College of Education clinical professors Mark McDermott and Kari Vogelgesang have added another title to their CVs: podcast co-host. 

Their new podcast, “EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored,” which debuted in January 2026, was created for anyone passionate about harnessing the power of education for positive change.

McDermott, associate dean for undergraduate education and educator preparation, and Vogelgesang, director of the Baker Teacher Leader Center and director of professional development for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health, developed the podcast to fill a gap in local and national education conversations.

“While many education podcasts focus narrowly on classroom practice or faculty development, we intentionally connect teacher preparation, K–12 systems, and well-being to explore the real levers of change, for both people and the systems that serve them,” Vogelgesang says. 

EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored will explore the hopes, tensions, and trends shaping the field today and offer listeners honest, evidence-based exchanges that help them think differently about the work. For example, instead of asking only how schools and educators can better serve students and communities, this podcast reframes the conversation by highlighting how community strengths can be leveraged to improve schools and educational outcomes.

“Education is one of the few professions that almost everyone has experienced as a student,” McDermott says. “That means that everyone has ideas about how to change education. This podcast is an opportunity to reflect on timely topics from multiple perspectives—current and future educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and students.”

Episodes will feature expert special guests and be released monthly, unpacking issues such as literacy as a predictor of wellness, the realities of rural educators, the future of teacher prep, systems-level policy development, chronic absenteeism, and more. 

All episodes will be available on the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health website and on your favorite podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.