UNC Asheville will debut its first television series, "A Conversation with Asheville's University," at 10 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, on Asheville Educational Television. Hosted by UNC Asheville Chancellor Anne Ponder, the program brings together the region’s outstanding innovators, policy-makers and educators to discuss collaborative approaches to key community issues. The conversational program will focus on a different topic each week -- community health and wellness, environmental research and technology, K-12 education and teacher preparation, and new trends among Western North Carolina retirees.

A new segment will air at 10 p.m. Tuesdays, and will be shown again daily at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. through the following Tuesday morning on Charter Cable channel 16 in Buncombe County. The programs may also be viewed online anytime at www.unca.edu/conversations.

The upcoming topics are:

"Health and Wellness in Our Community," airing April 28-May 5. Joe Damore, Mission Hospitals president and CEO, and Keith Ray, director of the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville, join Chancellor Ponder to discuss the challenges and successes in helping Western North Carolinians pursue healthier lifestyles.

"A Lifetime of Learning," airing May 5-12. Virgil Smith, vice president for talent management for the Gannett Company and chairman of the Asheville Citizen-Times, and Sandra Byrd, UNC Asheville assistant provost for Graduate and Continuing Education, discuss the achievement gap, mentoring and teacher work force preparation.

"Climate, Technology and Our Environment," airing May 12-19. UNC Asheville alumnus and award-winning media artist David McConville and Jim Fox, UNC Asheville's National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center director, discuss innovative programs, technology and research focused on climate change and land use planning.

"The Changing Face of Retirement," airing May 19-26. Ronald Manheimer, outgoing director of UNC Asheville's North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, and Imogene Radeker "Cissie" Stevens, former director of UNC Asheville's Community Leadership Programs, discuss how a new generation of retirees is seeking opportunities for community involvement and intergenerational communities.

A fifth program with William Friday, former president of the University of North Carolina system and host of UNC-TV's "North Carolina People," is scheduled to air later this spring.

"Conversations with Asheville's University" was produced by Ramsey Library Video Production and taped in the library's television studio. Those working on the series include Kent Thompson, Ramsey Library television producer/director/manager, and students Sasha T. Hussey (Multimedia Arts & Sciences), Glenn Weyler (Teaching Licensure and Theatre Arts), Rebecca Peterson (Multimedia Arts & Sciences and Music Technology), Jessica Laney (Multimedia Arts & Sciences and Fine Arts) and Michael Culbreth (Creative Writing). 

For more information, call UNC Asheville's News Services Office at 828/251-6526.