Education

Mar 9, 2021

First in Future: Marco Zarate – Revisited

In this episode First in Future guest Marco Zarate, his wife and others stepped up and assisted in forming the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals, a nonprofit focused on “promoting education among Hispanic youth,” with a special focus on increasing high school graduation rates. North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals have raised corporate contributions, brought in members and volunteers, and through it all Marco has stayed with the organization. 

Jan 19, 2021

First in Future: Patrick Miller and Brad Wilson

A few years ago a report that was in many ways 25 years in the making came out. Over the course of 287 pages, it recommends a series of changes that the state of North Carolina needs to make to ensure that it meets its constitutional obligation to provide each child a sound basic education. In this episode of First in Future, we are joined by two members of the Governor's Commission on access to sound basic education, Patrick Miller and Brad Wilson, to discuss the report and actions needed going forward. 

Nov 17, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 3) – Zachary Barricklow

This is part three of a three episode series of First in Future, where we focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. In the final part of our special focus on what transforms a place we live into a true community, we talk with Zach Barricklow of Wilkes Community College about the regional approach Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties are taking to build off of their collective assets (especially high speed internet) to hold on to young people, retrain adults and attract new residents to the area. 

Nov 10, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 2) – Dante Pittman

This is part of a three episode series of First in Future, where we want to focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. Small towns everywhere complain about "brain drain", young educated people who move away for college and don't come back. In the second part of our series on what makes the places we live special, we talk with Dante Pittman, who chose to move back home to Wilson, NC, with the help of a new effort called "Lead for North Carolina." And we explore the question: how do we retain and retrain and stop brain drain? 

Nov 3, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 1) – Caroline Parker

This is part of a three episode series of First in Future, where we want to focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. This episode starts with the story of Hayesville, NC, in the far western corner of the state, and we talk with Caroline Parker of Education NC about her new series, "Anchored in Hayesville," about how the people in that community are working together to maintain their uniqueness and strength in a town that is "two hours from everywhere." 

Oct 27, 2020

First in Future: Mike Ward and Deanna Townsend-Smith

This First in Future episode's guests are, Mike Ward, the former state superintendent of public instruction and chair of the steering committee for the NC Education Corps and Deanna Townsend-Smith is director of operations and policy for the State Board of Education. 

Oct 13, 2020

First in Future: Maggie Woods

Recently, many have been trying to help our kids with digital homework, or our local government officials have been trying to figure out how to make our community more accessible or competitive in this digital world. This First in Future episode's guest is the Institute for Emerging Issues' own Maggie Woods, Policy and Program Manager, who is looking at the idea of "digital inclusion." She explores what a difference it can make for our state to take full advantage of high speed 

Sep 21, 2020

First in Future: Cecilia Holden and Jeni Corn

Three years ago myFutureNC looked at NC’s future economy and came to the conclusion that to meet the needs of the future, we need more people with some sort of meaningful credential beyond high school. The Institute for Emerging Issues has been looking at this issue over the past few months, and we’re bringing together a big discussion of all those issues in a few days. This episode features the head of the nonprofit myFutureNC, Cecilia Holden and their research director, Jeni Corn. 

Sep 15, 2020

First in Future: Sarah Hall

myFutureNC looked at NC’s future economy and came to the conclusion that to meet the needs of the future. This episode features IEI Senior Policy and Program Manager Sarah Hall, who’s been has been looking at this issue. 

Sep 8, 2020

First in Future: Dr. Rupert Nacoste

This First in Future episode features Dr. Rupert Nacoste, author of the new book "To Live Woke: Thoughts to Carry in Our Struggle to Save the Soul of America". Dr. Nacoste is a native of Louisiana, but for the past 32 years has been a professor of psychology at NC State. Dr. Nacoste’s research and public service efforts have focused on developing a systematic understanding of the social psychology of social change, and using that scholarly understanding to help people manage the social changes that are influencing their everyday lives.