The Saint Leo 360° Podcast

Episode 53: Gaming with the Saint Leo Esports Team

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, our focus of discussion is the Esports team at Saint Leo University. Our three guests are Bovey Zhang, the manager and coach of the Saint Leo Esports team, along with students and Esports team members Caleb Hunt and Madelyn Eden. They spoke about:

• Zhang’s personal and professional background
• A simple definition of Esports and examples of some games
• How Zhang got into eSports and his experience
• Why Esports has become such a booming industry, specifically in higher education
• Zhang’s journey to Saint Leo University and his role with the team
• Who is eligible to join the team and the commitments involved
• The Esports arena on campus and other ways students can practice and participate
• How participating in eSports can benefit students socially, academically, and professionally
• Where the students, Hunt and Eden, grew up, attended high school, and why they chose Saint Leo for higher education
• Their degree programs and career goals
• How they got into Esports and their roles with the team
• What they have taken away from the experience and why they would recommend other students get involved in Esports

Learn More about the Saint Leo Esports Team

Visit http://www.saintleo.edu/esports to learn more about the Saint Leo Esports team. Follow the team on Twitter at http://twitter.com/saintleoesports. Check out the team’s Instagram page at http://instagram.com/saintleoesports. Watch the team compete on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/saintleoesports.

Episode 52: Showcasing Saint Leo’s BA in English Degree Program

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we showcase the BA in English degree program at Saint Leo University. Our guest is Dr. Chantelle MacPhee, the chair of the Department of Language Studies and the Arts and an associate professor of English. Dr. MacPhee talked about:

• Her educational, professional, and personal backgrounds
• How she got into teaching and her journey to Saint Leo University
• A history of Saint Leo’s BA in English program and where it is currently offered
• The types of students this English degree program is intended for
• The specializations and minors in this program
• An Overview of the courses and topics covered in the curriculum
• An overview of the diverse faculty who teach in this program
• Clubs, chapters, publications, and internships in which English majors can get involved to gain real-world experience
• Career opportunities with an English degree
• Examples of graduate degree programs that graduates of this bachelor’s program may pursue
• Examples of alumni success stories from this program
• What sets this program--and Saint Leo University in general--apart from other English degree programs out there
• How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the specific fields that English majors are going into

Learn More about Saint Leo University’s BA in English Degree Program

Get more details on the bachelor’s in English degree program at Saint Leo by visiting https://www.saintleo.edu/english-bachelor-degree.

Episode 51: Exploring Saint Leo University’s Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we welcome Dr. Doris Van Kampen-Breit, the University librarian at Saint Leo University, to discuss the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library. She spoke about:

• The background on who Daniel A. Cannon was and the Cannon’s family connection to Saint Leo University
• A brief history of the library
• A bio of herself and her role as University Librarian
• An overview of the library staff
• Print books, materials, and technology available to Saint Leo students
• Online materials and resources available to students
• Research and academic support services available to students
• How the library serves online and education center students
• A variety of events held or sponsored by the library
• Contact info for the library

Learn more about the Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library at Saint Leo University at https://slulibrary.saintleo.edu/library_home.

Contact the library by phone at (800) 359-5945 or via email at library@saintleo.libanswers.com.

Episode 50: Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we highlight the East Pasco Education Center located at Saint Leo’s University Campus, as well as its satellite locations in Pasco and Hernando counties. Our guests are Matt Lenihan, director of the East Pasco Education Center, and Shana Sapp, the assistant director of the center. The two spoke about:

• An overview of the center and its satellite locations on the campuses of Pasco-Hernando State College, along with the numerous academic and technological resources available to all students
• The variety of degree Programs offered at these locations
• Several key partnerships the center has with local school districts, high schools, and other highly regarded organizations
• Future plans on the horizon for the center
• An overview of the supportive faculty and staff at the center
• A glimpse into the demographics of the center’s student population
• Types of events held at the center and a look ahead at future events
• The overall benefits of Attending the East Pasco Education Center
• How to contact the center to learn more

Learn More about the East Pasco Education Center at Saint Leo University

Learn more about the East Pasco Education Center at https://www.saintleo.edu/east-pasco-education-center.

Interested in taking classes in New Port Richey or Spring Hill instead? Find out more about this center’s satellite locations at https://www.saintleo.edu/pasco-hernando-education-office.

Contact Matt Lenihan at Mathew.lenihan@saintleo.edu or by phone at 352-588-7451.

Episode 49: Hitting the Diamond with Rick O’Dette, Head Baseball Coach at Saint Leo

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we catch up with Rick O’Dette, the head baseball coach at Saint Leo University. O’Dette spoke about:

• His early years and getting into playing baseball and other sports
• His playing career, getting drafted to play professional baseball, and notable teammates he had in his career
• When and how he got into coaching
• His lengthy coaching career at his alma mater prior to coming to Saint Leo University
• Accepting the head baseball coaching job at Saint Leo and a recap of his tenure with the Lions
• His current coaching staff and how they all effectively work together
• The characteristics he looks for when recruiting student-athletes to play baseball at Saint Leo
• The benefits of attending Saint Leo and playing sports in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) at the Division II level
• How student-athletes can effectively balance athletics and academics
• What it takes to compete in the minor leagues and a path to the majors
• What he enjoys most about coaching

Check out O’Dette’s coaching bio page at https://saintleolions.com/staff-directory/rick-o-dette/50.

Learn more about the Saint Leo baseball program and all of the Lions’ athletic programs at http://www.saintleolions.com.

Episode 48: Discussing Saint Leo’s Undergraduate Business Administration & Management Programs

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we are joined by Dr. Tim Lowder, an associate professor of management in Saint Leo University’s Tapia College of Business to discuss some of the undergraduate business degree programs. Dr. Lowder talked about:

• His personal and professional backgrounds
• His teaching career and journey to Saint Leo University
• A history of the Tapia College of Business and its great reputation
• An overview of the AA in business administration, BA in business administration, and BA in management degree programs
• Where these degree programs are offered, who they are geared toward, and the faculty who teach in them
• Chapters and organizations related to these business majors that students can join to enhance their resumes and professional connections
• Career opportunities with these undergraduate business degrees
• Options for pursuing graduate studies with these bachelor’s degrees, including Saint Leo University’s MBA program
• What sets these business programs apart from others out there

Learn more about the AA in business administration at https://www.saintleo.edu/business-administration-associate-degree.

Get more details on the BA in business administration at https://www.saintleo.edu/business-administration-bachelor-degree.

Learn more about the BA in management at https://www.saintleo.edu/management-bachelor-degree.

Episode 47: Saint Leo’s BS in Biology Degree Program (Ecology, Biomedical Sciences, & Medical Humanities)

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we continue our discussion on the BS in biology degree program at Saint Leo University. This time, we focus on the ecology and biomedical sciences tracks, in addition to the bachelor’s in medical humanities degree program. Our guests are Drs. Cheryl Kozina and William Ellis, both of whom are associate professors of biology at Saint Leo University. They talked about:

• Their personal and professional backgrounds
• Their teaching careers and journeys to teaching at Saint Leo University
• A brief history and general overview of the BS in biology degree program at Saint Leo
• Where the biology and medical humanities degree programs are offered
• Types of students these programs are intended for
• An overview of courses and topics covered in the ecology and biomedical sciences tracks, as well as the medical humanities program
• An overview of the faculty who teach in the biology degree program and these specific tracks
• Opportunities outside of the classroom for students to connect with other like-minded majors
• Career opportunities with a bachelor’s in biology degree focusing on ecology and biomedical sciences, in addition to avenues with a bachelor’s in medical humanities
• Pursuing graduate studies with a biology degree and these specific areas of focus
• What sets Saint Leo University and its biology and medical humanities degree programs apart from others

Learn more about Saint Leo University’s biology degree program with a focus on ecology at https://www.saintleo.edu/biology-bachelor-ecology-degree.

Get the lowdown on the biomedical sciences track within the biology degree program at https://www.saintleo.edu/biology-bachelor-biomedical-health-sciences-degree.

Interested in the bachelor’s in medical humanities? Check out https://www.saintleo.edu/medical-humanities-bachelor-degree.

Episode 46: Saint Leo’s BS in Biology Degree Program (Education & Chemistry Minors)

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we discuss the biology degree program at Saint Leo University and two areas of focus within this undergraduate program – STEM education and chemistry. Our guests are Prof. Cheryl Berry, an instructor of biology and life sciences, and Dr. Patrick Sheridan, an associate professor of chemistry. The two professors talked about:

• Their personal and professional backgrounds
• Their teaching careers and journey to Saint Leo
• A brief history and general overview of the biology degree program at Saint Leo
• Where the program is offered
• Types of students this program is intended for
• An overview of courses and topics covered in the education and chemistry minors
• An overview of the faculty who teach in the program and these two specific tracks
• Relevant campus organizations, honor societies, and clubs for students interested in biology and the natural sciences
• The ACES Scholars program and a significant scholarship opportunity for students pursuing STEM teaching careers
• Career opportunities with a bachelor’s in biology degree and specific tracks for STEM education and chemistry students
• Pursuing graduate studies with a biology degree
• What sets Saint Leo’s biology degree program apart from others

Learn more about the biology degree program at Saint Leo University on the degree program page at https://www.saintleo.edu/biology-bachelor-of-science-degree.

Find out more about the education minor available to biology majors at https://www.saintleo.edu/biology-bachelor-education-minor-degree.

Learn more about the chemistry minor at https://www.saintleo.edu/chemistry-minor.

Find out if you or your student may qualify for the ACES Scholars program at https://www.saintleo.edu/stem-teaching.

Episode 45: Discussing the ‘Simulated Experiences at Saint Leo’ Technology

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we chat about the Simulated Experiences at Saint Leo technology. Our guests include Greg Kunzweiler, assistant director of Saint Leo University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, along with two simulation specialists, Emily Kochanski and Samantha Parisi. They discussed:

• What the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) is and its role within the university
• How and when Saint Leo University began using this simulation technology and eventually acquiring a license from Mursion
• How this technology works with students getting to interact with avatars
• How Kochanski and Parisi became simulation specialists and their unique backgrounds
• How they work closely with faculty members to prepare for a simulation session
• Examples of degree programs and courses in which this technology is used
• The numerous benefits of this technology for student users and positive feedback they have received from both students and faculty

Learn more about Simulated Experiences at Saint Leo and view some video demos of how the technology works at https://simulation.saintleo.edu/.

Read what Saint Leo faculty are saying about this technology at https://www.saintleo.edu/blog/faculty-weigh-saint-leo-university-cutting-edge-simulation-technology.

Episode 44: Highlighting Saint Leo’s BA in Theatre Degree Program

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, we explore the Bachelor of Arts in theatre degree program offered at Saint Leo University. We visit with Dr. Alicia Corts, an associate professor of theatre and director of the theatre program in Saint Leo’s College of Arts and Sciences. Corts discussed:

• Her education and professional background
• How she got into teaching and her journey to Saint Leo University
• Where the BA in theatre degree program is offered
• Who this program is intended for
• An Overview of the courses and topics covered in the curriculum
• An overview of the faculty who teach in the theatre degree program
• Career opportunities with a theatre degree
• Opportunities to pursue graduate studies with this degree
• Early alumni success stories from this young program
• What sets this program apart from others
• How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the performing arts and how it has actually opened the door to more opportunities for students considering this field in some cases

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in theatre degree program offered by Saint Leo University at https://www.saintleo.edu/bachelor-degree-theatre.

Check out Corts’ faculty bio and contact info at https://www.saintleo.edu/faculty-bios/alicia-corts-ph-d.