If you’re a fan of Outlander, the historical fiction series set in Scotland, like I am, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I talk with Dr. Alexandra “Alex” Dold, a literary scholar and historian known as the “Doctor of Outlander,” about her academic journey and career path. We discuss how historical fiction can become public history — inviting people to connect with history beyond textbooks and classrooms.

During this episode, you’ll learn how Outlander and other historical fiction can build bridges between fans, public audiences, and academic inquiry. Alex also shares insights from her own path — from studying literature in Germany to completing a PhD in Scotland on Outlander as public history. You'll hear how that journey reshaped her understanding of how stories can make reading and history more accessible for everyone.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How historical fiction functions as public history
• Why stories like Outlander make history feel accessible and emotionally resonant
• Dr. Alex Dold’s academic journey — from pursuing language and literature to transforming it into public-facing scholarship
• Practical ways listeners can continue engaging with history and reading outside formal academic spaces

Why This Matters

Historical fiction often gets dismissed as “just entertainment.” Alex’s work reframes it as public history. It's a way that everyday readers and viewers connect with the past and develop meaningful questions. This episode invites listeners to:

• see the Outlander stories they love as gateways to learning,
• recognize curiosity as a valid path to knowledge, and
• think about how reading habits can lead to deeper exploration.

Guest Info

Dr. Alexandra “Alex” Dold is a literary scholar and historian whose research focuses on historical fiction as public history. She completed her PhD in history examining the Outlander novels at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Centre for History, Dornoch. Dr. Dold explored the role of Outlander in shaping how people engage with history beyond traditional academic spaces.

You can find out more about Dr. Dold and her scholarship below:
https://alexdold.com/

Outlander

Dr. Diana Gabaldon is the author of the award-winning The Outlander series. You can learn more about about the series and Diana here.

The final season of Outlander airs in March 2026 on STARZ.

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In this music-filled episode of Stories of Change and Creativity, Judy Oskam sits down with singer-songwriter and education leader Dr. Candace Hastings to explore what it means to live a creative life of purpose. They talk about identity, community, and meaning. Along the way, you’ll hear excerpts from Candace’s new album, including “Soft Place to Land” and “Horses I Left Behind,” songs shaped by memory, place, and belonging.

Dr. Hastings is the Associate Vice Provost for the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship at Texas State University, an acclaimed singer-songwriter and a tribal member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Her Potawatomi name is Mskwagishgokwe [Red Sky Woman]. Candace shares how being adopted and later discovering her Indigenous heritage helped her come “full circle,” shaping both her leadership and her songwriting. This episode features excerpts of Candace’s music, including “Soft Place to Land” and “Horses I Left Behind.”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Candace integrates creative practice and leadership in higher education
• How identity and heritage shape her songwriting
• The Potawatomi concept of mno-bmadzewen - walking in a good way on the earth—a life guided by balance, responsibility, and relationship with community and the land
• Why curiosity and creativity are essential for learning, teaching, and innovation
• How work and play overlap when your work is aligned with meaning

Creativity and Letting the Song Lead

Candace describes her musical genre as Americana—and says each song “tells her what it needs to be.” Sometimes that means swing (as in “Lone Star Christmas”) and sometimes it means a fully layered studio production.

The song “Horses I Left Behind,” was written during Candace’s trips to Oklahoma where she deepened her connection to her Potawatomi roots. She told me that she later learned she drove past the cemetery where her grandmother was buried. This gives special meaning to the song.

Candace has a new album coming out in spring 2026, featuring the following songs:

• Soft Place to Land (title track)
• Horses I Left Behind
• Love and Cowboys
• It’s Too Damn Hot
• Call Your Mama

You can find out more about Candace Hastings and her music here:

https://www.candacehastings.com/

This episode was recorded at Live Oak Studios on the campus of Texas State University.

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What do you say when someone you love is dying—and you know your time together is limited? In this practical and compassionate episode, Judy Oskam talks with Dr. Maureen Keeley, a leading researcher on end-of-life communication, from Texas State University.

Dr. Maureen Keeley offers a research-based framework for anyone caring for an aging parent, supporting a loved one through illness, or anticipating loss. Listeners will learn what matters most in end-of-life conversations and how small, everyday moments can become the memories that last a lifetime.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How to rethink “final conversations” so you don’t wait until it’s too late
• Why there is no perfect goodbye
• How everyday routines can provide comfort, meaning, and connection at the end of life
• How these conversations help you, not just the person who is dying

The Six Themes of Final Conversations (Research-Based)

1. Love messages – expressing love, reassurance, affection, and presence
2. Identity messages – affirming strengths, values, and who someone has been in your life
3. Spiritual or religious messages – faith, meaning, beliefs about death or the afterlife
4. Everyday talk – routine conversations, humor, shared activities, normal life
5. Healing difficult relationships – addressing unresolved tension, softening anger, finding peace
6. Taking care of the business of death and dying – wishes, living wills, memorial plans, passwords, and practical guidance

Dr. Maureen Keeley is a Professor of Interpersonal Communication at Texas State University. She has studied end-of-life communication for more than two decades.

You can find Dr. Keeley and Dr. Yingling's book below:

The Good Goodbye: The Transformative Power of Conversation at the End of Life by Maureen P. Kelley, Ph.D. and Julie M. Yingling, Ph.D.

This episode was recorded at Live Oak Studios on the campus of Texas State University.

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Hi Friend - Thanks for listening!

Check out my TEDx talk. Why you should take action - then figure it out.