The Hunt Institute Releases Podcast with Former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant

A First-Generation College Student, Governor Bryant Discusses Value of Early Literacy and Teachers

Cary, NC – The Hunt Institute is pleased to announce the release of the latest episode of its podcast series As Yet Untold, featuring an interview between Governor Phil Bryant, former governor of Mississippi, and The Institute’s President & CEO, Dr. Javaid Siddiqi.

In the episode, Governor Bryant talks about growing up during the civil rights movement in rural Mississippi. In the fourth grade, after struggling to read, his teacher discovered he had dyslexia and began working with him one-on-one while his classmates went out for recess. This teacher opened doors for the former governor, who became the first in his family to attend college. Dr. Siddiqi and Governor Bryant go on to discuss his decades of public service.

“After speaking with Governor Bryant during a pre-premiere panel for Starting at Zero, a documentary about the importance of early learning, I was eager to record this episode,” said Dr. Siddiqi. “Through his literacy and child care efforts, Mississippi students are leading the nation in growth of fourth grade reading scores. He’s made a major difference in the lives of students across Mississippi.”

Governor Bryant shared some kind words about The Hunt Institute’s founder and board chair Governor Jim Hunt, stating during the course of the interview, “What a remarkable difference that one man has made over the years. It is amazing to see a man of his seniority who continues to make a difference every day. It is inspiring, and it’s such a pleasure to be a part of an initiative of The Institute.”

The Institute created the podcast to provide an outlet for public figures to share a more personal side of themselves, away from the political spotlight. As the name implies, the hope is that each guest takes the opportunity to reveal something they haven’t shared to a wide audience before.

Episodes of As Yet Untold are released twice a month, and July’s guests include John M. Belk Endowment President & Board Chair MC Belk Pilon and former U.S. Secretary of Education John King.

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About The Hunt Institute
An affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, The Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since it was established in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success.