Maria Frigge, Dean of International Student Services at Troy University, tells us how faculty, staff, and students can better accommodate the needs of international students. She also shares her own experiences coming to the U.S. as an international student from Sweden.

Historian and archivist Dr. Marty Olliff is the Director of the Wiregrass Archives at Troy University’s Dothan Campus. Like other archivists, he seeks to identify, preserve, and make available the records of the local community. Those records inform community formation and preserve the corporate or institutional memory that typically walks out the door when an archivist is missing. We learn a great deal about how to proceed in the present and future based on our past experiences. We are tied to our communities because we share a worldview, but perhaps the healthiest communities have permeable boundaries that allow membership to change as needed.

Political Science major Jud Keel, who participated in a study abroad trip to Puerto Rico this past summer, joined us to talk about how he engaged in research while on his trip. From the preparation before the trip to what he learned during the project, and what he is still learning while working to complete it, he shares his thoughts with us about this experience. Discussions with a professor during an undergraduate class for his major sparked Jud’s interest in studying Puerto Rico’s politics, but as he explains, learning is certainly not limited to the classroom. Jud’s experience allowed him to interview several locals during his visit, make observations about Puerto Rican perspectives, and sample authentic food, music, art, and people's perspectives on local politics. One thing that is clear, maintaining the status quo does not lead to happiness for everyone.

The really successful college or university is organic and willing to evolve and change. Embracing change is vital to progress, so cultivating the ability to change is essential. Drs. Hal Fulmer and Christina Martin have survived their fair share of organizational change. Each has filled multiple roles in various departments just at Troy University, not to mention their individual experiences at previous institutions. They speak candidly about navigating the inevitable evolution of systems and technology while emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining relationships with others. If our differences are what lead to greater learning and understanding, then finding a productive pathway through conflict is invaluable. Constructive conflict leads us forward.

"Educate the mind to think, the heart to feel, and the body to act.” Troy University’s motto has stood the test of time because it gets to the core of what it means to be human. We are complex beings, and we all have stories and experiences worth sharing. Tropolitan student newspaper editorial staff members Emily Mosier (editor-in-chief) and Kris Harrell (Trojan living editor) shared their opinions with us on recent state legislation concerning funding for diversity initiatives in higher education and other state agencies. Resources that help students feel safe and seen are valuable and accessible across college and university campuses even when they are not housed in a one-stop-shop. We can all do our part to help others belong.

TROY Art and Design professor Ed Noriega talks about how it felt to move into south Alabama as an “outsider” from southern California via NYC. Belonging for him has been a lifelong struggle, as he has navigated various professional settings with different cultural mixes and strived to set a high bar for himself and his students. A truly eclectic and inspirational creative with big plans for retirement on and around his peafowl farm, Ed advocates play as he reflects candidly on lessons he has learned and challenges he has overcome.

Ray White is the Vice Chancellor of Troy University’s Montgomery Campus, but 25 years ago, in a previous role at the University, he set out to establish the Rosa Parks Museum on the site of her 1955 arrest. He shares candid reflections on his work to build trust as he worked with Mrs. Parks and her family, collected materials, and consulted with Civil Rights experts to build the interpretive museum and children’s wing as it exists today. Although change may take generations, we can treat others well and genuinely care about their stories. Even our seemingly small decisions today direct our future.

As a clinical sociologist, associate professor and associate dean of Troy University’s college of arts and sciences, Dr. Sharon Lindhorst Everhardt works to improve systems. Her book Gardening Behind Bars was released in February, and she sat down to talk to us about some of her experiences with the incarcerated women she worked with on this project. She reminds us that belonging is a basic need for all of us, and listening to understand is of critical importance to our society. We talk about some difficult issues in this episode, including children of incarcerated parents who struggle with suicidal thoughts and tendencies, but the bottom line is that no one’s story is simple, and we all need to be a little more intentional about getting to know our neighbors.