In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson chats with Travis Mason, a helicopter flight paramedic turned regional Director of Sales. Travis shares how his early experiences in emergency medicine, paired with a drive to grow through education—including an MBA during the COVID-19 pandemic—shaped his leadership approach. He reflects on mentorship, team dynamics, and how staying curious fuels innovation in the evolving air medical field. Tune in for a story o...
Jun 18, 2025•38 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , Dean of Admissions Jason “Ferg” Ferguson joins Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson to share his inspiring journey from student-athlete to higher ed leader. Ferg reflects on his early years at Hampden-Sydney, the mentors who shaped his career, and how Longwood’s graduate program empowered him to grow professionally. He discusses his unique admissions philosophy—including personally signing every acceptance letter—and offers advice to students and al...
May 21, 2025•34 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson talks with Devin Kaiser, Longwood alumna and STEM Projects Lead at the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. Devin shares her path from aspiring opera singer to special education teacher, and eventually to informal STEM education. She reflects on how Longwood’s community and faculty mentorship shaped her journey and inspired her focus on citizen leadership and advocacy. Now leading initiatives like STEM Connect ...
Apr 23, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In the first episode of Season Two of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson welcomes Wil Miles BS’16, MS’17 , a dedicated health and physical education teacher at Powhatan Middle School , as well as a coach and Director of Social Media at Powhatan High School . Wil shares his remarkable journey from Longwood undergraduate and graduate student to educator, mentor, and coach. Reflecting on his decision to pursue a degree in kinesiology which leads him into Health an...
Mar 26, 2025•35 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree – Season 2 Trailer Welcome back to Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree , where we continue to share the stories of Longwood University graduate alumni shaping their industries, communities, and careers in meaningful ways. WHAT TO EXPECT IN SEASON 2 In this season, we dive into the diverse journeys of Longwood graduate alumni—leaders, innovators, and career changers—who have taken their degrees beyond the classroom and into the real world. From educators and ...
Feb 26, 2025•1 min
In the final episode of the Longwood Grad Cast season, host Sarah Tanner Anderson conducts an insightful interview with Quincy Goodine , a double alum of Longwood University's Counselor Education Master's Program and the current Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs and Leadership Development. Quincy shares his remarkable journey from an undergraduate student to a pivotal leader at Longwood, emphasizing the value of his counseling degree in opening diverse career opportunities. Quincy reco...
Aug 14, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this episode of Longwood GradCast Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner Anderson welcomes Judy Deichman , an alumna of Longwood University's School Librarianship Master's program. Judy shares her inspiring journey from volunteering in her children's school libraries to becoming a dedicated librarian. She discusses how Longwood University's supportive faculty helped her transition from an accounting career to librarianship. Judy also highlights the crucial role of Longwood's alumni network ...
Jul 17, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode of Longwood Gradcast Beyond the Degree, Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson converses with Alicia Alvarez, a future double Lancer, as she is a current student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Master's program at Longwood University, focusing on speech language pathology. Alicia shares her journey as a transfer student, her engagement with Longwood's tight-knit community, and the traits that have influenced her academic path. She discusses meaningful experiences, including her in...
Jun 19, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode of Longwood Gradcast: Beyond the Degree, our host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson interviews Allison Donlan, a dedicated educator and TRIPLE Lancer, about her academic and personal journey at Longwood University. Allison shares her pathway through obtaining a bachelor's in elementary education, a master's in educational leadership, and her current pursuit of a graduate endorsement in reading, literacy, and learning. Inspired by great K-12 teachers and influenced by a speech given by Dr...
May 22, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Welcome to another enlightening episode of Longwood GradCast Beyond the Degree. In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Sadie Hodges , BS’19, MS’20, a proud Longwood double alum and a passionate force in the field of special education. Sadie shares an inspiring journey from her early days influenced by memorable educators, through her involvement with the nonprofit Jacob's Chance , to her current role impacting the lives of her special education students. Revealing her pat...
Apr 23, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In episode three of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson talks to guest Kevin Napier BS’18, MS’21, a double alum from Longwood University. The discussion revolves around Kevin's journey from pursuing a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Longwood to working in the advancement office at the same institution. Kevin shares how his master's degree diversified his qualifications and opened up new career doors for him. Also touching on his experiences as a mi...
Feb 05, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In our second episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, we invite you to join us as we sit down with an outstanding double alum, Maddie Hommey BS’21, MS’22 (a Health & Physical Education alum). Enjoy a riveting conversation as our host, Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson, speaks with Maddie about the incredible opportunities that can unfold with determination and a graduate assistantship. Maddie shares her story of how this unique opportunity allowed her to not only pursue her master's degree ...
Jan 07, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In the first episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, we invite you to join us as we sit down with two remarkable double alums, Ginny Gills BS’89, MEd’05 (a Reading, Literacy, & Learning alum) and Pamela Stepko BS’07, MS’16 (an Educational Leadership alum). Our host, Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson, speaks with these two dedicated educators whose experiences at Longwood helped them to become influential leaders in the field of education. We kick things off by delving into their personal jo...
Nov 21, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1
