Rural Voices in Education Podcast Series

with Dr. Maria Coady

  • Episode 1: Rural, Bilingual, and at the Policy Table with Dr. Miguel Cardona

    In this first episode of Rural Voices in Education, Dr. Maria Coady sits down with Dr. Miguel Cardona, former U.S. Secretary of Education, to discuss rural education, the importance of multilingualism, and what educational policy and advocacy look like in today’s social climate. Together, they examine how schools can support multilingual learners, strengthen rural communities, and build a stronger American economy through language-rich educational opportunities.

    "En la unión está la fuerza. In unity there is strength."

  • Episode 2: Leading the Way in Rural Dual Language Immersion Education with Dr. Stan Winborne and Ms. Bethany Bonnemere

    In our second episode of Rural Voices in Education, Dr. Coady sits down with Dr. Stan Winborne, Superintendent, Granville County Public Schools, and Bethany Bonnemere, Principal, West Oxford Elementary School, to discuss leading the way in Dual Language Immersion. 

    "It's a great day to be a West Oxford Owl!"

  • Episode 3: Teaching and Learning in Rural Bilingual Education: Mr. William Ureña-Blanco with Dr. Joanna Greer Koch

    In this third episode, Dr. Coady co-hosts with Dr. Joanna Greer Koch to discuss rural bilingual education with William Ureña-Blanco, a fifth-grade dual language immersion (DLI) teacher at Siler City Elementary School in Chatham County Schools, North Carolina. He discusses how he teaches in the DLI program and the ultimate success of his students.  

    "You see them [students in the dual language bilingual education program] stand in front of a crowd of 50, 100 people and express themselves in both languages. You know it worked, and all that patience and all that… gave fruits that you can harvest."