & faculty excellence.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/31
Small College America | Small College America Karen Petersen - President Hendrix College
Joining us today Dr. Karen Petersen is the 13th President of Hendrix College, taking office on June 1, 2023. A native of northwest Arkansas, she joined the Hendrix community from the University of ...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
December 2, 2025 at 2:53 PM
New Small College America episode! 🎙️
Hendrix College President Karen Petersen says her college is “scrappy” and “punches above its weight.”
Congrats to Hendrix on a $10M Windgate Foundation challenge grant boosting scholarships & faculty excellence.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/31
Hendrix College President Karen Petersen says her college is “scrappy” and “punches above its weight.”
Congrats to Hendrix on a $10M Windgate Foundation challenge grant boosting scholarships & faculty excellence.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/31
New Episode of Small College America! We sat down with Dr. Raj Bellani, Chief of Staff at Denison University. His insights on career readiness, institutional identity, and the future of small colleges are sharp, practical, and energizing. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/30
Small College America | Small College America Raj Bellani - Vice President & Chief of Staff Denison University
Today's guest is Dr. Raj Bellani, Vice President of External Affairs, Career Outcomes, and Chief of Staff at Denison University in Ohio. At Denison, Raj plays a key role in advancing the university...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
November 25, 2025 at 9:54 PM
New Episode of Small College America! We sat down with Dr. Raj Bellani, Chief of Staff at Denison University. His insights on career readiness, institutional identity, and the future of small colleges are sharp, practical, and energizing. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/30
🎙️ New Small College America podcast! We’re joined by Kristen F. Soares, President of AICCU, representing 87 independent colleges. We dig into California policy, transfer pathways, and how small privates advance the public good.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/29
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/29
Small College America | Small College America Kristen Soares - President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities
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...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
November 18, 2025 at 4:13 PM
🎙️ New Small College America podcast! We’re joined by Kristen F. Soares, President of AICCU, representing 87 independent colleges. We dig into California policy, transfer pathways, and how small privates advance the public good.
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/29
Listen: smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/29
On Small College America I interviewed Michael Scarlett at Augustana College. His insights provide an insider’s view into the challenges and the opportunities
This is my take on Rebuilding the Teacher Pipeline: Why Small Private Colleges Matter More Than Ever edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/17/r...
This is my take on Rebuilding the Teacher Pipeline: Why Small Private Colleges Matter More Than Ever edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/17/r...
Rebuilding the Teacher Pipeline: Why Small Private Colleges Matter More Than Ever
Opinion Piece by Dean Hoke — Small College America and Senior Fellow, The Sagamore Institute A Personal Concern About the Future of Public Education It’s impossible to ignore the rising level…
edualliancegroup.blog
November 17, 2025 at 3:39 PM
On Small College America I interviewed Michael Scarlett at Augustana College. His insights provide an insider’s view into the challenges and the opportunities
This is my take on Rebuilding the Teacher Pipeline: Why Small Private Colleges Matter More Than Ever edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/17/r...
This is my take on Rebuilding the Teacher Pipeline: Why Small Private Colleges Matter More Than Ever edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/17/r...
Wittenberg has been placed on probation by the Higher Learning Commission due to economic issues. It will take a renewed financial support from the Springfield, Ohio community, its alumni and supporters of Lutheran education.
www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/accred...
www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/accred...
Accreditor places Wittenberg on probation, citing ongoing financial problems
Wittenberg University in Springfield’s accreditation status has been changed to “accredited on probation” due to ongoing financial concerns.
www.springfieldnewssun.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Wittenberg has been placed on probation by the Higher Learning Commission due to economic issues. It will take a renewed financial support from the Springfield, Ohio community, its alumni and supporters of Lutheran education.
www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/accred...
www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/accred...
Dr. Michael Scarlett Education Professor of Augustana College explains how small colleges can rebuild America's educator pipeline.
New Small College America episode 👇 youtu.be/-iKTy3_9h1g
#HigherEducation #TeacherShortage
New Small College America episode 👇 youtu.be/-iKTy3_9h1g
#HigherEducation #TeacherShortage
Small College America Dr. Michael Scarlett - Professor of Education Augustana College
YouTube video by Small College America
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Dr. Michael Scarlett Education Professor of Augustana College explains how small colleges can rebuild America's educator pipeline.
New Small College America episode 👇 youtu.be/-iKTy3_9h1g
#HigherEducation #TeacherShortage
New Small College America episode 👇 youtu.be/-iKTy3_9h1g
#HigherEducation #TeacherShortage
Reposted by Small College America
Federal policies risk worsening an already dire rural teacher shortage
HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — When Ivy McFarland first traveled from her native Honduras to teach elementary Spanish in North Carolina, she spent a week in Chapel Hill for orientation. By the end of that week, McFarland realized the…
HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — When Ivy McFarland first traveled from her native Honduras to teach elementary Spanish in North Carolina, she spent a week in Chapel Hill for orientation. By the end of that week, McFarland realized the…
Federal policies risk worsening an already dire rural teacher shortage
HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — When Ivy McFarland first traveled from her native Honduras to teach elementary Spanish in North Carolina, she spent a week in Chapel Hill for orientation. By the end of that week, McFarland realized the college town on the outskirts of Raleigh was nowhere near where she’d actually be teaching. On the car ride to her school district, the city faded into the suburbs. Those suburbs turned into farmland. The farmland stretched into more farmland, until, two hours later, she made it to her new home in rural Halifax County.
hechingerreport.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Federal policies risk worsening an already dire rural teacher shortage
HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — When Ivy McFarland first traveled from her native Honduras to teach elementary Spanish in North Carolina, she spent a week in Chapel Hill for orientation. By the end of that week, McFarland realized the…
HALIFAX COUNTY, N.C. — When Ivy McFarland first traveled from her native Honduras to teach elementary Spanish in North Carolina, she spent a week in Chapel Hill for orientation. By the end of that week, McFarland realized the…
Mergers don’t succeed on spreadsheets alone. In my new blog posting, I pull lessons from numerous mergers to show how early, authentic donor engagement can make (or break) transformation.
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
From Silent Stakeholders to Strategic Partners: Donor Engagement in College Mergers
November 2, 2025, By Dean Hoke — When Sweet Briar College’s trustees voted to close in 2015, they framed the decision as a financial necessity. Alumnae mounted an extraordinary campaign—raising $28…
edualliancegroup.blog
November 5, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Mergers don’t succeed on spreadsheets alone. In my new blog posting, I pull lessons from numerous mergers to show how early, authentic donor engagement can make (or break) transformation.
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/11/02/f...
🎙️ New Small College America episode! Teresa Valerio Parrot shares insights on truth-telling, leadership, and how small colleges can communicate their value in disruptive times. Watch now 👉 youtu.be/EuyoRjd6Lj0 #HigherEd #Podcast #SmallColleges @tvparrot.bsky.social
Small College America Dr. Teresa Parrot - Principal of TVP Communications
YouTube video by Small College America
youtu.be
November 4, 2025 at 3:03 PM
🎙️ New Small College America episode! Teresa Valerio Parrot shares insights on truth-telling, leadership, and how small colleges can communicate their value in disruptive times. Watch now 👉 youtu.be/EuyoRjd6Lj0 #HigherEd #Podcast #SmallColleges @tvparrot.bsky.social
🎙️ New Small College America episode now live.
Whitworth University’s Dr. Josh Hibbard VP Enrollment shares why the University made the bold move to cut tuition nearly in half—and how they built trust and alignment across the campus community. youtu.be/1K3jBnUa-pI
Whitworth University’s Dr. Josh Hibbard VP Enrollment shares why the University made the bold move to cut tuition nearly in half—and how they built trust and alignment across the campus community. youtu.be/1K3jBnUa-pI
Small College America Dr. Josh Hibbard - Vice President Whitworth University
YouTube video by Small College America
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 1:47 PM
🎙️ New Small College America episode now live.
Whitworth University’s Dr. Josh Hibbard VP Enrollment shares why the University made the bold move to cut tuition nearly in half—and how they built trust and alignment across the campus community. youtu.be/1K3jBnUa-pI
Whitworth University’s Dr. Josh Hibbard VP Enrollment shares why the University made the bold move to cut tuition nearly in half—and how they built trust and alignment across the campus community. youtu.be/1K3jBnUa-pI
We spoke with Jon Nichols, author of Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States. Nichols’ book offers a deeply personal and reflective look at the 2017 closure of Saint Joseph’s College edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/21/r...
Requiem for a College: A Conversation with Author Jon Nichols
By Dean Hoke, October 21, 2025 🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode: Watch the video on YouTube: In the newest episode of Small College America, my co-host Kent Barnds and I speak with Jon Nichols,…
edualliancegroup.blog
October 21, 2025 at 1:29 PM
We spoke with Jon Nichols, author of Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States. Nichols’ book offers a deeply personal and reflective look at the 2017 closure of Saint Joseph’s College edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/21/r...
Good for Mark Cuban for speaking out www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports...
Mark Cuban is unhappy with Indiana University's decision to stop printing student newspaper: 'Censorship isn’t the way'
One of Indiana University's most famous alumni and a huge Hoosiers fan chimes in on the plan to shutter the print version of the Indiana Daily Student.
www.heraldtimesonline.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Good for Mark Cuban for speaking out www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports...
There are more than 805,000 living alumni of Indiana University worldwide, making it the largest living alumni network in the nation. Over 417,000 of these alumni still reside in Indiana. Do you believe that Indiana University should order the student newspaper to cease printing
October 15, 2025 at 8:36 PM
There are more than 805,000 living alumni of Indiana University worldwide, making it the largest living alumni network in the nation. Over 417,000 of these alumni still reside in Indiana. Do you believe that Indiana University should order the student newspaper to cease printing
Indiana University orders student newspaper to cease printing
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
Indiana University orders student newspaper to cease printing hours after firing adviser
In recent weeks, university leadership and editors at the Indiana Daily Student have fought over what content gets printed in the student newspaper.
www.indystar.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Indiana University orders student newspaper to cease printing
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
Small colleges are powerful, if often overlooked, economic engines. Their presence is felt in every paycheck, every restaurant filled with students and parents, and every local business that relies on their purchasing power.
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/13/t...
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/13/t...
The Economic and Social Impact of Small Colleges in Rural Communities
By Dean Hoke, October 13, 2025 – In the small towns of America, where factories have closed and downtowns often stand half-empty, a small college can be the heartbeat that keeps a community a…
edualliancegroup.blog
October 13, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Small colleges are powerful, if often overlooked, economic engines. Their presence is felt in every paycheck, every restaurant filled with students and parents, and every local business that relies on their purchasing power.
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/13/t...
edualliancegroup.blog/2025/10/13/t...
Dean McCurdy, “I think we can prepare our students with a strong liberal arts education that will prepare them for change and to advance in their careers in almost any area. But, at the same time, prepare them for a jumping-off point in a terrific career. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
Small College America | Small College America Dr. Dean McCurdy - President Colby Sawyer College
“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....
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
October 3, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Dean McCurdy, “I think we can prepare our students with a strong liberal arts education that will prepare them for change and to advance in their careers in almost any area. But, at the same time, prepare them for a jumping-off point in a terrific career. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
New episode: Small College America 🎙️
Colby-Sawyer President Dean McCurdy joins us to talk about what makes small colleges distinctive, why traditions still matter, and how these institutions are stepping up for the future workforce.
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
#SmallColleges #HigherEd
Colby-Sawyer President Dean McCurdy joins us to talk about what makes small colleges distinctive, why traditions still matter, and how these institutions are stepping up for the future workforce.
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
#SmallColleges #HigherEd
Small College America | Small College America Dr. Dean McCurdy - President Colby Sawyer College
“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....
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
September 30, 2025 at 1:14 PM
New episode: Small College America 🎙️
Colby-Sawyer President Dean McCurdy joins us to talk about what makes small colleges distinctive, why traditions still matter, and how these institutions are stepping up for the future workforce.
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
#SmallColleges #HigherEd
Colby-Sawyer President Dean McCurdy joins us to talk about what makes small colleges distinctive, why traditions still matter, and how these institutions are stepping up for the future workforce.
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/22
#SmallColleges #HigherEd
New Small College America episode We talked with Dr. Jeremiah Williams, Physics prof at Wittenberg University Program Director for NSF’s Plasma Physics program. A perfect example of how small-college faculty can have a big national impact in science + education. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/21
Small College America | Small College America Dr. Jeremiah Williams - Professor of Physics Wittenberg University
We welcome 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...
smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm
September 23, 2025 at 1:23 PM
New Small College America episode We talked with Dr. Jeremiah Williams, Physics prof at Wittenberg University Program Director for NSF’s Plasma Physics program. A perfect example of how small-college faculty can have a big national impact in science + education. smallcollegeamerica.transistor.fm/21