Kennedy and Carmen take a step back from American politics to discuss the role of international culture and education in shaping beliefs and values. Today’s guest, Rose Previte, offers her perspective as an ONU alumna, world traveler, and entrepreneur who began her travels with a study abroad experience at Northern. Rose and the Polar Bear POV guest, Selah Schertz offer similar messages of the importance of travel and its impacts on the rest of their lives.

Kennedy and Carmen are joined by host and producer of NPR’s “Morning Edition” on WKSU, Amy Eddings, to discuss the media, its varied roles, and how it impacts politics. Amy offers her firsthand perspective as a member of the media, while Polar Bear POV Sunny Lloyd shares her thoughts as a consumer. Together, they help Kennedy and Carmen uncover the importance of the media.

Kennedy and Carmen reflect on their high school experiences as they discuss how politics and government are taught in high school and the impact this can have on students. As a social studies teacher at Ada High School, Kristin Salyer shares her first-hand experience of tackling government in the classroom. The episode concludes with Lydia Zamora offering her Polar Bear POV on her high school experience and ideal political education.

Welcome to Season 5–Kennedy’s final season on the podcast! 2024 marks a special year for politics because of the presidential election. Kennedy and Carmen kick off both the podcast and election season with an episode dedicated to primaries and caucuses. Hardin County Board of Elections director Amy Purcell and deputy director Stephanie McCollough help explain what happens at a local level for the Ohio primary. Senior Matthew Petrella concludes the episode with a Polar Bear POV. 

Taxes–the thing that affects everyone but is largely misunderstood. In this episode, Kennedy and Carmen explain how taxpayer dollars are spent as part of the government’s revenue. Did you realize that your income taxes support as many as 15 different federal programs? With the help of one of ONU’s Economics Professors, Dr. David McClough, and Senior Accounting major, Connor Rowe, Kennedy and Carmen dissect taxpayer spending so you don’t have to. 

Does the upcoming holiday season make you fear political discussions at the dinner table? Well, there is some science behind that feeling of dread. Kennedy and Carmen investigate the impact of toxic politics on one’s mental health with the help of Poppy Evans, a licensed Mental Health Counselor from the Braver Angels Cincinnati Alliance. In the Polar Bear POV, two ONU students share their personal experiences and their observations of Gen Z as a whole in the world of toxic politics.

Jury duty: the mystery summons that no one wants to participate in. Why is it that most citizens regard this activity as a burden? And why is it so rare to know someone who has been a juror? On today’s episode, Kennedy and Carmen unpack these questions, alongside many more, with the help of Judge Tammie Hursh and Senior Criminal Justice/Sociology major Emma Ewry.

As two eligible Ohio voters, the upcoming November election is especially important for Kennedy and Carmen. Join them and other Ohio Northern University students as they discuss the ballot language, the significance of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote, and Gen Z’s general perspective on the issues of abortion and marijuana.

Since childhood, we’ve been told ‘stranger danger’ and not to fall for promises of puppies or candy. However, is human trafficking really that simple? Kennedy and Carmen uncover the truth by interviewing Kaitlyn McClintic, a Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking. Ms. McClintic offers shocking insight into the many causes of human trafficking, including those that may be closer to home than we expect. The episode concludes with Polar Bear POV guest Allison Parker as she shares her personal experience growing up with an awareness of human trafficking.

We’ve heard that the opioid epidemic is in our backyards, but what does that really mean? Today, Kennedy and Carmen find out by diving into the history, causes, and politics of the opioid epidemic. Sociology professor Dr. Keith Durkin further expands upon these issues and offers insight into how mental health support could address this crisis. The episode concludes with a Polar Bear POV with a 3rd-year pharmacy student, Eli Schmitmeyer, who considers how his work impacts the opioid epidemic.