Morning with the Professors

March 27, April 10, 17, 24, May 1 (No class April 3)
9:30-11:30 am 
Classes will be held at ISU’s Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main St., Normal, IL

THE ROAD TO SESAME STREET (Via Zoom)

March 27
(Available to view at the Alumni Center on the big screens or through a Zoom link)

Back by popular demand, this highly dynamic couple will entertain and enlighten us about their journeys to Sesame Street and their entertainment careers.

Leslie will discuss character development and how the arts and Sesame Street play a key role in helping kids navigate life to grow "stronger, smarter and kinder.” She will share her personal journey, educational background and her artistic skills as a performer-creator in a "show-and-tell" approach to her work on Sesame Street.

Paul will share insight about Sesame Street music from ‘page to stage’ and how songs are created for the show, plus live performance and celebrity experiences.

Paul Rudolph, 3-time Emmy Award Winner for Sesame Street, Music Editor, Music Director, Composer, Arranger, Audio Engineer 

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, 2-time Emmy Award Winner for Sesame Street, Entertainer, Puppeteer, Voice Actor, Artist, Writer and Creator.

BUILDING THE BRIDGE: MCLEAN COUNTY'S FIRST NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER PROGRAM

April 10

Home Sweet Home Ministries' innovative model of non-congregate shelter serves the community’s unsheltered residents. Known as "The Bridge," this village consists of private sleeping cabins clustered around a central clubhouse-style building that offers on-site connections to supportive services as well as laundry, toilet and bathing facilities. The project provides dignified, interim housing with a focus on privacy and stability for residents, allowing them to work toward long-term recovery and permanent housing solutions. Mr. Burgess will share data that led to identifying the need to expand the capacity for, and configuration of, additional shelter for unhoused community members.

Matt Burgess, Chief Executive Officer, Home Sweet Home Ministries, Bloomington

HOW DOES LOCAL NEWS GET MADE?

April 17

Hear from WGLT leadership about the ethical considerations that shapes reporting and how a kernel of an idea evolves into a fully vetted, published story. Gain a clearer understanding of how and why reporters and editors make the choices they do. Learn how WGLT fits into the broader NPR Network and WGLT’s academic partners at Illinois State University, including the station's robust internship program alongside the student-run Vidette. Discover how WGLT is adapting to a rapidly changing funding landscape for public media, and what that means for Bloomington-Normal's only nonprofit newsroom.

Ryan Denham, WGLT Content Director

Eric Stock, WGLT News Director

HUMAN TRAFFICKING 101: UNDERSTANDING ITS LOCAL AND GLOBAL IMPACT 

April 24

This informative and eye-opening presentation will shed light on one of the most pressing human rights issues of our time. This session will provide a foundational understanding of human trafficking – what it is, how it happens, who is affected and how to identify warning signs. Carol will share real-world insights from her work at the Center for Prevention of Abuse, explain the local and global impact of this crime and offer practical steps individuals and communities can take to help prevent and respond to trafficking. Whether you are new to the topic or looking to deepen your knowledge, this presentation will provide tools to make a difference.

Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer, the Center for Prevention of Abuse, Peoria

THE DIGITAL GENERATION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ARE RESHAPING MENTAL HEALTH

May 1

Why are rates of depression and anxiety climbing alongside smartphone adoption? Social media has fundamentally changed how we connect, think and feel—sometimes fostering genuine community, other times causing serious problems across all ages. Dr. Lannin will examine current trends on platforms like TikTok and Instagram reels, including research on attention, memory and mood. He will also explore burgeoning research on artificial intelligence’s (AI) psychological effects and how these patterns may play out as AI becomes integrated across education, business and our personal lives.

Dan Lannin, Professor of Psychology, ISU