Episodes
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In May 29, 1856, Abraham Lincoln gave the keynote address at a political convention in Bloomington, IL. His remarks were called, by his law partner William Herndon, “the grand effort of Lincoln’s Life.” Today, no written copy of this speech exists. And some differ on what it was Lincoln said.
Historian Bill Kemp discusses the "lost speech" and offers up some theories as to how it got that way. -
The recent rise of electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla and Rivian has shown there is a market for transportation that does not rely as heavily on fossil fuel.
But despite the buzz around today’s electric cars and trucks, the concept is far from new.
Bill Kemp with the McLean County Museum of History discusses a history of the electric vehicle that goes back to the early 1900s, and an overlooked moment in 1959 when a consumer electric car went into production… in the same town where Rivian would manufacture electric vehicles 60 years later. -
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Artist and activist Jessica McGhee was devastated to a community garden she and others had cultivated in their neighborhood was removed without much explanation.
Unable to create a new garden, she funneled her energy into the creation of art projects using discarded items such as plastic, wire, and bottles. Using these materials she has created the exhibit 'An Unblighted Area' which is on display at Heartland Community College until October 11, 2024.
View the transcript here. -
The impact of the criminal justice system on an individual extends far beyond the sentenced punishment for a crime.
Beria Hampton, an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project, discusses how her upbringing and environment left her ill prepared for how criminal charges (which she eventually beat), and incarceration would upend her life.
View the transcript here. -
Heartland Community College Health Sciences Faculty discuss how a service learning trip to South Africa opened their eyes to the differences in health care around the world.
Health Sciences students at Heartland can register for a 10-day program in Cape Town, South Africa. The program provides 3 credits of Service Learning 101.
View the transcript here. -
For poet Cathy Gilbert, the joy and chaos of having twin infants was mixed with the heartbreak of losing a parent to dementia.
Heartland Community College professor of English Gilbert discusses the major life events that led to her new poetry collection "My Limbs a Cradle, My Whisper a Song."
View the transcript here. -
Farming can be one of the most stressful professions one can have.
The documentary Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, Midwestern, multigenerational family farms over the course of three years.
Filmmaker Sam Mirpoorian talks about the film, which is the guest feature at the 2024 Heartland Hawk Film Festival.
Mirpoorian says he was prompted to make the documentary when he learned a shocking statistic about farmers and suicide.
View the transcript here. -
The exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capability has been celebrated in some circles and caused concern in others.
In academic circles, some instructors and administrators are worried that AI presents a threat to the way they evaluate student work.
In this episode, Roy Magnuson, an educator who has dived deeply into the changes that AI is bringing to institutions of higher ed., discusses the present and potential future of AI.
View the transcript here. -
Being a or a class clown or workplace cutup is one thing. Getting laughs on stage is another.
For those who have thought about trying out for an open mic night or competing in an amateur comedy show, there are a few tips to consider.
Joe Strupek, longtime emcee of the Heartland Community College FunnyRaiser event, discusses what it takes to successfully take the stage as an amateur standup.
View the transcript here. -
Keeping farmland productive is challenging in many ways. One of the greatest enemies to a good crop is erosion.
An edible windbreak of fruit and nut trees and bushes planned for the agriculture instructional grounds at Heartland Community College will not only serve to help fight off the Central Illinois wind and rain but also provide a link in the pollination chain.
Associate Director of Agriculture at Heartland, Kortney Watts, discusses the edible windbreak project and the Ag new facilities at the College.
View the transcript here. -
One fateful night in 1996 Kristine Bunch woke to a home full of flames. She struggled to extract her young son from the fire but failed. Much to her surprise and horror, she was charged with setting the fire that killed her child.
Bunch was convicted on expert testimony which was later held in question. No one would have taken a second look at her case had she not fought from prison to find advocates to examine the testimony and evidence.
After 17 years of incarceration, she was released, and the conviction was dismissed.
Bunch discusses her case and the burdens of wrongful conviction for herself and others.
View the transcript here. -
No matter their age or background, when students go to college there are new stresses that can tax their mental health.
The challenges of COVID-19 put the spotlight on the importance of mental health for college students. But, as in the past, the largest barrier is getting individuals to not attach a stigma to addressing their mental health.
Sarah Stalter, Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Coordination for McLean County (IL), and Amy Jeck, Coordinator of Student Wellness at Heartland Community College, discuss efforts to help college students, and others, take the proper care of their mental health.
View the transcript here. -
Before television captured the attention of the nation, the traveling circus was the most popular form of entertainment in America.
During this time, the midwestern city of Bloomington, Illinois became a home for many circus performers and the "birthplace" of famous aerial acts.
Maureen Brunsdale, head of Special Collections at Illinois State University's Milner Library, discusses how the purchase of a piece of physical fitness equipment for a Bloomington gymnasium tied the midwestern town to the circus.
View the transcript here. -
Inspired by photographs of sea birds engorged with plastic waste picked up in the water, fiber artist Ann B. Coddington has created an exhibit that combines the ancient craft of basketry with discarded plastic.
The artists discusses her exhibit, 'Albatross,' which offers a literal glimpse inside of hand-made vessels to reveal the leftover pollution that will outlast the life of organic materials.
View the transcript here. -
The legalization of cannabis for recreational use in Illinois has generated 440 million dollars in tax revenue for the state. With any growing industry comes the need for a trained workforce.
Agriculture instructor Victoria Zamora talks about the relatively new pathway to a job in the industry through the Cannabis Cultivation program at Heartland Community College.
View the transcript here. -
The disciplines of communication and theater education are facing new challenges in the post-COVID classroom. Factors ranging from the impact of remote learning to the introduction of AI technology are creating some new wrinkles for teachers.
The Illinois Communication and Theatre Association, comprised of speech, communications, and theater educators, will tackle these topics and others at their annual conference, which is held in 2023 on the campus of Heartland Community College.
View the transcript here. -
Students learn key skills in the liberal arts and social sciences classes that are required for most 2-year degree programs. Yet, many students seeking degrees in technical trades and specialized fields don't immediately see how a 100-level course in English or Communications benefits their future.
Dr. Wayne Bass at Heartland Community College discusses efforts to create themed humanities courses that connect with students seeking degrees specialized fields.
View the transcript here. -
The 2020 U.S. general election saw some of the largest voter turnout numbers in decades. Yet, even with this bump in turnout, voter participation in the U.S. trails 30 other democratic countries.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to empower colleges and universities to cultivate nonpartisan student democratic engagement and to foster a vision of a more inclusive and engaged democracy.
ALL IN Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman discusses why it is important to engage college students in civic activities, and how students are making an impact with their efforts.
View the transcript here. -
The Heartland Academy for Learning Opportunities program (HALO) is designed to bridge the educational gap for students aged 18 to 28 with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The program teaches students life skills, technology proficiency, and also fosters social development.
Kori Folkerts, Associate Director of Student Access and Accommodation Services at Heartland Community College discusses how the HALO program offers these students a college experience.
View the transcript here. -
The documentary film ‘With This Breath I Fly’ tells the story of two women imprisoned for what the state of Afghanistan determined were moral crimes.
The creation of the film was funded by the European Union. But once officials with the EU saw the footage, they tried to shelve the film and stop the filmmakers from completing the project.
Co-Director Sam French discusses the harrowing stories of the two women profiled in the documentary and also the battle to reclaim the project from funders who wanted to shudder the project for political reasons.
View the transcript here. - Show more
