Academish

Ep. 4 - Meet 'Doctor Awesome'

Academ-ish returns with the legend known best as 'Doctor Awesome.' Meet Clint Wright, an assistant professor of media at East Central University. One thing is for sure, he's one of the most interesting and compelling people you'll ever get to know. Hosted by Jeff Halliday, this episode walks through Clint's background, education (yeah, about that...), his love of theatre, thinking and working creatively, his road to becoming a college professor and oh so much more. You'll love his story and will be inspired by his journey.

Ep. 3 - Farmville Famous with Cainan Townsend, Executive Director of the Moton Museum

Discover the inspiring journey of Cainan Townsend, Executive Director of the Moton Museum, as he shares how his personal family history, education, and unexpected revelations shaped his commitment to preserving one of America’s most important civil rights stories. Growing up in Prince Edward County, Cainan never fully understood his connection to the historic school closures, Massive Resistance, and Brown v. Board of Education—until a college course, research and an internship revealed his deep family ties to the Moton student strike and the Davis case.In this powerful conversation, Cainan reflects on resilience, public serice, and the importance of storytelling in understanding our shared history. He discusses the challenges the Moton Museum faces today—funding, political polarization, and the responsibility of protecting historical narratives—while also highlighting major upcoming milestones, including the installation of the Barbara Johns statue in Washington, D.C., and Moton’s pursuit of UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.Hosted by Jeff Halliday, this episode explores race, education, leadership, and the ongoing impact of civil rights movements on modern communities. Whether you care about social justice, Virginia history, or the future of public education, this is an essential listen.

Ep. 2 - Farmville Famous with Mayor Brian Vincent {Part 2}

In Part 2 of their conversation, Academ-ish host Jeff Halliday and Mayor of Farmville Brian Vincent discuss Centra's recently announced decision to close the Labor and Delivery Unit and end their related OB/GYN services in Farmville, effective 12/19/2025. The conversation hits on a lot of important local issues. Mayor Vincent and Jeff talk about: - how this reflects a national trend (4:45), - its negative impact on those in need in our community (8:00) - predicting future service cuts - the timing of Centra's decision while expanding the same hospital's ER unit (10:35) - what he sees politically, and he shares stories of his experiences. - what is bringing joy and light in his life (28:30) - Jeff teases the next episode (29:37) Learn more: academishpod.com

Ep. 1 - Farmville Famous with Mayor Brian Vincent {Part 1}

Academ-ish's Jeff Halliday is joined by Farmville Mayor Brian Vincent. In Part 1 of their conversation, they talk about how he arrived in Farmville and break some news in the process (2:38), discuss why he entered politics and how his mindset has changed since, his decision to join the Forward Party politically (19:18), Brian's thoughts on the recent statewide election results and the future of the Forward Party (25:42), and more. Learn more: academishpod.com