ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode of The Adjunct Files, John and Maggie sit down with Dr. Senthil "Beejay" Girimurugan, Interim Dean of the Honors College at FGCU, for a wide-ranging conversation about curiosity, purpose, learning, and what makes honors education distinctive. Beejay shares how the Honors College nurtures students' natural curiosity through scholarship, leadership, community engagement, and meaningful faculty relationships. Along the way, he offers practical insights for adjunct faculty on working with high-achieving students, creating honors-embedded experiences, and cultivating the kind of active learning environments that challenge students to think more deeply and independently.
The conversation also explores much bigger questions about the future of higher education. Drawing on his background in statistics, programming, and machine learning, Beejay offers a thought-provoking perspective on artificial intelligence, arguing that authentic human intelligence, curiosity, purpose, and personal connection remain at the heart of meaningful education. From honors contracts and undergraduate research to the value of passion in teaching, this episode is a reminder that the most transformative learning experiences are still rooted in human relationships and the desire to understand the world more deeply.
Theme music composed, performed and produced by James Husni.
Adjunct Nation is a collaborative podcast under the auspices of The Lucas Center for Faculty Development at FGCU. You can learn more by clicking on this link:
https://www.fgcu.edu/lucascenter/
