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Jennifer Stayon

October 6, 2019

Higher Ed: I’m Content. And Comfortable. And Don’t Want To Change. Learn How To Do It Anyway.

“The only thing constant is change.” That saying, or some derivation of it, is attributed to the ancience Greek philosopher Heraclitus around 500 BC. But it certainly rings as true now as it did then. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss preparing […]

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September 29, 2019

Higher Ed: “We’re Not Machines” – Engaging Your Heart And Your Head In Learning

When strong feelings bubble up, your heart might win out over your head in deciding what happens next. But at times, a more thoughtful approach might prove ultimately more effective. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the tug-of-war between feeling and thinking. […]

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September 22, 2019

Higher Ed: Want To Prevent Students From Dropping Out? Provide More Support, Realistic Expectations

Fewer college students than you might think make it from Freshman orientation all the way to graduation. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss why students drop out, and what colleges and universities can do to help them stay in. David Kirp’s book […]

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September 15, 2019

Higher Ed: For Some Teachers “It’s Not A Matter Of Being Nice But Setting Great Expectations”

Just about everybody can recall an influential teacher who nurtured and inspired them. But not all great teachers are “warm and fuzzy.” In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore dealing with fantastic teachers who have challenging personalities. Ed recalls a wonderful Philosophy teacher […]

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September 8, 2019

Higher Ed: Surviving And Succeeding During Freshman Year In College (Or Through Any Big Life Change)

First-year college student students often encounter tougher classes in a new environment without the familiar supports of home. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore strategies for staying on course when so much is changing. “You’re going to be homesick. You’re going to […]

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August 25, 2019

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Biases We Bring To Information And Learning (They’re Complicated)

This episode was originally posted on Jan. 13, 2019. Many external factors can impact the quality and effectiveness of a learning experience: the teacher; the other students in a class; the school’s resources; even the student’s surroundings and home. But what about the internal factors? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University […]

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August 11, 2019

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Well-Read Grown-Up

This episode was originally posted on Nov. 18, 2018. In school, our reading choices are mostly dictated by what is assigned for classes or from reading lists. But once we are out of school, the decisions are up to us.  In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and […]

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August 4, 2019

Best of “Higher Ed:” Why The College Major May Matter Less Than We’ve Always Thought

This episode was originally published on Oct. 12, 2018. Choosing a major is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a – dare we say it –major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton […]

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About

Public media consumers are by nature curious people who embrace lifelong learning. So KUT’s “Higher Ed” podcast, with its focus on learning outside the classroom; innovation in education; and the pure joy of learning, was a perfect fit. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Dr. Ed Burger spend each 15-minute episode delving into one topic (sometimes provided by a listener) and either introducing or solving a brain teaser. The entertaining episodes are unscripted and draw on Dr. Burger’s extensive experience as an educator, innovator and speaker. The podcast wrapped up production in December 2019 but the enjoyable and engaging discussions cover timeless topics.

Jennifer Stayton

Jennifer feels very lucky to have been born and raised in Austin, Texas. An English teacher at her high school once suggested to the class that they tune in to KUT 90.5 for Paul Ray’s “Twine Time.” She has been a public radio fan ever since. Her original career path – Psychology – took a back seat to radio after she started volunteering at the Williams College student radio station while a student there. Jennifer has worked for commercial and public radio stations in news, production, music, and sales in Austin; Syracuse, New York; and Western Massachusetts. She has a Master’s Degree from Syracuse University in Radio-Television-Film.

Jennifer has been the local anchor and host of “Morning Edition” on KUT since May 2004. She was also the co-host and producer of KUT’s “Higher Ed” podcast for its entire five year run through December 2019.

Jennifer is a member of Women Communicators of Austin and serves as a mentor and Board Member in the organization. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for KTSW 89.9 at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.


Dr. Ed Burger

Dr. Ed Burger served as President of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas for six years until January 2020. He is the President and CEO of the St. David’s Foundation in Austin, Texas. Dr. Burger is a mathematician by training and has written more than 70 research articles, books and video. He has delivered more than 800 addresses worldwide and has starred in more than 5,000 on-line math tutorial videos.

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