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On this episode of Speaking of … College of Charleston, Mark Del Mastro, Associate Provost for Academic and International Programs, and Chris Korey, Associate Provost for Student Success, talk about launching their new podcast, Faculty Off the Clock. This podcast takes you beyond the classroom to reveal the hidden lives of College of Charleston faculty. From woodworking enthusiasts to barbershop quartet singers, you'll meet professors with fascinating passions and stories that go far beyond academia. Korey and Del Mastro hope these conversations will highlight not only unique interests of the guests but will function as a bridge to connect people on campus with shared interests.

“Both Mark and I were faculty members at one point, and most of your identity on campus is sort of tied up into what your scholarship is and teaching and you very rarely have opportunities to talk about what you do outside of that,” says Korey. “So we wanted to create a venue where people have the opportunity to talk about those things because it doesn’t normally come up in our work environments.”

Humor is a big part of their collaboration and Del Mastro and Korey make a habit of asking their guests a series of lightening round questions on topics from hot dogs vs. hamburgers to celebrity crushes. They also make it a point to ask guests about whether they like popcorn, which is a shared love and an ongoing joke between the hosts, and it gives them an opportunity to share their love of the Whirley Pop stove-pop popper. They end the episode by presenting guests with a customized bobblehead doll. “The whole purpose of the podcast is to show the lighter side of the faculty member and what better characterizes the lighter side of someone than a bobblehead?” says Del Mastro.

Featured on this episode:

Mark Del Mastro

As Associate Provost for Academic and International Programs, Mark P. Del Mastro, Professor of Spanish/Hispanic Studies, provides leadership and support in the area of curriculum development and review and academic policy. He also oversees the Center for International Education, the Office of the Registrar, and the Office for Institutional Effectiveness.

Born in Bowling Green, Kentucky and raised in northern New Jersey, Del Mastro earned his B.A. at Wake Forest University, his M.A. at Middlebury College, and his Ph.D. at the University of Virginia. After defending his doctoral dissertation in August 1992, “Dr. D” relocated to Charleston, South Carolina to begin a career at The Citadel, where for 18 years he taught a variety of courses to include Spanish language and literature, and Hispanic culture and business.

After serving four years as Head of The Citadel’s Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, in July 2010 Del Mastro joined the College of Charleston where he served as Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies until August 2019 when he transitioned to his current role as Associate Provost for Academic and International Programs in the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

Chris Korey

As Associate Provost for Student Success, Christopher Korey, Professor of Biology, leads the Office for the Academic Experience, which provides students with educationally purposeful activities that lead to deep learning, integrated social and intellectual development, and engagement with local and global communities. In this role, Dr. Korey leads eight units and multiple programs, including the Academic Advising and Planning Center, the Center for Academic Performance and Persistance, the Center for Excellence in Peer Education, the Center for Student Learning, First-Year Experience, REACH, Vet

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On this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, we sit down with President Andrew T. Hsu to reflect on highlights of the year. From reaching an all time high of 32,000 applicants to establishing new academic programs like the BA in entrepreneurship, Hsu talks about his drive to keep moving, full speed ahead, to ensure the College’s position as a leader of academic excellence.

Some key achievements in the last year include the reorganization of STEM programs into two schools; the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences and the School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics.

"Splitting stems into these two schools gives our university more precision, more flexibility and certainly more visibility across diverse scientific and technological domains, while still allowing for interdisciplinary collaboration," says Hsu.

President Hsu emphasizes the importance of liberal arts education for developing durable skills in graduates to make them competitive in the work force.

"When I talk with industry leaders, they are looking for graduates, not just with just technical skills, which can be learned on the job, but they want people with durable skills such as communication, creativity, teamwork, problem solving, emotional intelligence and a global mindset. These skills will help our students stay relevant far into the future. And and those are the types of graduates we're producing across disciplines."

He reflects on proud moments from the year, including the college's national visibility and events such as the College of Charleston Orchestra's performance at one of the most prestigious stages in the world — Carnegie Hall.

“Each of these moments showcase how amazing our university is. Truly, extraordinary events happen here at the College of Charleston every single day,” says Hsu.

We are not going to argue.

Resources From This episode:

• College of Charleston Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
• A Year in Review
• President Hsu’s Instagram and X Accounts

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On this episode of Speaking of College of Charleston, guest host Tom Cunneff interviews James London '07, owner and chef of Chubby Fish and the cocktail bar Seahorse in Charleston. London, a native of Charleston, discusses his journey from growing up fishing on Edisto Island to pursuing his career in fine dining after attending the College of Charleston. He talks about the impact of COVID-19 on his business and the creation of an outdoor dining space at Seahorse. London shares insights into his unique dock-to-table philosophy, the importance of relationships with local fishermen and farmers and his diverse culinary background. He also speaks about learning new things daily and teaching the next generation of chefs while reflecting on his restaurant's success, including multiple James Beard nominations and widespread acclaim. The interview concludes with stories of his formative years, influenced by his family's educational background and his fishing time, which shaped his passion for seafood cuisine.

Featured on this episode

James London, a Charleston native, came up cooking in barbecue and Southern restaurants in South Carolina. Upon enrolling at the College of Charleston Chef James decided to pursue his passion in food and began to work full time in fine dining restaurants while pursuing a double major at the College.

Once he graduated he made the leap to New York City where he enrolled at The French Culinary Institute. After graduation James went on to work with Chef Josh Dechellis before becoming the Executive Chef at Niko, a fine dining Japanese Restaurant in Soho.

After his time in New York, James ventured West to San Francisco where he led the kitchen at The Elite Café, a Creole restaurant in Pacific Heights.

James eventually made it back to Charleston where he and his wife, Yoanna, opened Chubby Fish, a dock to table seafood concept that has taken the city by storm. Chubby Fish has garnered a Best New Restaurant nod from Bon Appetit, was ranked #7 Restaurant in the US from Food and Wine Magazine, and a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Southeast 2024.

Resources from this episode:

College of Charleston Alumni magazine winter issue 2025, interview with James London

Chubby Fish Restaurant

Seahorse

James Beard Semifinalists 2025

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On this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, we have a great conversation with Joe Kelly, director of Irish and Irish American Studies and Colleen Glenn, director of film studies at the College about Irish books and movies. The colleagues first met playing softball with faculty from the English department and quickly became friends. They put their heads together and took a group of students to Ireland for a study abroad program, traveling from Dublin to Galway.

“When we do those visits, the students follow our discussions of films, like In The Name of the Father and they're really able to see the landscape and the culture that inspired the movie they they saw on the big screen,” says Glenn.

They recount trips around Ireland, emphasizing locations featured in Irish films such as Dublin, Galway, Connemara, and Belfast. Films discussed include The Quiet Man, Michael Collins and Banshees of Inisherin among others, illustrating the socio-political history and cultural identity of Ireland. The episode also touches on significant Irish cinematic movements and celebrates the storytelling legacy and literary richness of Irish culture.

The way Kelly’s describes the landscape, and the novels are a clear indicator of his knowledge and love for the country. He’s an in-demand professor for a reason.

“John Huston did a film version of The Dead, which is a very quiet story,” says Kelly. “And it ends with this beautiful scene where Gabriel Conroy is looking out the window at the snow falling onto the streets of Dublin and he imagines it falling across the mutinous Shannon waves and the bog of Allen and out onto the crooked crosses in the graveyard where Michael Furey lay buried. It's the most beautiful prose I've ever read and it's a absolutely beautiful 10 minutes of cinematography too.”

Featured on this Episode:

Joe Kelly, director of Irish and Irish American Studies at the College of Charleston, has been studying and writing about Irish literature since the 1990s, and in the last fifteen years he’s been writing narrative histories about American democracy. His next book, The Biggest Lie: A Hundred Years of American Fascism, 1818-1918, will be out this time next year.

Colleen Glenn, director of film studies at the College, teaches courses on film history and American Cinema as well as special topics courses on topics like Irish Cinema & Hollywood Auteurs. In addition to co-editing an anthology on stardom, she has published on Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, and other film stars.

Irish movies mentioned
The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952)
The Crying Game (Neil Jordan, 1992)
In the Name of the Father (Jim Sheridan, 1993)
Michael Collins (Neil Jordan, 1996).
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (Ken Loach, 2006
’71 (Yann Demange, 2014).
Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008).
The Field. (Jim Sheridan, 1990)
**Banshees of Inisherin. (writ and dir by Martin McDonagh, 2022)
Philomena (Stephen Frears, 2013)
The Magdalene Sisters (Peter Mullen, 2002)
Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants, 2024) (Claire Keegan wrote the book).
Waking Ned Divine (Kirk Jones, 1998)-
The Commitments (Alan Parker (ENGL), 1991).
Once. Glen Hansard (John Carney, 2007).
My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan, 1989).

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On this episode of the Speaking of … College of Charleston podcast, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we ask Colleen Glenn, associate professor and director of the College's Film Studies Program, to weigh in on her favorite romantic movies.

We discuss some of the classes she teaches at the College, including Dreams and Movies and The Myth of the Road in American Cinema. As we shift to the upcoming holiday, she highlights her favorite romantic dramas, including Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as well as romantic comedies like The Shop Around the Corner and Moonstruck.

Glenn also talks about how rom-coms have evolved and now include a wider variety of perspectives.

“Films have become more diverse in terms of representation,” says Glenn. “We have better representation of people of color – of different races and ethnicities – on screen today, and we also see different gender orientations and sexual orientations. So, the classic rom-com formula of 'boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back' might now be 'boy meets boy' or 'girl-meets-girl.'"

Glenn encourages moviegoers to watch movies in the theater instead of on their devices to get the full experience. She says romantic movies are just one of the many cultural systems that facilitate the “happily ever after” myth of love – and, if we’re going to blame rom-coms, we have to throw music, theater and poetry into the mix.

What’s your favorite romantic movie to watch on Valentine’s Day? Text us your favorite romantic movie on the Apple Podcasts or comment your favorites on Spotify.

Resources From This episode:

• Romantic Dramas:
  • Casablanca (1942)
  • An Affair to Remember (1957)
  • Cold Mountain (2003)
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
• Romantic Comedies:
  • It Happened One Night (1934)
  • The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
  • The Philadelphia Story (1940)
  • Some Like it Hot (1957)
  • The Apartment (1960)
  • Moonstruck (1987)
  • The Princess Bride (1987)
  • When Harry Met Sally (1989)
  • Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
• Film Noir/Thrillers:
  • Double Indemnity (1944)
  • The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
  • Fatal Attraction (1987)
  • Body Heat (1981)
• Oscar Nominees
• CinemaScope
• Great Local Theater: The Terrace

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On this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, we speak to Ian O’Byrne, associate professor of literacy education at the College about AI in higher education. His work centers on teaching, learning and technology and is incredibly prolific, publishing newsletters, blog posts and videos on digital literacy. O’Byrne is innovative in the classroom and always seeking new ways to keep students engaged.

O’Byrne discusses how higher education can integrate AI to support learning while maintaining academic integrity. He addresses concerns about cheating and fostering creativity and critical thinking. O’Byrne also highlights the need for authentic assessment and broader ethical considerations, advocating for more inclusive discussions involving students, faculty and alumni.

Most importantly, he encourages educators to have more dialogue about what these things mean for the classroom.

• Resources from this episode:
• O’Byrne’s Blog
• Digital Garden

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On this episode of Speaking Of...College of Charleston, Father Gregory West, a 1980 College of Charleston graduate and pastor of Saint Clare of Assisi on Daniel Island, shares his journey from a devout Catholic upbringing on Sullivan's Island to a successful career in the maritime industry and eventually to the priesthood. He discusses the challenges and divine interventions in building the church including financial hurdles.

The initial cost estimate for the church was around 14 million, but due to rising construction costs in the Charleston area, the final bill came closer to 25 million. This escalation required West and his team to rethink parts of the project. For example, the church had planned to include several stained glass windows, but it wasn't financially feasible. According to West, either coincidence or divine providence intervened and they were able to secure the exact number of stained glass windows they needed from a church in Pittsburg that was closing that just happened to include a large stained glass window of Saint Clare of Assisi.

"Einstein said there are no such things as coincidences, just God's way of remaining anonymous," says West.

Resources from this episode:

• Saint Clare of Assisi, Daniel Island
• The Reverend H. Gregory West, JCL – Pastor

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On this episode we speak to Yuriy Bekker, conductor of the College’s orchestra, and two of his students, Rj Grant and Isaac Hill about performing at Carnegie Hall. We talk to Bekker about emigrating from Minsk, Belarus when he was ten years old and his journey from studying music to teaching and performing. Grant and Hill share stories about their passion for playing music and their plans for the future.

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, the College of Charleston Orchestra will have the experience of a lifetime performing on one of the most prestigious stages in the world — Carnegie Hall. Their performance, together with performances by the Charleston Symphony and Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, will give a taste of the cultural jewels of Charleston.

Under the direction of Yuriy Bekker, conductor of the College’s orchestra, these artistic powerhouses will pay tribute to Charleston’s exceptional musical legacy and connections to New York City. The College’s ensemble will play Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony Finale, which premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1893; Professor of Music Yiorgos Vassilandonakis’s Corsaro, which will have its world premiere; and former CofC music professor Trevor Weston’s Subwaves. Music Professor Edward Hart’s A Charleston Concerto, will be performed by the Charleston Symphony.

Resources from this episode:

• New York City Celebrates Charleston
• Purchase concert tickets
• Register for pre-concert happy hour for alumni and friends