Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Jacque Rushin & Robyn Donaldson.

ROBYN DONALDSON & JACKIE RUSHIN

🎙️ Podcast Overview
This special Juneteenth episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by Rushion McDonald, features Dr. Jacque Rushin and Robyn Donladson, two award-winning educators and thought leaders. The episode commemorates the legacy of Dr. Gladys B. West, a pioneering mathematician whose calculations led to the creation of GPS. Together, the guests discuss how her story ties into the mission of Juneteenth, the importance of STEM education, and their newly launched Westward Bound life and STEM skills program.

📚 About Dr. Gladys B. West
• Legacy: Mathematician and GPS pioneer
• Era: Born in 1930, came of age during segregation
• Alma Mater: Virginia State University (HBCU), later earned a PhD
• Recognition: Often called a “living hidden figure”—though not featured in the Hidden Figures film
• Current Home: Fredericksburg, VA

📘 Books Discussed
• It Began With a Dream: Dr. West’s memoir, chronicling her life from sharecropping roots to GPS trailblazer
• Westward Bound: A curriculum-based program developed by Dunson and Rushing inspired by Dr. West’s principles

💡 Key Themes & Insights
• Juneteenth Connection: The delayed recognition of Dr. West mirrors the delayed liberation of enslaved Black Americans
• STEM Equity: Many students aren’t underperforming—they’re underexposed. The Westward Bound program seeks to close that gap
• Mental Health & Tech: While Dr. West helped pioneer GPS, she herself still uses maps to keep her mind sharp—a warning about over-reliance on tech
• AI & Overconsumption: Dr. Rushin draws attention to how misuse of AI and technology can impair critical thinking and mental wellness
• STEM as Liberation: STEM exposure is not just about careers—it’s a path to freedom, agency, and long-term resilience

🎓 About Westward Bound
• Mission: Teach not just hard skills (STEM) but soul skills—endurance, vision, self-awareness, and purpose
• Framework: Uses the acronym W.E.S.T. (Wisdom, Endurance, Strategy, Tracking)
• Audience: Underserved communities, students, adults in transition, entrepreneurs
• Access: Currently partnering with colleges, camps, and educational programs nationwide

🔁 Personal Journeys
• Dr. Jacque Rushin: A humanitarian, mental health expert, and curriculum developer who fuses wellness and educational development
• Robyn Donaldson: A global STEM advocate and 2025 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She discovered Dr. West’s book and launched the movement to amplify her story

📣 Call to Action
Listeners are encouraged to include Dr. Gladys West in Juneteenth programming, integrate It Began With a Dream into school libraries, and explore the Westward Bound program as a tool for transformative education. Visit stemxposure.org or call (813) 990‑7700 for more info. #best

#straw

 #shms

 

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Jacque Rushin &amp; Robyn Donaldson.
ROBYN DONALDSON &amp; JACKIE RUSHIN
🎙️ Podcast Overview This special Juneteenth episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by Rushion McDonald, features Dr. Jacque Rushin and Robyn Donladson, two award-winning educators and thought leaders. The episode commemorates the legacy of Dr. Gladys B. West, a pioneering mathematician whose calculations led to the creation of GPS. Together, the guests discuss how her story ties into the mission of Juneteenth, the importance of STEM education, and their newly launched Westward Bound life and STEM skills program.
📚 About Dr. Gladys B. West &bull; Legacy: Mathematician and GPS pioneer &bull; Era: Born in 1930, came of age during segregation &bull; Alma Mater: Virginia State University (HBCU), later earned a PhD &bull; Recognition: Often called a &ldquo;living hidden figure&rdquo;&mdash;though not featured in the Hidden Figures film &bull; Current Home: Fredericksburg, VA
📘 Books Discussed &bull; It Began With a Dream: Dr. West&rsquo;s memoir, chronicling her life from sharecropping roots to GPS trailblazer &bull; Westward Bound: A curriculum-based program developed by Dunson and Rushing inspired by Dr. West&rsquo;s principles
💡 Key Themes &amp; Insights &bull; Juneteenth Connection: The delayed recognition of Dr. West mirrors the delayed liberation of enslaved Black Americans &bull; STEM Equity: Many students aren&rsquo;t underperforming&mdash;they&rsquo;re underexposed. The Westward Bound program seeks to close that gap &bull; Mental Health &amp; Tech: While Dr. West helped pioneer GPS, she herself still uses maps to keep her mind sharp&mdash;a warning about over-reliance on tech &bull; AI &amp; Overconsumption: Dr. Rushin draws attention to how misuse of AI and technology can impair critical thinking and mental wellness &bull; STEM as Liberation: STEM exposure is not just about careers&mdash;it&rsquo;s a path to freedom, agency, and long-term resilience
🎓 About Westward Bound &bull; Mission: Teach not just hard skills (STEM) but soul skills&mdash;endurance, vision, self-awareness, and purpose &bull; Framework: Uses the acronym W.E.S.T. (Wisdom, Endurance, Strategy, Tracking) &bull; Audience: Underserved communities, students, adults in transition, entrepreneurs &bull; Access: Currently partnering with colleges, camps, and educational programs nationwide
🔁 Personal Journeys &bull; Dr. Jacque Rushin: A humanitarian, mental health expert, and curriculum developer who fuses wellness and educational development &bull; Robyn Donaldson: A global STEM advocate and 2025 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She discovered Dr. West&rsquo;s book and launched the movement to amplify her story
📣 Call to Action Listeners are encouraged to include Dr. Gladys West in Juneteenth programming, integrate It Began With a Dream into school libraries, and explore the Westward Bound program as a tool for transformative education. Visit <a href="http://stemxposure.org">stemxposure.org</a> or call (813) 990‑7700 for more info. #best
#straw
&nbsp;#shms
&nbsp;

Hi, this is Rushion McDonald. Welcome to the podcast world of Money Making Conversations Master Class. I interview profits and nonprofits to learn their "Secrets to Success."  I'm a former IBM Executive with a degree in Mathematics. I started my entrepreneurial career as a stand-up comic, then became a sitcom writer, award-winning baker, social media influencer, award-winning television Executive Producer, and brand architect for super-successful celebrities and products. Money Making Conversations Master Class interviews a diverse group of celebrities, entrepreneurs, and influencers in the financial and business community with their advice and tips so you can be successful, too. It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and start building your own. People always talk about their purpose or gifts. If you have a gift, Lead with your Gift, and don't let your friends, family, or co-workers stop you from planning or living your dream. Keep Winning!

https://www.moneymakingconversations.com

https://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversations

https://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingConversations/

https://twitter.com/moneymakingconv

https://www.instagram.com/moneymakingconversations/

Hi, this is Rushion McDonald. Welcome to the podcast world of Money Making Conversations Master Class. I interview profits and nonprofits to learn their "Secrets to Success."  I'm a former IBM Executive with a degree in Mathematics. I started my entrepreneurial career as a stand-up comic, then became a sitcom writer, award-winning baker, social media influencer, award-winning television Executive Producer, and brand architect for super-successful celebrities and products. Money Making Conversations Master Class interviews a diverse group of celebrities, entrepreneurs, and influencers in the financial and business community with their advice and tips so you can be successful, too. It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and start building your own. People always talk about their purpose or gifts. If you have a gift, Lead with your Gift, and don't let your friends, family, or co-workers stop you from planning or living your dream. Keep Winning!
https://www.moneymakingconversations.com
https://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversations
https://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingConversations/
https://twitter.com/moneymakingconv
https://www.instagram.com/moneymakingconversations/

Money Making Conversations Master Class

Uplift: Recognizing Dr. Gladys West's significant contribtions to GPS technology and importance of June 19th.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5e8a51bd-efca-49d6-a018-b2fb011aed87/transcript

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