Best Chris Buskirk Podcasts (2025)

1
Ezra Fradkin, Liz Jordan - Kroka Expeditions, Adventure Education, Wilderness and Consciousness 1:00:46

Play Pause

1h ago1:00:46

1:00:46

Kroka Expeditions is a non-profit wilderness expedition school and organic farm that fosters a living relationship with the natural world and the development of skilled, compassionate, and community-minded young people. Working with youth ages 9 to 19, Kroka provides unique wilderness programs centered around the cultivation of consciousness and al…

1
Jennifer DeCoste - LifeSchoolHouse, Folk School Networks, Community Development 59:33

11d ago59:33

59:33

Jennifer is dedicated to work that builds strong and connected communities. She is the Founder of a non-profit network of barter-based folkschools called LifeSchoolHouse that began n Nova Scotia, Canada. This platform for grassroots skills sharing creates stronger mor interconnected neighborhoods and reduces the impact of social isolation by offeri…

1
Chris Higgins - Philosophy of Formative Education 1:08:42

18d ago1:08:42

1:08:42

Chris Higgins is Professor and Chair in the Department of Formative Education in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College where he co-directs the BA program in Transformative Educational Studies and the Ph.D. program in Formative Education. A philosopher of education, he has written on the existential dimensions of teac…

1
Episode #67: Ezra Sullivan - Threefold Educational Foundation Youth Co-Lab 59:23

2M ago59:23

59:23

For this episode of the Microcollege podcast we welcome Ezra Sullivan, of the Threefold Education Foundation in Chestnut Ridge, New York, one of the major centers of anthroposophical work and study in North America. This fall, Ezra will be leading an innovative new semi-individualized learning program called the Youth Co-Lab. This program aims to "…

1
Episode #66: Julia Buskirk, Benjamin Bernard-Herman - Thoreau College Residencies 59:06

3M ago59:06

59:06

Over the past several months, Thoreau College has marked several milestones in our growth and development. As of this year, we are now able to offer transferable college credits for our summer and gap semester programs through a new partnership with Prescott College. And this summer we will be welcoming several students from Oberlin College and Sta…

1
Episode #65: Stanton Davis - The Living Voice, Breath, Vitality, Theater, Viroqua Shakespeare Festival 1:06:12

4M ago1:06:12

1:06:12

Stanton Davis is the Head of Voice and Speech at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, where he serves as speech and dialect coach for the graduate and undergraduate actors. Previously, he served in similar roles at Temple University's Theatre Department and SUNY New Paltz where he taught voice, acting, Shakespeare, dramatic literature,…

1
Special Episode: Defense Innovation w/ former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller 45:46

11M ago45:46

45:46

Former Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller joined ACME General Corp live from our New York office to talk about innovation and transformation in national defense. A former Army Special Forces colonel, Chris also previously served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and L…

1
Episode #64: Craig Holdredge, Ryan Shea - Goethean Science, Nature Institute, Ghent, NY 1:07:29

12M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

For this episode of the podcast I spoke with Craig Holdrege and Ryan Shea of the Nature Institute in Ghent, New York about the theory and practice of a very different way of doing science, informed and inspired by the work of the great German poet, scientist, and statesman, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In contrast to the reductionist paradigm of sci…

1
Episode #63: Grace Greenwald - Pedagogies to Address the Meaning Crisis 57:25

12M ago57:25

57:25

On this episode of the podcast we talk with Grace Greenwald, Research Director at the Springboard Foundation for Whole Person Learning about the white paper she recently researched and wrote entitled "Distinctive Pedagogies that Address the "Meaning Crisis' in Higher Education:" Case Studies from Microcolleges and Living-Learning Institutes." This …

1
Episode #62 - Drs. Rutger Engels, Ginie Servant-Miklos - Bildung Climate School, Rotterdam, NL 1:09:24

12M ago1:09:24

1:09:24

This week on the podcast we spoke with Drs. Rutger Engels and Ginie Servant-Miklos, who recently staged the "Bildung Climate School," a part-type summer pilot program in Rotterdam, the Netherlands that draws inspiration from the model of the Danish folk high school as described by Lene Rachel Andersen in The Nordic Secret as well as from the microc…

1
Episode #61: Felipe Medina, Jakob Seidler - Suna Barichara, Colombia 54:10

1y ago54:10

54:10

In this episode of Microcollege, we speak with Felipe Medina and Jakob Seidler, two of the co-founders of Suna Barichara, an aspiring microcollege and educational center located in a remarkable rural community and dry tropical forest biome in the mountains of Colombia. According to their website, Suna Barichara is "a living education platform creat…

1
Episode #60: Hannah Schwartz - Riverflow Community, Monkton, VT 48:43

1y ago48:43

48:43

Join us this week for a conversation with Hannah Schwartz about her life devoted to the service of community and people with disabilities in the context of the Camphill Movement. She was a founder and longtime leader of the Heartbeet Lifesharing Camphill Village in Hardwick, VT and is now engaged with the founding of a new community called Riverflo…

1
Episode #59: Patrick Doyle - Wendell Berry, Metamorphosis, Theater 54:53

1y ago54:53

54:53

Patrick Doyle is a theater-maker, director, writer, poet, and dancer, who has spent a life time turning old buildings into theaters. Patrick is also a certified Waldorf teacher and thrilled to be bringing a new rendition of this production of GIVEN to Viroqua with the Thoreau College students. RSVP on Facebook for the event here: https://www.facebo…

1
Episode #58: Megan Durney, Kim Vaughan - Threefold Community Farm, Chestnut Ridge, NY 1:01:19

1y ago1:01:19

1:01:19

This week on the podcast I speak with Kim Vaughan and Megan Durney of the Threefold Community Farm in Chestnut Ridge, NY, just outside of New York City. Threefold Community Farm is one of the key centers for the practice of biodynamic agriculture, as well as the training of biodynamic farmers through the Pfeiffer Center. Biodynamic agriculture is a…

1
Episode #57: Dr. Dan McKanan: Camphills, Intentional Communities, and the Spiritual Roots of Radical Change 1:06:56

1+ y ago1:06:56

1:06:56

This week's guest on the Microcollege podcast is Dr. Dan McKanan, a professor at the Harvard Divinity School who is one of the foremost American scholars of biodynamic agriculture and the Camphill communities, two influential movements applying the ideas of Rudolf Steiner in practical fields. In our conversation, we learn about Dan's own formative …

1
Episode #56: Dr. Richard Kyte - Finding Your Third Place 1:06:02

1+ y ago1:06:02

1:06:02

On today's episode we discuss the concept of "third places" with Dr. Richard Kyte, author of the forthcoming book Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way). What is a "third place"? According to Dr. Kyte: "Your first place is home, your second place is work, and your third place is where you go …

1
Autonomous Weapons and Artificial Intelligence w/ Paul Scharre 46:40

1+ y ago46:40

46:40

Paul Scharre, Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at Center for a New American Security, joins ACME General Corp to talk about his recent trip to Ukraine and his observations of and predictions for autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence. In addition to his work at CNAS, Paul is the award-winning author of Army of None: Autonomo…

1
Episode #55: Eric Schwarz - College for Social Innovation, Boston, MA 1:02:18

1+ y ago1:02:18

1:02:18

In this episode of the Microcollege podcast, join me for a fascinating conversation with Eric Schwarz, Co-Founder and CEO of the College for Social Innovation (CFSI), which offers semester-long immersive service learning internships in partnership with community organizations in the Boston area, as well as on college campuses throughout the northea…

1
Episode #54: Andrea de la Cruz, Nathaniel Williams - The Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland 1:02:27

1+ y ago1:02:27

1:02:27

Today's guests are Andrea de la Cruz and Nathaniel Williams, leaders in the area of educational courses and the youth movement at the Goetheanum, located in Dornach, Switzerland. The Goetheanum is a remarkable building, a masterpiece of modern architecture nestled in the green foothills near Basel. It is also an organization that lies at the heart …

1
Episode #53: Blake Boles - Unschool Adventures 57:52

1+ y ago57:52

57:52

Blake Boles is one of the leading voices in the world of unschooling and a passionate advocate for alternative approaches to education of all kinds. He is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, a travel program for self-directed learners, and is the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learnin…

1
Episode #52: Christine Deck - Deck Family Farm, Willamette Valley, Oregon 45:00

1+ y ago45:00

45:00

This week on the Microcollege podcast we explore the deeply important and little discussed question of who the farmers of the future will be and how they will be educated. Our guest is Christine Deck, co-owner of the Deck Family Farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Together with her husband John and their 5 kids, Christine runs a diversified organic…

1
Episode #51: Philip Francis - Seguinland Institute, The Good Life Gap Year, Maine 1:10:31

1+ y ago1:10:31

1:10:31

Philip Francis is the Director and Co-Founder of the Seguinland Institute, an innovative gap year program provider located in beautiful Georgetown, Maine. Philip is a native son of the region, where his parents settled to become homesteaders under the influence of Scott and Helen Nearing, authors of the early 20th century back-to-the-land classic L…

1
Investing in Veterans w/ Craig Cummings 37:55

1+ y ago37:55

37:55

Craig Cummings, co-founder of Moonshots Capital, joins ACME General Corp to talk about investing in tech start-ups founded by military veteran entrepreneurs. In addition to his work at Moonshots Capital, Craig is the Director of Military and Veteran Affairs for Capital Factory, Austin’s center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas. Previously, Crai…

1
Air Force Futures w/ Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote 44:38

1+ y ago44:38

44:38

Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures, joins ACME General Corp to talk about representing the voice of tomorrow’s Airmen. He most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration, and Requirements at Air Force Futures, where he focused on integrated future force design and speaking on behalf of…

1
Disruptive Change w/ Joseph Kopser 28:21

2y ago28:21

28:21

Joseph Kopser, technology entrepreneur and president of consulting firm Grayline Group, joins ACME General Corp. to talk about disruptive change, technology innovation, and the national security implications of adapting to that innovation. Joseph is a US Army combat veteran with 20 years of service who went on to co-found a company that later sold …

1
Episode #50: Lene Rachel Andersen - The Nordic Secret for Cultivating Beauty, Freedom, Democracy, and Prosperity 1:12:49

2y ago1:12:49

1:12:49

For the 50th Episode of the Microcollege Podcast, we checked back in with one of our favorite guests from the first few months of the show. Lene Rachel Andersen is one of the stimulating and ambitious thinkers we have met during this remarkable journey. A native of Denmark, Lene is an economist, futurist, Bildung activist, and author of many books …

1
Episode #49: Jill Nephew - Inquiry, Education, Artificial Vs. Natural Intelligence 1:12:57

2y ago1:12:57

1:12:57

Jill Nephew, technologist and founder of Inqwire, joins the podcast for a thorough discussion on different forms of intelligence, questions of meta-crisis in the modern world, and solutions. Inqwire: https://www.inqwire.io/ Some books mentioned in this episode: The Art of Memory by Frances Yates The Book of Why by Judea Pearl Western Estoericism: A…

1
Episode #48: Liz Rog, Amy Arnold - Community Singing 56:31

2y ago56:31

56:31

Liz Rog believes in singing together as an ancient technology for belonging, a simple and powerful tool for restoring our connection in community. She sings with all ages, teaching simple songs that can be woven into the seasons of the year and the changes and challenges of our lives in play, at bedsides, at rallies and in rituals. Liz delights in …

1
Episode #47: Philippe Mesly, Julia Henderson - Great Lakes Institute, Canada 1:05:23

2y ago1:05:23

1:05:23

Philippe Mesly is a writer and translator whose work examines intersections of political economy, religion, and environmental issues. He is also a trained horticulturalist and craftsperson. Julia Henderson is a writer whose work examines the intersections of religion and philosophy, with particular emphasis on Christian mysticism. She currently liv…

1
Episode #46: Chris Barlow - High Mountain Institute, Leadville, Colorado 54:27

2y ago54:27

54:27

Chris Barlow joins the podcast to talk about the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, Colorado and wax poetic on the importance of gap year experiences and alternative educational opportunities for young people in our time. Chris hails from Tennessee and has held myriad roles at HMI dating back to 2005 when he worked as a Spanish apprentice and En…

1
Episode #45: Keri McWilliams - Gap Year Association 59:37

2y ago59:37

59:37

Keri McWilliams joins the podcast for Gap Year Exploration Month, October 2023, to talk about the breadth and variety of Gap Year experiences a young person can find! Keri McWilliams joined the Gap Year Association as the organization’s Executive Director in January 2022. Born and raised in Montana, Keri currently resides in Missoula, MT where she …

1
Episode #44: Dev Carey - High Desert Center, Paonia, Colorado 1:02:37

2y ago1:02:37

1:02:37

The High Desert Center runs gap year programs for adventurous spirits from their home base in Paonia, Colorado, and extending out into Mexico, India, and other environs around the world. High Desert students learn to grow and prepare their own food, explore mindfulness practices practical folk arts, crafts and skills, all while living communally an…

1
Episode #43: Ben Samuels, Max Feigelson - Deep Springs College Student Reflections, League of Nunnian Schools 55:36

2y ago55:36

55:36

Ben Samuels & Max Feigelson are current Deep Springs College students who have joined the podcast this week to discuss their experiences at the infamous Deep Springs College cattle ranch campus for cowboy philosophers and future world leaders. Both Ben & Sam attended Bard High School in New York City. In the podcast, they remark on the drastic diff…

1
Episode #42: Jennifer Jensen, Gordon Jones - Mt. Liberty College, Murray, Utah, Liberty Through Virtue 58:05

2y ago58:05

58:05

Gordon S. Jones, NAS, Provost, Trustee, and Professor. M.Phil, Political Science, George Washington University; MA, Education, Stanford University; BA, U.S. History, Columbia University; adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College; co-founder of United Families of America (now United Families International). Served as …

1
Episode #41: Dawn Breeze - PlaceCorps and the Kingston Fellowship, Kingston, NY 48:51

2y ago48:51

48:51

Dawn Breeze is a creativity advocate, change agent, and internationally awarded artist, living and working in Germantown, NY. She consults on creativity and leadership with global organizations and progressive institutions, as well as with individual entrepreneurs and leaders. Breeze is committed to building community through creativity.Her social …

1
Episode #40: Dr. Jenny Finn - Sourced Design at Springhouse Community School, Floyd, Virginia 53:49

2y ago53:49

53:49

Jenny Finn has designed structures that foster vitality in people, communities, and organizations for nearly 30 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education and is a co-founder of Springhouse Community School in Pilot, Virginia. Jenny's research, mentoring, and teaching invites people to strengthen the relationship they have with themselves…

1
Episode #39: Dr. Evan Edwards - Food, Philosophy, and Myth 1:09:04

2y ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Evan Edwards pioneered the Thoreau College Residency from August-December 2020, when he served as the “Captain of Nourishment” – drawing on deep experience as a professional chef to plan, cook, and serve meals for Thoreau College Semester Program students and staff, while also processing produce from Thoreau College gardens and helping students pla…

1
Episode #38: Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh - Theater Arts & Wisdom Cultivation 1:14:23

2y ago1:14:23

1:14:23

Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh is a practice researcher, theatre practitioner and transformational facilitator working in the intersection between actor training and 4E cognitive science. He is the co-founder of The Integrative Approach and Methodology of Active Transformation (TIAMAT), as well as the Artistic Director of 5tomidnight, an arts organization s…

1
National and Information Security w/ Sue Gordon 34:38

2y ago34:38

34:38

Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, joins ACME General Corp. to talk about national security, cybersecurity threats, and what intelligence information holds the most value. Sue served as Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence and Deputy Director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency after havi…

1
Episode #37: Ahmed Yehia, Muhammad Bassyouny - Bedouin Immersion at Nour Holistic Education, St. Catherine, Egypt 1:12:37

2y ago1:12:37

1:12:37

Muhammad Bassyouny and Ahmed Yehia are two of the founders (along with Alaa Ahmed) of Nour Holistic Education, which immerses students in the tradition, nature, and the ancient lifeways and wisdom of the Bedouin people living in the sacred region around St Catherine's monastery, on the slopes of Mt Sinai in Egypt. Drawing upon influences as diverse…

1
Episode #36: Ana Keilson, Justin Reynolds - Gull Island Institute, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 1:04:53

2y ago1:04:53

1:04:53

Ana and Justin from Gull Island Institute talk the importance of place-making in the landscape of higher education, including at their new initiative Gull Island Institute located in the Vineyard Sound, off the coast of Massachusetts. Raised in Maine, Ana Isabel Keilson has taught previously at the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies at Harvard …

1
Episode #35: Brandon Ipiña, Maurielle McGarvey - Thoreau College Alumni Reflections 1:02:36

2+ y ago1:02:36

1:02:36

Brandon and Maurielle reflect on their experiences at Thoreau College versus other more traditional institutions of higher education. Brandon also compares his experiences at Deep Springs College. Maurielle McGarvey is a theater artist and filmmaker from Houston, Texas. She is passionate about facilitating site specific creative opportunities for l…

1
NavalX and Innovation Research w/ Captain Ben Van Buskirk 35:22

2+ y ago35:22

35:22

Capt. Ben Van Buskirk, former director of NavalX, joins ACME General Corp. to talk about bringing an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit to naval technology research. Before leading NavalX, Capt. Van Buskirk helped establish the Strategic Warfighting Innovation Cell within the Navy’s Warfighting Development Directorate. Find him on Twitter at @Be…

1
Army Applications for Innovative Tech w/ Jay Wisham 56:08

2+ y ago56:08

56:08

Jay Wisham, outgoing executive director of the Army Applications Lab, joins ACME General Corp. to talk about using the best commercial technology and talent to transform innovative tech into Army-ready solutions. Prior to joining AAL, Jay was a Senior Army Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, a Lead for Artificial Intelligence Applications …

1
Episode #34: Pavel Cenkl - Dartington Trust and Schumacher College in Devon, UK 50:20

2+ y ago50:20

50:20

Pavel Cenkl is the Director of Learning and Land, and Head of Schumacher College in Totnes, United Kingdom and previously served as the Dean of Sterling College Vermont. Pavel has worked for more than two decades in higher education in America and has always been drawn to colleges and universities whose curriculum fully integrates learning with pra…

1
Episode #33: Dawn Murphy on Folk Education in North America 57:53

2+ y ago57:53

57:53

Dawn is a fellow with Fielding Graduate University's Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership and Education and is currently in the final stages of her Ph.D. journey. Dawn's area of focus combines her work as the facilitator of the Folk School Alliance and her study of transformational learning for social justice.The Folk School Alliance bega…

1
Episode #32: Linda Conroy - Education for Herbalists 59:07

2+ y ago59:07

59:07

Linda Conroy is a bioregional herbalist, herbal and traditional food educator and a community organizer. She dedicates her life to connecting with the green world as well as sharing the wisdom of the earth. Her primary mentors are the plants who never cease to instill a sense of awe in her daily life. Linda has a certificate in permaculture design,…

1
The Potential of Capital Markets w/ Frank Finelli & Sam Cole 33:18

2+ y ago33:18

33:18

Frank Finelli, managing director at the Carlyle Group, and Sam Cole, principal and co-founder of Stonecutter Ventures, both join ACME General Corp. to talk about the potential of capital markets to drive defense innovation. Frank Finelli focuses on investments in the defense and aerospace sector at the Carlyle Group. Learn more here and find the Ca…

1
Episode #31: Zak Stein - Education In a Time Between Worlds 57:08

2+ y ago57:08

57:08

Zak Stein studied philosophy and religion at Hampshire College, and then educational neuroscience, human development, and the philosophy of education at Harvard University. While a student at Harvard, he co-founded what would become Lectica, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the research-based, justice-oriented reform of large-scale standardized test…

1
Episode #30: Miles Iton - Lo-Fi Language Learning Microcollege 48:14

2+ y ago48:14

48:14

Miles Iton tells the story of the founding of the Lo-Fi Language Learning microcollege and the influences that shaped him and the program's pedagogy. The mission of the Lo-Fi Language Learning microcollege is "to modernize men's educational experiences and career prospects in the Humanities by designing a liberal arts experience around a pedagogy b…