Ever wondered how psychology can shape residence life in higher education? Join us as we sit down with Alexander Doyle, a dedicated professional who has seamlessly blended his background in general psychology with his career in residence life. From Cleveland to Fisk University in Tennessee, and now at Kentucky State University, Alexander shares his journey and the unique insights he’s gained along the way. Discover how his expertise in psychology helps manage student behavior and improve roommate compatibility, ensuring that students transition smoothly into college life.
Alexander opens up about his motivations for pursuing a career in Residence Life, drawing fascinating parallels between creating a comfortable home-like environment for students and Mike's experiences in stand-up comedy. He also recounts the emotional and challenging period at Notre Dame College during its closure, emphasizing the importance of support and smooth transitions for both students and staff. This segment is a heartfelt exploration of the impact one person can make in an academic environment and beyond.
We then tackle the broader challenges facing higher education today. Alexander shares his thoughts on maintaining positivity during tough times, the impact of technological advancements on student needs, and the potential drawbacks of remote learning. We wrap up the episode with some fun, lighthearted discussions on everything from hypothetical animal battles to favorite ice cream flavors, ensuring a perfect blend of serious insights and entertaining banter. Don’t miss this engaging and informative conversation that offers something for everyone!
Ever wondered how psychology can shape residence life in higher education? Join us as we sit down with Alexander Doyle, a dedicated professional who has seamlessly blended his background in general psychology with his career in residence life. From Cleveland to Fisk University in Tennessee, and now at Kentucky State University, Alexander shares his journey and the unique insights he’s gained along the way. Discover how his expertise in psychology helps manage student behavior and improve roommate compatibility, ensuring that students transition smoothly into college life.
Alexander opens up about his motivations for pursuing a career in Residence Life, drawing fascinating parallels between creating a comfortable home-like environment for students and Mike's experiences in stand-up comedy. He also recounts the emotional and challenging period at Notre Dame College during its closure, emphasizing the importance of support and smooth transitions for both students and staff. This segment is a heartfelt exploration of the impact one person can make in an academic environment and beyond.
We then tackle the broader challenges facing higher education today. Alexander shares his thoughts on maintaining positivity during tough times, the impact of technological advancements on student needs, and the potential drawbacks of remote learning. We wrap up the episode with some fun, lighthearted discussions on everything from hypothetical animal battles to favorite ice cream flavors, ensuring a perfect blend of serious insights and entertaining banter. Don’t miss this engaging and informative conversation that offers something for everyone!
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. This is, as always, your host, mike Bono. I have a great guest for us today, but before I get into that, I do need to mention we did land another new sponsor for the show Ohio's Own Buddy's Beard Care from my good friend and comedian Buddy Holly. Beard care products locally sourced here in Ohio Support local. Everything is American made. It is a phenomenal company. I've been using these products for a couple of months now. My beard has never felt softer, it has never been thicker and it's growing faster than before. It is phenomenal products. Go to BuddiesBeardCarecom. Use the promo code Bono15. You'll save yourself 15% off of that.
Speaker 1:
That being said, my guest today. He's got a lot. He's in higher education. We're going to talk about all that. Alexander Doyle joins the show. Alexander, thanks for joining man, no problem. Thanks for having me Appreciate it, not a problem. So you know, tell everyone you know a little bit about yourself, where you're from, where'd you grow up, you know high schools, all that kind of fun stuff, and we'll go from there.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I went to high school at Lutheran East Mayfield there, grew up in the Cleveland area around St Clair. After that I went to Fisk University in Tennessee where I got my bachelor's and master's and I work in residence life and higher education, so I've been around a couple of states. After that I was at Notre Dame College for three years and then we found out a couple months ago that this would be the last semester they would have classes. So you know that journey trying to find employment after that was interesting. But now I'm currently at Kentucky State University, just one state down from the great state of Ohio. So I can always go up there and see some family friends in Cleveland, not too far away. But that's currently where I'm at right now.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, we're going to get into the whole Notre Dame situation here a little bit later, but I believe you have both a bachelor's and a master's degree. Where did you get those both? We said in Tennessee, or where did you get your degrees in and what are they in?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I got them at Fisk University, hbcu in Nashville, tennessee. They are in general psychology so I pretty much use that in the higher education field with working with adolescents and 18 and 22 year olds and residents life, just really helping from the behavior aspect of what they're doing, coming from their home, away from home, making sure that we can provide them the best customer service, but letting them know that you know the environment is different from where you're from. You know when you have roommates you may not be comfortable with them trying to learn how to analyze each other. Sometimes you have people from California, new York, in the first space. You know being roommates with each other and so you know I pretty much use my degree like how can we make this environment better? How can you learn from the other person and from their attributes and what represents them so you can learn a little bit more about your roommate on a daily basis?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I got to tell you somebody who my first semester got just paired up with somebody in college didn't know him, you know, come from different states. There was a little bit of you know a learning process about that person and you know two completely different backgrounds. I was an athlete, I was a swimmer, so I wasn't around a lot. I guess I was always at the rec center facility, you know, training, whatnot. Uh, and he was and I hate to use this term but I don't know how else to explain it but he was, he was the band nerd and the band geek and you know the musician and everything like that. So, having those worlds collide, I, I mean, we still communicate to this day. Uh, and this, uh, oh, hell, almost uh, 10 years later, a little over 10 years later, we still communicate to this day. And you know, we, we grew a friendship. But, making that easier, I wish we had something like that at, uh, at my campus, because it would have been easier to know that, hey, we actually had a lot in common.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, we try to improve our matchmaking process with like, like on the application. Like, do you like to get up early, do you like to study late, do you like to listen to music? So we try to have those attributes on the application, try to match up the best qualities and qualifications that someone may share with anybody else. So we want to try to make the process a little smoother. Let's talk technology advances this day and age.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I wish they had those when I was in college ages ago. But yeah, it would have made the process a little easier. But you know. So is that exactly what you do for work right now at your current job, you know, in higher education? Is that kind of your day-to-day kind of role right now, or, you know, is there other aspects that go into it?
Speaker 2:
There's a little more aspects of it. I am the associate director of housing and resident life, so I supervise the resident directors who are over a building where the residents live in, um, so just making sure that on a day-to-day basis that they're doing like their room checks, they're making sure that any documentation process is going to our uh tribunal council for, like, if any residents have any infractions, like if they break any rules or policies. So we're just basically just trying to make the environment better for every resident and, of course, I always tell my staff that there's more residents than me. So pretty much every day you want to wake up to some type of uh situation or some type of uh something that needs attention with the residents. So that's why I have my staff there, um, who are a couple more actually alumni of the college, so they know the ins and outs. So it really helps my job more effectively and better for them as well.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. So what made you want to get into that role with the college and being in Residence Life? Because I did a little bit of work, study when I was there and helped out in the Residence Life area and I and I gotta tell you it really wasn't for me. But so what made you want to get into that role?
Speaker 2:
yeah, um, in my sophomore year in college, um, I seen that there were student workers who were called residence citizens and they were really helping out residents, uh, to be more comfortable inside their resident hall.
Speaker 2:
So that was something that I wanted to apply for.
Speaker 2:
I didn't get it the first year I applied, but then the next year someone called me up and was asking if I was interested for it.
Speaker 2:
I said, sure, you know, this is something I want to do. So ever since I was doing that, I really kind of stayed in the field where I could just really like help back and give the residents in the halls like a more home away from home, feel that I could make their experience better than what they came in. So I always tell my staff that you know each resident, we want to make sure that when it comes to freshmen, we want them to leave different when they leave. As a senior, you know you never want to come in the same place as you are, same place as you are. You always want to take some learning aspect, some different type of this or that with you so you can make yourself better in a profession that you want to do. So really just putting myself out there and just really helping the residents be more comfortable and providing them the customer service when they're at a university, outside of the classroom.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I know, I relate, you know, the little bit of time that I spent, you know, helping out in residence life, uh, uh, to what I do now, and I'm a standup comedian, you know, and kind of like what you said. You know, you, you, you gotta know your audience, I guess, for, for sake of a better term, for you it's the residence, for me it's it's a room full of strangers that are, you know, I'm trying to make laugh and, you know, be comfortable in the space because there's all different types of people with all different types of backgrounds and you've got to bring them together for however long the show is, you know, and it's, it's rewarding at the end of the day. I um, I'm working with the company. I'll give them a shameless plug on here right now, slapstickapstick Comedy out of Columbus, ohio, and they're working to put together a prison tour. We're going to be going in and performing for the inmates.
Speaker 1:
I've done this already this year and it was by far the best show I've done in my 12 years of doing comedy. And you see, these inmates and people think you know you're performing for criminals. No, they're still. People think you know you're performing for criminals and that it's like no, there's still people you know and so many of them came up to me after the show and were like you know what? You just gave me six more months of peace and you made me feel like a person for the first time. I haven't felt like a person in years that I've been incarcerated in this institution. I was like you know what. That is why I do this. That is why I do comedy. The pay, the money is going to come. It's so much more rewarding to me to hear that after a show than people just listening to the jokes and then leaving and you don't know if you've affected them any at all. Do you have anything like that with what you do when you're interacting with the students and anything like that in the residence that you know?
Speaker 2:
you made that connection yeah, basically because I was in their shoes before. You know, I was once a resident in college and um going to some student workers or some staff members that could help my experience better. So now I'm on that side where I can make sure that that's given to the residents, uh, making sure that we're there for the support that they need, for those engaging conversations to make them, you know, to help them matriculate their journey in their college. So you know, I'm there now to make their life, you know, as easier as possible, because you know they're away from their family and from their friends that they grew up in. So to try to make, try to build those relationships with the residents, you know, really helps me at the end of the day and lets me know, hey, this is something that I should be doing, I'm glad that I'm doing it?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, absolutely, and you know I want to get into this too as well. You know you worked at Notre Dame College this past year and you know, like you said, sadly the school has closed. Now we're into June and July, so the school, I believe, has since been closed down. What was it like having to help finish out the school year and help close a school? You don't hear about that. So what was that process like, when you hear about these institutions that are, sadly to say, shutting down?
Speaker 2:
Well, the work was. The work was a little different because normally around that time frame we found out at the end of end of February, the beginning of March Normally we're preparing for the next year, making sure we have the applications rolled out and just making sure that, you know, we have our ducks in a row. But now that we know that that's not happening, the work culture, the work culture shifted a little bit. Happening, the work culture, the work culture shifted a little bit. Like, we had to make sure that our residents were going to transfer to different places in a timely manner. We had to make sure that the students were taken care of first. At the same time, we also, you know, had to consider about ourselves like, what are we going to do next, you know, after the school closed.
Speaker 2:
So it was just a lot of pressure and time was starting to run out against us. But at the end of the day, you know, we, we were there for the students and we wanted to make sure that, wherever they go, that they had the support and they had the all the items that they needed so they wouldn't be lost out, uh, when the school year starts. Um, it was, it was a tough time but you know, slowly but surely, I think we did the best that we could at notre dame for our students yeah, I mean I I was shocked to say because.
Speaker 1:
Shocked to hear it, because, as everyone knows here that you know the wonderful manager of the podcast here, johnny fitty falcone you know y'all work together up there and he told me that and it kind of like threw me as a for for a loop there, because we've had several ndc guests on the phone on the show. Johnny was one, beth ford, mike shields, duncan williams, uh, mark richmond and a few others that are probably slipping my mind and I apologize to them because I know they still listen to the show and everything like that if I forgot their name. But what was it like working with all of them in your time there, before it was even shutting down, because I know what my feelings towards them are and I love all of them. So what was your, your feeling like towards them?
Speaker 2:
I remember Beth, for she was in my interview and she's a very empathetic person. You know she cares a lot for the residents. She was working over the admissions department and I believe she's at Walsh University now, but yes, I do remember working with her making sure that our new application was going off for our applicants in a timely manner. I remember working with Mike Shields, as he was one of the coaches for the team as well, too, making sure that the sports players are signed up for housing, making sure that they abide to the rules and regulations inside the resident halls. Um, you know they really care, uh, for the residents as well.
Speaker 2:
So we were a small community, so we weren't the residents. Students weren't just a number inside the classroom like we. We know them like by that, by name and what they do, and they remember us as well, um. So so you know working with, uh, not just those two, but you know, some more coworkers. You know it's something that we wanted to do at Notre Dame. It was, it was a small environment and we were a family and we were there, uh, to help and support each other.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I came from, you know, a small environment. Bethany college wasn't that big of a school. It was nice that you weren't just a number to them. I know my sisters went to WVU. I thought that was going to be. The end goal for me was going to WVU and everything like that Didn't pan out the way I wanted to.
Speaker 1:
It's all good. They didn't know me as student number 4562134, whatever the number may be. They actually know me as student number four, five, six, two, one, three, four, whatever the number may be. They actually knew me as Mike Bono, and that's not my actual name, mike Bono. I mean my full name is Michael Bonaventura Like, but they didn't know me. All my professors called me Bono because that was my nickname.
Speaker 1:
They knew the students on a level like that and you appreciate that when you're at a college and they don't just see you as, oh, that's just another student that's here at this institution that's paying us a tuition to be here and to have those people at school that you know, you still, you grow that relationship with the staff and you know your professors and your advisors and everybody else like heck, the coffee shop that was in the middle of campus. As soon as I went in. They knew my order as soon as I walked in and I would just walk up to the register and they'd be like, alright, five bucks. I wouldn't say a word and it was like what do you mean? Five bucks? Like you order the same thing when you come in here every day.
Speaker 1:
It's five bucks, mike, give us your card and just move on. We already got it started for you. It's like I appreciate that kind of service. You know it's funny to think about now, but you know it's it's it's people, that's what it is. But I gotta got to ask you this, because everyone loves a good Johnny story Did you get to interact with Johnny at all a lot at NDC and what was that like? Because I've known Johnny for years, since going back to Bethany, so it's always nice to get a different perspective from somebody.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, johnny's an interesting character. On the good side of being interesting, he's a straight shooter. He'll just tell you as it is, he'll just let you know the facts about whatever you want to talk about. He'll give you the intel on it. So I greatly appreciate his time there. When we were closing, he was even sending me some applications, some links for me to fill out as well, and we were just talking about, you know, what Notre Dame will look like after the next coming up years and stuff. So we spent some time, you know, just really just being honest with each other and just having some good times at the same time. So definitely, you know, appreciate the information that he gave and you know a very good character overall.
Speaker 1:
How did you handle his energy level? I got to ask this because my man is like the energizer bunny on cocaine like he is. He is 152 into whatever he does. How did you handle that energy level?
Speaker 2:
we needed it I. It was appreciated. You know, I welcomed it with open arms, um, especially during the times that we were going with in the last year of Notre Dame, like you know, we needed high energy and things to uplift us as well, because it was some somber times, you know. It was times where we just didn't know what we were going to do next, what was our next paycheck going to look like. But, you know, with that energy, with being positive, it really helped myself to be positive and to keep looking for myself as well to see what's out there. So, again, you know, it was very appreciated that you can be in such high spirits during times like that where you don't know what's going to happen to you next couple of months. Just having that good faith, you know, and just being positive, it was really appreciated.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I mean and you know I hate to have to talk about it too, but you know higher education is in a rough spot right now, with a lot of schools closing or merging or dropping majors in sports and so on and so forth what do you think a lot of these schools need to do to stay open and stay relevant?
Speaker 2:
I think a lot of them just really just need to just have a sit down with themselves and just realize, you know, what do we have to do to survive in the future? Like what and you know, looking at technology aspect, like what is going on out there that is attracting students to different colleges, what can we do to make our process more seamless and possible for students to be attracted to our schools? Just really start to look at the numbers and to see, do we have the programs, do we have the outside events for our students to go to? Like you know, trying to handle, like this FAFSA fiasco that's been going on. You know, just trying to do the best thing that we can do to survive. So it's just a lot of questions that these schools need to just need to start answering, just doing as much research as possible, because you know, like you say, like these are starting to be some critical times, especially for the smaller colleges.
Speaker 2:
Um, you know, just having conversations like, can we survive, you know, the next five or ten years?
Speaker 2:
Do we need to look at other schools to possible, you know, do a merger? So, like, the best thing that colleges can do now is start to ask the questions and be prepared in case that stuff does happen, and to be open and honest as possible with all faculty and staff members to let them know this is where we're at, this is the plan that we have and this is what's going to happen, instead of just you know at the last second. Well, we tried this, we tried this and you know this is the decision we want to make and you know that's going to be, you know, detrimental, you know, for your faculty and staff, for them to hear it and not to be a part of the healing process and part of, you know, saving the school when they could have the time. So really, just having those conversations with oneself is the best thing that we can do to continue our education is the best thing that we can do to continue our education.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's a tough time. I mean, like you said, you know there's so many colleges out there and a lot of them are struggling. Everyone's struggling, really, in all fairness, but you know, when you see colleges dropping, you know sports programs and majors and ultimately, like NDC closing down, I think we're leaning a lot on technology and a lot of students hell. At my son's high school, there's an option for him to go online only in high school. Wow, like that's an option. For him to go online only in high school. Wow, like that's an option. And it's like.
Speaker 1:
I know COVID opened the eyes to a lot of people. You know we can do these remote learnings and all that, but my son is one of those people that he needs to be in a classroom. If he's left to his own devices I love him to death he will make the wrong decision every time. He's a 15-year-old boy. He's going to make the wrong decision every time. I was one too. I made the wrong decision every time. But it's crazy to think about because you don't think of them as like the colleges are ever going to go anywhere Like. You always just think, oh well, that's just where you go to school and that's what happens. But I think technology and we said it before we even started recording is we thought we were going to have some camera issues with getting on Zoom here, and technology is great when it works, but it doesn't always work. Technology is great when it works, but it doesn't always work. And so I think, do you think a lot of these colleges are not acting on what could happen?
Speaker 2:
but reacting to something that happened and then they're just in a bad situation. Yeah, it's definitely that reacting when something happens, you know, like I said earlier, like having those conversations and preparing for it is going to help out a lot. And back to your point, you know everything going technology, um, it's interesting because you know that can happen, but then you're going to miss out on that social interaction. You know, with other students from a high school standpoint, like you know, if all your class online, what about? Like the homecoming games? What about going to like sports events? What about, like you know, your prom and all that stuff, like would they still do big events like that? Yeah, and if you were taking class online and then you do have those shows, so aspect it'll be.
Speaker 2:
You know it may be a weird time, you know, for a student trying to engage with each other. You know, trying to have those face-to-face conversations because they've only been doing online for that term. So you, you know we noticed that big hiccup after COVID, trying to get students out their rooms and trying to get them to have roommates and go to social events. Like it's a difficult time. So just doing all this stuff online it really skips out on students learning from one, each other and having that social aspect. So it's like a give or take. You know, if you want to do everything on the technology side wise and you're going to sacrifice those social interactions and the student engagement aspect of it.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I fully agree and I kind of saw a little bit of that firsthand. A couple of summers ago. I helped out and I coached a local summer swim team and you know was assistant coach there from ages eight through high school, so eight to 18. So it was a wide range of kids. We had, like I want to say, almost 90 kids on the on the swim team from in between those age ranges and I was with the, the older high school more experienced swimmers, because I was a competitive swimmer from the time I was eight all the way through college and everything like that. I've said it on here before had a chance at the 2012 Olympic trial. So I was a hell of a swimmer. So they stuck me with the more advanced kids and there was one girl and she I mean I hate to say this, but she bugged the crap out of me the entire time because she was always thinking she knew what to do. I love the girl to death. She was a hell of a swimmer, she's a hell of a person, but she always bucked back.
Speaker 1:
Then, later on in the season, I found out that she was one of those people that was going online, but she was still swimming for the school. Wow, I don't understand that. How do you not go to school, especially in a high school setting, and not interact with your teammates and your friends on a daily basis? And being in school, that was freedom for me when I was in high school, you know, getting to interact with my football buddies, my swimming teammates, and both of those worlds colliding into one, it made me who I am today.
Speaker 1:
And then I finally just asked her. I was like so you go to school online, you do all your stuff online and then you go to swim practice afterwards? She was like yeah. I was like so swim practice is really the only interaction you get with your teammates, or is there other stuff? She's like but we're all friends, we all hang out. I was like I understand that, but imagine how close of a teammate you would be if you were with them for six to eight hours a day, and then swim practice. Just go to school. I don't understand people that just don't want to go and have face-to-face conversations and I know it's weird saying that because we're doing this on Zoom, but that's the way of technology. I realize that, as I was saying it, we're doing this conversation on Zoom and not on technology. But it's, yeah, it's. I don't understand it. I mean, could you shed any light on anything like that for me? Maybe, I don't know.
Speaker 2:
No, you know I'm in the same boat as you. You know, as a matter of fact, you know let's use you know, your career as an example. You know you say you're a stand-up comedian. Could you imagine just doing all your shows over Zoom and not having that like live audience basis? But you can always see on on like like this, this internet base, you know, but not having like those you know, seeing them how they react to your jokes, or seeing like the environment of the room, like you can only see what's on your screen, like.
Speaker 1:
Just imagine that and just say, going those times I, I've lived that during covid we had it was zoom shows. I did one, yeah, and I couldn't say that I feed off of the crowd. When't say that I feed off of the crowd. When I'm on stage, I feed off of the energy in the room. I do a lot of crowd work when I'm on stage. I use crowd work as transitions in between jokes. That's my style, that's what I do. I love it. I love interacting with the crowd and I did a Zoom show and I was like stuttering over jokes I have done for 10 years.
Speaker 1:
I know this joke forwards and backwards, inside and out. Hell, my wife knows it because she's heard me say these jokes so many times and doing it on zoom. It was I, I was and huh, and it was just like I can't get a read off of anybody. I was like thanks for the opportunity. Guys, I'm never doing this again. I will wait for the world to open back up, I will write material and I will come back with a whole new slew of jokes. I can't do this. It's crazy to me. But yeah, I don't understand how you want to live through technology. I love technology. Like I said, it's great when it works, but it doesn't need to run your life. I agree, yeah, yeah, I definitely agree.
Speaker 1:
But, alexander, we are running down near the end of the episode here. I do have to get this segment in. We haven't actually got to do it in a little while and I love this segment and everybody's favorite segment and that is the Fast Fitty Five. Five random questions from the wonderful manager of the podcast, johnny Fitty, falcone and Alexander. These have nothing to do with what we've been talking about for the duration of this show here. They're kind of rapid fire. You can elaborate if you need to, but if you are ready, we'll get started with the Fast 55. All right, here we go. Alright, and a typical question off the rip who wins in a fight, two camels or one polar bear?
Speaker 2:
I think a polar bear. Yeah, a polar bear is always fighting for his food. Camels is just there, so I'm going with a polar bear.
Speaker 1:
Solid answer. What's the most overrated flavor of ice cream?
Speaker 2:
I think chocolate, I'm just a vanilla guy. Every time somebody goes, oh, let's get some chocolate. Nope, I'll be basic and take vanilla, thank you.
Speaker 1:
I love that answer, oh man. Question number three Would you rather be cold the rest of your life or hot the rest of your life?
Speaker 2:
What's the bottom part? It says shock.
Speaker 1:
What was it? Cold the rest of your life or hot the rest of your life?
Speaker 2:
Oh man, I have to be cold. You know, I can just try to throw on a coat or something, a hat, but when you're hot, you're agitated, you're ready to fight. You don't think right, it's just, it's a problem within its own, you know. So, yeah, give me the cold.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, right now, this heat wave that we're we're in I know when we're recording this. Yeah now, the hell with this heat. I'm over it. You can always put more layers on. You can only take so much off before it's game over.
Speaker 2:
You're just not in the right place. You're not yourself when you're hot.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. Question number four Is sausage or bacon better Sausage? Okay, that's a bold stance where I come from.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, A breakfast sandwich. I can eat sausage, Like sausage sandwiches with eggs on there. My always dispute. I think bacon is a topping and not a main ingredient. So I know people want to take me to the hills on that one, but bacon's delicious. I didn't say I didn't like bacon, but I just think it's just a topping and just not a main ingredient for a sandwich. If I didn't have a bacon sandwich I'd be like okay, great, Put some sausage on it. I'd have a double sandwich.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. Question number five what is your dream car to own?
Speaker 2:
I want a BMW because I was born in Germany, my father was in the military, my mother was pregnant at the time, so kind of want to have like all German, all German everything. So I was German, you know, german car, I was born in German. So I'm still an American citizen, you know, even I was born over there. So, uh, give me a BMW.
Speaker 1:
As I was not expecting that Cause my dream car is way out there. Uh, it, there, uh it's. It's not really that far out, it's a 79 dodge charger. Uh, I love the. I love this car. The old american muscle I don't think he could beat it. Uh, in mine. I just like the. The look of them too as well. Uh, but that was the fast 55 and, like I said, nothing to do with what we've been talking about for the entirety of the show. I love this segment, the. The listeners love this segment. Uh, and it's true, johnny fashion.
Speaker 1:
In college he would come up to me with these random scenarios like the first question all right, who wins in a fight? And it's the he. He came up to me one time and it's a little off topic of theic, but he came up to me one time at college and I still remember this question because it still throws me for a loop every day. He goes alright, bono, you lock Mike Tyson, conor McGregor, batman and a polar bear in a racquetball court who comes out alive. It's like what are we doing? What are we doing? Does Batman have his tool belt? It's like, what are we doing? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Does Batman have his tool belt. I don't know, like, what are we talking about here? Like I don't know what comes out of that.
Speaker 1:
Questions on the fly yeah, love it, love it. Yeah, that's Johnny. I love him to death. He hits me with those questions on a daily basis, and so it's nice to give it back to the guests that come on. But, like I said, alexander, we are running down near the end of the episode. I give every guest this opportunity at the end of every show. If there's anything you want to get out there whether it's for your college, whether it's what you've got going on in your personal life, or if it's just a good message to get out there, I'm going to give you about a minute and the floor is yours.
Speaker 2:
Um, well, first of all I just want to thank you all for having me on the show. Um, you know Johnny asked me a couple, I think like two months ago, you know, when we were closing down. So you know I'm very appreciated that something. You know he asked me to do, um, while we're not at the same institution anymore. You know I greatly appreciate it and you know I greatly appreciate it and you know I'm glad I could take this opportunity.
Speaker 2:
You know, for me, you know I moved through God. I'm a very Christian person and with God all things are possible. You know I pray in the morning, really try to live by example. So I know some people may love it, some people may hate it. I say that, but for me it's the truth. I just want to spread, you know, what I believe in. So God, all things are possible. And you know each day is a new day. So what I mean by that is. So today is Wednesday, you know. Just really focus on what you want to do today and not tomorrow, because if you're worried about Thursday, that's not fair to Wednesday. So it's not fair to yourself what you can be doing today while thinking about tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come. So just focus on what you want to do today and make the best of it for today.
Speaker 1:
I got to tell you, alexander, I love it when guests give a good message at the end of the show. I'm all for helping people promote what they got going on, but when it's a good message like that, it's just a nice exclamation point at the end of the episode and, yeah, we have a lot of fun when we sit and talk on here. But a message like that, I love it. When that happens and I'm actually glad I got all the promo reads out beforehand, because it never fails.
Speaker 1:
Normally, when a guest gives a good message like that, I'm like wow, I really want to just do my closing and be done, but I have to talk about these sponsors and now I feel like it ruins the message. But I don't have to do that this time. I'm glad we don't. Thank you for coming on. I really do appreciate getting to talk to you. It was a lot of fun to sit, learn about what you do, higher education and everything like that and, as always, everybody, if you enjoyed the show, be a friend, tell a friend If you didn't tell them anyways, because they might like it just because you didn't. That is going to do it for me and I will see y'all next week.
