The Whole Student offers notable people the chance to share the story of the teachers who influenced them — who made them feel seen, heard and known — shaping them into the leaders they are today. Join Kal Balaven, the Head of School at Dunn School in Los Olivos, Calif., for a heartfelt, sincere and often surprising trip through the educational experiences of his guests in this short-form podcast brought to you by the DunnCast network. Dunn School was founded on the idea of Whole Student Education, and, for more than 60 years, has been accomplishing its mission through the elevation of five Core Values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility and Moral Courage.
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After a the first two seasons filled with notable leaders and entrepreneurs shining a spotlight on the teachers who shaped them, Season 3 of The Whole Student is all about Community and Belonging. Now joined by co-host Mo Pritzker, this year, Dunn Head of School, Kalyan Balaven, prompts guests to offer their insights on the current state of education and how we can find solution-based practices to help students adapt to the social — and often digital — world before them.
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
In this powerful episode of The Whole Student Podcast, hosts Kal Balaven and Mo Pritzker tackle the critical issues of identity, belonging, and mental health in today’s students. Joined by renowned actress and mental health advocate Glenn Close, the conversation offers an intimate look into her personal journey and the inspiration behind her advocacy work. Glenn opens up about her family’s experience with mental illness, leading to the creation of Bring Change to Mind, an organization dedicated to ending the stigma through student-led peer support programs. Together, they explore the pressures students face from social media, the transformative power of empathy, and actionable ways to build more supportive, connected communities in schools. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on how we can all make a difference in student wellness and mental health.
Don’t miss this heartfelt and timely conversation!
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Building Foundations: Governor JB Pritzker on Community, Belonging, and Purpose
In this episode of the Whole Student Podcast, hosts Mo Pritzker and Kal Balaven delve into the themes of community, belonging, and purpose with special guest, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Governor Pritzker shares insights from his political and philanthropic work, emphasizing the importance of early childhood development, mental health, and the evolving role of educators. The discussion offers a candid look at the Governor's personal journey and the impacts of policies on fostering a sense of belonging and stability for young people in Illinois and around the country. The episode explores the critical role of teachers, the challenges posed by technology, and the importance of breaking stigmas tied to mental health.
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Dunn alumnus, alumni parent, and current chair of the Dunn Board of Trustees, Guy Walker ’76 has dedicated himself in service to his alma mater. This year, we celebrate 65 years of Dunn School, and perhaps the most striking fact of all is that, come Saturday, Guy will have been in attendance at Dunn’s graduation ceremony for 50 of those years.
He attended his first Dunn commencement at the end of his sophomore year in 1974 after transferring from Dominguez High School in Compton. After he graduated, he returned to celebrate the younger classmates he had bonded with — and in that act, Guy began to build community with students he hadn’t attended school with. Then he returned to attend their graduations.
The cycle continues, and this school year, Guy sat down to talk about his run of consecutive commencements, as well as his educational background and the teachers who inspired him, for the final episode of The Whole Student podcast with Head of School Kal Balaven. Please join us in recognizing Guy for his commitment to Dunn School and congratulate him on his 50-year string of sharing his presence with our graduates.
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Pioneering advertising executive Mark Hurst joined Dunn Head of School Kal Balaven for The Whole Student's first ever live podcast! Filmed on campus at Dunn School during the inaugural Robert W. Jurgensen Entrepreneurship Program's shareholder summit, Mark talks about his secrets to success, how to deal with failure, and his journey starting as a student through an advertising career recognized by Ad Age for creating the campaign of the decade for Federal Express in the 1980s. Mark takes questions from our audience of students and families in this must-listen episode. Don't miss it!
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
In the longest episode of The Whole Student to date, Kal welcomes author, journalist, activist, public speaker, entrepreneur (and much more) Kevin Powell to discuss Kevin's educational journey as a student growing up in New Jersey all the way through his college career at Rutgers. The episode itself turns into a history lesson of sorts as the impact of rap music across generations is explored by one of the most acclaimed political, cultural, literary and hip-hop voices in America today. Do not miss it.
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
A New York Times International Bestselling Author 23 times over (including the Orphan X series), Gregg Hurwitz is a master storyteller whose work has appeared across many media – from books to comics to screen and digital. Also a writer of political editorials, Gregg works against polarization in culture and politics. Hear the origins of his liberal arts education and learn about the foundational moments that have brought Gregg to where he is today. Gregg puts his passion for the craft on full display through spotlighting the teachers who influenced him most.
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Educator and author Elizabeth Denevi is one of the industry's foremost experts on promoting equity and diversity in schools, colleges, universities, and community agencies. As a former student who did not have a teacher of color herself until graduate work in college, Elizabeth personally understands the value of seeing yourself in history lessons — making concepts like Black History Month and ethnic diversity among faculty so important to students of color. Her writing and professional development also includes measures that reveal how white people have contributed to antiracism, paving paths for everyone to celebrate and take part in the movement.
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Considering how comedy writer Les Firestein helped usher TV smash hit "In Living Color" to fame as an executive producer with the show's unique and irreverent brand of risk-taking sketch comedy, it's no surprise that Les also challenged the system in his days as a student. Watch him reminisce about his educational experiences and reflect on how a propensity for challenging authority as a youth has led to his latest entrepreneurial venture, a magazine that blends architecture with his personal brand of humor titled The Riv.
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
In a matter of weeks, Mike "Oz" Osegueda lost his dream job then suffered a devastating family tragedy. But the former prototypical journalism student took inspiration from his grandfather's motor shop to pivot into entrepreneurship as the premier Fresno food aficionado, and has used those reporter skills to help bring awareness and reform to hit-and-run penalties in California.
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Join Montecito Journal CEO and Executive Editor Gwyn Lurie as she details the most impactful teachers along an illustrious career that includes spans as an ABC News journalist, documentary filmmaker, Hollywood screenwriter, and on to her renaissance in local print journalism. In contrast to previous guests who leaned on classroom experiences, Gwyn heaps praise on the teachers and mentors who helped shape her in her adult life.
Whole Student refers to the magical moment when a student is fully seen, heard, and known. This is the spark of a relationship between student and teacher, where the former is catalyzed on a journey beyond what they thought possible, and the latter is a proud advisor cheering from the sidelines.