DCHAT Podcast: A Discussion with new PLU Interim Dean of Education and Kinesiology Terry Bergeson

TACOMA, WASH. (Oct. 26, 2016)- The inaugural episode of Pacific Lutheran University’s DCHAT podcast features a discussion with Terry Bergeson, the new interim dean of the PLU School of Education and Kinesiology.

DCHAT is a new interview-based podcast featuring PLU academic deans and highlighted by questions submitted by PLU alumni. Fall 2016 DCHAT episodes also will include interviews with Chung-Shing Lee, dean of the School of Business, and Kevin O’Brien, dean of the Division of Humanities.

PLU alumni are invited to submit questions for the upcoming episode of DCHAT featuring O’Brien. Questions regarding the present and future of the PLU Division of Humanities (which houses the departments of English, philosophy, religion, and languages and literatures) may be emailed to PLU Media and Content Manager Zach Powers at powerszs@plu.edu and must be received by Nov. 1.

Special thanks to the following alumni for submitting questions for this episode: Willie Painter ’06, Anneliese Gabrielle Kellogg ’11, Lauren Frerichs ’11, Shea Eakes ’10, DJ Crisostomo ’99, BrandonLee Cierley ’16, Laurie A. Reddy ’14 and Katie Choate ’10.

Conversation Highlights:
1:00- How teaching swimming at a summer camp in Cape Cod led to Bergeson’s passion for education.

3:20- How a dean can have a direct effect on students while working primarily with staff and faculty.

6:35- How Bergeson has set out to learn the institutional systems at PLU and in the School of Education and Kinesiology.

9:30- Getting up to speed on the Department of Kinesiology and the opportunities and challenges facing the program.

12:50-  Why Bergeson decided to serve at PLU after a long and illustrious career in K-12 education.

19:00- How to identify student teaching opportunities that are a strong fit for specific students.

25:20- Preparing education students to become certified in the subjects they hope to teach.

31:10- What students need from the PLU Department of Education to be effective teachers in diverse communities and why Bergeson aims to diversify the education faculty.

35:45- Why Kinesiology is such a unique and exciting field of study.