EP161: Beyond the Politics: A New Way to Talk About Equity and Access, with Dr. Kyle Reyes
Release Date: 12/18/2025
EP161: Beyond the Politics: A New Way to Talk About Equity and Access, with Dr. Kyle Reyes
In The Margins
Meet Dr. Kyle Reyes, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and former Chief Inclusion Officer at Utah Valley University, whose work sits at the intersection of student success, cultural understanding, and leadership in politically charged times. In this episode, Reyes explores his groundbreaking framework from his book . Drawing from his own lived experience as a former college dropout and first-generation student advocate, Reyes offers a powerful roadmap for navigating higher education’s most difficult conversations – especially amid national DEI rollbacks. His discussion with The...
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EP160: Investing in Native Futures: How Native Forward Is Empowering 22,000+ Scholars, with Sara LaBarge
In The Margins
Only 16 percent of Native Americans hold a bachelor’s degree, but one organization is rewriting that story. In this episode of In the Margins, we sit down with Sara A. LaBarge, M.S.Ed., CFRE, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Native Forward Scholars Fund, the nation’s largest direct scholarship provider for Native students. A proud citizen of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and an alum of the program herself, Sara shares how Native Forward is breaking barriers in higher education through culturally relevant support, strategic philanthropy, and transformational alliances with...
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EP159: How the Kaplan Leadership Program Redefines Community College Transfer Success, with Nolvia Delgado
In The Margins
What if community college could serve as a launchpad to the nation’s top universities? In this episode, we sit down with Nolvia Delgado, Executive Director of the Kaplan Educational Foundation (KEF), a former KEF scholar herself, to explore how the foundation’s Kaplan Leadership Program helps first-generation and low-income students transfer from community colleges to some of the most prestigious four-year institutions in the country. Delgado shares her own journey from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) to Smith College, and the life-changing mentorship and...
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EP158: Unpacking Americans views on higher education, with Sophie Nguyen of New America
In The Margins
In this episode, Sophie Nguyen, Senior Policy Manager in the Education Policy Program at New America, joins Diverse (soon to become The EDU Ledger) to unpack the findings of Varying Degrees 2025 – the latest national survey exploring how Americans view higher education. From her start as an intern to her current role leading research on affordability, accountability, and public opinion, Nguyen shares her personal journey into higher education policy and why she believes access to transformative education must be protected. She explains the survey’s biggest takeaways: cost as the...
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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
In The Margins
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...
info_outlineMeet Dr. Kyle Reyes, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and former Chief Inclusion Officer at Utah Valley University, whose work sits at the intersection of student success, cultural understanding, and leadership in politically charged times.
In this episode, Reyes explores his groundbreaking framework from his book Lenses of Humanity: How Reflection, Connection, and Empathy Can Heal Our World. Drawing from his own lived experience as a former college dropout and first-generation student advocate, Reyes offers a powerful roadmap for navigating higher education’s most difficult conversations – especially amid national DEI rollbacks.
His discussion with The EDU Ledger host Ralph Newell also unpacks how campuses can continue to support students when identity-based programs are dismantled, why empathy and genuine inquiry matter more than ever, and what it truly means to lead with humanity in polarized environments.
Tune in as Reyes dives into the shifting landscape of student support and practical frameworks for educators in higher education despite political pressures.
KEY POINTS:
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Reyes’s journey from struggling student and graffiti artist to higher-ed leader
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How his mixed-race upbringing shaped his work in intercultural understanding
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The origin of Lenses of Humanity and why reframing DEI through humanity is essential
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Navigating anti-DEI legislation (while still supporting students effectively)
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The power of storytelling, empathy, and genuine inquiry to bridge ideological divides
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The role of institutional culture and cross-training in a post-DEI environment
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Why identity-based support still matters; and how to sustain it without labels
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The future of TRIO, GEAR UP, and federally funded access programs
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Student resilience and the need for holistic advocacy in higher ed
QUOTABLES:
“Students can perceive care, and they know authentic care when they see it.” – Dr. Kyle Reyes
“I wanted to dedicate my career to helping students become authors of their own stories.” – Dr. Kyle Reyes
“This is not some radical agenda. This is a humanity-based effort.” – Dr. Kyle Reyes
GUEST RESOURCES:
Dr. Kyle A. Reyes - Lenses of Humanity
LINK TO SPECIAL BOOK OFFER:
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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 The EDU Ledger and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).