Office Hours with John Gardner

Episode 193-Leading First-Year Initiatives in Taiwan with Chuan-Chin Chiao and Sindy Peng

Chuan-Chin Chiao obtained his PhD from University of Maryland in 2000, and finished his postdoctoral training in Harvard University in 2002. He joined Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan, in 2002, and is currently a Tsing Hua Distinguished Professor in this department. He is interested in a variety of vision related topics, including retinal neurobiology and cephalopod neuroethology. Multidisciplinary approaches are undertaken in the lab to seek deep understanding of vision in the context of biology. In addition to research, he is passionate about teaching. He has won the Best Lecturer Awards for three times from NTHU. In 2020, he has also obtained the Best General Education Teacher Award from Ministry of Education in Taiwan. He has produced three MOOCs and several OCW online courses. He has served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs in NTHU in 2020-2021. In 2021-2025, he served as the Director General of National Museum of Natural Science, the largest science museum in Taiwan. In February 2025, he returned to NTHU and continued his research and teaching. Particularly, he helped to advocate the First Year Experience movement in Taiwan, and served as Advisory Consultant at the Center for Exploration and Life Transitions (equivalent to the FYE office) in NTHU. He has taught the First Year Seminar course since fall 2025. Most recently, he has helped to organize the first Taiwan-FYE conference in NTHU. Dr. Hsinyi (Sindy) Peng holds a B.A. in Chinese Literature from National Taiwan Normal University and a Ph.D. in Information Science and Learning Technologies from the University of Missouri.  Her career spans K–12 teaching, teacher education, and higher education. She began her career as a Chinese teacher in Taipei and later served as an assistant professor at National Chiao Tung University. She also spends a decade in the United States raising her two daughters—an experience that deeply shapes her perspective on life transitions, identity, and the challenges of restarting a career. During that time, she continued teaching as an online instructor with Oregon State University.  Now based at National Tsing Hua University, Sindy works at the intersection of student development, learning design, and higher education innovation. In May 2025, she founded the Center for Exploration and Life Transitions (ExALT), where she leads efforts to support first-year students in exploring their academic and life paths, develops first-year seminars with faculty across disciplines, and trains peer leaders to guide new students. She also organizes Taiwan’s first national conference on first-year education, The 1st Annual Conference of the Taiwan First-Year Experience (T-FYE), in collaboration with Prof. Chuan-Chin Chiao and Prof. Ming-Chi Wu.  Thank you for listening! Subscribe to our email list [https://ty5x0.share.hsforms.com/284dWli7oSxSlLJUoztgE9w] for early episode release! Stay in touch on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/gardnerinstitute], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], Instagram [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGGR7-6K_WJzUusuQbb51w], and our website [https://gardnerinstitute.org/].

Episode 192- Embracing Non-Traditional Models with Geordie Hyland

Geordie Hyland is the President and Chief Executive Officer of American College of Education (ACE). ACE is an accredited, fully online college that specializes in high-quality, flexible, and affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare, and nursing. ACE has over 13,000 students and more than 54,000 graduates and is focused on providing a strong value position to students. 85% of ACE’s students graduate with no debt, and 3rd party market research calculates that for every $1 invested in ACE’s tuition, graduates receive $19.20 in future career earnings. Geordie holds a bachelor's and an MBA from Harvard, as well as an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Thank you for listening! Subscribe to our email list [https://ty5x0.share.hsforms.com/284dWli7oSxSlLJUoztgE9w] for early episode release! Stay in touch on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/gardnerinstitute], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], Instagram [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGGR7-6K_WJzUusuQbb51w], and our website [https://gardnerinstitute.org/].

Episode 191- Reshaping Support for First-Generation Students with Stephanie Bannister

Stephanie Bannister is the president of FirstGen Forward. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she has dedicated her career to advancing student success, community building, and leadership development. Stephanie previously served as the assistant vice provost for student success at Kansas State University (K-State), where she began working in 2001 within the division of student life and housing and dining services. Before her time at K-State, Stephanie was the associate director for student living at the University of Kansas, directed two residence halls, and traveled nationwide as a consultant for Alpha Gamma Delta International Fraternity. A sought-after consultant, Stephanie has worked with higher education institutions and non-profit organizations on strategic planning, reaccreditation, and philanthropic support. She also serves as an external reviewer of programs. Stephanie holds a B.A. from Fort Hays State University, an M.S. from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in education from K-State. She is a graduate teaching faculty member in the College of Education at K-State and is an active member of the Manhattan, Kansas, community.  A passionate advocate and ally for first-generation students, Stephanie resides in Kansas with her husband, the Honorable Grant D. Bannister, chief judge for Kansas' 21st Judicial District. Together, they are proud parents of Sydney and her partner, Jake; William and Grace; and grandson Lawrence Miles Thank you for listening! Subscribe to our email list [https://ty5x0.share.hsforms.com/284dWli7oSxSlLJUoztgE9w] for early episode release! Stay in touch on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/gardnerinstitute], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], Instagram [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGGR7-6K_WJzUusuQbb51w], and our website [https://gardnerinstitute.org/].

Episode 190- Cultivating Leadership and Faith in College with Alexander Bolton

Alexander Bolton is a devoted child of God, a junior student-athlete at Brevard College in North Carolina, and a faith-filled YouTuber.  Alexander has maintained extraordinary grades at Brevard and has made the Dean’s List every year, including this past semester. At Brevard, he is a member of The Hidden Opponent, a leader of Brevard College Worship Nights, Brevard College admissions content work study, and a peer leader. He has also been a writer for the college newspaper.  He has been a page at the S.C. State House for state Sen. Overture Walker, whose successful campaign he worked on in the summer of 2024. Alexander has interned with Banco Bannister Co., a Columbia marketing and public relations firm, for two consecutive summers.  He highlights his walk as a college student, follower of Christ and student of the Word as he explores the gospel on his YouTube channel, “NoLimitAb.”  His favorite scripture is John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Thank you for listening! Subscribe to our email list [https://ty5x0.share.hsforms.com/284dWli7oSxSlLJUoztgE9w] for early episode release! Stay in touch on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/gardnerinstitute], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], Instagram [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGGR7-6K_WJzUusuQbb51w], and our website [https://gardnerinstitute.org/].

Episode 189- Unpacking Educational Narratives with Kevin Reilly

Dr. Kevin P. Reilly is president emeritus and regent professor with the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, having served as president from 2004-13. He came to Wisconsin from the State University of New York System, where he was associate provost for academic programs and then secretary of the university. As secretary, he was the chief staff officer for the SUNY Board of Trustees. Currently he has an appointment as Senior Fellow with the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, working with boards around the country on effective governance. While still president at Wisconsin, he served as president of the National Association of System Heads and a board member at the American Council on Education. Kevin has authored and edited books and articles on higher education governance and policy, accreditation, biography and autobiography, and Irish literature and culture. For years he wrote a regular column, “Focus on the Presidency,” for AGB’s Trusteeship magazine. Recent articles in Trusteeship include “Too Big to Fail,” on public university systems, and “A Winter of Discontent: Tax Policy, Trust, and the Future of Higher Education.” Dr. Reilly earned his B.A. at the University of Notre Dame, and his M.A. and Ph.D at the University of Minnesota. He is a board member for the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters, the Irish American Cultural Institute, and the Association of College and University Educators. Thank you for listening! Subscribe to our email list [https://ty5x0.share.hsforms.com/284dWli7oSxSlLJUoztgE9w] for early episode release! Stay in touch on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/gardnerinstitute], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], Instagram [https://www.linkedin.com/company/28118244], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGGR7-6K_WJzUusuQbb51w], and our website [https://gardnerinstitute.org/].