EP140: Getting to Know the EAP program at Reading Area Community College — A 2024 Example of Excelencia
Release Date: 10/10/2024
EP157: Navigating Access and Opportunity in STEMM with Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez
In The Margins
In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez, Director of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance (SOA) at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), sits down in the pod to talk about STEMM education, workforce development, equity, and policy advancement. From growing up in Indiana to earning her PhD in immunology, Rodriguez shares how a teacher’s spark changed the trajectory of her life — and informs her work to empower future scientists. In this conversation, with Diverse host Ralph Newell, she dives deep into the challenges and opportunities facing STEMM...
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EP156: Community Colleges & The Fight for Equity, with Dr. Carrie B. Kisker
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Today, Diverse sits down with Dr. Carrie Kisker, president of and director of the , delving into the critical role of community colleges in providing social mobility for marginalized groups. Kisker shares her journey from soccer goalkeeper to education researcher, inspired by her mentor Arthur Cohen. In conversation with Diverse host Ralph Newell, she also explores the current challenges facing higher education, including attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Kisker offers insights into how educators, administrators, and students can resist these...
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EP155: MEET JAYO ADEGBOYO | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year
In The Margins
In this honest and intimate episode, we celebrate 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year Jayo Adegboyo from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). His story highlights the power of networking, persistence, and interdisciplinary learning. As a first-generation pre-med student, Jayo shares enthusiastically about the Meyerhoff Scholars program and its support for students like himself pursuing STEM careers. Jayo is a biochemistry major with a physics minor and a member of the track and field team specializing in 200m and 400m events. Tune in as he shares...
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EP154: MEET JAIDA ROSS | 2025 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year
In The Margins
In this inspiring episode, we celebrate 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year Jaida Ross from the University of Oregon. This conversation explores her journey from a small Oregon town to the Olympic stage, highlighting her excellence in academics, athletics, and community service. Jaida shares her path from discovering shot put in middle school to competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she finished fourth place, missing a medal by just inches. She reveals how she found her athletic calling in a sport that celebrated her body type and natural strength, contrasting...
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EP153: Tech Talent Starts Here: How the Last Mile Fund Supports Student Success
In The Margins
In today’s episode, we sit down with Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, for a powerful conversation about unlocking opportunity in STEM education. This discussion focuses on the Last Mile’s mission to support students in the final stretch of their degrees—especially those in high-demand fields like cybersecurity. Farmer also describes how the fund provides crucial support for tuition, certification exams, and even basic needs, helping students stay on track when it matters most. The conversation looks at the fund’s innovative partnership...
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EP152: A Remarkable Journey in Community College Leadership, with Dr. Walter G. Bumphus
In The Margins
In this inspiring episode we engage with Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, the outgoing president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), as he prepares to conclude his transformative 15-year tenure at the end of 2025. This candid conversation highlights his remarkable journey in higher education, from his early days at Murray State University alongside future community college leaders Dr. Ken Atwater and Dr. Jerry Sue Thornton, to becoming one of the most influential voices in community college leadership. Bumphus shares pivotal moments from his career, including his first...
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EP151: Catching up with Toni Morrison scholar and DEI expert, Dr. Marilyn Sanders Mobley
In The Margins
In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Marilyn Sanders Mobley, a distinguished scholar, author, and academic leader. As founder of the African American Studies program at George Mason University and former Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity at Case Western Reserve University, Mobley has spent decades shaping conversations on race, gender, and social justice — now serving as a diversity consultant. Mobley shares her journey as a literary scholar and how she helped establish the Toni Morrison Society, dedicated to preserving Morrison’s legacy. Her...
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EP150: Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms, with Dr. Marlee Bunch
In The Margins
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EP149: From Protest to President: A Social Justice Journey with Dr. George A. Pruitt
In The Margins
In this episode, we welcome Dr. George A. Pruitt, Thomas Edison State University president emeritus, for a thought-provoking discussion highlighting the past, present, and future of the civil rights movement, the importance of celebrating diverse histories, and the ongoing struggle for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education and beyond. Pruitt also offers a glimpse into his new book: From Protest to President: A Social Justice Journey through the Emergence of Adult Education and the Birth of Distance Learning. Throughout the conversation with Diverse host Ralph...
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EP148: Embracing Diversity, Fostering Belonging: How Affordable Access Transforms Lives at the University of Mount Saint Vincent
In The Margins
Meet , president of the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, New York City. A first-generation college graduate herself, Burns is leading the university into the future of what higher ed should look like — an authentic, high-quality education for students of all backgrounds. Under Burns' leadership since 2021, the Mount is a Hispanic-and-minority-serving institution. Don’t miss the conversation as Burns and host Diverse host David Pluviose explore innovative strategies and the holistic approach that the University of Mount Saint Vincent uses to meet the needs of...
info_outlineCreated in 2005 by Excelencia in Education, Examples of Excelencia is a national initiative that identifies and promotes evidence-based practices improving Latinx student success in higher education. This year, the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program at Reading Area Community College (RACC) was chosen as the Example of Excelencia at the associate level.
In this episode we are joined by Eleisha Moreno, associate professor and coordinator; and Crystal Schilthuis, full-time faculty member at RACC.
Tune is as they, along with Diverse host Ralph Newell, discuss the significance of the EAP program, its impact on Latinx students, and their leadership roles in fostering an inclusive learning environment focused on helping students develop skills for academic success.
The 2024 Examples of Excelencia recognized at the baccalaureate, graduate and community-based level are also being featured on In The Margins this year.
KEY POINTS:
- RACC is named the 2024 Example of Excelencia at the associate level for its English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program.
- Over 60% of Reading, PA population is Hispanic/Latino; 50% speak a language other than English.
- How Moreno and Schilthuis found their passion in teaching ESL/EAP students.
- How the EAP program streamlined, improving success in English composition and general education.
- EAP focuses on academic skills, not just language acquisition, which is distinct from traditional ESL
- Challenges in destigmatizing EAP as well as improving communication of its benefits to faculty and students.
QUOTABLES:
"Our classes are considered prerequisites for a lot of 100-level courses, but there are some classes that students can take to fulfill electives or maybe other general education requirements while they're in our classes." – Eleisha Moreno
“Our academic literacy and language center [are] the big things that we do. There are also other things that we do, not necessarily for advanced students, but we offer a free conversation group. Our budget allows for that…more open to the community; and maybe, our students' friends and family members." – Crystal Schilthuis
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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).