College Town Talk, Episode 81 - Dr. Julie Baker

College Town Talk, Episode 81 - Dr. Julie Baker

This week on College Town Talk, guest co-host Jamie Fancher joins us for a conversation with Dr. Julie Baker, a three-time Tennessee Tech graduate who now serves as dean of the College of Graduate Studies and associate provost at Tech. As she approaches her 20th anniversary at Tech, Dr. Baker reflects on her early years as a high school teacher, shares favorite campus memories and gives us a glimpse into what it’s really like working alongside her brother. She also discusses how her rural East Tennessee roots shaped her belief in the transformative power of education — and how that conviction helped inspire a historic multi-year GEAR UP grant that will expand college readiness opportunities across the Upper Cumberland. Later, in our rapid-fire round, Dr. Baker reveals the career she might have pursued outside education and names the Tech colleague she’d call as her lifeline in a game of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

College Town Talk, Episode 80 - Adam Poe

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan catch up with Adam Poe, a 2011 Tennessee Tech graduate who now serves as vice president of the Highlands Economic Partnership. In our interview, Adam discusses Tech’s role in driving economic development across the region and reflects on the lasting impact of his involvement as a Tech student with Kappa Sigma fraternity—an experience that ultimately led him to serve as the organization’s global president. He also shares a personal story about how a friend’s illness inspired a major career change, and how a creative solution to improve sleep sparked an unexpected passion and talent for painting.

College Town Talk, Episode 79 - Callie Smith

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan introduce listeners to Callie Smith, a senior at Tennessee Tech and Morgan County native double majoring in communications and marketing.  Callie is also a former Tech Trailblazer — Tech students who provide personalized campus tours for prospective students and their families — and the former sports editor for The Oracle, Tech’s student newspaper. While still a student, Callie has landed multiple internships with national radio and podcast networks, including K-LOVE Radio, and has a podcast of her own — thanks in part to skills she learned through a podcasting class in Tech’s Department of Communication and Media.  In this interview, Callie shares about being a third generation Golden Eagle, the support she has received from faculty mentors like Dr. Teddy Burch, and recalls how a little determination helped her land a sought-after internship after initially facing multiple rejections.

College Town Talk, Episode 78 - Dr. Jeannette Luna

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan sit down with Dr. Jeannette Luna, assistant dean of research and graduate studies in the College of Arts & Sciences at Tennessee Tech. Dr. Luna was recently selected by NASA as a participating scientist on the first Artemis lunar surface science team — a small, elite group of researchers supporting the agency’s upcoming crewed mission to land astronauts near the moon’s South Pole. In the episode, Dr. Luna shares the unforgettable moment she received the call from NASA inviting her to join the team and reflects on what this milestone means for her, her research and her students. She also highlights the Department of Earth Sciences’ new planetary geology concentration and looks back on her service as faculty representative on Tech’s Board of Trustees from 2023 to 2025.

College Town Talk, Episode 77 - Sam Brooks

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and guest co-host Susan Luna-Hazlewood are joined by Sam Brooks, a two-time Tennessee Tech graduate and president of the Tech Football Quarterback Club.  Sam has been an educator in the Upper Cumberland for more than 30 years, ranging from his early days as a biology teacher at Cookeville High School and Upperman High School, to his role today as Upper Cumberland regional director for Volunteer State Community College. In our interview, Sam discusses his passion for Golden Eagle football and how fans can get involved and show support ahead of the upcoming season. He also shares about the importance of Tech’s strong working relationship with Vol State and recalls his memories in the classroom - including some humorous (and scary) moments teaching driver’s ed.  Plus, Susan Luna-Hazlewood breaks news on the podcast by exclusively sharing the names of the Tennessee Tech Alumni Association’s 2026 Alumni Award winners!