Undergraduate Honors Student Co-Hosts LeadershipWWEB Podcast

The newest edition of the Leadership WWEB podcast, founded by University of Arkansas business and engineering faculty members, is out and features a conversation with Angela J. Grayson, an accomplished lawyer, entrepreneur and author.

In it, Grayson discusses her leadership values, the role of mentorship in her career and why women in the workforce should stop saying "sorry" so much, among other things.

Grayson is a member of the DREAM board (Dean's Round Table of Entrepreneurs and Market Makers) in the Sam. M. Walton College of Business.

Grayson's interview represents a departure from the normal Leadership WWEB format, in which a faculty member interviews guests. For Grayson's episode, the interview was co-hosted by Rachel Pohl, a senior honors student studying civil engineering.

Chancellor Emeritus John White, one of the founders of the podcast, said the opportunity for Pohl to conduct the interview led to a unique conversation for listeners.

"Drawing on her Air Force ROTC and community service experiences, Rachel made valuable contributions to the Leadership Principles and Practices course when I taught it fall semester," White said. "So, I was not surprised to hear her conduct Angela Grayson's interview so professionally. Rachel's future is very bright."

The podcast is a joint project from White; Matt Waller, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business; John English, dean of the College of Engineering; and Andrew Braham, associate professor of civil engineering. The podcast is targeted toward undergraduate students who are in the formative stages of their careers.

Braham said having Pohl, an undergraduate, conduct the interview added an important layer to the episode.

"Rachel is one of our highest achieving undergraduate students in the Civil Engineering Department and she excels both inside and outside of the classroom. She did a wonderful job of incorporating her life experiences with concepts learned in Dr. White's 'Leadership Principle's' class during our conversation with Ms. Grayson."

LeadershipWWEB publishes two times per month and is available on iTunes. You can also follow on Instagram or LinkedIn, simply search LeadershipWWEB.

Past guests have included Shelly Simpson, executive vice president of J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.; Joe Steinmetz, chancellor of the University of Arkansas; and Donnie Smith, former CEO of Tyson Foods.