Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host,
Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and
I bring you content that's informative, positive,
fun and uplifting. This podcast is created and
produced with the help of students from the International
Community School of Bangkok. In today's episode,
we're exploring two different kinds of journeys.
First, we're looking at the life -changing journey
of higher education. We are joined by experts
from Taylor University in Indiana to help us
navigate the complexities of the admissions process
and campus life. But that's not all. Later in
the show, we're switching gears from the academic
to the adventurous. We'll be premiering the first
part of our new original audio story, The Mystery
of St. Augustine. We're kicking off our third
and final story in what we're calling the Hawthorne
Adventure Series. The first story we brought
you in episodes 55 through 64, The Secrets of
El Dorado, introduced you to a band of unlikely
heroes who helped rewrite the history books about
the truth of the California Gold Rush. Then our
second story, which we brought you in episodes
87 through 96. followed some of our same beloved
heroes to the Yucatan Peninsula, where they helped
retrieve and return stolen ancient artifacts.
And now our third story, The Mystery of St. Augustine,
brings back a few familiar characters and introduces
a whole new set of characters. It's packed with
danger, suspense, adventure, and history. But
first, before we get started, let's hear our
quote of the day and get some headline news.
To set the stage for our conversation, I'm Josiah,
and my quote of the day comes from the education
reformer John Dewey. He said, The quote is a
powerful reflection of what a university experience,
whether at Taylor University or any institution
of higher learning, is truly about. College isn't
just a stepping stone to a career. It is a place
where identity is shaped. Curiosity is awakened
and purpose begins to take form. When learning
is lived, not rushed, students don't just earn
degrees. They develop character, conviction,
and clarity for the road ahead. It's a reminder
that the value of university isn't only found
in outcomes or titles, but in who you become
along the way. Thanks, Josiah. I'm proud to hear
the three headlines impacting universities and
student experience today. Jumping into our first
headline, a new higher education analysis across
Asia shows universities are climbing regional
and global rankings by shifting their focus towards
industry -aligned learning and graduate outcomes.
Education experts note that institutions investing
in internships, real -world projects, and international
exposure are gaining stronger recognition, reflecting
a broader move away from purely academic metrics
towards employability and career readiness. Next
with our second headline, industry and university
partnerships continue to expand as employers
look for job -ready graduates. Recent education
reports highlight how collaborations with technology
and engineering firms are reshaping university
curricula, ensuring students graduate with practical
skills, professional certifications, and hands
-on experience that align with current market
needs. Now onto our last headline. International
education market trends reveal that Malaysia
is emerging as a key regional hub for global
students and education investment. Analysts point
to factors such as English medium programs, internationally
recognized degrees, and competitive tuition fees
as drivers of this growth, while also noting
that universities are facing increased competition
to innovate and stand out. These stories clearly
show that universities today are evolving beyond
traditional classrooms into global. ecosystem
where academic learning, career preparation,
and international opportunity intersect. Thank
you for the quote and the headline news. The
landscape of higher education is shifting toward
real -world readiness, which is the perfect lead
-in for our guests today. We're excited to yet
again have two returning guests from Taylor University
for our guest segment. Josiah, go ahead and get
us started. Welcome to the show. Please introduce
yourself and let us know what you do. Hi, my
name is Andy Gammons. I'm the executive director
of admissions at Taylor University in Upland,
Indiana. And my name is Tyler Smith. I'm a current
senior at Taylor this year, and I am a second
year admissions intern. As you are both in the
admissions process, what do students most often
misunderstand about that university application
process? I think one thing that students really
misunderstand is how nuanced the application
process is, depending on what type of institution
that you're hoping to attend. So for instance,
there are a lot of institutions out there that
what they're primarily looking for is that you're
interested in attending their institution. They're
almost a modified open enrollment institution.
That's how we would talk about them. In other
words, if you're interested in attending their
institution, they're interested in having you.
And that's probably a higher group of institutions
than you might think. It's probably even in the
70 to 80 percent of overall institutions in the
world. And then most people get fixated on the
smaller percentage of much more selective institutions
where they're. are some very, very significant
things that you need to do in order to get admitted
to those institutions. So I think that's what
students get confused on is, what type of institution
am I actually interested in? And then what do
I need to do to get admitted into that institution?
So what advice would you give to high school
students preparing for university? Yeah, I think
this is a thing to think about, right? You're
in high school, you're... Thinking about a lot
of different things, you're in athletics, you're
in your clubs, you're in academics and trying
to keep your grades up. And it can be a lot,
I think. And if I would go back to my high school
years, I would say to just kind of just chill
out a little bit and take some time for yourself
and make sure that, you know, you have all your
colleges that you're applying to in order and
you have everything that you need for those.
And I wish I would have relaxed a little bit
on. uh my grades i think i think i put that a
lot of identity into that and uh i you know looking
back on it i didn't need to put as much um you
know of my identity into that i still need to
work hard and i think that shaped a lot of um
my work ethic in college but i would just say
to chill out a little bit it's all gonna be okay
the only thing i would i would add to that is
I'm a parent of high school and college age students,
and I would say take advantage of those last
years as being in your family because that's
it. You'll never be a part of your family in
the way that you are a part of your family now.
And so while it's very natural and normal for
you to be really annoyed with your parents and
to be really annoyed with your siblings, Try
and think, hey, this is it. This is the last
time I'm going to have the opportunity to have
family dinner with my family. The opportunity
I'm going to have to have these types of conversations
with my parents and throw them a bone. You know,
take an opportunity to say, hey, let's do one
more trip together as a family or. Maybe I'll
just stay home with you guys tonight. I know
that sounds really lame, but I think when you're
off away at college, you'll look back and go,
man, I miss my parents. Man, I actually do miss
my younger brother who was so annoying. I wish
I had one more family dinner with them. You don't
think that now, but you will in a couple years.
Speaking of taking advantage, which university
resources are most underused by the students?
Well, let me speak on the admissions side first.
I think one of the resources that is underused
is your admissions counselor. So there are admissions
counselors at every single institution that you're
looking at. And those people really do want to
help you be successful. They want to help you
either get into the institution, articulate yourself
well to the institution and to. Choose an institution
that works for you. So getting to know your admissions
counselor. And what I would say is at some institutions,
those admissions counselors are just a little
bit older than you. They're 22, 23 years old.
And so they might not be the most helpful person.
And so find a helpful person in the admissions
office, even if you have to say. Hey, it's been
really great to get to know you, admissions counselor.
Can you give me the name of your supervisor?
Because I'd love to just talk to them. While
that sounds like a real power move, it can be
an opportunity for you to get to know somebody
else in the admissions. office just so if especially
if you're finding that admissions counselor to
not be helpful or to not be responsive find somebody
at the institution that is helpful and responsive
and i'll tell you this if you can't find somebody
who's helpful and responsive in the admissions
office that is not a good sign for that institution
because they're on the sales team if the sales
team is not good nobody else at the institution
right like if they won't sell you the product
maybe the product is not going to be all that
great. So if you're not going to get response
from the folks that are trying to sell you on
the institution, it's probably not a great piece
for it. what's to come. Other than that, I think
faculty members are really underutilized at the
institution. Most of the faculty members have
office hours that they're in their office waiting
to talk to students. Tyler, maybe talk about
a time you connected with a faculty member. Yeah,
it was outside of class. So at Taylor, we have
this game that we like to play around campus,
especially when it's nice outside. It's called
Tolf. And so it's a mix of golf and tennis balls.
So you play golf with tennis balls around campus.
And it's a 12 or 13 hole course, I think it is.
And one of our newer professors in the marketing
department, I'm in the business department at
Taylor. She was watching. She was just observing
campus life and she saw a group playing and she
came to me. She must have seen me playing or
something. And she said, hey, like, I want to
do that. Like, it looks really fun. I like to
play golf, you know, on the weekends or whatever.
I want to do that. And so I was like, yeah, perfect.
Great. So I grabbed, you know, seven of my buddies
and we went out with this new professor at Taylor,
this new professor who's trying to. figure out
campus life and in addition to her job and things
like that. But yeah, I still have a picture on
my phone. It was awesome. So that I think speaks
to the intentionality of teachers. That's a teacher
example, but I would say to overall faculty members,
personalities that we have at Taylor. So how
has the admission process evolved over time that
you see change throughout the years? Yeah, this
is a really big question. One of the things that
I would say, what's happening in the United States
right now, and I think this is somewhat nuanced
for other institutions around the world, but
I'll speak to the United States context. The
number of high school students in the United
States is shrinking. So 2008 was the Great Recession.
If you add 18 to that, you get 2026. That's about
to hit and people are calling that the enrollment
cliff. And so that means that there are fewer
high school students available for colleges.
And so more colleges have become, the market
has become tighter, right? And so I think that
means that it's a buyer's market. And so I think
that for many students, their opportunities are
increasing. And so really what's happening in
the admissions world in the United States is
you're having haves and have nots. So the haves
are primarily large research one institutions.
They are the flagship institutions. They're the
University of Florida, the University of Michigan,
these large institutions where it's becoming
more and more competitive. to get into those
institutions. But then you're having smaller
institutions that are having a harder time getting
students. And really, they're going to have a
harder time staying afloat in the next years.
So we really anticipate in the next decade there
will be more and more closures of higher education
institutions, especially those smaller ones.
So in lots of ways, it's becoming a buyer's market.
Now, what's interesting about it is this. Do
you want to go to an institution that gives you
the best price but may also be in risk of closing
in the next decade? Right. So that's not a fun
thing to be in your junior year of college and
the institution announces that it's closing.
So right now, especially around small institutions,
small liberal arts institutions and even small
regional state run institutions. Questions that
were never asked by students before are questions
like, what's your financial viability like? That
is not a question that was being asked 10 years
ago. And actually, I think most 18 -year -olds
don't even know to ask that question. But it
really is, I think, an important question right
now. If a college is giving you an absolutely
amazing deal, there may be a reason for that.
There may be a reason that... They are trying
to just buy students. And that's not a good thing.
So I think that's been a really big change. There
have been lots of other changes. We were just
talking about there was a Supreme Court case
a few years ago against the University of Michigan
and against the University of North Carolina.
That's really shaped the landscape. But that's
a whole nother topic that we probably don't need
to talk about right now. Pulling back a little
bit to the campus life, as a student moves from
out of area, what should one expect regarding
the campus living arrangements from day -to -day
life and residence halls? Yeah, it'll be different,
right? It'll be set up with a roommate or maybe
two roommates and on a whole floor of guys or
girls that are trying to figure out what you're
trying to figure out. And I think that's... That's
kind of what changed my life, to be honest. I
came from a public high school and didn't really
have a solid group of friends that wanted to,
you know, have a deep sense of faith, but didn't
want to, you know, get in trouble on the weekends.
And so I wanted to find the happy medium between
those two. And that's what I found at my residence
hall at Taylor University. I, you know, those
are the guys that. I can go to if I have something
going on in my life. And I think that's what
you're going to expect in the residential hall
sort of culture at Taylor. It's just, you're
going to be pushed spiritually and you're going
to be stepped out of your comfort zone and, you
know, productive ways. And I think that is, you
know, like I said, that's what changed my life.
That's what I would that's what I would tell
anybody looking at Taylor. You know, this is
a good place. These are filled with faculty members
and students who want to help you succeed and
want to help you grow in in, you know, academically
and spiritually and professionally even, too.
So Taylor is the. seventh place that I've worked.
So I've worked at a lot of other institutions
and I would say residence life at each of those
institutions is very, very different. And so
I think it's a really, really important question
to ask. What do I want in a residential experience?
Do I want to live on campus? There are many institutions
where you don't have to live on campus. There
are many institutions where living on campus
may be detrimental to your overall success because
the residence halls are a 24 hour party. And
so if that's not what you're interested in, then
it might not be what you want. And so asking
some of those questions, but even we were talking
the other night about, uh, Taylor university
is a place where life is built around the residence
hall and it's a seven day a week life. There
are lots of institutions like us that are small
where every weekend the students kind of disappear
back to home. So how do you know? And if you're
coming from the other side of the world and you
end up at one of those institutions where it's
just five or six people every weekend who can't
get home there, that's pretty miserable. And
so how do you know if that's the kind of place
that you're getting into beforehand? I think
it's really important to say, hey, what's the
vibe on the weekend? What does a Friday night
look like here? What does Saturday look like
here? And even getting a chance to talk to some...
international students or TCKs, MKs from overseas
to say, what do you do on the weekends? Are you
the only one here on the weekends? That kind
of thing, just to be able to get a feel for that.
Because again, I think that's probably not what
you're looking for. Or maybe it is what you're
looking for. Maybe you just want to hang out
with folks from overseas every weekend. And if
that's what's going on, because everybody else
in the residence hall is gone. then you get what
you're looking for. But those are really, really
important questions. At Taylor, I think all of
life is built around our residence halls. It's
a huge piece of what we do. And I think Tyler
articulated that well. So I think this next question
would be really important. So how should students
choose a major if they're unsure about their
future career? So I think the, well, and... Let
me be let me disclose. I was a Spanish major
in college. And so I think maybe I'm the perfect
person to answer this question or or maybe not,
depending on what you think about my answer.
But what I tell students is in your undergraduate
degree, you should study something that you're
interested in and something that you'll do excellently
in. And usually those two things are the same.
So I'll give you an example. My wife was an accounting
major because her parents said, you're good at
math, you should do accounting. And she was okay,
but pretty quickly she figured out, I'm not sure
this is exactly what I wanted to do. But she
was far enough in that she said, I guess I'll
just finish it. She worked for a year as an accounting...
As an accountant and said, this is definitely
not what I want to do. And that's OK. Right.
So she has used her accounting skills over and
over and over and over again over the years.
And she's been served by that. But she would
probably have been better served to study something
that she was interested in, not something that
her parents thought would be good. So whatever
it is that you're interested in, study that.
Now, there are some things that. Where because
because most careers are not directly linked
to a major. Right. There are probably five exceptions
to that education. Usually you have to have a
degree in education. Now, you can always pick
that up afterwards. Lots of people do that. Accounting
is one of those. Nursing. Engineering. Right.
So you don't want a Spanish major to put in your
IV or build your bridge. Correct. Right. So.
Those are probably the exceptions. And so if
you're thinking one of those things, you should
definitely start down that path. But other than
that, I really think it's thinking about what
am I interested in? What do I want to want to
do? And then the job will come often from outside
of the classroom experiences. I think the outside
of the classroom experiences are essential to
finding that career. So, Tyler, talk about like
the internship that that you did and how that
really shaped because you're marketing. But the
job that you're going to do after college really
is not directly related to marketing, right?
Yeah, it's. It's sales. So I accepted a job at
a insurance company that insures sports venues
and sports arenas and also family entertainment
centers. And it's in the sports and leisure industry.
And that's interesting because when you think
of marketing, maybe you think of social media
or maybe you think of, you know, all different
forms of digital marketing and maybe even advertising
too. And so you don't really think of, you know,
sales and so that's what i've picked up on uh
as i've uh you know delved into the marketing
world and been a marketing major at taylor university
and that's you know no it's it's more broad than
that you can do sales you can do you know maybe
you want to do advertising or social media marketing
but you can do other things and so like what
you were saying it's it's not marketing in a
traditional sense it's marketing you know when
it's broadened out when it's looked at from you
know a 30 ,000 foot view and I think that's where
I've been blessed too is figuring out what I'm
good at because I didn't want to do marketing
initially I wanted to do like sports broadcasting
in high school and you know freshman and sophomore
year but then my dad told me like hey you're
personable you should be good at sales and so
I did that yeah this is one of those internships
and uh You know, being in admissions and, you
know, getting to talk to people about my school.
And then, you know, I interned at that same company
for four summers. And they, you know, kept telling
me like, hey, you're really good at this. We
want you back. You know, I was on the phone cold
calling, you know, 20 or 30 times a day, which
sounds awful to some people. But I was into it
and I liked it. And, you know, I hit my goals
or whatever. You know, I think Taylor helped
me do that and they give me the skills and definitely
the encouragement to be able to, you know, do
those internships well, I think. So I'll give
you one more example of that. So my son is working
in commercial construction as a project management,
project manager, and he was a business management
major. They would not have hired him at this
company had the only thing he had was a business
management major. So the first summer he worked
in construction, he was a carpenter's apprentice
and he had a hammer in hand all summer long and
was doing a lot of grunt work. Then the next
summer he worked for the same company as a project
management intern. And so when he went to apply
for this job, they said very, very little about.
the academic experience that he had. They were
much more interested in... his out of classroom
experience that he had had with these construction
companies. Does that make sense? And so I think
that's the most important thing that I would
say is for sure, study something that you're
interested in, study something that you're do
excellently in, and then get those out of the
classroom opportunities, whether that's a part
-time job, whether that's an internship, job
shadowing. Those are where I think you're really
going to hone those career trajectories, right?
that's where you're really going to be. Find
the thing that you're actually interested in.
I couldn't believe that there was an opportunity
to work at a university. I didn't know that that
was an opportunity when I was 16, 17, 18 years
old. And then when I got to a university, I thought
I could work at a place like this. Right. And
that's how I moved in that direction and got
a graduate degree and those types of things.
All right. To wrap it up, moving on to our last
question. We often talk about tuition and housing,
but. What are the invisible costs of university
that sometimes catch students off guard? And
how does your office help maybe prepare for those?
Yeah, I think this is interesting from a student's
perspective because, you know, I, you know, growing
up, I didn't have, you know, thousands of dollars
to put towards tuition. So, you know, full transparency,
I don't pay for, you know, those big things.
You know, I don't. you know I don't I can't contribute
to those things and so those are conversations
to have with you know your parents and like what
Andy was saying like you know throw them a bone
like want to talk about those things in high
school I think and then you know what I pay for
is I think like having money saved up for you
know fun things to do on the weekends because
almost nothing is free nowadays it's just the
way it is and so I've found a lot in you know
working in working a job in high school, one
of the best decisions I ever made my senior year
of high school was actually quitting my sport
and taking a part time job and then making money
and saving up money for college. Like I gave
myself so many pats on the back because I found
a lot that, you know, people want to do fun things
on the weekends at Taylor. You know, we go to
Indianapolis and go to basketball games that
cost like thirty dollars or something. Or, you
know, we go to. you know, Taco Bell wait at night
or something. And that's fun. Like, that's what
we like to do. And so, you know, the little costs
add up, I think. But, you know, choosing to,
you know, work ahead and save for those things
has 100 % served me well. So I think that question
looks a little bit different from the student's
perspective. But, you know, having communication
with your parents is a great thing for that.
Yeah, for sure. What are you going to pay for?
What is your family going to pay for? How are
you going to work those costs out together? I'll
give you a couple of other ones, especially for
students that are international. Travel costs
are huge, right? That's a question that you need
to have with your parents. How often are you
going to go home? And, of course, that varies.
So we have students that we were talking about
the other night. friend who was an international
student from India. And he came to Taylor University,
did four years of Taylor University, and then
went on to get his PhD at Florida Atlantic University,
which is five years. And he never went home to
India that whole time. So because he couldn't
really afford it. And that was a choice that
he and his family made. They knew that that's
how it was going to be. And so he lived on campus
every summer and worked his tail off to help
pay that bill. That was a choice that he and
his family made. That is a hard choice, right?
So the question is, let's look at some flights.
Let's do some projection. Let's talk to chat.
How much is a flight from Bangkok to the United
States? And then how many times a year am I going
to be able to do that? Am I going to go home
just at Christmas? Am I going to go home over
the summer? Those costs start to add up. I think
for sure there's the Taco Bell run at midnight.
Those costs can start to add up. But of course,
books, study abroad opportunities. Taylor has
an absolutely amazing study abroad program, but
it's usually additional cost over and above tuition
and fees. And so if you want to be involved in
programs like that, then there's going to be
some additional costs to those as well. So I
think those are conversations to have. How do
I make the extra money? Who's going to help fund
the extra money? But it's a great question. What
are the quote unquote hidden costs? I think those
are at least a portion of those. Thank you to
Mr. Andy and Tyler for joining the show again
and talking about a variety of things related
to higher education from the admissions process
all the way to financial planning. One of the
best things students can do before heading off
to college is to be well informed, so thank you
for helping with that. This concludes our guest
segment for this episode, but don't go away,
as we'll be kicking off our new adventure story
with Part 1 right after this short PSA announcement.
This is a public service announcement for your
business's financial health. We know that the
pressure of budgeting and cash flow can be one
of the biggest sources of entrepreneurial stress.
Take 30 minutes this week to conduct a basic
financial health check. Review your last three
months of cash flow. Identify one system you
can automate and make a plan to set aside a contingency
fund. Resources like the Small Business Administration,
SBA Business Guide, or local financial literacy
workshops offer free tools to help you gain that
clarity. Don't let your finances stress you out.
Master them instead. And we are back with our
second segment. For the next 10 episodes, we'll
be bringing you another adventure story just
like we did in the previous two seasons. Our
new story is the third and final installment
of what we are calling the Hawthorne Adventure
Series. which began with the first story titled
The Secrets of El Dorado, followed by our second
story titled Legends of the Yucatan. These first
two stories are available in audio narration
on our podcast. Also, both are in book form and
are available as a downloadable PDF, a paperback
printed book, and an e -book for the Kindle.
Just visit Amazon .com. Now, and without further
ado, we bring you the first part of our 10 -part
story titled The Mystery of St. Augustine. uncovering
a past of greed and deceit. The Setting and the
Characters Every Hawthorne adventure begins in
the same place, El Dorado County, California,
specifically in the small, quaint town of Coloma.
Five years have passed since the Great California
Gold Rush scandal, yet Coloma still holds the
nation's attention. Tours from all over the United
States continue to descend on this small town.
Some seek an adventure of their own, others a
piece of history, and many are simply following
the crowds. The specific reason no longer matters,
but what matters is that Coloma has become one
of the West Coast's most visited spring and summer
destinations. Town favorites like Ethan's Cafe
and El Dorado College have become must -stop
destinations, along with Rob's Peak and Sutter's
Mill. Though this new adventure starts in Coloma,
it doesn't end there. Similar to Hawthorne's
Yucatan Adventure from a few years ago, this
new quest, with all its danger and mystery, unfolds
over 2 ,700 miles away on the northeast coast
of Florida. St. Augustine, Florida is a historic
town known for being the oldest continuously
inhabited European established settlement in
the continental United States. Founded in 1565,
St. Augustine was established by the Spanish
42 years before the English colonized Jamestown
and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth
Rock. St. Augustine changed hands between the
Spanish and British several times until the entire
territory of Florida, including the city itself,
was peaceably turned over to the United States
in 1821 through the Adams -Onis Treaty. St. Augustine
became a popular destination for wealthy Americans
in the 1800s, thanks in part to Henry Flagler,
a former partner of John D. Rockefeller in the
Standard Oil Company. Flagler not only built
luxury hotels, but also connected St. Augustine
to other towns and cities by railroad. Fast forward
to the present, and the city still attracts tourists.
In fact, more than 2 million people visit this
old colonial town annually, lured by its deep
history and the promise of discovery. James Hawthorne
here. Just when I thought life was going to slow
down, especially after all the fanfare from the
Gold Rush scandal, last year's dangerous trip
to Mexico proved me wrong. I was fortunate to
be on the right side of history and the law again.
I was glad to hear that my new friends Miranda
and David returned the stolen artifact to their
rightful homes, exposing a great deal of greed
and corruption in the process. My old friend
Tommy is doing well, and he's planning to come
visit Ann and me sometime soon. perhaps even
before the year is out. I've always believed
that studying the past teaches us not only about
who we are, but about who we might become. I'm
still in the process of writing my second book
about the Mexico trip. I reduced my class load
this year, which has given Ann and me more opportunities
to visit our kids and rediscover some old hobbies,
like fly fishing. My father and grandfather taught
me the art of it, even how to craft my own fly
rod, a skill I've taken up again recently. I
used to think it was a hobby for old, retired
guys, but I suppose I'm close to that age group
now. And I have to admit, I enjoy the peace of
being out in nature. And yes, I practice catch
and release. Okay, enough about me dusting off
an old hobby. Anyway, I bought some property
this year in a different state. Shh, please don't
tell the kids yet. It's something we plan to
keep in the family for years to come. Ann and
I are just now starting to figure out what to
do with it. Maybe build a cabin or two, clear
some hiking trails, and create a retreat for
old friends. I guess we'll see what happens after
our trip to Florida. Hello, I'm Ann Hawthorne.
James and I met on a project right out of college
and have been together ever since. For years,
I've lived alongside James' adventures and have
mostly managed to stay out of the peculiar situations
he often finds himself in. I'm happy to have
him around more now that he's reduced his class
load at the college. We always find ways to fill
our time, whether it's a new hobby, visiting
our children, or traveling. After a long career
in the educational nonprofit sector, I've started
to reduce my own workload. I enjoy spending more
time with my children and tending to our garden.
I still travel periodically to speak when asked.
I volunteer at local events in Coloma and particularly
enjoy helping with the monthly farmer's market.
It keeps me grounded and connected to this place
we've called home for so long. Retirement has
never been a dream of mine. We'll see where this
next chapter leads. Honestly, I'm glad I don't
have it all figured out. The surprise is the
most exciting part. Hello, I'm Professor Amanda
Chase. I love my teaching job at El Dorado College.
My family and I have moved here from the East
Coast a few years ago and have settled nicely
into the West Coast lifestyle. It's certainly
more laid back and not nearly as rigid as what
we were used to back East. People are even nicer
here, or maybe it's just the small town vibe.
We've truly come to enjoy small -town living
and the community we've found here. When Professor
Hawthorne reduced his schedule after the Mexico
trip, he put in a good word for me, allowing
me to take on more responsibility at the college.
I've even taken on some interns this year. one
of whom is Olivia Park. She was part of the college
group caught up in the Yucatan incident last
year. I genuinely enjoy mentoring young people,
especially students like Olivia, in whom I see
great potential. It's rewarding to help guide
them on their career paths. This year, I'm excited
to be taking a college -sponsored trip. Professor
Hawthorne and his wife, Anne, will be going as
well. I don't have all the details yet. but it
involves a research trip to Florida. Hi, my name
is Olivia Park. You might remember me from the
El Dorado College trip to Mexico City and the
Yucatan last year. I assisted Ava Turner with
her interviews about the recovered Mayan artifacts.
To be precise, I handled the technical side,
audio setup, and recordings while she worked
her magic. Ava is a real journalist. I still
keep in touch with Ava from time to time, mostly
to ask for her career advice. She's always incredibly
gracious in answering my questions. I've been
fortunate to be around a lot of genuine and kind
people these last few years. However, my experience
in Mexico was a stark reminder that not everyone
is. After graduating last year, I began an internship
with Professor Amanda Chase in the History Department
at El Dorado College. I'm hoping this internship
will give me the experience I need to qualify
for a competitive master's program at Cambridge
next year. My name is Eleanor Bennett, but please
call me Ellie. It's a little less formal. I'm
British American. I've lived and worked in the
U .S. for many years now, but I fly back to England
often to visit families and friends. I have an
uncanny ability to feel at home in both societies.
Still, my British relatives never fail to ask
when I'm planning to return to my roots for good.
I don't have any plans to move to England just
yet. I've built a life and a career I thoroughly
enjoy here on what we call Florida's First Coast.
For those unfamiliar with the term, it was coined
by an ad agency back in the 1980s when Florida
was reinventing its tourism. The First Coast
refers to the northeastern Atlantic coastline
stretching from the Georgia border down through
St. John's County. It includes the big city of
Jacksonville and, of course, my home for most
of the year, the historic city of St. Augustine.
I'm Robert Mitchell. My family and friends call
me Bobby, but for business, I stick with Robert.
It feels more professional. I was born in Gainesville,
but I've been a coastal kid as long as I can
remember. My parents moved to St. Augustine when
I was in elementary school, and my father started
a sport fishing guide service out of Conch House
Marina. I worked on the boat every summer through
middle and high school, then went to university
to study business, always with the plan of coming
back to help dad run the company. After college,
I came back to work alongside him, and things
were going great for a few years. Then he passed
away. It was very sudden. None of us in the family
even knew he was sick. It was a tough time for
all of us, but we pulled through. To keep my
father's legacy alive, I took over First Coast
Charters. Now I'm the captain of both boats in
the fleet. My father built a great clientele
over the years and was known for his professionalism
and expert knowledge of the sea. He knew all
the right fishing spots up and down the coastline.
He always used to say, respect the sea, respect
your catch. I have to say, I truly love the work.
I get to meet people from all over the world,
and it's a lot of fun watching first -timers
experience the raw power of the open ocean. I've
got two boats in the fleet, a 40 -foot sport
fisher for deep water trips, and a small vessel
for outlings closer to the shoreline. Hello,
my name is Cecilia Harper, but you can call me
Cece. I'm a lifelong resident of St. Augustine,
born and raised. My family calls me an old soul,
and they're right. I'm not your typical 20 -something.
I may be young, but I have dedicated myself to
studying every facet of this town's history.
And yes, I call St. Augustine my town, because
in many ways it is. Aside from the professionals
at the St. Augustine Historical Society, I'd
wager no one knows this town better than I do,
not even the old -timers. I sit in on the Society's
weekly meetings from time to time to answer questions
or help where I can. The meetings are typically
quite boring, but they keep me informed about
what's happening in town, particularly regarding
tourism. I have a love -hate relationship with
tourism. On one hand, it funds the preservation
that keeps our history alive. On the other hand,
most tourists don't seem to care about that heritage
anymore. They'd rather sit on the beach or take
selfies with ice cream on our cobblestone streets.
Chief Michael Sullivan here. I'm known locally
as Chief Sullivan Though some people call me
Big Mike, which is ironic, since I'm not a particularly
large man. Rumor has it the name refers to my
personality and not my physical stature. I've
been the chief of police for St. Augustine for
the past 12 years. It takes a long time to truly
learn our community and earn the trust of its
residents. The best part of the job is still
getting out of my stuffy office on a nice Florida
day, and we get plenty of those to interact with
the community. I'm also proud to lead some of
the best deputies in northern Florida. I'll admit
to some bias, however, since I hired many of
them myself. My name is Lieutenant Daniel Walsh.
I serve under Chief Sullivan. Big Mike, as he's
known, is my direct supervisor. My official title
is Lieutenant Commander of Investigation and
Patrol. I'm a little younger than the chief,
but have been steadily working my way up the
ranks in St. Augustine Police Department for
the past seven years. I never aimed to become
commander of both divisions, but I have a knack
for solving problems, getting things done, and
teaching others how to do the same. That's what
I do. And here's a fun fact. Most of the officers
I'm in charge of call me LT or Commander Walsh.
It's a funny thing. Hardly anyone uses my first
name. If they do, it's usually to impersonate
the character from the movie Forrest Grump and
yell, Lieutenant Dan! That was funny the first
hundred times. Now, it's just annoying every
time I hear it. And let me say this once. I take
my job seriously. And of course, I enjoy the
investigative nature of my responsibilities.
I feel I was built for this. It's just the way
my mind works, you know. Connecting the dots
in a complex situation comes naturally to me,
of course. That's why I'm leading these divisions,
no doubt. Extra Townspeople. Sarah Ferguson,
as a leading figure at the St. Augustine's Historical
Society, Sarah Ferguson is a passionate advocate
for the city's heritage. She treats the society's
mission, established back in 1883, with the utmost
seriousness and scholarly dedication. Thomas,
Tom Reynolds, working alongside Sarah, Tom Reynolds
is the public face of the historical society.
Where Sarah brings the academic rigor, Tom provides
the warm, welcoming stories that connect the
society's long history to the daily life of the
town. William Will Ford. Will Ford is a gregarious
owner of Will's Seafood Bar and Grill, a popular
local spot with stunning views at the bayfront
near the Bridge of Lions. He knows as much about
the town's gossip as he does about serving fresh
seafood. Jonathan John Tanner. John Tanner is
the quiet, meticulous caretaker of the Cathedral
Basilica. of St. Augustine. He moves through
the historic sanctuary built in the 1790s as
if it were part of the building itself, feeling
the weight of the history as its oldest Christian
congregation in the country. Chris Lawson, as
the director of the Castillo de San Marcos National
Monument, Chris Lawson is a professional historian
with the practical demeanor of a federal manager.
He is more concerned with budgets and the preservation
protocols than local legends, serving as the
official guardian of the fort's formidable history.
Joe Gardner. Joe Gardner is a tour guide at the
magnificent old Ponce de Leon Hotel, and he is
a showman at heart. With a soft voice and a flair
for the dramatic, he brings the gilded age history
of the famous hotel to life for hundreds of tourists
each week. Looming over this new adventure is
a threat few have ever heard and fewer still
understand. A transnational syndicate known only
as... the table. It operates not like a criminal
gang, but with a calculated precision of a multinational
corporation. Its power concentrated in a ruthless,
efficient council of six known simply as the
Seats. At its head is the First Seat, an interesting
leader whose identity is the syndicate's most
guarded secret. Serving as the direct instrument
of the first seat's will is the operative known
only as Midnight, the second seat who executes
the table's most critical missions. The identities
and functions of the remaining four seats are
unknown, their anonymity a chilling testament
to the organization's formidable discipline and
the shadowy depths of its global influence. The
characters are introduced, and the stage is set,
stretching from the familiar hills of California
to the first coast of Florida. In the historical
city of St. Augustine, a new mystery awaits,
one that will test old friendships and forge
new alliances. For beneath the city's charming
surface, a history of greed and deceit is waiting
to be uncovered, and in the shadows. its first
move. And now, on to our story. Part 1, The Discovery.
Come on, keep digging. We're running out of time.
Midnight's voice was a frustrated hiss. She paced
at the water's edge, her gaze darting nervously
over the moonlit waves. The sun will be up soon,
and this coast will be crawling with fishing
boats soon enough. Third Chair pushed his half
-broken shovel into the sand, heaving a mound
of sand up and out of the deep hole next to where
Midnight was standing. He looked up toward her
and said, We've been out here all night, he grumbled,
and haven't found anything. Fourth Chair stopped
digging, leaning on the handle of his shovel,
looked up at Midnight, and looked. this is so
important to find why isn't first chair out here
supervising fifth chair grunted stopped digging
and said yeah my shoulders and back are killing
me i haven't had to do this much physical work
since the paris incident he then lowered his
voice as he stared up at midnight also known
as chair two by the way Where the bleak is chair
six? She's off doing something else for me. Midnight
snapped as she looked down at chair five, who
was standing in a deep pit between three and
four. What's it to you anyways? She doesn't answer
to you. You're not in charge. With a smirk on
her face, she continued. All right, I forgot.
You're the new guy. While looking down into the
deep pit at chairs three, four, and five, she
then became silent. There, right below chair
four's left foot was something shiny and old
sticking out of the sand ever so slightly. She
then said, What is that? Looking down near chair
four's foot, chair three then says, I believe
we found what first chair was referring to. Yes,
it appears we have, Mina responded. The morning
sun peeked over the horizon, turning the sky
bright orange and stretching her shadow across
the beach. She looked down into the deep pit
at the other chairs with a smile and said, Hurry
up and let's finish this before the boats start
running their shoreline and a tide comes back
in. Professor Hawthorne and Professor Amanda
left the college president's office laughing
and smiling. The department head meeting had
gone exceptionally well, so well, in fact, that
the normally dry college president had ended
it with a few lame dad jokes. He even admitted
to the group that he was an avid listener of
a dad joke podcast and enjoyed retelling the
jokes when he had the chance. And I guess this
was one of those chances. While Hawthorne and
Amanda were still in the hall talking with other
department heads, the president's secretary motioned
for them to come back into the office for a quick
word. As the secretary led them back inside,
Hawthorne whispered to Amanda, sometimes these
quick words turn into long meetings, but I guess
we'll find out. Dr. Conrad, who insisted on the
title even among his peers, was still in an unusually
cheerful mood. He was a seasoned academic and
had been president of El Dorado College for many
years. While his reputation was solid, he was
also known for being painfully dull, which made
his recent foray into humor all the more surprising.
As Amanda and Hawthorne settled back into their
seats around the conference table, Dr. Conrad
shared some inside news. An old friend of mine
has invited our college to be part of a unique
and extraordinary opportunity, Dr. Conrad continued.
In fact, he had to convince his fellow society
members that our school was the best fit, rather
than some Ivy League university. Here's the deal,
he said, leaning forward. My longtime friend,
Tom Reynolds, helps lead the St. Augustine Historical
Society in Florida. He's invited us to collaborate
on an exclusive and confidential research project.
The project has private funding from an anonymous
donor plus a state grant. The key condition is
that the results won't be published, at least
not yet, which is why they avoided the larger
universities. They want to keep this quiet. They
need qualified personnel, people with experience
and know -how. So that brings me to you. Dr.
Conrad said, looking at both of them. With your
department's combined academic and field experience,
I think you're a perfect fit. It would be a win
-win for both the St. Augustine Historical Society
and our college. Dr. Conrad had barely finished
his sentence when Amanda jumped in. I think I
know what this may be about. Hawthorne raised
an eyebrow at Amanda. Really? Because I don't
have a clue. Dr. Conrad gestured toward Amanda.
Please, go on. Let's see if we're on the same
page. Amanda leaned forward slightly. Let me
drop a name, and I think we'll all be on the
same page. She lowered her voice and said, Sir
Francis Drake. Hawthorne, still looking at Amanda,
raises both his hands and then says, Oh, of course.
Then after the surprises were off in his voice,
he says, We all know the stories, mostly theories
and guesses, but what's changed? Obviously something
has. Amanda's eyes lit up. This is exciting.
I mean, being from the East Coast and studying
this topic in grad school, I'm totally in. Dr.
Conrad continues. I can be a pretty bad pessimist
at times, especially when it comes to theories
and legends and that sort of thing, but this
request from Tom seems and feels a bit different.
And I'm glad I don't have to convince you both
that this would be a good thing. How so, Hawthorne
replied. I'm not sure how exactly, but it just
feels different. Like a bit more serious than
just another research trip, Dr. Conrad said,
seeming to think aloud. Maybe it's why Tom wants
to bring us in. He wants honest, practical people
on the ground. People without ties to the local
politicians and the Florida Tourism Board. He
continues. Countless groups have tried to verify
these stories in the past with the hope of finding
the famed quote -unquote lost Spanish treasure
of Sir Francis Drake. Dr. Conrad said that last
part while gesturing air quotes with his hands.
Hawthorne looked at Dr. Conrad. Sounds like we're
going to Florida. If that's the case, I want
Anne to go with me. She's got the time, and well,
I made a promise to her after our Mexico trip
that she'd be part of our next one. Hawthorne
continued with a slight sarcastic tone. And if
we are researching the location of lost Spanish
treasure, well, then she'll think that's pretty
cool, even if we hit a dead end like every other
group has in the past century. Count me in, sir,
Amanda said with an enthusiastic smile and optimistic
tone. Byron's gonna love this and shouldn't have
a problem with me being gone, especially since
he knows this has been a fascination of mine
since I was young. Shouldn't be a problem, James,
Dr. Conrad replied. He looked at Hawthorne with
a grin. Maybe Anne can help keep you out of trouble.
All right, I've got another meeting, Dr. Conrad
said, rising from his chair. I'll send you the
details as soon as I get them from Tom. He walked
them to the door. In the meantime, you'll want
to dust off your old history books on Sir Francis
Drake. Remember, he added, his voice lowering
slightly, keep this quiet. The fewer people who
know, the better. Don't worry about your classes.
We'll bring in adjuncts to cover them. Also,
if it ends up being a dead end and nothing comes
of your findings, it's no big deal. Later that
day, after finishing his classes, Hawthorne stopped
by Amanda's newly renovated office to see if
she had received the email from Dr. Conrad. Hey,
Prof, you in? he asked, knocking on the half
-open door and peering inside. Her office was
in the newly expanded wing of the building. Hawthorne
didn't mind his own small, old office on the
other side. He'd been happy to avoid the temporary
relocation during the project. The multi -million
dollar renovation had been a disruptive mess,
but he had to admit the new spaces were larger
and still smelled new. Olivia glanced up, leaning
in her chair to see the door. Oh, hey, Professor
Hawthorne. Hello, Olivia, Hawthorne said. I was
looking for your boss. Do you happen to know
when she'll be back? Um, not sure. Did you text
her? Olivia asked. Hawthorne was somewhat old
school, preferring face -to -face conversations
over texting or emailing colleagues who were
already on campus. Besides, it gave him an excuse
to get up and walk around. Time permitting, of
course. No, I didn't text her. Didn't even think
about it, actually, Hawthorne said, fumbling
in his pocket for his phone. Anyway, let me just
see. Well, before she left, she said she was
going to the library to do some research. That
was about 20 minutes ago. She's probably still
there. Ah, okay. That answers my question then.
I'll head over there. Thanks. See you around,
Hawthorne said. He left the office and walked
over to the large campus research library located
in the center of campus. Prof. Amanda was sitting
at a large table in the campus research library.
Two stacks of books beside her. The library was
quiet and peaceful, mostly empty at this time
of the day. With classes finished, most students
preferred doing their research online rather
than hunting through old dusty books. Amanda,
however, enjoyed the quiet. She felt the old
shelves still held secrets yet to be discovered.
She looked up as someone walked toward her table
and saw it was Professor Hawthorne. I almost
mistook you for a student, just sitting there
studying with all those books, Hawthorne said.
He pulled out a chair and sat down next to her.
He continued, I wanted to catch you before I
left campus for the day. Did you see Dr. Conrad's
email yet? Amanda glanced up from her laptop,
a grin on her face. Funny, just getting a head
start. I got Dr. Conrad's email and came straight
here. The attachment from Tom Reynolds seems
to confirm the main legend, but it's vague. Exactly,
Amanda said. The info from Dr. Conrad's email
lines up with the official one -ship story. But
this, she tapped the heavy old book, this is
why I'm here. What is it? Hawthorne asked. It's
an old compilation from the early 1800s, Amanda
explained. It was used back then to verify coastal
land ownership and fishing rights. To do that,
the authors copied dozens of old captains' logs
and notes from the late 1500s and early 1600s.
So it's a primary source archive? Hawthorne asked.
His interest peaked. Exactly, and one of those
logs from a local 1800s fishing captain claims
he found what appeared to be wreckage from two
separate ships in the same area, not one. His
findings seem to suggest the official story is
not the complete story. Hmm, I wonder if Dr.
Conrad's friend Tom Reynolds knows about this,
Hawthorne asked. Amanda shook her head. I doubt
it. This is the only surviving copy. The others
were reportedly destroyed during the Civil War.
El Dorado only has it because of a book trade
they made with a South Carolina university years
ago. Those trades involved thousands of books,
she continued, tapping the page. So the chances
of someone else reading this one paragraph on
page 328 and connecting it to this project are
slim to none. If Tom or Dr. Conrad knew, they
would have shared it. Hawthorne leaned over the
old book. I've never even heard of this account.
How did you find it so fast? It was a ghost,
Amanda said, her voice still holding a trace
of excitement. A footnote in my grad school research.
I always assumed all copies were destroyed during
the Civil War. After the meeting, I ran a search
for it in our library's catalog on a one in a
million hunch because... I knew El Dorado had
done book swaps with other universities on the
East Coast. And it was here? Hawthorne replied,
then said, what are the odds? It was here, Amanda
said. The catalog shows El Dorado got it years
ago through their book trade with the South Carolina
University. It's listed as the only known surviving
copy. She continued, this has got to be a sign.
I mean, how often does something like this just
land in your lap? Hawthorne was still processing
the blind luck Amanda had just stumbled on, then
asked, So the real question is, are we going
to Florida to find one shipwreck or two? And
are we the only two people who know about it?
Later that day, the dig team, chairs 3, 4, and
5, sat silently in the modern sofas of a sterile
high -end condo in a new development in St. Augustine.
Midnight, the second chair and sixth chair stood
next to a glass coffee table where a laptop sat.
Its screen black. The voice of the first chair,
clear and dispassionate, emerged from the laptop
speakers. Second, report, chair one said. The
location was correct, Midnight said. We recovered
the caja this morning. The contents match your
intelligence. Spanish coins, 16th century. The
marker is confirmed. The shipwreck is real and
we're still in play. A moment of silence passed.
I'll send a runner over later today, pick up
the contents you found this morning. I'm assured
none will be missing. We count 24 coins in total,
sir. One more than what you had expected, Minna
answered. Interesting. 24 coins, hmm. Well then,
luck is on my side. First chair then asked, well
then, six, report. The internal sweep is complete.
Six chairs said with a calm and analytical tone.
The rest of the team is clean. Third, fourth,
and fifth are just muscle. They have no contacts
here, and they know what's at stake if they screw
up. And the external threats? First chair asked.
The sixth chair continues that local authorities
are not a factor, but I've identified one potential
complication. Go on, the voice said. The St.
Augustine Historical Society, a man there, Tom
Arnold, has been actively and quietly researching
the same thing for some months now. As of now,
he appears to be the only other person who's
potentially looking for the same thing as we
are. Is he a threat? Vinay asked, her voice sharp.
Not by himself, sixth chair replied. But he is
the primary point of exposure. If anyone else
gets involved, it will be through him. This is
unacceptable, First Chair said. An entire organization
cannot be allowed to interfere. If this guy knows
something, then you can assume the Historical
Society will know it at some point. Six, your
new priority here is the Historical Society itself.
I want you to discreetly disrupt their research.
Misdirect them. Lead them down false trails.
Your operation must be surgical, no collateral
damage, and absolutely no trace. of our involvement.
Our anonymity is paramount. Second, the voice
on the laptop continued. You will proceed with
the primary objective. Locate the main wreckage.
We have our proof. Now I want the prize. The
connection clicked and the speaker went silent.
And that ends part one. Stay tuned next week
as we bring you part two of the mystery of St.
Augustine. We've gone from practical halls of
Taylor University to the unfolding secrets of
St. Augustine. It makes you realize that whether
you're filling out a college application or solving
a mystery, the most important thing is to keep
asking questions. A huge thank you to our guests
from Taylor University for their invaluable advice
in the first half of the show. We hope their
insights help you find your path. And are you
hooked on the mystery? I hope so. You'll have
to tune in to episode 120 to hear part two of
the 10 -part original story. And don't forget
to subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast
show so you don't miss another episode. You can
also follow us on social media at Students Incorporated.
So thank you again for listening. And as always,
this podcast would not be possible without the
hard work and support of our international student
production team. All music and sound effects
are courtesy of Pixabay .com, a Viber community
of creatives sharing copyright -free images,
videos, and music. And we are signing off until
next time. We are Students Incorporated, because
your voice matters. Bye. Bye.