Random Acts of Knowledge
Heartland Community College presents Random Acts of Knowledge, a podcast where we explore the worlds of continuing education. The goal of each episode is to learn something new. No matter the topic, we'll pick up some random knowledge from experts who can give us a short and interesting lesson about their field.
Episodes
Resources for individuals who are leaving prison are available but many incarcerated people have no idea what is really waiting for them on the other side.
Support for formerly incarcerated people extends beyond just navigating the rules of release but also includes a change of mindset, according to Toy Beasley, with the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments.
One of the projects Whitney works on is to promote the Certified Manufacturing Associate Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program. This program consists of students completing modules that are set to be completed throughout a 5-week time span. During this time, students learn the basic skills needed to be able to work in...
For the last several years, a diverse group of people who learned the details of Snow’s case and found troubling elements in his trial have been advocating for his release.
In this episode, Snow’s daughter and a former juror on the trial of a co-defendant are joined by an advocate who h...
An instructor who introduces prospective game players to the role-playing game talks about what drew her to D&D and explains what is needed to get started creating adve...
Heartland Community College Outstanding Faculty of the Year Tom McCulley is teaching Greek Mythology not only to college students but also to adult learners and middle school kids. He says that the stories of ancient Greece resonate in surprising ways to a modern aud...
Three high-achieving students who were selected in the COUNTRY Financial Scholars program discuss how access to early college set them up for success.
View the episode ...
Carrasquillo talks about his initial sentence of 200-600 years, growing up in prison, and his multiple appearances before the parole board.
View the episode transcript here.
Historian Bill Kemp discusses the "lost speech" and offers up some theories as to how it got that way.
View the tra...
But despite the buzz around today’s electric cars and trucks, the concept is far from new.
Bill Kemp with the McLean County Museum of History discusses a history of the electric vehicle that goes back to the early 1900s, and an overlooked mome...
Unable to create a new garden, she funneled her energy into the creation of art projects using discarded items such as plastic, wire, and bottles. Using these materials she has created the exhibit 'An Unblighted Area' which is on display at Heartland Commu...
Beria Hampton, an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project, discusses how her upbringing and environment left her ill prepared for how criminal charges (which she eventually beat), and incarceration would upend her life.
View the transcript here.
Health Sciences students at Heartland can register for a 10-day program in Cape Town, South Africa. The program provides 3 credits of Service Learning 101.
View the transcript here.
Heartland Community College professor of English Gilbert discusses the major life events that led to her new poetry collection "My Limbs a Cradle, My Whisper a Song."
View the transcript here.
The documentary Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, Midwestern, multigenerational family farms over the course of three years.
Filmmaker Sam Mirpoorian talks about the film, which is the guest feature at the 2024 Heartland Hawk Film Festival.
Mirpoorian says he was prompted to make the documentary when he le...
In academic circles, some instructors and administrators are worried that AI presents a threat to the way they evaluate student work.
In this episode, Roy Magnuson, an educator who has dived deeply into the changes that AI is bringing to institutions of higher ed., discusses the pre...
For those who have thought about trying out for an open mic night or competing in an amateur comedy show, there are a few tips to consider.
Joe Strupek, longtime emcee of the Heartland Community College FunnyRaiser event, discusses what it takes to successfully take the stage as an amateur standup.
View the ...
An edible windbreak of fruit and nut trees and bushes planned for the agriculture instructional grounds at Heartland Community College will not only serve to help fight off the Central Illinois wind and rain but also provide a link in the pollination chain.
Associate Director of Agriculture at Heart...
Bunch was convicted on expert testimony which was later held in question. No one would have taken a second look at her case had she not fought from prison to find advocates to examine...
The challenges of COVID-19 put the spotlight on the importance of mental health for college students. But, as in the past, the largest barrier is getting individuals to not attach a stigma to addressing their mental health.
Sarah Stalter, Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Coordination ...
During this time, the midwestern city of Bloomington, Illinois became a home for many circus performers and the "birthplace" of famous aerial acts.
Maureen Brunsdale, head of Special Collections at Illinois State University's Milner Library, discusses how the purchase of a piece ...
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.