Welcome to Benedictine College’s Always A Raven podcast! Join us as we connect through conversations of alumni, parents, and friends of Benedictine College. With captivating stories and remarkable careers these conversations travel from “where are they now” to “what was it like when.”
On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Jason Riley, an adjunct professor who has spent 30 years—and 60 consecutive semesters—teaching guitar at Benedictine College. What began as a young musician’s part-time teaching opportunity became a decades-long connection to Benedictine, its students, and a campus Jason has watched transform around him.
Jason reflects on a life built around music, from performing and recording with bands to mentoring generations of guitar students. Along the way, he shares how his own teachers shaped his approach to education, particularly the lesson that music should never become simply a chore. For Jason, teaching is about patience, encouragement, and helping students keep music in their lives—whether they pursue it professionally or simply play because they love it.
After three decades at Benedictine, Jason has seen buildings, technology, and generations of students change, but the heart of the college remains familiar. For him, being a Raven means belonging to a family built on loyalty, encouragement, and lifelong relationships—a community where people continue to show up for one another long after their time on campus ends.
6 Oct 2026
Jim Jansen '99
On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Jim Jansen, a 1999 Benedictine College graduate, founder and CEO of Anchor Consulting, and longtime leader in Catholic evangelization. Jim reflects on the Benedictine experiences that shaped his faith, including a profound season of loss that led him back to confession, prayer, and a deeper relationship with God.
What began with a small FOCUS Bible study eventually became an 18-year career with the organization, followed by work with the Archdiocese of Omaha and his current mission helping parishes and dioceses build cultures of evangelization. Through each chapter, Jim has carried one lesson from Benedictine with him: the importance of accompaniment—meeting people where they are, building genuine relationships, and walking with them rather than simply giving them a plan to follow.
Now watching his own children experience Benedictine, Jim reflects on how the college has grown while retaining the community that first formed him. For Jim, being a Raven means recognizing the people God places in our lives at the moments we need them most—and being willing to become that person for someone else.
Learn more about Jim’s work and his approach to helping Catholics and parishes live out the mission of evangelization at Everyday Evangelization.
29 Sept 2026
Sarah Wise
On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Dr. Sarah Weiss, a Benedictine College professor whose path to becoming a Raven began in an unexpected place: the softball field. From coaching and teaching to converting to Catholicism and earning her master’s at Benedictine, Sarah reflects on how God used each step of her journey to eventually lead her back to Atchison as an educator.
Sarah shares how her experiences as a coach, missionary, and teacher have shaped the way she approaches her students today. Whether serving alongside Benedictine students on mission trips or preparing future educators for their own classrooms, she sees teaching as more than a profession—it is an opportunity to build community, show up for others, and help students recognize the gifts God has placed in their hands.
Through personal trials, Sarah has also experienced that Benedictine community from the other side—learning to accept help, lean on others, and find joy even in difficult seasons. For her, “once a Raven, always a Raven” ultimately means family: a community that celebrates together, supports one another, and continues showing up no matter where life leads.
Who has been a guest on Always A Raven Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Chris Tabor
Clare Hanson
Larry Wilcox
Terry Gainer
Steve Minnis
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
47
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
81
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Guest appearances
Books guests
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