I’m excited to kick off a series of more in-depth conversations on the TIPS podcast. Each episode features scholars and educators who foster reflection in ways that promote deeper learning, professional development, and long-term impact. These conversations will highlight work that bridges research and application—especially work that provides practical tools, frameworks, and insights for college instructors.
In this first episode, I speak with Alden Jones, an award-winning author, educator, and Fulbright Specialist whose work spans memoir, fiction, travel writing, and critical pedagogy. Alden is the author of The Wanting Was a Wilderness, a Lambda Literary Award-nominated memoir described by The Millions as “a master class in memoir writing.” She’s also the editor of Edge of the World: An Anthology of Queer Travel Writing and the author of The Blind Masseuse and Unaccompanied Minors—works that have earned accolades from PEN, the New American Fiction Prize, and the Edmund White Award.
In addition to her literary accomplishments, Alden is a longtime travel educator and assistant professor in the Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing at Emerson College where she teaches creative writing and literature. Her insights on reading and teaching in the digital age have been featured in Teen Vogue, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor.
In this conversation, Alden brings honesty and depth to a wide-ranging discussion about critical reflection—not just as a classroom tool, but as a personal and ethical practice. We talk about what it means to align your teaching with your values, how classroom silence can be a form of self-protection, and why vulnerability might be one of a teacher’s greatest strengths. Alden also shares how her travel education background shaped her ability to pivot on a dime, and how she’s creating communal reading experiences to reclaim attention and connection in a distracted world.
Seeking Guests: If you know someone - or you are that someone! - who would be great for a future episode of The Faculty Lounge, I would love to hear from you!
Happy listening!
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