April 28, 2025 • 7 mins
In this special edition of Arrow on the Air, we'll cover three stories on vargas. Neva Wodochek starts us off by sharing reflections from President Vargas himself and his wife, Pam, then Ari Ortiz takes us inside some of the challenges President Vargas faced throughout his presidency. Lastly, Alex Barton walks you through the transition at SEMO as we welcome incoming president Dr. Brad Hodson and look forward to the future under his leadership.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome back to Arrow on the Air. I'm your host,
Alex Barton, Thanks for joining us. In this special edition
of Arrow on the Air, we take a deep dive
into the legacy of Southeast Missouri State University's President Carlos
Vargas as his time at SIEMO draws to a close.
Will reflect on his impact and the legacy that he
has left on campus. In today's episode, will cover three
(00:22):
stories on Vargas. Niva would a Check starts us off
by sharing reflections from President Vargas himself and his wife
Pam as they look back on their time at SIMO
and consider what's next. Then Riortis takes us inside some
of the challenges President Vargus face throughout his presidency, from
the controversial Beerbong incident to the impact of the COVID
nineteen pandemic. Lastly, I'll walk you through the transition at
(00:43):
SIMO as we welcome incoming President doctor Brad Hotson and
look forward to the future under his leadership. But before
we dive into these stories, make sure to check out
the full coverage of President Vargas's legacy in the Arrow's
print edition, Come to the Edge and online at Southeast
daro dot com. Now let's get started.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
As President Vargus prepares to step down, he reflects on
the highlights of his tenure, including his focus on student
engagement and his personal connection with the university and community.
He tells us how he's feeling right now.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I'm lucky that I'm healthy. So I'm not.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
I am not somebody who is looking for the opportunity
to just retire. I mean there's sadness in me, Okay,
So I confess that there's sadness because I have loved
this university. I love the students, I love being here,
working with the faculty, with the staff.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
As for what's next for his presidency, Vargas remains hopeful
that new opportunities will arise, though no formal plans are
in place yet. He's eager to continue contributing to education
and leadership.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
So I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I'm hoping that somehow somebody will feel that I have
something to contribute. I don't know what it is because
it's not just my choice. Right They say, what have
you decided what you're going to do? Well, if another
job comes by, It's not like I decide that it's
like somebody has to offer me a job, and so
(02:05):
I don't know whether somebody will offer me a job
or not.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
One thing's for sure. His passion for education and the
impact he's made at SIMO are still very much alive.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
The pleasure that I get from thinking how we can
improve what we do so that the students are better
prepared out there, that to me is energy.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
To me, that gives me energy.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
That's that's something that I'm going to miss, but I'm
hoping that I can contribute, to continue to contribute in
some way.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
In the future.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Alongside him and his journey has been his wife, Pam Vargas,
who has played an integral role in supporting SEMO students.
She's looking forward to a much needed break, but is
so proud of their work together.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Yeah, it's going to be a big change, because you know,
we're used to doing a lot of things and so.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
You know, maybe it's time to take a little rest
and rethink things. We are preparing as much as we
can for next things, but we still haven't finalized all
of our decisions yet.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Just as President Vargus hopes to be remembered for his
hands on approach, Pam emphasized the importance of putting students first.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
I just hope that when people look back that they
will realize that we did focus on students. And then,
of course we know that the faculty and staff are
the ones that helped shape the student experience, so that
does not exclude them by any means, because we know
that without family wouldn't be able.
Speaker 6 (03:34):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
For Arrow on the air, I'm Neva Wood a check.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Next, let's turn to Ari Ortiz, who dives into some
of the challenges President Vargus face during his tenure, from
controversial moments to the hurdles of managing a university during
the global pandemic.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
In twenty eighteen, Vargus found himself at the center of
a viral controversy after he was filmed drinking from a
beer bank at a football tailgate in Carbondale, Illinois. Despite
the backlash, he understands his mistakes.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I actually aged about a year and two months. That's
how I look at it. That's an example of making
the mistake.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
At the time, Vargas admitted that he didn't fully understand
the implications of his actions.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
I had never seen a beer bone in my life.
I had no idea what that thing was. I'll tell
you what I thought when I saw it. In Spain,
people drink wine from They call it a bota. It's
a leather bag that they filled with wine and you
squeezed the bag and they have contests to see who
(04:38):
can do that best without spelling and all that. So
when I saw that thing with that little thing, and
I thought, I thought of that bota from Spain, I thought, oh,
and actually, I'm good for that.
Speaker 7 (04:48):
But while the incident was wildly criticized, Vargas noted that
it didn't ultimately end his presidency. He was thankful that
the Board of Regents saw situation as a lapse in
judgment and not as a defining moment of his leadership. Then,
of course, there was the unprecedented challenge of navigating the
(05:10):
COVID nineteen pandemic. From the very start of the pandemic,
Vargas was monitoring the situation in his personal time and
at work. He was guiding campus leaders so that they
were able to be prepared and react quickly to its challenges. However,
not all decisions were met with unanimous support, particularly the
implementations of masked mandates.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
For example, we decided that we needed to mask ourselves,
and that's something that there was a little bit of
a disagreement between the students and the faculty and all that.
Speaker 7 (05:43):
Despite these challenges, Vargas remained focused on the long term
success of the university, even as it faced financial constraints.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
For era.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
On the air, I'm Ario Ortiz.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Now let's look ahead to the future of CIMOUGH with
a transition from Carlos Vargas to incoming president, doctor Brad
hawks And, who will officially take the reins this summer.
For Vargas, one of the key aspects of his presidency
was visibility. He made it a point to be accessible
to students, from attending campus events to walking around and
engaging with students one on one. Vargas's approach has been
particularly meaningful for first generation students, who saw in him
(06:17):
a reflection of their own potential.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I wanted students to see me and say, okay, well,
he is first generation. He has had some challenge financially, certainly,
some challenge and all that, but he was able to
do and get to this point.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I should be able to do.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That incoming President Brad Hodson, who will officially begin his
tenure on July first, is now poised to build on
this legacy. Board of Governor's President Jim Limbaugh tells us
that Hodson is going to face an immediate challenge when
he assumes office.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
He's coming in to a situation where he's going to
have to hire some folks on his senior team.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
Now he's had an experience he's been in thirty years
in higher ed.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Doctor Hodson has already signaled his intent to strengthen relationships
across campus, and he says he has a history of
working closely with faculty and staff. Everything I've done, whether
it's fundraising, governmental relations, beauty relations, student recruitments, economic developments,
it's all about building relationships. As SIMO looks to the future,
it will be exciting to see how the legacy of
(07:17):
student engagement, community focus, in visible leadership that President Vargas
has built will continue to thrive under doctor Hodson's leadership.
Thank you for tuning in to this special edition of
AROW on the Air. If you want to dive deeper
into the stories we share today and explore more of
President Carlos Vargas's impact on SIMO, be sure to check
out the Come to the edge print edition and visit
southeastero dot com for all the latest coverage for ARAW
(07:39):
on the Air. I'm Alex Barton.
Welcome back to Arrow on the Air. I'm your host,
Alex Barton, Thanks for joining us. In this special edition
of Arrow on the Air, we take a deep dive
into the legacy of Southeast Missouri State University's President Carlos
Vargas as his time at SIEMO draws to a close.
Will reflect on his impact and the legacy that he
has left on campus. In today's episode, will cover three
(00:22):
stories on Vargas. Niva would a Check starts us off
by sharing reflections from President Vargas himself and his wife
Pam as they look back on their time at SIMO
and consider what's next. Then Riortis takes us inside some
of the challenges President Vargus face throughout his presidency, from
the controversial Beerbong incident to the impact of the COVID
nineteen pandemic. Lastly, I'll walk you through the transition at
(00:43):
SIMO as we welcome incoming President doctor Brad Hotson and
look forward to the future under his leadership. But before
we dive into these stories, make sure to check out
the full coverage of President Vargas's legacy in the Arrow's
print edition, Come to the Edge and online at Southeast
daro dot com. Now let's get started.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
As President Vargus prepares to step down, he reflects on
the highlights of his tenure, including his focus on student
engagement and his personal connection with the university and community.
He tells us how he's feeling right now.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I'm lucky that I'm healthy. So I'm not.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
I am not somebody who is looking for the opportunity
to just retire. I mean there's sadness in me, Okay,
So I confess that there's sadness because I have loved
this university. I love the students, I love being here,
working with the faculty, with the staff.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
As for what's next for his presidency, Vargas remains hopeful
that new opportunities will arise, though no formal plans are
in place yet. He's eager to continue contributing to education
and leadership.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
So I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I'm hoping that somehow somebody will feel that I have
something to contribute. I don't know what it is because
it's not just my choice. Right They say, what have
you decided what you're going to do? Well, if another
job comes by, It's not like I decide that it's
like somebody has to offer me a job, and so
(02:05):
I don't know whether somebody will offer me a job
or not.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
One thing's for sure. His passion for education and the
impact he's made at SIMO are still very much alive.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
The pleasure that I get from thinking how we can
improve what we do so that the students are better
prepared out there, that to me is energy.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
To me, that gives me energy.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
That's that's something that I'm going to miss, but I'm
hoping that I can contribute, to continue to contribute in
some way.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
In the future.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Alongside him and his journey has been his wife, Pam Vargas,
who has played an integral role in supporting SEMO students.
She's looking forward to a much needed break, but is
so proud of their work together.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Yeah, it's going to be a big change, because you know,
we're used to doing a lot of things and so.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
You know, maybe it's time to take a little rest
and rethink things. We are preparing as much as we
can for next things, but we still haven't finalized all
of our decisions yet.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Just as President Vargus hopes to be remembered for his
hands on approach, Pam emphasized the importance of putting students first.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
I just hope that when people look back that they
will realize that we did focus on students. And then,
of course we know that the faculty and staff are
the ones that helped shape the student experience, so that
does not exclude them by any means, because we know
that without family wouldn't be able.
Speaker 6 (03:34):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
For Arrow on the air, I'm Neva Wood a check.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Next, let's turn to Ari Ortiz, who dives into some
of the challenges President Vargus face during his tenure, from
controversial moments to the hurdles of managing a university during
the global pandemic.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
In twenty eighteen, Vargus found himself at the center of
a viral controversy after he was filmed drinking from a
beer bank at a football tailgate in Carbondale, Illinois. Despite
the backlash, he understands his mistakes.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I actually aged about a year and two months. That's
how I look at it. That's an example of making
the mistake.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
At the time, Vargas admitted that he didn't fully understand
the implications of his actions.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
I had never seen a beer bone in my life.
I had no idea what that thing was. I'll tell
you what I thought when I saw it. In Spain,
people drink wine from They call it a bota. It's
a leather bag that they filled with wine and you
squeezed the bag and they have contests to see who
(04:38):
can do that best without spelling and all that. So
when I saw that thing with that little thing, and
I thought, I thought of that bota from Spain, I thought, oh,
and actually, I'm good for that.
Speaker 7 (04:48):
But while the incident was wildly criticized, Vargas noted that
it didn't ultimately end his presidency. He was thankful that
the Board of Regents saw situation as a lapse in
judgment and not as a defining moment of his leadership. Then,
of course, there was the unprecedented challenge of navigating the
(05:10):
COVID nineteen pandemic. From the very start of the pandemic,
Vargas was monitoring the situation in his personal time and
at work. He was guiding campus leaders so that they
were able to be prepared and react quickly to its challenges. However,
not all decisions were met with unanimous support, particularly the
implementations of masked mandates.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
For example, we decided that we needed to mask ourselves,
and that's something that there was a little bit of
a disagreement between the students and the faculty and all that.
Speaker 7 (05:43):
Despite these challenges, Vargas remained focused on the long term
success of the university, even as it faced financial constraints.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
For era.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
On the air, I'm Ario Ortiz.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Now let's look ahead to the future of CIMOUGH with
a transition from Carlos Vargas to incoming president, doctor Brad
hawks And, who will officially take the reins this summer.
For Vargas, one of the key aspects of his presidency
was visibility. He made it a point to be accessible
to students, from attending campus events to walking around and
engaging with students one on one. Vargas's approach has been
particularly meaningful for first generation students, who saw in him
(06:17):
a reflection of their own potential.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I wanted students to see me and say, okay, well,
he is first generation. He has had some challenge financially, certainly,
some challenge and all that, but he was able to
do and get to this point.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I should be able to do.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That incoming President Brad Hodson, who will officially begin his
tenure on July first, is now poised to build on
this legacy. Board of Governor's President Jim Limbaugh tells us
that Hodson is going to face an immediate challenge when
he assumes office.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
He's coming in to a situation where he's going to
have to hire some folks on his senior team.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
Now he's had an experience he's been in thirty years
in higher ed.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Doctor Hodson has already signaled his intent to strengthen relationships
across campus, and he says he has a history of
working closely with faculty and staff. Everything I've done, whether
it's fundraising, governmental relations, beauty relations, student recruitments, economic developments,
it's all about building relationships. As SIMO looks to the future,
it will be exciting to see how the legacy of
(07:17):
student engagement, community focus, in visible leadership that President Vargas
has built will continue to thrive under doctor Hodson's leadership.
Thank you for tuning in to this special edition of
AROW on the Air. If you want to dive deeper
into the stories we share today and explore more of
President Carlos Vargas's impact on SIMO, be sure to check
out the Come to the edge print edition and visit
southeastero dot com for all the latest coverage for ARAW
(07:39):
on the Air. I'm Alex Barton.
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