InFormation is hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg, President-Elect of John Carroll University. This is Episode 4

Pete Williams is a retired NBC News correspondent and journalist-in-residence at John Carroll University. Over a career spanning decades, he covered breaking news, national policy, and landmark Supreme Court decisions — learning along the way that the facts of a story are never enough on their own. What matters is knowing which facts to choose, how to arrange them, and why your audience should care.

In this conversation, he reflects on what it takes to tell a story well: from his early days following President Clinton on Martha's Vineyard to a prime-time documentary connecting World War II saboteurs to Guantanamo Bay. He also talks honestly about the moments he got it wrong — and what he learned from them.

• Why facts alone don't make a story — and what does
• The process of selection: what to include, what to cut, and why it matters
• Leading with meaning vs. leading with information
• How deadlines sharpen your thinking (and when they don't)
• What breaking news taught him about transparency and trust
• The difference between listening and waiting to talk
• How to tell your own story

Inspired by this episode, take a moment to reflect:

• What story am I telling, and do I know why it matters to the person hearing it?
• Where am I piling on facts when I should be building meaning?
• What's one moment from my own life I could tell as a story, not just a list of things that happened?

Pete Williams reminds us that the best storytellers aren't the ones with the most information. They're the ones who know what to leave out — and how to make you care about what's left.

Hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg
Directed by Carmen Ferrante
Produced by Aaron Bennett
Associate Producer Joe Bilas
Creative by Danielle Dunne
Web & Distribution by Kara Kraus
Special thanks to Dan Slentz, Jasen Sokol, Blue Streak Media, and WJCU 88.7 FM.

InFormation is hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg. This is Episode 3.

Alan R. Miciak is the 26th President of John Carroll University. During his presidency, the University experienced significant enrollment growth, institutional momentum, and continued investment in its Jesuit mission and student experience.

As his time in the role comes to a close, this conversation focuses less on accomplishments and more on perspective. Reflecting on the demands of leadership, Dr. Miciak shares why he made a conscious effort this past year to be more present — to fully experience the people, moments, and relationships that can easily be overshadowed by constant planning and responsibility.

In this episode, he reflects on leadership not only as strategy and decision-making, but as attention, listening, and learning how to truly be where you are.

• Why leadership constantly pulls attention toward the future
• Learning to slow down and notice important moments in real time
• The difference between managing responsibilities and being fully present
• How presence changes conversations, decisions, and relationships
• Recognizing when you’ve drifted into “next thing” thinking
• Why listening is one of the clearest forms of presence
• The role intentionality plays in leadership and everyday life
• What people miss when they move too quickly through meaningful experiences
• Treating presence as a practice instead of a personality trait
• Reflecting on leadership through moments, not just milestones

Inspired by this episode, take a moment to reflect:

• When was the last time I felt fully present in a conversation or experience?
• What most often pulls my attention away from the moment I’m in?
• What’s one small way I could slow down and become more intentional this week?

Dr. Miciak reminds us that presence is rarely automatic. It’s something we return to — moment by moment, conversation by conversation — by choosing to fully engage with the life that’s happening right now.

Hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg
Directed by Carmen Ferrante
Produced by Aaron Bennett
Associate Producer Joe Bilas
Creative by Danielle Dunne
Web & Distribution by Kara Kraus
Special thanks to Dan Slentz, Jasen Sokol, Blue Streak Media, and WJCU 88.7 FM.

InFormation is hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg, President-Elect of John Carroll University. This is Episode 2.

Dr. Martina Moore is a faculty member and leader in John Carroll University’s counseling program. Before coming to JCU full time, she spent 15 years building her own practice. Over time, she found herself most energized when working with and mentoring students, and began to notice a quiet but persistent sense that she was meant to do more of that work.

That realization led her to make a bold and deeply personal decision: to return for her Ph.D. and step fully into teaching. In this conversation, she reflects on what it means to listen to that inner voice, to trust it, and to say yes to what comes next.

• Starting from gratitude instead of fear
• Recognizing moments when something just feels right
• Saying yes before you have everything figured out
• Understanding how your calling shows up over time
• Reframing a “step back” as a step forward
• Moving through doubt, discomfort, and outside expectations
• Choosing what’s true for you, even when it’s not obvious to others
• Building the self-trust to take your next step

Inspired by this episode, take a moment to reflect:

• When have I felt a sense of “this is right” in my life?
• Where might fear be holding me back right now?
• What is one small step I could take toward what feels true?

Dr. Moore reminds us that clarity doesn’t always come all at once. Sometimes, it begins with a feeling — and grows when we have the courage to follow it.

Hosted by Carolyn Noll Sorg
Directed by Carmen Ferrante
Produced by Aaron Bennett
Associate Producer Joe Bilas
Creative by Danielle Dunne
Web & Distribution by Kara Kraus
Special thanks to Dan Slentz, Jasen Sokol, Blue Streak Media, and WJCU 88.7 FM.