What if the moment that brought your life into focus didn’t come at the beginning, but after the degrees were earned and the career was well underway? In this episode, Dan Baum talks with Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D., professor and director of the Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), about how a late-in-life autism diagnosis reshaped his understanding of self—and redefined how he moves through the world.

Dr. Senn-Carter shares how the diagnosis helped him embrace differences as strengths and sparked a new chapter grounded in self-compassion, creativity and advocacy. From his journey through self-discovery to his work integrating autism awareness into education, Darian opens up about the intersections of identity, leadership and neurodiversity.

Learn how one diagnosis led to a children’s book and a deeper commitment to authenticity and inclusion. Whether you're an educator, ally or simply curious about how we come to understand ourselves, this episode offers a reminder: difference isn’t a deficit, it’s an opportunity. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t follow a syllabus, and that sometimes the best version of you is the one you stop trying to “fix.”

Purchase "The Boy Who Dreamed Big" by Darian Senn-Carter  
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-boy-who-dreamed-big-how-one-boy-s-autism-became-his-superpower/a5d66159120cd452?ean=9798350983289&next=t

Amazon: https://a.co/d/gWENIfj

Autism Awareness Month Resources: https://libguides.aacc.edu/autism2025

Engagement Coaching at AACC: https://www.aacc.edu/resources/health-and-personal-counseling/engagement-coaching/

Adults with Autism Support Groups:
https://www.autismgrownup.com/
https://www.baltimoreautismsociety.org/calendar-of-events/meetings-groups/

Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at AACC: https://www.aacc.edu/about/schools-of-study/business-and-law/homeland-security-and-criminal-justice-institute/

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What would it look like if business students regularly evaluated works of art to complement their critical analysis of business plans? Or budding mathematicians and scientists learned about satellite design through the folds of Oragami? In this episode, Dan Baum interviews Laura Pasquini, program navigator for Visual Arts and Humanities at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), to explore the concept of arts integration. She shares her insights into how the fusion of art with non-art subjects, like math and science, can unlock critical thinking, creativity and empathy in students. Learn about the transformative impact of art on students, the distinction between art and creativity and how art fosters unique problem-solving skills. 

Pasquini highlights her work with faculty members across the college to integrate arts into diverse fields like business, anthropology and STEM, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and creativity in education. Tune in as she sheds light on the growing movement to turn STEM into STEAM, creating a more holistic and engaging learning experience for students. Whether you're an educator, artist or just curious about the future of education, this episode will challenge your perspective on the game-changing role of creativity in learning.

Wired to Create: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/books/wired-to-create/

Sir Ken Robinson TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?subtitle=en

The Walt Disney Concert Hall: https://www.musiccenter.org/visit-explore/visit-explore/campus/walt-disney-concert-hall/

Maryland State Arts Council: https://msac.org/

UMBC Center for Design and Visual Culture: https://cadvc.umbc.edu/

MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art): https://www.mica.edu/art-articles/details/career-notes-art-stem/

Towson University: https://www.towson.edu/cofac/centers/artsintegration/

Johns Hopkins University: https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/06/04/johns-hopkins-arts-initiative/

“Between the Folds” : https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/between-the-folds/

The Corcoran Gallery of Art: https://www.nga.gov/corcoran.html

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do you and your supervisor know you're excelling at work? Join host Dan Baum as he speaks with Anne Arundel Community College Human Resources professionals Suzanne Boyer and Lisa Sanford about the groundbreaking conversations that bring the idea of an annual performance review into a new light and how it might just be catching on. 

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

President Dawn Lindsay sits down with host Dan Baum to talk about redefining moments, and how a phone call in an Annapolis restaurant was one of hers. Hear what she’s proud of, how she feels the college has evolved the past 10 years and what AACC’s future looks like.

aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

If you can change a heart, can you change the world? Join host Dan Baum as he speaks with Richard Hardesty about how it takes a community college to change a heart and to raise a graduate, and how he's come full circle in more ways than one.

aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Sitting in class at AACC was the first time Kathleen Tattersall felt like she was around new people, different people. Join host Dan Baum as they explore what the experience meant for her outlook on networking, life and community. 

aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Karen Jung never thought she would go to college, much less graduate. Host Dan Baum chats with the MBA holder who says a professor believing in her was the key to her evolving outlook and goals in education.

aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Join host Dan Baum as he speaks with Joyce Dawson about the collaborative design involved in building AACC, what makes it an exciting place to be and how her job is “like Legos for big girls.” 

aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Dominic Salacki thought he had a clear career direction until one weekend made him question it. Here the recent graduate explains to host Dan Baum how seeing the passion of his professors made him feel equipped to follow his own dreams.

www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Work was a reason for his day, not an interruption. That’s how Cleveland Smith views his 16 years at AACC where he learned, grew and honed his attitude of gratitude. Join host Dan Baum as he chats with the retired police officer and parking pass poet. Can't get enough Cleveland? Hear more in episode 27, “The Golden Rule.” 

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Hear all about our plans for Season 5 and how to share your own AACC story.  Anne Arundel Community College is celebrating our 60th Anniversary this year and we want to hear how the college has redefined you. 

Record your own story to share, or drop in on Zoom to be interviewed by Dan! 

Drop in recordings will be hosted:
October 21, 2-3 p.m.
November 11, 1-2 p.m.
December 2, 10-11 a.m.

Visit Riverhawks at Home for drop in details, questions Dan will be asking you, or how to self-record. We looking forward to hearing your story!

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

As we wrap up season four, host Dan Baum talks with podcast writer, Amy Willard, about the future of education, her next big adventure and saying goodbye (for now).

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

So much dramatic change has happened in such a short time, it’s easy to forget how much we’ve accomplished. Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Jenn Bopp about what it took to move an entire catalog of classes online and how technology is a tool that opens the door of possibility.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do you continue to teach and perform music in an online world? Why is it important? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Doug Byerly about the ups and downs of online performing arts and how music in particular can build connections and feed souls.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How can focusing on the good help us — not only in a pandemic, but in our daily lives? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Erin Baldecchi and Sara Corckran about leveraging positive psychology to rediscover joy and make stronger connections through micro-moments.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Could you trade the comfort of a desk job to put yourself in harm’s way helping strangers? Join host Dan Baum as he talks with Meg Hamilton about leaving a career in I.T. to pursue her passion for nursing.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

These are particularly stressful times. How do we deal with that stress? Join host Dan Baum as he talks with Diane Hallila  about the benefits of seeking support, stress management and embracing life’s challenges.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How can you make a difference in your community? Join host Dan Baum as he talks with Jameira Eades about her pandemic experience, what she’s learned and the joy of making a positive impact.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What have we learned this fall? We end our third season the way we started. Host Dan Baum talks with the podcast team about guilty pleasures, what keeps them up at night, and the futures of both communication and education.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Our country’s struggle with racism and inequality didn’t happen overnight. How did we get here and what do we need to know to move forward? Host Dan Baum talks to Mary Bachkosky and Kymberly Jackson about what we gain from an understanding of civil rights history.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

It’s Thanksgiving. With all that’s going on in the world, how do we come to the table with a grateful heart? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Brandi Shepard about how despite serious health challenges, she’s able to focus on the sweet spots.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do we maintain positivity in the midst of so much change, uncertainty and turmoil? Host Dan Baum talks with John Englehart and LaTanya Eggleston about their strategies for finding serenity and joy in trying times.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

In an election year, what can a survey tell us about our community or even ourselves? Join host Dan Baum as he talks with Dr. Dan Nataf about his thoughts on the survey process, the election and the opportunity we have to redefine as a community.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How can we ever move forward in this divided world? Host Dan Baum talks with Major Cleveland Smith about the importance of listening and empathy for police and for humans in general.

For show notes: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What does being an ally mean? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Dr. Reginald Stroble about removing barriers, making space for hard conversations, and being a voice for the voiceless.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What was it like to redefine a podcast about redefining? Join host Dan Baum as he pulls back the curtain to talk to the podcast team. They’ll share their favorite moments of the spring and summer seasons, what they’ve learned and their hopes for the fall.

For show notes: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What are you reading or writing? For our summer series, Redefine U asks members of the college community to read excerpts from their original work. In this episode, Eli Jacobs shares and discusses an excerpt from her unpublished novella, “Guppy.”

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What are you reading or writing? For our summer series, Redefine U asks members of the college community to read excerpts from their original work. In this episode, Heather Rellihan shares and discusses the personal narrative she used to introduce her book, “Theory and Praxis: Women's and Gender Studies at Community Colleges.”

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What are you reading or writing? For our summer series, Redefine U asks members of the college community to read excerpts from their original work. In this episode, Garrett Brown shares and discusses his series of poems reflecting on technology’s intersections with art, culture and other aspects of our society.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What are you reading or writing? For our summer series, Redefine U asks members of the college community to read excerpts from their original work. In this first episode of the series, Danny Hoey, Ph.D. shares and discusses his short story, “The Watermelon Eating Contest.”

For show notes and to read the full work, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What have we learned and what would we like to retain from this redefining time? In our final episode of season 2, host Dan Baum reflects on how all of us — including the podcast team — had to redefine ourselves this spring. We hear again from our guests as they recount wisdom for the present and hopes for the future.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

As an additional departure from our regular format and as a preview of our off-season episodes, Candice Mayhill reads her powerful blog post, “My Big Fat Community College: A love letter to my community and its college.” She and host Dan Baum then discuss what inspired her, what she learned and of course, how she redefined herself.

For show notes, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What is the difference between health and wellness? How do we stay well in a changed world? Host Dan Baum talks with Nicole Reed about health, fitness and the role connection plays in our overall well-being.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

In a pandemic, how can we meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community? Join host Dan Baum for a conversation with Debbie Hammond about her past experience, current perspective and how community is the very essence of public health.

For show notes, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do we serve others in our community when we can’t physically connect with them in person? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Trésa Ballard about her experience with the changing landscape of service learning.

For show notes and resources, visit: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do we find balance amidst a swirl of bad news and hardship? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Dr. Phil Terry-Smith about his experience responding to some of our nation’s greatest crises and the importance of caring for ourselves to develop greater resilience.

For show notes, visit: https://www.aacc.edu/newsroom/redefine-u/episodes/episode-15/

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What is ambiguous loss? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Sara Meinsler about the feelings of grief so many are experiencing and how we can develop resiliency in the face of a pandemic. 

www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

We're redefining our schedule and upcoming episodes to focus on transformation in the face of a pandemic. Join host Dan Baum and his guests for a series of conversations to learn how we process and persist in a rapidly changing world.

Catch up on episodes! www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Sometimes, it’s not the stories we tell ourselves, but the stories others tell that hold us back. How do we move past the negative messages within our culture? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Tiffany Boykin, Ph.D., and Kellie McCants Price, Ph.D., about their experiences and what can be learned and even gained from our differences.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do you go from shy and uncertain to confident speaker and leader? Host Dan Baum talks to Kevin Lemus and Forrest Caskey about the power of trust, community and having someone believe in you.

For more show notes and resources, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What does it mean to find a second family? Host Dan Baum talks to Duane Herr and Trey Anderson about finding family in team sports and how that has impacted their lives on and off the field.

www.aacc.edu/podcast

Learn more about Athletics at AACC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDGDc83ZSRs&t=13s

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

When dark times come, how do you keep going? Can a shift in perspective help? Join host Dan Baum as he talks to Briana Barone and Jackie Gambone about the power empathy and gratitude can have on teaching and life.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Host Dan Baum summarizes what we’ve learned about transformation and shares his redefining story. We also hear exciting news for one of our previous guests!

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

How do you persist through life’s challenges? Who do you look to for help, especially if you’re from an at-risk population? In this episode, host Dan Baum talks to Marshall Campbell and Leon Thomas about their experiences and the importance of connection. 

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Why pursue two seemingly unconnected passions? Listen in as host Dan Baum discovers the link between chemistry and dance from Seth McCoy, who tells us how he chose to pursue both. Lynda Fitzgerald explains what dance and teaching dancers has meant to her.

For additional show notes and resources, visit aacc.edu/podcast. 

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Are your dreams stuck in a queue? How do you get things moving again? Dust off your aspirations as we learn from Jen Lara and Sue Abuelsamid what’s possible when you ask powerful questions.

For more show notes: www.aacc.edu/podcast

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

When your mission goes from combat to finding a civilian job, how do you handle that change? We talk to veterans Mike Kulikowski and Phil Terry-Smith, Ph.D. about the struggles and successes veterans have transitioning to civilian, even academic life.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Why not you? Why not be the person who gets out there? Amanda Behrens left a job she loved to pursue her passion. Ken Jarvis describes his own experiences, including what it’s like to mentor budding entrepreneurs.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

So many have and are suffering through the nation’s opioid crisis. Denise Akers shares the vision that brought her back to college and continues to drive her. Nicole Williams, Ph.D., reflects on the care human services practitioners must provide: for their patients, students and themselves.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

Lightning strikes and our lives are forever changed. How do we handle that kind of change? How do we redefine ourselves? Robin Ward tells us her powerful story and Dr. Lori Perez explains what psychology says about the way humans change.

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.

What makes us change? How does it happen? Why is it easier for some than others? With the help of storytellers and experts, Redefine U explores what happens when we’re challenged to change our beliefs, our thoughts or even who we think we are. 

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.