EPISODE · Mar 6, 2026 · 1H 1M
Addressing Global Issues through Local Action with Dr. Megan Manassah and Rylee Mulhollen ‘27
from Wake Women · host Mary Tribble
For this episode, I sat down with Dr Megan Manassah and Rylee Molhollen ‘27 to talk about classes and we ended up talking about compassion: where it’s learned, how it’s practiced, and what happens when education moves beyond the classroom and into the community. How does empathy become action and how can learning shape the way we show up for others? When Rylee Mulhollen ‘27 was deciding which first year seminar to take at Wake Forest, Dr. Megan Manassah’s class Poverty and Prosperity: Inequality in Winston-Salem jumped out at her. Growing up, Rylee’s mom had taught her to pay attention to community needs, so the idea of working on issues around poverty in the town of W-S intrigued her. She didn’t know it would set her on a path of solving problems and serving others. The seminar, which focuses on how the root causes of poverty play out in a North Carolina city, sparked Rylee’s interest in creating solutions for social change, which influenced the direction of her educational career. In this conversation we explore the impact of first-year seminars on the students–not just academically but personally. We discuss the importance of connecting academic learning with local community issues, particularly in the context of economic inequality and poverty. Through literature, such as The Great Gatsby, the class analyzed themes of inequality and social dynamics–information that challenged the students’ world views and encouraged them to think critically about potential solutions. You’ll come away from this conversation like I did: inspired and proud of the quality of experiences that Wake Forest students enjoy. The conversation also highlights the significance of experiential learning and community engagement in shaping their future aspirations and the role of education in driving social change.Books from Megan’s syllabus you may want to read: The Broken Ladder, Payne, K The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald, F. S. Poor Economics, Banjeree, A & Duflo, EPoverty, by America, Desmond, M.
What this episode covers
For this episode, I sat down with Dr Megan Manassah and Rylee Molhollen ‘27 to talk about classes and we ended up talking about compassion: where it’s learned, how it’s practiced, and what happens when education moves beyond the classroom and into the community. How does empathy become action and how can learning shape the way we show up for others? When Rylee Mulhollen ‘27 was deciding which first year seminar to take at Wake Forest, Dr. Megan Manassah’s class Poverty and Prosperity: Inequality in Winston-Salem jumped out at her. Growing up, Rylee’s mom had taught her to pay attention to community needs, so the idea of working on issues around poverty in the town of W-S intrigued her. She didn’t know it would set her on a path of solving problems and serving others. The seminar, which focuses on how the root causes of poverty play out in a North Carolina city, sparked Rylee’s interest in creating solutions for social change, which influenced the direction of her educational career. In this conversation we explore the impact of first-year seminars on the students–not just academically but personally. We discuss the importance of connecting academic learning with local community issues, particularly in the context of economic inequality and poverty. Through literature, such as The Great Gatsby, the class analyzed themes of inequality and social dynamics–information that challenged the students’ world views and encouraged them to think critically about potential solutions. You’ll come away from this conversation like I did: inspired and proud of the quality of experiences that Wake Forest students enjoy. The conversation also highlights the significance of experiential learning and community engagement in shaping their future aspirations and the role of education in driving social change.Books from Megan’s syllabus you may want to read: The Broken Ladder, Payne, K The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald, F. S. Poor Economics, Banjeree, A & Duflo, EPoverty, by America, Desmond, M.
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Addressing Global Issues through Local Action with Dr. Megan Manassah and Rylee Mulhollen ‘27
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