Cynthia Young, associate professor and chair of the Ohio State University Department of African American and African Studies, discusses her vision for the department and the future of higher education. She emphasizes the importance of rethinking universities to be more accountable and relevant in the 21st century. Young creates courses that help students think critically about social issues and discusses the need for graduate programs to adapt to the evolving job landscape by equipping students with skills applicable beyond academia. Young and host David Staley conclude by discussing her journey into academia administration, emphasizing her delight in problem-solving and intellectual work, and how she has found administration to be a creative and collaborative field.