In this episode of the Innovating Together Podcast, host Bridget Burns spotlights one of the most inspiring leadership journeys in the University Innovation Alliance’s history: Dr. Ryan Goodwin. A member of the UIA’s inaugural Fellows cohort, Dr. Goodwin reflects on his evolution from a fresh post-grad working out of a closet office at UCF to now serving as Senior Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff in UCF’s largest division.

Listeners will hear how the UIA Fellows Program laid the foundation for Dr. Goodwin’s extraordinary career: shaping policy, leading advising reform, and helping UCF make student success its top strategic priority. His story illustrates the power of believing in people early, investing in collaboration, and the transformative impact of empowering others to lead. From pioneering one of the largest advising reforms in the country to cutting student-to-coach ratios in half and dramatically improving graduation rates, this conversation highlights how incremental, daily efforts can create breakthroughs.

Key Takeaways:

• Great change comes from consistent small steps, not one-time innovations.

• Investing in early-career professionals unlocks scalable, long-term impact.

• UIA’s Fellows Program is a powerful pipeline for future higher ed leaders.

• Cross-functional collaboration and bold risk-taking are essential to institutional transformation.

• Student success isn’t a strategy, it’s a culture.

“Transformation isn’t a single stroke of genius. It’s the daily intentional efforts to drive forward, to innovate, and to uplift those around you.” — Dr. Ryan Goodwin

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This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here.