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In the latest episode of NASPA's Student Affairs Voices from the Field podcast, the conversation dives deep into one of higher education's most timely topics: What does a successful flexible work environment look like in student affairs today and in the future? This episode, recorded live at the 2026 NASPA Annual Conference in Kansas City, captures a chorus of perspectives from student affairs professionals across the country and around the globe, each sharing insights on how flexibility is shaping the present—and the promise—of our profession. A key theme that echoes throughout the episode is the shift from the traditional 9-to-5 on-campus model to one that centers both staff well-being and student needs. Alan Thompson highlights this shift, noting that "the typical nine-to-five...is no longer going to work with the way the world is shifting around us" 00:00:50. Flexibility now takes many forms, from remote and hybrid work, to alternative scheduling, to using digital tools like chatbots for student support outside normal hours, as mentioned by Enoke J. Agyei. Supporting staff as whole people is another recurring message. Kerry Greenstein underscores the importance of supervisors who "are understanding and able to support their teams," allowing staff to do what they need to be their best selves for students 00:02:11. The theme of trust and autonomy surfaces in Mishka Murad's comments on letting employees choose their work settings and hours to find individual productivity and balance, so long as the work gets done. Many contributors advocate for meeting students where they are—digitally, asynchronously, and outside the office walls. Dan Volchek and Diana Sims Harris both suggest that student affairs professionals must adapt to students' diverse schedules and preferences, ranging from in-person to online interactions. At the same time, contributors recognize the challenge of designing flexible policies that remain inclusive, equitable, and responsive to both staff and student needs. From practical solutions like cross-training backups and honoring comp time, to broader reflections on rethinking institutional culture, the episode brims with wisdom for every level of the field. Whether you're a new grad or a seasoned dean, this conversation is a must-listen. It's packed with concrete ideas and heartfelt stories about finding work-life integration in student affairs. Tune in to SA Voices from the Field and explore how flexibility is not only redefining our work, but also sustaining our passion for serving students—today and into the future. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is season 14 continuing our conversation on the value of Student Affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. Sheher hers your SA Voices from the Field Host welcome back to another episode of SA Voices from the Field Today is our third episode that was recorded live and in person at the Kansas City, Missouri 2026 annual conference. We asked you about the third focus area for the conference, which was about workforce trends and the future of the profession. The question posed was what does a successful flexible work environment look like in student affairs today and in the future? Here's what you told us. Dr. Alan Thompson [00:00:50]: Alan Thompson at the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington Director of Academic and Career Advising Having a flexible work environment is so important to the professionals who work in student affairs today as well as the future. The typical nine to five, five day or six day work week that we were once accustomed to in years gone by is no longer going to work with the the way that the world is shifting around us, it is important that we as professionals have a work life balance and oftentimes that means that having a flexible work schedule, working different hours throughout the day or even various days of the week, being able to work remotely two or three days a week, is very, very successful in creating an environment in which student affairs employ, want to work and are available to work given the many complexities that we have outside of the typical work environment. Kerry Greenstein Kerry Greenstein, Sweet Briar College I'm the Dean of Student Life. A successful work environment to me looks like supervisors who are understanding and able to support their teams, allowing them to come late, take time, really do what they need to do to be there best selves so that when they are present and helping the students that they serve that they are really at their best and able to serve them as best as possible. Hi everyone, my name is  Gada Endick [00:03:08]: Enoke J. Agyieu. I am a second year graduate student of the Student Affairs Administration Program at Michigan State University. I'll be graduating in May and I am glad to share my perspective as a new professional and a new grad. How I see flexible work environment is using technology and data to help students with services even without the physical appearance of professionals. With the age of AI, we can have chatbots and other technologies that can respond to student needs while professionals are not in their offices or they are not having a direct interaction with students and I think that is the way to go in the future as student affairs professionals. Be at the back end monitoring student trends and their concerns and how best students can be referred with in person and face to face services. So basically that is what I can share and I can see that profession have a great promise for some of us as early career professionals.  Mishka Murad [00:04:23]: My name is Mishka Murad and I have worked in student affairs as well as worked as an adjunct instructor. I'm originally from Pakistan and I've worked in Pakistan, Thailand, Mexico and the US Online classes suddenly because of a snowstorm. And so just having that ab ability to be able to adapt, I think is a really important skill that we're able to then give to students as well. So I think a flexible work environment is that ability to say I need to work from home or I'd like to work from home because I don't do so well with a chatty environment and I really want to zone in. Or guess what? I wake up at 5am every day and I'm most productive at 5:30. And I definitely don't want to come into the office, but if I'm working from home, that's possible. So I think it's really understanding that it's all the work we really do for students, which is they learn in different ways, they, they need different kind of advising. We show up for them at different times, on different days. Just bringing that into the world of student affairs where the same is allowed for us. So I too can have that flexibility. I too can work a particular hour that I might work well. And more than anything, a successful work environment is not just saying you can do these things, but is trusting people that they will do these things and they are doing these things. And so I believe that it's not just what is offered to you by an institution, but it's the kind of faith your dean and your supervisor have in you. Gada Endick [00:05:14]: I'm Gada Endick and I'm the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life at Rutgers University. And we focus on creating an interconnected graduate student experience across our eight grad schools. So we're here to kind of improve the quality of life for graduate and professional students, serving their diverse needs, fostering a sense of belonging, and really helping them just make the most of the many resources Rutgers has to offer. So we do programming that's designed to connect students across their disciplines. We provide spaces for them to meet and gather, and we also focus on events and initiatives that celebrate their contributions, their achievements, and amplify their voices. A successful flexible work environment in student affairs today, I think recognizes that the work is both relational and adaptable. It balances the need for in person student connection with flexible options that support staff well being, productivity and trust. So in the future, the most effective environments, I think we'll focus less on where work happens and more on impact and empowering the professionals to serve students well while sustaining their own well being. Adam McCready [00:06:24]: Hi, I'm Adam McCready. I use him his pronouns. I'm an associate professor in higher education programs at the University of Connecticut. Again, if we need to meet students where they're at, part of that is realizing that the 9 to 5 workday and having folks in person on campus is not meeting students and supporting. We need folks who are going to be in those face to face roles at on campus events and programs, but requires flexible work hours. There are plenty of folks in our field who can do their jobs successfully remotely. And if we want to retain and support folks specifically who were able to do their jobs successfully through the pandemic and beyond, we need to recognize that the in person only work experience is not the realm of success in the future. And for students who are coming into higher ed and then moving on into work in our field, thinking about it through that lens of in person work does not meet the reality of their identities at this point in time. Andrew Finn [00:07:19]: My name is Andrew Finn and I am the assistant director for Graduate Student Programming and events in the center for Student Involvement at Northeastern University on the Boston campus. There's two approaches to this question. I'll look at it from a staff lens, but also a student lens from a staff lens. I think if we're talking about flexib

Season 14, Episode 8 of NASPA's Student Affairs Voices from the Field podcast brings together a powerful chorus of perspectives from student affairs professionals, leaders, and educators, all answering a central, urgent question: How can student affairs use data and technology to better serve the profession? This episode is a must-listen for anyone committed to the future of higher education, offering both inspiration and practical insight for advancing our field. A tapestry of voices emerges, revealing several clear themes. First, the call for intentional and strategic use of data rings loud and clear throughout. Alan Thompson identifies the importance of keeping up with evolving technology to positively impact the student experience and emphasizes the critical nature of knowing who our students are and what support they need. Others, like Gada Endick, advocate using data not just for compliance or recordkeeping, but to proactively search for gaps in student belonging and to build more intentional communities. Second, embracing technology and artificial intelligence as tools for both efficiency and connection is a recurring thread. Dylan Dermeyer, among others, highlights how AI can free professionals from routine tasks, affording more quality time with students. This shift allows practitioners to focus on building meaningful relationships—the heart of student affairs work. Romando Nash encourages leveraging AI so staff can spend less time on paperwork, and more time face-to-face with students. Another consistent theme is the necessity of collaboration and data sharing. Several contributors emphasize that data must not remain siloed. Brett Peterson Bruner voices the need to share information across campus, advocating for collective wisdom and integrated decision-making: when student affairs, academic, and institutional researchers join forces, the whole campus community benefits. The importance of professional development and training is spotlighted as well. Michael Allensworth and Antonia McFarland argue that data and technology skills should be woven into graduate preparatory programs and ongoing staff training to ensure everyone in the profession can grow, adapt, and thrive. Finally, the episode calls for a human-centered approach to data. Mishka Murad reminds us that behind every number is a student story, and Dr. Rolanda Horn advocates using data as storytelling—a tool to highlight successes, identify gaps, and advocate for the value of our work. For those seeking guidance, inspiration, or a pulse on where student affairs is headed in a rapidly changing world, this episode delivers. Tune in to hear your colleagues grapple with the challenges and opportunities ahead, sharing strategies that can help us all lead with data, technology, and most of all, heart. Ready to dive deeper? Listen now to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, Season 14, Episode 8! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by NASPA. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is season 14 continuing our conversation on the value of Student Affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. Sheher hers your SA voices from the Field host. Thank you for coming back for our next episode of Essay Voices from the Field. Today we're going to be featuring your responses to our second question that we recorded live and in person at the 2026 annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Our second question was about the focus area of data technology and return on investment in higher education and student affairs. We asked you how can student affairs use data and technology to better serve the student affairs profession? Here's what you told us. Dr. Alan Thompson [00:00:38]: Alan Thompson at the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington Director of Academic and Career Advising the use of data and technology in student affairs student life is so imperative. The way that technology is shifting and growing and changing today, student affairs needs to stay abreast and stay par with the various systems that can have a positive impact on students experiences and so the use of data knowing who our students are, what services that the institution is lacking to support our students, but making sure that we are using that data is critical to the success of the profession.  Cary Greenstein Cary Greenstein, Sweet Briar College I'm the Dean of Student Life. I would make sure that student life and student affairs staff are led to be senior Student affairs or senior cabinet members at any institution so that they could really have the authority to lead and run everything from CARE teams to student success and all the other things that are really needed to help improve student success. And so really it's about how we set the organizational structure. I would say that we can really use data to help serve the profession by really making sure that we have so much information, our platforms provide so much for us that we can use that to then better understand our students, better understand their needs and how we can better serve them and support them with whatever challenges they're having. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:47]: Hi everyone, my name is Enoke Agyei I am a second year graduate student of the Student Affairs Administration Program at Michigan State University. I'll be graduating in May and I am glad to share my perspective as a new professional and a new grad. Data and assessment is the way to go because it give us what we are not seeing, give us the hidden treasures of how we are able to support students and technology is here to facilitate our work with Predictive analytics for us to know the early signs, to come on board with proactive measures before students fall through the cracks. So I think the data and assessment should not be seen from that perspective of compliance, but rather to develop it as a culture to help a student. So more of helping students a proactive measure than to see it as compliance measure.  Mishka Murad [00:04:04]: My name is Mishka Murad, and I have worked in student affairs as well as worked as an adjunct instructor. I'm originally from Pakistan, and I've worked in Pakistan, Thailand, Mexico, and the US when it comes to data, I will say I am a person who really values qualitative data. I really appreciate numbers, but I think what is crucial is to get the stories behind the numbers. And so when we collect data on things like belonging or collect data on student organizations and people feel like they're being represented in these student organizations, or if classes are the way that students want them to be and they're getting the sort of courses that they want to get, I think it's other than just numbers really, unpacking what those numbers are saying, where they are coming from, what are the stories that they're telling, and learning more about the student experience through these stories. I believe in the power. When we say data, I think people think of number, they think of percentages, all of these really fancy things that I am not very good at, like statistics. But I really appreciate the fact that I think education first and foremost and student success comes in the ability to learn lessons from storytelling and from experiences. That's what education looked like, you know, when our families would tell us stories and their families would tell them stories. And so really, to use more off that qualitative data, I believe is crucial.  Gada Endick [00:05:15]: I'm Gada Endick and I'm the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life at Rutgers University. And we focus on creating an interconnected graduate student experience across our eight grad schools. So we're here to kind of improve the quality of life for graduate and professional students, serving their diverse needs, fostering a sense of belonging, and really helping them just make the most of the many resources Rutgers has to offer. So we do programming that's designed to connect students across their disciplines. We provide spaces for them to meet and gather, and we also focus on events and initiatives that celebrate their contributions or achievements and amplify their voices. Student affairs can use data to better understand where graduate students feel connected and where they may be feeling isolated. So looking at things like survey feedback and engagement patterns helps identify gaps in belonging across programs and student groups. When we use that insight well, we can kind of create more intentional opportunities for community and support.  Adam McCready [00:06:13]: Hi, I'm Adam McCready. I use he, him, his pronouns. I'm an associate professor in higher education programs at the University of Connecticut. Regarding data Use technology. As someone who does a lot of work educating future practitioners in our field on assessment, we just have so much data already that is vastly underutilized in our field. And if you look at some of the work even from like Nick Bowman at University of Iowa with looking at the meal index or the M index or swipes, there's just so much more we can do with the data that we already have. And I think that we often think about that we have to collect more data. And I think part of it is just really better thinking about the data we've collected already and how we're utilizing it. That and the fact that we need to engage actively with artificial intelligence and think about how we are leveraging AI to improve our support of students and to meet them where they're at and support their success. And lastly, as someone who does social media research, we need to meet students in their reality. Their identities are ubiquitous, both in person and online, and to only think about in person engag

In a special episode of Student Affairs Voices from the Field podcast, host Dr. Jill Creighton invites listeners to explore a vibrant tapestry of perspectives on reinventing student affairs for the future. Recorded live at the annual NASPA conference, this episode brings together over 60 passionate voices—from seasoned administrators to emerging professionals—all responding to the essential question: "If you could rebuild student affairs from scratch, what's one change you would make to impact student success?" What emerges is an inspiring collage of themes, united by a commitment to student-centered change and innovation. One theme that resounds across so many voices is the necessity to break down silos—especially between academic and student affairs. Over and over, contributors envision seamless, integrated models in which faculty and staff collaborate to bridge classroom learning with co-curricular development. As Brianna Morris so succinctly puts it, "One way I would rebuild student affairs is by bridging the gap between academic affairs and student affairs to better serve our students." Another powerful current is the call to prioritize belonging and community. Gada Endick suggests designing student affairs programs "around belonging and community as the core drivers of student success, rather than the outcomes of programming." This means intentionally crafting spaces and systems where every student—especially those from marginalized or non-traditional backgrounds—can forge meaningful connections and thrive. Equity, representation, and accessibility surface as central pillars as well. Contributors emphasize representation within staff, the elimination of barriers, and the use of data to assess and adapt to the changing needs of today's students. Paul Rossi advocates for "co-creation" with students so that systems and supports are built alongside those who use them. The episode also highlights professional development, support for entry-level staff, and the ongoing need to make student affairs visible and valued across campus communities. These perspectives, from institutions nationwide and around the world, remind us that the work of student affairs is never static. It's evolving, dynamic, and fundamentally collaborative. If you're passionate about education, leadership, and helping students find their path, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Tune in to this energizing episode and find out how you can help reshape the future of student affairs—one idea, one story, one change at a time.   TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is season 14 continuing our conversation on the value of Student Affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. She her hers your SA Voices from the Field host. Welcome back to another episode of Essay Voices from the Field. Today we're going to be featuring first of three episodes that we recorded live and in person at the annual conference. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:36]: We're so thankful to over 60 of you who shared your voices with us today. We were able to ask you three questions, one each on the conference focus areas and today's question is on the focus area of redefining the profession and student success. We asked you if you could rebuild student affairs from scratch, what's one change that you would make to impact student success? Here are your responses. Alan Thompson at the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington Director of Academic and Career Advising One thing that I would change to have an impact on student success would definitely be making sure that the individuals, the professionals who serve the students reflect the population of students that they are meant to serve. That the faculty staff representatives mirror the student body so that the students who are coming to the campuses have a comfortable environment in which to be successful and ultimately thrive and graduate.  Hi everyone, my name is Enock Agyei. I am a second year graduate student of the Student Affairs Administration Program at Michigan State University. I'll be graduating in May and I am glad to share my perspective as a new professional and a new grad have a more integrated approach of how our profession collaborate with student affairs. I think the contemporary student come to a campus with more complex needs than academic affairs and student affairs to have individual outcomes and individual ambitions. I think if we we have a more integrated approach as to how both academic affairs and student affairs can collaborate and help students overcome challenges and do some proactive things to make student life better. I think that's what I'm going to do because from the inception of the profession, some of our founding documents just give the clear distinction between our field and academic affairs, which make field a bit subordinate to academic affairs, which is not meeting the need of our contemporary student. Mishka Murad [00:02:20]: My name is Mishka Murad and I have worked in student affairs as well as worked as an adjunct instructor. I'm originally from Pakistan and I've worked in Pakistan, Thailand, Mexico and the us. And for me, what's really crucial about this question is that I've heard over the number of years that I've been in this work, the frustration sometimes with the similar mistakes that students are making over and over again. And so if I could rebuild student affairs from scratch, I think I'd like to remind folks that there is a life cycle for students. And so even if we're hearing similar things or similar mistakes, that they're coming from different students and that each student is experiencing it differently and that we should be experiencing it differently and remember to see that humanity in students as well. And so I think when it comes to student success, instead of labeling them as problematic or as repeating behaviors, we realize that with each of these behaviors that might be problematic is an opportunity for them to do better and be better and not to give up hope, because we might have been in the profession for really long and we might feel a certain way about it, and to maintain that ability to really believe that at any point a student can change and can make a difference in how they move forward into the world. Ghada Endick [00:04:00]: I'm Ghada Endick, and I'm the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life at Rutgers University. And we focus on creating an interconnected graduate student experience across our eight grad schools. So we're here to kind of improve the quality of life for graduate and professional students, serving their diverse needs, fostering a sense of belonging, and really helping them just make the most of the many resources Rutgers has to offer. So we do programming that's designed to connect students across their disciplines. We provide spaces for them to meet and gather, and we also focus on events and initiatives that celebrate their contributions or achievements and amplify their voices. If I were building a student affairs programs from scratch, I would design it around belonging and community as the core drivers of student success, rather than the outcomes of programming. So that means intentionally creating structures where every student, especially grad students, has meaningful connections with their peers, their mentors, and the institution. When students feel they belong, they're far more likely to persist, thrive, and fully engage in their academic journey. Adam McCready [00:05:29]: Hi, I'm Adam McCready. I use him his pronouns. I'm an associate professor in higher education programs at the University of Connecticut. So student affairs from scratch. I would recommend that if we could do one thing to impact student success, I think we need to combat it from a more of a community wellness approach. And part of that from a community approach means that we need to be. Historically, we've talked about collaboration in our field. I think collaboration and Community oriented approach requires folks really communicating at a professional level. I think it also requires engaging more holistically with students and their communities on campus and their communities outside of campus, families, friends and the like. If we really want to impact student success, we have to understand their realities, their communities and the like and move away from approaches that are really thinking about student success from an individualistic approach and come at it from a more community oriented mindset to support them in their wellbeing. Andrew Finn [00:06:07]: My name is Andrew Finn and I am the Assistant Director for Graduate Student Programming and Events in the center for Student Involvement at Northeastern University on the Boston campus. If I could rebuild Student affairs from scratch, something that I would really focus on is really building interdisciplinary community from the get go rather than having it be something that students are left to discover on their own over time. I find that the best and most meaningful connections that students often make, but not always, are those that are explicitly outside of their discipline early on because it expands the possibilities for how they view themselves and the way that they can impact the world through their professional development pathways. As such, students become more successful through a holistic lens rather than through a narrower and more carefully defined one early on.  Dillon Duermyer [00:07:36]: Hello, my name is Dillon Duermyer. I am from Angelo State University and I handle clery compliance and student conduct, including academic misconduct. If I was to

In Season 14, Episode 6 of Student Affairs Voices from the Field, host Dr. Jill Creighton sits down with Dr. Kevin McClure, author of The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace After the Great Resignation. This candid conversation is a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of higher education or passionate about changing workplace culture for the better. From the outset, Dr. McClure grounds his message in lived experience, sharing his journey from student affairs professional to department chair and faculty member. What becomes clear is that his new book—and this episode—are rooted in genuine care: for staff, for faculty, and for the systems in which they work. He makes a compelling case that prioritizing employee well-being in higher ed needs to be a fundamental goal, not just a means to an end for better student outcomes The conversation dives deep into the idea of "organizational care," contrasting it with the often isolating American emphasis on self-care. Dr. McClure introduces the lens of "squad care," asking listeners to reconsider how institutions themselves can become communities that collectively support employee thriving. He shares that although there are pockets of progress, the true "caring university" is still aspirational—requiring leaders to combine data, strategy, and a willingness to take bold action. A concept that resonates throughout the episode is the critique of "ideal worker norms." Dr. McClure unpacks how outdated expectations, rooted in gendered and ableist assumptions, persist in our workplaces—often dictating who succeeds and who gets left behind. He calls for challenging these norms and embracing more flexible, human-centered models of work. Listeners will come away with practical insights. The six pillars of the caring university—ranging from humanizing policies and prioritizing employee experience, to cultivating caring leaders—offer a tangible framework anyone can begin to explore. Dr. McClure emphasizes that meaningful change isn't about grand gestures; it's about taking swings, trying new things, and considering employee well-being as foundational to institutional success. For new professionals eager for a bright future in student affairs, and for seasoned leaders seeking actionable ideas, this episode is rich with hope, clarity, and direction. Tune in to hear why caring for "the people who show up for people" should be the next big priority in higher ed—and how we can collaboratively shape more humane, equitable workplaces. Ready to reimagine what's possible in higher education? Start by listening to the full conversation today! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Kevin, welcome to SA Voices. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:00:28]: Hello, I'm so excited to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:30]: You are another one of our conversations that we get to capture live and in person for SA Voices here at 2026 Annual Conference in Kansas City. So I know listeners, by the time you're hearing this, you're like, well, Annual was a while ago. We know, but we're glad to bring you these conversations. And so you, if you weren't able to be here, you get to be a part of it. And if you were able to be here, I know how ephemeral those spaces can be, and hopefully you can kind of revisit some of the information in Kevin's keynote speech. So Kevin, you have just spent an hour on stage, going through your new book, which is called The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace After the Great Resignation. You also did a book signing, so thank you for spending time with the members. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:01:09]: Yeah. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:09]: So we also know that you've been talking a lot, and we appreciate you spending one more hour with us. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:01:13]: Sure, absolutely. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:14]: We always like to start by asking our guests, how did you get to your current seat? You're both a department chair and a professor. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:01:20]: That's right. Yes, but I started in student affairs as a staff member, so origin story in housing, and then I transitioned into a living-learning program at the University of Maryland called Global Communities, and that was the best job I've ever had. So I peaked a little too early. That was my first professional job, and I absolutely loved it, loved every minute of it, and got to work really closely with students and do all sorts of cool programming with them. And as time went on, Maryland really wanted all of their living-learning programs to have a faculty director, and so I kind of got bumped out of my role as a faculty director came online, and it was a moment where I said, I might need to think about continuing my education. I don't know exactly where I want to go, but I don't want to be limited in what I can do, and I don't want it to be the case that I get bumped from another job by virtue of not having a terminal degree. So I entered a doctoral program, was finishing that. I was applying to higher ed staff jobs. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:02:23]: I was applying to a couple of policy jobs, and just kind of tossed my name in for a couple of faculty jobs. Jobs, not really thinking that that was going to be a thing. And I ended up getting this job at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and I've been there for almost 12 years now teaching in our higher education program, and then within the last 8 months stepping in to become the department chair. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:46]: I know this is terrible and it will show that I am an elder millennial, but my biggest association with Wilmington is Dawson's Creek. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:02:52]: Oh yes, Dawson's Creek, and also One Tree Hill was also filmed there. So it depends on what you watch, what you grew up on, but we still will have gatherings of people that come Wilmington based on their love of the show. Most of them are elder millennial women, and sometimes the stars will come back and do like events and that sort of thing. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:10]: Well, there you go, claim to fame, and of course a university in which you are. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:03:13]: We also have that. Yes, we have a beach. We have some other things too. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:16]: So I think that journey from practitioner to professor is one that a lot of new professionals or mid-career professionals are really interested in pursuing. Can you talk a little bit about that leap of faith from being a full-time practitioner to going, you know, I know I need this terminal for a job, but I also might need to not have a job while I get the terminal. Terminal? Dr. Kevin McClure [00:03:34]: Yeah, exactly. So I started doing my PhD while still working full-time, and I did that for a year, and it worked fairly well in the sense that I was keeping up with things. My wife was teaching at the time, and so we just were not seeing each other really at all. And as a consequence, we decided in the last couple of years of my doc program to move in and become house directors of a sorority house. And I also went from from being a full-time staff member back to being a graduate assistant. So we took on the financial loss of me not having a salary, but the trade-off was that I would be able to finish the degree faster because otherwise I think we were looking at a much longer journey as I was trying to kind of balance the two. And at the time we didn't have as many program options. Today there's a lot more program options for people who are working full-time. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:04:29]: And so that's how I made the decision to kind of step back and step into a graduate assistantship role again. And maybe not ideal from a career trajectory standpoint, but better for me to be able to finish my studies. And then we were off and racing from there. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:45]: So you finished the dissertation, you've got probably maybe an article or two under your belt at that time. Talk to us about going on the faculty search. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:04:53]: Yeah, I guess I had an article that I had published and I had dissertation stuff in progress. I was not prepared for a faculty job search. I had never done one before. I had never been a participant in one. I had done no programs for future faculty. I was in many ways what I would think of as kind of a long shot candidate. I got this interview at UNCW and I reached out to one of my mentors, Carrie-Anne O'Meara, and I had to basically say, I've got this interview, help me because I'm not ready for this. So she gave me kind of a crash course in the faculty hiring process and what I could expect and some of the questions that they might ask of me. Dr. Kevin McClure [00:05:35]: And I was very lucky in that they were looking for a particular type of person who teaches certain subject matter, and I was able to do that and apparently fit what they were looking for. I still tend to think they took a chance on me. I don't know that they would necessarily put it that way, but I was still very green in a lot of ways and certainly needed to do a lot of catching up to being a faculty member. So I spent that first year learning a lot of things the hard way and having to learn things that I think some of my peers were already up and up on by virtue of just having prepared for that type of job better than I did. But I got there eventually. I figured it out. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:06:14]: So what are some of th

In the latest episode of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," Dr. Jill Creighton sits down live at the NASPA Annual Conference 2026 in Kansas City with Dr. Mike Christakis, Dr. Darby Roberts, and Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black to spotlight the launch of NASPA's new strategic plan. If you are a student affairs professional seeking to understand the direction of our field and NASPA's commitment to its members, this episode is a must-listen. Redefining Strategic Planning – With Purpose and Community This year marks a pivotal moment as NASPA introduces a three-year plan shaped by intentional listening, member engagement, and a forward-thinking approach. Dr. Mike Christakis walks us through the timeline and evolution, highlighting how NASPA paused its planning to let new leadership take root before embarking on a truly inclusive process, engaging members across regions and divisions. The driving force? Ensuring that every voice, from new professionals to seasoned leaders, informs and benefits from the association's direction. Five Strategic Priorities That Put Members First The discussion unpacks NASPA's five strategic pillars: Elevating the Value of Student Affairs: As debates about the relevance of higher education continue, the plan purposefully centers the impact of student affairs and the stories that shape our work. Enhancing Career Pathways and Wellbeing: Retention and growth of professionals—across all stages—receives renewed attention, coupled with a focus on wellbeing that mirrors today's complex campus realities. Providing Timely Advocacy and Resources: With shifting policies impacting each region and institution, NASPA is committed to actionable and relevant support for its diverse membership Strengthening Member Experience and Organizational Resilience: By modernizing technology and financial models, the association aims for seamless connections and equitable opportunities regardless of location or job title Advancing Inclusive and Impactful Governance: Leadership opportunities and transparent processes remain at the forefront, encouraging broader engagement and sustainable growth for the association Why Tune In? This episode is more than an announcement—it's an invitation to be part of NASPA's ongoing story. You'll hear firsthand how assessment, feedback, and continuous improvement shape the plan's "living document" status, and how every member, no matter your involvement level, stands to benefit from the next chapter. Ready to elevate, strengthen, and advance your student affairs journey? Listen now to understand how NASPA's new strategic plan is shaping the future—and how you can be a part of it. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Welcome back to the annual conference 2026 here in Kansas City, Missouri, and it's always my pleasure to sit down with guests in real life. So today we have 3 wonderful folks with us who have been working so hard on NASPA's new strategic plan, which launches this month, March 2026. So our first guest, you heard from before, very proud to have you back, and you are now tied with Kevin Krueger for the most appearances on SA Voices. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:50]: We've got Dr. Mike Christakis, our outgoing board chair. Dr. Mike Christakis [00:00:52]: Wow, thank you, pleasure to be here, Jill. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:54]: Next up, we have first-time guest Dr. Darby Robert. Dr. Darby Roberts [00:00:55]: Howdy, I'm Glad to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:58]: And finally, we have second-time guest Dr. Carnell McConnell-Black. Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black [00:01:02]: Hey, y'all. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:02]: So the three of our guests today have been at the helm of this redefined strategic planning process for NASPA, which is now live on the NASPA website. So Mike, I'm going to start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about how we got here? Why now? Why a new strategic plan? Dr. Mike Christakis [00:01:17]: Great question. So the association had a strategic plan for a period of time, actually leading up to when Dr. Parnell started as president, and the board at that particular time intentionally decided to push off the development of the next strategic plan to allow NASPA's new president to get started. And so when Amelia got into the seat, the board again took up the idea of what a new plan would look like. And that began when Ana González, who's chair, tapped Lincoln Johnson as the at-large member. And that's when the initial development occurred. And then last year in New Orleans, when I assumed the role of chair, is when things really got started and we launched the development, uh, of the plan. And that's where we're at now. Dr. Mike Christakis [00:02:00]: So that process between New Orleans and Kansas City has included serving our members, doing a lot of listening with our members at various convenings, regional convenings, divisional meetings, and the like that really began to help inform what the plan would look like. And that's what has brought us basically a year post-New Orleans to where we are here now in Kansas City. We're in the process of unveiling NASPA's new strategic plan that will take us from 2026 through 2029. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:26]: All right. And we've got, like I said, Carnell and Darby with us today. How did Darby and Carnell get involved in this project for us? Dr. Mike Christakis [00:02:32]: So Darby got engaged because when I became chair-elect, I had the pleasure of appointing an at-large member. And Darby and I had first met actually through our mutual involvement with the assessment, evaluation, and research knowledge community. And so when it dawned on me that the strategic planning process would fall as part of my charge as chair, Darby was one of the first calls I made. I will admit she didn't answer initially, but we finally connected and I shared with her that I wanted her to join the board as an at-large member, specifically to work on the strategic plan as a member of the steering committee in particular. And so that's how Darby Darby Roberts came to be a part of this process. Recently, Carnell was elected as a regional director, and so the representation of our regional directors, I think, was critically important throughout this process. So we invited Carnell as an important and strong voice among our regional leadership to also serve on the steering committee. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:19]: I'll say high five for Region 5, Carnell. Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black [00:03:22]: Region 5! Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:23]: I may be overseas now, but I'm always Region 5 in my heart. So very excited to have you all on here. So I'd love to hear from the two of you, Darby and Carnell. You come on board for this project. It's a daunting thing to say, please redo the strategic plan for NASPA and please lead this process, go. Can you talk about your process of moving forward from this idea to realization? Dr. Darby Roberts [00:03:44]: One of the things I appreciated about this process, it was very purposeful, very timely. We didn't want to rush the process and spend the amount of time we needed to talk about what's our future vision, what's our future mission. And then from there saying, if that's what we believe in and strive for, what are the things that we really want to do for the association and setting up the strategic priorities before getting into how we're actually going to do the strategic plan. And so I think it's been very enlightening to take all the feedback that the membership has given, working with the board, working with the staff to come up with a plan that is a really solid plan for us for the next 3 years. I would also just add the element of our members' experience was a key component. And as you look through all the elements, not just for the current day headwinds that we face within higher education, but also the day-to-day experiences that our colleagues are navigating on their campuses and in the world, that we have the opportunity to focus in on how they themselves are supported through the association. Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black [00:04:41]: I would also just add that the element of our members' experience was a, a key component. And as you look through all the elements, not only just for current day headwinds that we face within higher education, but also the day-to-day experiences that our colleagues are navigating on their campuses and in the world, that we have an opportunity to focus in on how they themselves are supported through the association. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:05]: It's also a very different thing to create a strategic plan for an organization, an association versus our campuses, I always think it's kind of interesting to try to refocus our brains on what do our members need as opposed to what do our students need or our staff need. So how did that play a role in this process? Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black [00:05:20]: Well, I will say as an initial starting point, again, we are thinking about what are the current day challenges, but also thinking about the future and how do we find the intersections of both what we need now and what we need in the future and to be prepared for whatever may come our way. But I think at the heart of it is our members are always, I think through this piece around feedback and getting feedback from the membership, there are clear elements around what's the value of their engagement or their value of being a NASPA member. And when we can focus in o

We are taking a bereak this week while we are taking in all of the great conversations that we had with you at the 2026 NASPA Annual Conference. We will be back with another powerful SA Voices From The Field Podcast Episode next week!   TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Hey, SA Voices listeners. For those of you who we met in Kansas City, thank you so much for sharing your voices with us. Chris and I are busy putting together the episodes that we recorded on site, so we won't have a new episode for you this week, but we'll have one very, very soon. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:39]: All the best. Talk again soon. This has been an episode of SA Voices from the Field, brought to you by NASPA. This show is made possible because of you, the listeners. We continue to be so grateful that you choose to spend your time with us. If you'd like to reach the show, you can email us at [email protected] or find me on LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Jill L. Creighton. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:05]: We welcome your feedback and your topic and guest suggestions always. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell a colleague about the show and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now. It really does help other student affairs professionals find the show and helps us to become more visible in the larger podcasting community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton. That's me. Produced and audio engineered by Dr. Lewis. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:30]: Special thanks to the University of Michigan Flint for your support as we create this project. Catch you next time.

The latest episode of SA Voices from the Field, hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis, is a must-listen for anyone in higher education and student affairs! As they gear up for the 2026 NASPA annual conference, both hosts share their excitement about reconnecting with colleagues and gathering authentic stories from attendees. A unique highlight this season: Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis will be moving around the conference with recording devices, collecting answers to three carefully crafted questions tied to the event's focus areas. Can't attend in person? No worries! We will bring key conference moments and voices directly to the podcast, ensuring every listener can still benefit from the rich professional insights. Whether you're there in Kansas City or tuning in from afar, this episode is packed with community spirit and practical tips.  TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Hey, Chris. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:27]: Hey, Jill. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:29]: It's been an incredible week of gearing up for annual conference. I hope everyone has enjoyed our annual conference episode with Jose and Mike. Chris, what are you most looking forward to? Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:40]: Well, our annual meetup, of course, is one of my most exciting times when we get to actually be in person and talking. But I love being able to talk with all of the people that are coming to the conference. I'm going to be recording questions questions with people from the conference, and I'm really looking forward to some of their answers. You know, we have 3 main questions that we're asking individuals, and we'll be walking around asking people. So if you see Jill or I with our recorders out, please come up to us, talk to us, because we would love to be able to have your voices as a part of this. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:19]: And even if you see us and we don't have our recorders out, but you'd really like to submit your voice for the podcast, we really want to hear from you. So Chris and I will be moving about with our handhelds asking you the 3 questions that we've got scripted for this year's conference focus areas that you heard about from Jose and Mike. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:37]: But Chris, I wish you all of the safe travels. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:40]: And just to let our listeners know, we're taking the week off from releasing an episode so we can be present at Annual. So we'll be back in 2 weeks with a new episode for you. We wish all of you safe travels. And Chris, anything else before we head out to Kansas City? Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:55]: No, looking forward to it. Safe travels to you, Jill, and safe travels to everyone else. Looking forward to seeing you all. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:02]: And if we can't see you there, we are going to be capturing some conversations with some key speakers as well as the voices of you all. So if you're going to not be able to join us this year, we'll make sure that you get to have some of that experience. So whether we'll be seeing you in person in Kansas City or whether you're going to be listening to the content from the podcast after the conference, we hope that it's an enriching experience and we'll be back with a normal episode in 2 weeks. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:31]: This has been an episode of SA Voices from the Field, brought to you by NASPA. This show is made possible because of you, the listeners. We continue to be so grateful that you choose to spend your time with us. If you'd like to reach the show, you can email us at [email protected] or find me on LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Jill L. Creighton. We welcome your feedback and your topic and guest suggestions always. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell a colleague about the show and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:00]: It really does help other student affairs professionals find the show and helps us to become more visible in the larger podcasting community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton. That's me. Produced and audio engineered by Dr. Chris Lewis. Special thanks to the University of Michigan Flint for your support as we create this project. Catch you next time.

Are you getting ready for the 2026 NASPA Annual Conference in Kansas City? Whether you're a seasoned attendee or venturing out for the first time, this year's event promises to be a transformative experience for student affairs professionals everywhere. The latest episode of the "Student Affairs Voices from the Field" podcast, hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton, dives into everything you need to know about the upcoming conference, offering behind-the-scenes insights and invaluable tips. In this special episode, Dr. Jill Creighton is joined by Dr. Michael N. Christakis, NASPA Board Chair, and Dr. José-Luis Riera, Vice President for Student Life at the University of Delaware and the 2026 Annual Conference Chair. Together, they explore the vision and meticulous planning that goes into creating one of the most important gatherings for student affairs professionals. Conference Focus Areas: The conversation orbits around three core themes that will define this year's conference: Elevating Student Affairs: Embracing Our Impact – Discover how the profession leverages data, technology, and AI to demonstrate tangible outcomes and meet the growing expectations of students, families, and employers. Focusing on People: The Heart of the Profession – After several tumultuous years in higher education, there's a renewed emphasis on community, connection, and supporting the wellbeing of student affairs practitioners. From opening session changes to intentional networking lounges, the conference is designed with people in mind. Pathways to Student Success: Thriving in Higher Education – Despite shifting models, the heartbeat of student affairs remains centered on supporting student success. The conference will tackle who "owns" and contributes to this vital work as institutions continue to evolve. Why Should You Listen? If you're attending the conference for the first time (along with 20% of attendees!), you'll find actionable advice—from navigating the app to building meaningful connections, even if you're an introvert. The episode also gives a shout-out to Kansas City's vibrant culture, and how it will shape the conference experience, inside and outside the convention center. Whether you want to get inspired, feel prepared, or just find the best spot for barbecue or vegetarian fare, this episode is bursting with valuable tips. Don't miss out on hearing from the leaders who bring the conference to life and finding those nuggets of wisdom for your student affairs journey. Tune in now and take your NASPA conference experience—from both the inside and outside—up a notch! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Let's get ready for NASPA 2026's annual conference. Today I'm joined by both our board chair as well as our conference chair to tell us all about what to expect this year in Kansas City, Missouri. If you're a first-time attendee, we also spend some time talking about how to navigate this conference schedule that is incredibly rich but can also be a little bit overwhelming. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:46]: Our first guest is Dr. Mike Christakis, who is our NASPA board chair, and he's also the vice president for student affairs and enrollment at the University of Albany. We had Mike on last year when he took the board chair seat, so if you'd like to learn more about him and his background, I highly encourage you to go back and listen to his episode. Our second guest is a first-timer on the podcast, Dr. José Luis Riera, who's currently the Vice President for Student Life at the University of Delaware and also our 2026 annual conference chair for NASPA. With over 20 years of experience in student affairs and higher ed, José oversees a comprehensive student affairs division whose fundamental work involves advancing equity and inclusion, deepening student learning, and attending to the student's holistic development. José's vision is rooted in leading consequential student affairs work that leads to student flourishing and student success for all students. Since arriving at the University of Delaware in 2010, he served in several positions within student life, including Associate Dean and Dean of Students. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:38]: He's a frequent presenter at national conferences, an active contributor to the advancement of higher ed and student affairs, and is a member of APLU, ACPA, and NASPA. He is currently our 2026 conference chair, and he's put a ton of work across the last 18 months to make this experience happen for us in Kansas City. He's the author and co-creator of several articles and book reviews in professional journals, and he's the author and co-author of multiple book chapters focused on on the application of the social change model. Jose began his career in higher education as a student steeped in the liberal arts with a double major in music and biology at Muhlenberg College. He then earned a master's degree in student affairs and higher education from Colorado State University and a PhD in college student personnel from the University of Maryland, College Park. He lives in Newark, Delaware with his wife Kate, a faculty member in human development and family sciences at the University of Delaware, and they have 4 girls and 2 dogs. Welcome back to SA Voices, Mike. Dr. Michael N. Christakis [00:02:30]: Hey, it's great to be here, Jill. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:31]: And Jose, first-time guest. Lovely to have you. Welcome. Dr. José-Luis Riera [00:02:34]: Thanks for having me. Excited to join in on this episode. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:37]: We are recording just in advance of all of us descending on Kansas City, Missouri for the annual conference. This year we are thrilled to have Jose in the chair seat for the conference and Mike as one of his last things to do as current NASPA board chair. So before we get started with the preview of the conference, Mike, you've been on the show before. Do you want to remind listeners how you got to your current seat, both as NASPA Board Chair and at University of Albany. Dr. Michael N. Christakis [00:03:03]: Sure. Thanks, Jill. Yeah, so I'm at the University at Albany in New York State. I've been at UAlbany in my 26th year. Got to UAlbany, as y'all might recall, as a graduate student, had a graduate assistantship in student affairs, worked through residential life, and then have been at the honor of serving as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment here for the last 11 years. Have been involved with NASPA throughout most of my professional journey here at UAlbany, serving both as Regional Director for Region 2, co-chair of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community. And have the pleasure now of serving as chair. And as Jill noted, I will be concluding my chair service when the annual conference concludes in Kansas City. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:38]: Thank you. And Jose, first-time guest, your turn. How did you get to your current seat, both at Delaware as well as in the conference chairship? Dr. José-Luis Riera [00:03:46]: Yeah, so I'll take on Delaware first. I've been at the University of Delaware since 2010, so just past 15 years here. And most of my earlier career was in residence life and housing and in student conduct work and spent 4 years at the University of Maryland College Park prior to coming here at Delaware, but came as the Associate Dean of Students, served as the Dean of Students here, and was very fortunate to be able to compete for the Vice President position. So I've been in that position formally since 2018. And then NASPA has always been central to my professional development. I would say most of my service has been in helping to contribute around professional development programs, most recently working on the faculty and then directing, co-directing the Institute for folks who are aspiring to be vice presidents of student affairs, which was a really fun opportunity for me. And then I was very fortunate to have Mike call me. I think it's one of the privileges of board chairs is to think through who they would like leading the conference that ultimately, I think, expresses and culminates their work at NASPA in the, in that board chair position. Dr. José-Luis Riera [00:04:57]: And so, yeah, it's just, it's, it's been a really, really fun ride for 18+ months. Dr. Michael N. Christakis [00:05:01]: I will say, Jill, just to underscore Jose's point, it actually is quite literally the first major decision you take on as chair-elect. I mean, it really is like they call you to let you know you were elected, super exciting, and less than 24 hours later, they're like, and who's your conference chair? I'm very, very grateful that Jose, who I'd had the opportunity to work alongside in both NASPA and APLU circles, we're, we're both involved with APLU, agreed to take on this. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:26]: So Mike, you get elected, you say, Jose, please chair this conference. Jose, had you been in the NASPA conference circles before? Dr. José-Luis Riera [00:05:34]: So actually, yeah, I've, um, under a very different model. Probably, I think, sometime around like 2009 or '10, I served on the Program Selection Committee, which back then was meeting at NASPA headquarters for a weekend with a lot of paper and going through program reviews. So that was my foray into conference and then volunteering along the way and doing those types of things. But yeah. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:59]: So what does the chair do? What is your job? Dr. J

Student Affairs professionals around the world are breaking new ground, and there's never been a better time to be part of the conversation. On a recent episode of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," host Dr. Jill Creighton welcomed four visionary leaders who are at the forefront of reshaping how we think about student affairs globally. This dynamic episode shines a spotlight on NASPA's inaugural global division publication, "Creating a Global Community," which seeks to bridge knowledge and practice across borders. What makes this episode truly inspiring is hearing directly from the publication's curators: Omneya Badr, Dr. Jeanine Ward-Roof, Dr. Brett Perozzi, and Dr. Heidi October. Their collective experiences span continents—bringing diverse insights from South Africa, the Middle East, the United States, and beyond. Listeners learn that student affairs is not just an "add-on" in higher education; it is essential and transformative, especially when professionals share knowledge and lift each other up. A recurring theme on the podcast is the importance of amplifying voices that are not always heard. Omneya Badr speaks passionately about the need to provide a platform for first-time authors and institutions outside the Western mainstream, emphasizing that "what you're doing is worthy of sharing." The team's vision for the publication is not only to showcase best practices but also to encourage practitioners everywhere, whatever their background or training, to contribute and see themselves as part of a truly global profession. Another powerful message centers on adapting student affairs to the unique contexts and needs of different regions. From showcasing non-English contributions to supporting professionals who may not have formal degrees in the field, the publication (and this episode) celebrate innovation and inclusivity. For those curious about what the future holds, the episode sets an optimistic tone. The intent isn't just knowledge sharing; it's catalytic—fostering networks, co-authorship, and a sense of belonging for professionals worldwide. Whether you're an experienced leader or just starting out, you'll find practical advice, encouragement, and an invitation to participate in the next wave of global student affairs scholarship. If you want to be inspired by stories of resilience, collaboration, and the boundless potential of higher education, this is an episode you shouldn't miss. Tune in and discover how you, too, can be a part of this exciting global conversation. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Today on SA Voices, I'm pleased to bring you 4 incredible guests who are here to talk about NASPA's newest publication that focuses on global student services all throughout the world. The 4 guests today were in charge of curating, editing, and ultimately producing NASPA's very first publication focusing on student affairs practices from around the globe. 2 of the guests we'll have on today you've met before, and 2 are brand new to the pod. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:50]: Our first returning guest is Omneya Bader. Omneya is an educator and student affairs professional who gained a culturally diverse higher education experience studying, teaching, and working in Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, the UK, and the United States. She currently serves on NASPA's Board of Directors and is the Director of NASPA's Global Division, past Director of the MENASA Region, and in the 2021 and 2022 years she served as the MENASA Conference Chair. She held teaching and academic advising positions at the New York Institute of Technology Bahrain, Bahrain Institute of Business and Finance, Qatar University, and Trinity University. She's a frequent presenter at NASPA conferences, and her research interests are culturally based academic advising, supporting first-generation students, first-year experience, and cross-cultural communication. She holds an MBA from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, a certificate of entrepreneurial and small business operations from the Academy of Arts in California, and a Bachelor of Arts in Management from the American University in Cairo, Egypt. She recently acquired a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida. As an educator, Amnea enjoys giving back to the profession and is interested in creating the professional development opportunity space for global student affairs professionals and encouraging research and sharing knowledge amongst counterparts around the world. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:03]: For our next guest, we're pleased to welcome back to the pod Dr. Jeanine Ward-Roof, who currently serves as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Ferris State University, where she joined in 2014. She has over 30 years of experience in student affairs and is currently responsible for the leadership, direction, supervision, and assessment of the Division of Student Affairs, which is inclusive of many, many student support services and departments. She's active in NODA, which is the National Orientation Directors Association and has held many positions in NASPA where she's been presenting and publishing on a myriad of topics throughout her career. At Ferris State, she's also the co-chair of the Ferris United Way campaign, serves on the President's Council, is the chair of the FSU Reentry Committee, and is a member of the Strategic Planning and Resource Committee, and serves as one of the advisors for the FSU Student Government Association. She earned her bachelor's degree in communication from Ohio University, a master in college student personnel from Bowling Green State, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from Clemson. Additionally, she's received numerous awards, two of the most notable being the NODA Circle of Excellence in 2019, and in 2015, she was one of our very own NASPA Foundation's Pillar of the Profession. She spent her career working with college students and their families and can think of no better way to support student success than creating diverse and inclusive environments where students can explore their values and debate knowledge in a close community setting. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:22]: Joining us on the pod for the very first time is Dr. Heidi October, who hails from South Africa. Dr. October currently serves serves on Stellenbosch University's Student Affairs Senior Management Team as Deputy Director, Center for Student Life and Learning, and Head, Frederik van Zyl Stabbert Leadership Institute. She's responsible for the strategic leadership and research for student leadership programs for academic transcript recognition. She has extensive higher education experience spanning over 25 years and stakeholder relations benchmarking at more than 30 international universities. She's been awarded with the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Achievement. She has been awarded with Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellent Achievement as Student Leader and Leader staff member, an academic achievement award from the University of Pretoria, where she obtained her PhD in leadership studies, and has been awarded honorary membership in the International Golden Key Society for her contribution to leadership. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:12]: She has guest lectured at the Association of Commonwealth Universities Summer School, MCI Business School Innsbruck, Austria, and KU Leuven, Belgium, and regularly presents scholarly papers at international academic conferences in Europe, the United States, and Africa. She's the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Susan Comives Award for inspiring research in student leadership. Our fourth Guest today, also joining us on the pod for the very first time, is Dr. Brett Perazzi. Brett is the CEO of the Global Student Affairs Consulting Group, or GSA Consulting. He most recently served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Salt Lake Community College, which is 50,000 students across 8 campuses in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Weber State University and in senior administrative roles at Arizona State and Colorado State University. He holds a PhD from Indiana University and a master's degree from the University of Arizona, both in higher education administration, with a bachelor's degree in education from the State University of New York. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:08]: Brett has served as a faculty member in higher education graduate programs at 6 universities and co-founded the Higher Education Leadership Program at Weber State University. Brett has authored more than 50 publications, including 2 books on international student affairs and services. He's been an active volunteer with NASPA for more than 2 decades, helping explore and expand global impact and support for student affairs and services. Brett is a founding member of the International Association Association of Student Affairs and Services, or IASIS, and has been invited to assist and support Student Affairs and Services colleagues worldwide. He and his partner Terry enjoy traveling, eating, and creating delicious food, and experiencing all four seasons in their mountain location with their Siberian Husky Akira. I'm so excited to bring in members of our Global Division Board today, specifically to talk about the brand new and inaugural publication for the Global Division, which we're gonna talk all about today. So we've got a couple of guests on. Our first i

What does it take to inspire the next generation of student affairs professionals? In the latest episode of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," host Dr. Jill Creighton sits down with a dynamic team—Dr. Brooke Paradise, Sohan Daniel, and Anthony Froelich—who are shaping NASPA's Undergraduate Student Conference (USC). If you're passionate about developing young leaders, building inclusive communities, or just curious about meaningful ways to support undergraduates, this episode is for you. A Unique Space for Aspiring Leaders Breaking the mold of traditional conferences, the Undergraduate Student Conference is crafted not just for those considering student affairs as a career, but for any undergraduate eager to build leadership and transferable skills. Attendees come from diverse backgrounds and majors, from "diehard student affairs" hopefuls to business majors looking to expand their horizons. The common thread? A genuine curiosity about leadership and life after graduation. Mentorship and Networking in Action What makes the USC experience stand out is its intentional focus on mentorship and reflective engagement. As Dr. Brooke Paradise shares, the conference blends mainstay features—keynote speakers, concurrent sessions—with hands-on, small group breakouts led by graduate students and professionals. These mentor-led groups offer undergrads a supportive, approachable space to ask questions, reflect, and make lasting connections—a practice that Sohan Daniel credits with propelling his own career journey from attendee to committee leader. Accessible Professional Development The panel highlights the accessibility of the conference and its value for both undergraduates and professionals. Faculty and staff can support students in attending—whether by navigating travel logistics or encouraging independent growth. As Anthony Froelich notes, volunteering as a small group facilitator is an "easy entry point" for professionals looking to give back to the field. The Bigger Picture: The Value of Student Affairs From powerful personal stories about overcoming first-generation struggles to reflections on how mentorship and community can be a "life vest" for students, the episode underscores the broader impact of student affairs. It's about creating space, fostering belonging, and ensuring every student feels seen. Ready to be inspired and learn how you can make a difference? Tune in to this episode and discover why the Undergraduate Student Conference is a launching pad for tomorrow's change-makers—and maybe even get involved yourself! Catch the full episode wherever you get your podcasts—don't miss out on these fresh perspectives shaping the future of higher education!   TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Today on SA Voices, we're bringing you 3 guests who are currently planning the undergraduate student conference for 2026. Our first guest is Dr. Brooke Paradise, they/them, who is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Inclusion and Engagement at Skidmore College, where they provide strategic oversight for campus life and engagement and supervise functional areas including leadership activities, religious and spiritual life, and student diversity and equity. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:49]: With 15+ years of experience across higher education, Brooke is known for building student-centered systems that strengthen belonging, equity, and student success including developing a comprehensive residential curriculum from the ground up and facilitating a learning community that bridges faculty and staff partnerships. Brooke's scholarship and professional practice center neurodivergence and inclusion in the workspace, translating research into actionable strategies that support cognitive diversity and sustainable culture change. They regularly deliver national trainings and presentations, including a NASPA national conference session on the lived experiences of neurodivergent student affairs professionals and inclusive workplace practices, as well as professional leadership development programming. Brooke has also facilitated DEI trainings for the NCAA Division I student athletes and coaching staff and led DEI-focused training for resident advisors. In addition, they serve in the National Association leadership roles with NASPA, including positions supporting assessment, learning outcomes, and undergraduate pipeline development. Our second guest is Sohan Daniel, who is a coordinator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or UTK, in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, where he supports students through accountability-centered practices that emphasize learning, growth, and personal development. Prior to joining UTK, Sohan completed his master's degree at the Ohio State University, where he was introduced to student conduct work while serving as an assistant hall director. Through this experience, he developed a strong belief in accountability as a powerful tool for student learning and transformation, and he values the opportunity to help students navigate challenges while building skills for both personal and academic success. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:18]: In addition to his role as coordinator, Sohan serves as the chair-elect for NASPA's Undergraduate Student Conference, or USC. He pursued this opportunity after witnessing the impact USC can have on launching attendees' careers in student affairs. Sohan earned his Bachelor of Science in Sport in Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University and his Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. Our third guest is Anthony Fralick, who has over a decade of experience within student affairs, having explored the various areas of the profession at public and private four-year universities and two-year community colleges. Anthony currently serves as an academic advisor at the Lone Star College System's Tomball campus, where he has spent the last 3.5 years establishing its career services. As an advisor, he supports students as they pursue competitive health science programs or transfer to university partners. He's worked with several graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs, allowing them to see the inner workings of both community colleges and advising, career, and transfer services during their internships. Anthony is a native Houstonian and has a long history with the college dating back before his time as a student. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:22]: He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a math and science concentration from Houston Baptist University, now Houston Christian University, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Sam Houston State University. Welcome back to our next episode of Student Affairs voices from the field. I'm glad to have 3 guests on today, all who are working with NASPA's undergraduate conference. So first, I'd like to welcome Brooke. Dr. Brooke Paradise [00:03:45]: Hey folks, Dr. Brooke Paradise, they/them/their pronouns. Nice to meet you all. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:49]: And now we have Sohan. Sohan Daniel [00:03:51]: Hey everyone, uh, Sohan Daniel, he/him/his pronouns. Great to meet you. Great to chat with you today. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:55]: And finally, Anthony. Anthony Froelich [00:03:57]: Howdy, Anthony Freilich from Houston, Texas, he/him pronouns. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:00]: So we have folks from 3 different institutions across the US today. Again, we've got New York State, we've got Texas, and we've got Tennessee. So we always always like to start our episodes by asking you, how did you get to your current seat? And Brooke, we'll start with you. Dr. Brooke Paradise [00:04:13]: To my current seat, I've been in student affairs for 15 years, and then this job popped up. And throughout those 15 years, I've worked at a multitude of institutions, and I love the small liberal arts. And this job came up and I was like, their mantra is creative thought matters. I love that. So I applied and here we are. I got lucky. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:31]: And Sowen, you're pretty new in Tennessee. How did you end up there? Sohan Daniel [00:04:35]: Yeah, I just graduated from my master's program back in May, and I was looking all over the place, had no idea where in the United States I would end up. But I was very passionate about land-grant institutions and the missions they hold. And University of Tennessee had an opening with Student Conduct and felt the desire to apply. And now I'm here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:52]: Congratulations on making your transition from student into professional. And Anthony? Anthony Froelich [00:04:57]: So for me, as I'm similar to Brooke, as I've had over a decade of student affairs experience in different areas since I was an undergrad student, I worked at both 4-year and 2-year community college institutions. And the community college institution really fit my, what I felt like as my personal needs for helping students prepare for those long-term, both academic and career trajectories. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:18]: All three of you are helping to lead the Undergraduate Conference for NASPA, which is coming up this spring. For our NASPA members who have never heard of this, or maybe didn't do the NUFP program, what is the Undergraduate Conference? Dr. Brooke Paradise [00:05:30]: So the undergrad program is exactly what it sounds like. It's for undergrad students coming,

The latest episode of Student Affairs Voices from the Field kicks off Season 14 with a truly inspiring conversation with incoming NASPA Board Chair, Dr. Darryl Holloman. Hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton, the episode dives deep into the evolving landscape of higher education and what it means to work in student affairs today. Dr. Holloman brings over three decades of experience to the table, spanning roles at HBCUs, PWIs, and across governance, academic administration, and talent management. His journey to Vice President for Student Affairs at Spelman College is a testament to the power of mentorship, professional exploration, and seizing unexpected opportunities. The conversation focuses on the value and challenges facing student affairs professionals, particularly in a period marked by ongoing turmoil—post-pandemic disruption, shifting enrollment, and threats to DEI initiatives. Dr. Holloman emphasizes the need to move beyond accepting the "new normal" and instead frame current challenges as "new possibilities," encouraging professionals to be both forward-ready and future-ready. At the heart of his vision is the "North Star Project," an initiative designed to reclaim public trust and redefine the purpose of higher education. This multifaceted endeavor includes three key arms: Rebuilding Public Trust Survey: A national study examining how those outside higher ed perceive colleges and universities, pushing for deeper understanding beyond the usual Gallup poll data. New Professional Task Force: A focus on early-career professionals, listening deeply to their needs, and developing skill-building opportunities—like real-time badging systems—to help retain talent and strengthen the student affairs pipeline. NASPA Commission on HBCU and Community College Pathways: An effort to amplify the voices of HBCUs and community colleges within NASPA's governance, reflecting their crucial roles in access and mission-driven education. Dr. Holloman's personal values—knowledge, God, family, humility, and hard work—shine throughout the discussion, reinforcing the importance of aligning purpose and professional philosophy. If you're looking for insight into the future of student affairs, practical strategies for professional development, and a fresh take on the value of our field, this is a must-listen. Tune in to hear how Dr. Holloman and NASPA are charting a new course, and discover ways to get involved in shaping the next chapter. Listen to the episode and join the conversation! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Welcome back to Student Affairs Voices from the Field. We are thrilled to kick off our current season with Dr. Darryl B. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:33]: Holloman, who is a distinguished leader in higher education with over 3 decades of experience in student affairs, academic administration, institutional advancement, governance and board relations, and human talent management. Dr. Holloman has worked at several regional and nationally recognized higher education institutions where he supervised collectively over 300 employees and overseen budgets of over $300 million. Dr. Holloman's extensive experience strategically vision and unwavering commitment to student success and institutional excellence make him a transformative leader in higher ed. He currently serves as the VPSA at Spelman College, but he's held senior-level positions at Georgia State University, Columbus State University, and Rutgers University-Newark. He's held faculty appointments at each institution, including full-time faculty appointments at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and the institutions aforementioned. His contributions continue to inspire and shape the future of academic communities. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:23]: Dr. Holloman has several articles and book chapters to his credit. His research examines the way that disadvantage manage groups, develop, and demonstrate their agency in educational systems, particularly within urban school settings. He's the co-editor of the book entitled From Boyhood to Manhood: Deconstructing Black Masculinity Through a Lifespan Continuum through Peter Lang Press. His most current manuscript is entitled In the Middle: Leading as a Mid-Level Professional in Student Affairs, which was published by NASPA. He's an active member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and he lives in Atlanta with a spouse of 32 years, Glenn Williams, and their two sons, Delbert and Delvin. But most importantly, and why we have him on pod today as he is our incoming NASPA Board Chair. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:04]: We hope you enjoy this conversation. Darryl, welcome to SA Voices. Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:02:08]: Thank you so much. I'm glad to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:11]: We are absolutely honored to have you as our season premiere for this season of SA Voices here in spring of 2026, and you are joining us in a long and illustrious line of NASPA Board Chairs-to-be. It's one of our favorite episodes to record in the springtime. Last, last year we had Mike Christakis on who is just finishing up his full year as Board Chair. And in just a couple of weeks now, that gavel will be passing your way. So this episode is one where we like to introduce you to the NASPA membership, what you hope that your leadership will bring to the association over the next year, and messages for our NASPA membership. So before we get into all of that, our favorite question to start the show off with is how did you get to your current seat, both at Spelman and at NASPA? Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:02:59]: Well, I got to Spelman. It was a really interesting journey because I was serving on the board of a local charter school. And the guy that we hired as a CEO said, hey, I really want you to meet my mom. And his mom works at Spelman. She's still on my staff at Spelman. And he's, you know, we just, let's go to lunch. And so we went to lunch. And at that time I was AVP Dean of Students at Georgia State University. Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:03:23]: And I was starting to think about, you know, where would I go to be a vice president for student affairs? I have this lunch and at the end of the lunch, my colleague said, "Hey, you should apply at Spelman. We have an opening." And at that time, I said, "Oh, okay, sure, I'll look at it." But, you know, Spelman is an all-women's HBCU in Atlanta. I've not ever worked at an HBCU. I've not worked at a liberal arts college, small college, and definitely an all-women's college. And so I applied. I applied with 6 very wonderful women. Half of them I knew very personally. And then I got the call that I had the job, which totally caught me off guard because it was— was not in the trajectory of where I thought my career was going. Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:04:07]: I had worked— done most of my work at large, larger public institutions, predominantly white institutions. And so I got the job. I have had a tremendous, tremendous experience here. I got to NASPA 30 years ago. I had a dean of students, Dean Curt Kepler, who hired me. I was a student worker, and then he hired me on as a staff. And he said I should go to this thing called a new professional institute. And at that time, NASPA had this nationwide platform, onboarding new professionals, and it was at UGA, and it was so impactful that it led me into a lifelong volunteer commitment with NASPA, and it's been extremely rewarding, and I've, I've just done so many things, have so many opportunities, have an upcoming book in the middle, co-edited with Gigi Segubin and Spencer Platt, that'll be coming out in the spring. Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:04:57]: So there's so many wonderful opportunities to NASPA, so I've just been really blessed professionally and in my volunteer activities. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:04]: What have you done in NASPA in terms of volunteerism, leadership, contribution before deciding to run for board chair? Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:05:12]: So I had a wonderful opportunity from one of, one of my colleagues, Danita Brown-Young. And Danita, she called me, she said, hey, I think I want you to be my member at large, and I want you to focus on how can NASPA better support HBCUs. And so I joined the board. We did surveys, like some really great work around that, but that really gave me gave me some great insight into how NASPA runs as an organization, the work that it does, the commitments that it makes, and, you know, kind of the engine in the car. And so that was very powerful for me to be able to have that experience as a member board chair. Prior to that, and this was really a great experience for me, I had joined the NASPA Foundation Board, and those two in tandem have been really helpful to help me understand not just in NASPA, but how organizations run, how nonprofits run, how boards run, the decisions that have to be made. And so it's just been a wonderful experience. And outside of presenting and doing some of the other stuff, those have been the most significant governance opportunities that I've had at NASPA. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:06:19]: And now let's think about what is ahead. So again, in just a couple of weeks here, we'll be seeing you in Kansas City. The board will be convening, the membership will be convening for our annual learning opportunity at conference. What are you thinking about going into this transition? Dr. Darryl Holloman [00:06:35]: So, you know, we are in such turmoil right now in higher ed. You know, we followed the pandemic. It was

Welcome to Season 14 of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," the essential podcast for higher education professionals eager to connect, learn, and grow! Hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis, this season dives deeper into the evolving value of student affairs, exploring both the challenges and opportunities shaping our profession right now. Right from the start, Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis highlight what's in store: an impressive lineup of guests from across student affairs, "mini grand" opportunities at the NASPA annual conference, updates on strategic planning, and in-depth conversations about how NASPA is moving forward as an organization. If you want to stay in the loop on what's really happening in the field—and hear voices from every corner—this is the podcast to keep on your playlist. Excitingly, the season kicks off with Dr. Darryl Holloman, the incoming NASPA Board Chair, who will discuss his inspiring "North Star Project" and vision for 2026-27. As Dr. Jill Creighton notes, this season is "quite a bit more NASPA as an organizational focus than we've had in [the past]," all while maintaining those meaningful interviews with practitioners you know and love. Longtime listeners will appreciate that the beloved theme—"the value of student affairs"—continues, now for the third time, as it transitions from fall to spring, building momentum and relevance as the profession evolves. Whether you're tuning in for insightful strategy, conference updates, or authentic practitioner stories, you'll find inspiration and practical takeaways in every episode. And if you're heading to the NASPA Annual Conference in Kansas City, don't miss your chance to share your voice—Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis will be on-site collecting mini-interviews! Join the conversation. Subscribe, listen, and become part of a passionate community shaping the future of student affairs. [Student Affairs Voices from the Field] is where your story matters—tune in and be heard! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:07]: Seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:12]: For higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:15]: This is season 14, continuing our conversation. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:18]: On the value of Student Affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. Sheher hers your Essay Voices from the Field Host Happy February, Chris Happy February. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:29]: Glad to be back in season 14. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:31]: It's 2026. We are just a couple of days from Super Bowl Sunday. As we're chatting today, I have a lifelong Seahawks fan, so it's hopefully going to be better matchup than the last time the Seahawks and the Patriots were in the super bowl together, but that remains to be seen. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:46]: You never know. And I think the Seahawks have a good chance because they have a good. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:51]: Team this year, knock on all sorts of wood. But here we are recording because we're really ready to talk about season 14. Season 14 is coming at you starting next Thursday, the 12th of February. Chris, what do we have in store for season 14? Wow. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:07]: We've got an amazing lineup of individuals from across the profession and we've got a number of really exciting things that we're gonna be talking about in regards to what's been happening in naspa. There's some specific conversations that we're gonna be having about strategic planning and some specific work group NASPA's been doing to really look at a number of different areas in the profession. We are going to be speaking with a number of different people at the conference this year and being able to bring their voices to all of you as well. There's some mini grand opportunities. There's a lot going on. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:41]: We're also kicking off our season with Dr. Darrell Holloman, who is the incoming NASPA Board Chair. We always love to feature the NASPA Board Chair as we head into our spring semesters. Can learn from Darrell on what he is hoping to do in his tenure as Board chair. Just a brief he's got a direction for us called the North Star Project, and I think you'll really enjoy listening to where the association is hoping to go in the 2627 year. I can't believe we're already saying 2627. I know we just started 2026, but we've also got a lot of things coming around in terms of how NASPA'S moving into the future. We've got our second year under Dr. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:16]: Parnell and her leadership as president, and I think NASPA's really starting to move and shake in some really interesting ways. So our season ahead is actually quite a bit more NASPA as an organizational focus than we've had in. But also we're gonna keep bringing you those rich dialogues with individual practitioners as we go along as well. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:34]: I'm really looking forward to this season. It should be an amazing season and I guess I'll put out a last call that, as we've said in the past, that if you have people that you wanna hear from in the future, send us an email savoicesaspa.org we would love to hear from you. We always love hearing from our listeners to be able to hear more about what you like, what you want more of, and to gain some perspective. So talk back to us. We'd love to hear more from you. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:59]: We have a colleague who hosts a different higher ed podcast and she liked to say talk to us, we talk back. So I think that's very applicable here. And we are also only a couple weeks away from Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Like previous years, Chris and I will be at the Annual conference collecting small interviews and hoping to feature your voices on questions related to the conference themes. So we will be moving about the conference with our mini recorders and hopefully if you find us, you'd be willing to share your voice. We'd love to feature you. We with all of that in mind, season 14 is going to be bringing another set of episodes that are focused on the value of student affairs. We loved that theme for the fall. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:37]: This will be our third time moving forward with a theme from fall to spring and we've heard that is a great format that you all as listeners are enjoying. So we're excited to keep it going forward. Chris, anything else on season 14? Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:03:49]: No, just excited Excited to share this great season with you all and we're looking forward to a continuing with the amazing guests, but also the amazing conversations and continuing the dialogue of moving our profession forward once again. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:03]: We're planning to drop our first episode on Thursday, February 12th right in this feed. The Essay Voices from the Field feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, whatever podcast player you might have on your Android phone or you can also find us right on the NASPA website if you just look for Essay Voices or NASPA Podcast. We thank you so much for spending your time with us and we're so happy to bring you another great season. We will see you on the 12th. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:32]: This has been an episode of Essay Voices from the Field brought to you by naspa. This show is made possible because of you, the listeners. We continue to be so grateful that you choose to spend your time with us. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:43]: If you'd like to reach the show. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:44]: You can email [email protected] or find me on LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Jill L. Creighton. We welcome your feedback and your topic and guest suggestions always. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell a colleague about the show and leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now. It really does help other student affairs professionals find the show and helps us to become more visible in the larger podcasting community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:12]: That's me, produced and audio engineered by Dr. Chris Lewis. Special thanks to the University of Michigan, Flint for your support as we create this project. Catch you next time.

How do public policies shape the work of student affairs professionals in higher education? This week on NASPA's Student Affairs Voices from the Field podcast, we explore just that. This week host Dr. Jill Creighton is joined by two seasoned experts: Diana Ali, Director of Policy Research and Advocacy at NASPA, and Dr. James Tyger, Assistant Vice President for Student Life at the University of Florida and Chair of NASPA's Public Policy Division. This episode dives deep into the complex regulatory and legislative landscape affecting campuses today. Throughout the conversation, Diana and Dr. James Tyger illuminate why public policy should matter—not just for policy "nerds," but for every student affairs professional. Policy changes at state and federal levels often create a ripple effect, touching everything from compliance to student success initiatives. No matter your role, these shifts impact your work and the students you serve. Key themes in the episode include: Major Policy Shifts: The guests detail dramatic changes in the Department of Education, including workforce reductions, agency restructuring, and the transfer of $33 billion in programs to other government agencies. These developments raise concerns about capacity and continuity in supporting states and institutions. Guidance and Compliance: With new Title VI and Title IX guidance, institutions must navigate both federal directives and state laws, especially regarding DEI and free speech. The episode tackles the resulting confusion and litigation, urging professionals to understand the difference between enforceable legal requirements and advisory guidance. The Value of Staying Informed: Listeners learn about the rich resources provided by NASPA's Public Policy Division, like the Policy Resource Hub, real-time legislative tracking, and regular webinars—tools designed to empower professionals to stay current and make informed choices. The hosts stress that while change can be daunting, student affairs remains crucial to supporting students and fostering vibrant campus communities. The takeaway? Tune in to this episode for practical advice on adapting to policy changes, sharing your impact, and remaining grounded in your mission—even as the regulatory landscape evolves. Whether you're navigating new DEI laws, Title IX updates, or simply want to be more proactive in your advocacy, this episode provides clarity, actionable strategies, and a renewed sense of purpose. Click play and join the conversation—your students' success depends on it! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:02]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher ed pros wherever you happen to be. This is season 13 on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. She her hers your essay voices from the Field host Today on Essay Voices, we're bringing you a public policy conversation with two of our leaders from the Public Policy Division here at naspa. Our first guest is Diana Ali, who is currently the Director of Policy Research and Advocacy at naspa. Diana provides timely analysis of emerging policy issues at state and federal levels, creates tools for student affairs professionals to understand and respond to these issues, and organizes and supports NASPA advocacy and civic engagement efforts. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:52]: Since moving to the area, Diana has been a non profit advocate and is currently a mental health group facility in the Chicagoland community. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years and graduated with a Master's in Social Work and a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Our Second guest is Dr. James Tyger, JD, who is the Assistant Vice President for Student Life at the University of Florida. With over 10 years of experience in Student Affairs, James is passionate about creating inclusive and supportive campus communities that empower students to thrive. Currently serving in the AVP role for Student Life at uf, James oversees the Student Engagement Team made up of the Offices of Campus Engagement, Community and Belonging, Sorority and Fraternity Life, and Student Legal Services. He's a proud double gator, having earned both a Ph.D. in higher education administration and a J.D. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:37]: from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. He also holds a Master of Education from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management from Virginia Tech. In addition to his role at uf, James is currently the Director for the Public Policy Division here at naspa, as well as serving on the Virginia Tech Student Affairs Advisory Council. Welcome to the podcast, James. Dr. James Tyger [00:01:58]: How are we doing? Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:58]: And hello Diana. Glad to have you. Diana Ali [00:02:00]: Hey everyone. Happy to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:02]: This is our Public Policy episode as we're talking about the value of student affairs. We thought it was really important to continue to include that policy perspective in the student affairs conversation because there's so many shifts happening right now. We've done a specialty episode earlier this season on the OB3 impacts on federal financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students, but today I'm excited to bring you our current Chair of the NASPA Public Policy Division as well as our Director of Policy Advocacy and Research so that we can have a more broad based discussion about what's going on in the policy world affecting U.S. american higher education, and possibly by extension, other higher education industries across the world. So before we get into all of that though, we love to ask the question, how did you get to your current seat? Dr. James Tyger [00:02:51]: Great question. Thanks for asking. I actually had an opportunity to get involved with NASPA Region 3. And so for over four years, I served as the Region 3 representative on the Public Policy Division and Region 3, of course, across the Southeast. So a lot of areas to reflect on in the public policy space. So really enjoyed that opportunity and to get to know folks and then eventually had the ability to move up and be the chair for the Public Policy Division for all of naspa. Diana Ali [00:03:17]: Yeah, and I got a role at Naspa going on 10 years ago now when I was coming right out of grad school and I really wanted to get involved in the world of higher education. I hadn't worked in that landscape before. My background was more in community based work. But it was really interesting to me because the world of student affairs, I think combines issues related to social work, which is a background that I have, and also issues related to student success and wellbeing, which are both important to me. So ever since I've kind of like grown within the organization. NASPA is a really great organization for being able to like, pursue your interests and do what you like. And so my portfolio has really grown since I started. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:02]: Both of you have been involved with the Public Policy Division for many, many years now. That's how we all connected in the first place. And I'd love for you all to be able to share with our NASPA listeners, what is the difference between a division and a knowledge community? And what is the PPD all about? Diana Ali [00:04:18]: So the difference between our divisions and our knowledge communities. And this has changed over the years, but one of the key differences is that our division chairs, that's James, has a seat on our NASPA board. So James has a say at our spring and winter board meetings. And that's a really important role. The caseies are obviously really important as well, but since we have so many of them, these are knowledge communities. So like subject matter experts in a certain area have much broader lens of what's going on within the association. And so there aren't a ton of differences between these groups. But I would say that representation on the board is a big one. Diana Ali [00:05:07]: Though the Casey's do have representation on the board as well, just not every Casey director is represented. Dr. James Tyger [00:05:14]: Yeah, and I think what I would Add to that, I think if we I had the opportunity to be the student government knowledge community co chair a few years back, and I think each of the knowledge communities have such a great opportunity to help build community. But when I think about the role of a division, it's more broad across the association, as opposed to many of our knowledge communities provide again, very specific communities, goals and different things that we're advocating for within the association. And so I think for the Public Policy Division more broadly, it's thinking through the entire state of our public policy arena. And so when we talk about what the PPD does, you know, we have representatives from each of the regions. We have, you know, folks that are both at large and also focused on, you know, let's say faculty or our small colleges as well, and thinking through the different impacts of policy across each of those areas. And so at some of the things that we're doing that I will share, you know, we're hoping to see folks at the annual conference. We'll have some different programmatic pieces, whether it be our town hall, our sponsors, sessions, opportunities just to get involved and hear more about what's going on across again, the state of higher education within the US and international. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:06:15]: So policy precon coming up, too. Dr. James Tyger [00:06:17]: Yes. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:06:17]: All right, so let's dig into it. When we think about the Public Policy Division, what are we focusing on ri

On the latest episode of Student Affairs Voices from the Field, Dr. Jill Creighton sits down with Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson, the trailblazing President of Connecticut State Community College (Manchester, Middlesex, and Asnuntuck), for an inspiring conversation that's sure to resonate with higher education professionals everywhere. From Student Affairs to the Presidency Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson shares an authentic, winding journey to leadership that began much like many in student affairs: as an "overly involved" undergraduate seeking belonging. Coming from a multiracial, first-generation background, student affairs became a hub for discovery, community, and professional love—and ultimately, a lifelong calling. What's striking is Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson's deep commitment to social justice, equity, and access, themes that have been woven throughout his career—across four-year research universities and community colleges alike. Why Community Colleges Matter A central theme is the vital, often under-recognized, role of community colleges. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson highlights their generational impact: "We're not just transforming one life, but generations to come." Community colleges are bastions of second chances—for veterans, ESL learners, first-generation students, parents, and non-traditional learners. The conversation delves into how these institutions can be life-changing, especially for historically marginalized populations. Student Affairs: The Essential Connector If you've ever grappled with explaining the value of student affairs, this is the episode for you. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson argues the core value lies in fostering a sense of belonging—for both students and staff. Especially at community colleges, student affairs professionals often play generalist roles, bridging academics, crisis response, and holistic support with compassion and ingenuity. The episode explores the complexities presidents face, balancing limited resources, compliance obligations, and the profound desire to advocate for students' needs. Listeners gain rare insights into how institutional leaders make tough decisions, and how student affairs voices can drive real change. Advocacy, Research, and Representation A significant part of the episode covers Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson's research and writing around marginalized identities. His work brings visibility to queer and trans students, students of color—and pushes for actionable change in the face of societal headwinds. Why Listen? Whether you're an aspiring leader, a student affairs professional, or someone passionate about equity in education, this episode offers valuable wisdom, empathy, and actionable advice. Hear first-hand how Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson blends identity, experience, and advocacy to shape the future of higher ed. Tune in and be inspired—your student affairs journey will thank you! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:02]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher ed pros wherever you happen to be. This is season 13 on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she her hers your Essay Voices from the Field host here on Essay Voices. It's always such a pleasure for us to welcome anyone who's serving in a college or university president role, especially when they've come up through student affairs pathways. So today it's our Honor to welcome Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson Johnson, he or they who is a seasoned educational administrator, best selling author, social justice educator and advocate who has dedicated his career and life to education reform, LGBTQ advocacy, economic justice and racial justice. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:50]: Joshua serves as the President at Connecticut State Community College, Manchester, Middlesex and Asnuntuck. He previously served as Provost in and Vice President of Academic affairs at West Valley College, Vice President of Student Services at the College of San Mateo, Dean of Equity and Student Services at American River College, Assistant Dean and Director of the Multicultural center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the Director of the LGBTQ Student center and Women's center at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He's also served in adjunct faculty roles at Binghamton University, the University of Wisconsin Madison, Semester at sea, CSU Long Beach, San Diego State University, USC and Concordia University, Portland. His social justice work has led him to become a best selling author with his book Be Beyond Surviving From Religious Oppression to Queer Activism, which was also ranked as number three on Book Authority's 20 Best Selling LGBTQ Activism Books of All Time. Joshua also published Authentic Leadership, Queer People of Color in Higher Education, and Queer Trans Advocacy in the Community College. Joshua received a doctoral degree in Adult and Higher Education and LGBT Studies from Northern Illinois University, a Master's in Social Sciences focused on student affairs and Diversity from Binghamton University, a Master's in Marketing from the University of Alabama, and a Bachelor's in Business from the University of Alabama. Joshua served on the Board of Directors for the association of California Community College Administrators, or acca, and was the founding Chair of the Equity and Social Justice Committee. Joshua previously served as the VP for the Board of the Sacramento LGBT Center. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:16]: NASPA has been a special place for Joshua and he previously served as the Chair of the Multiracial Knowledge Community, a Regional Representative for the Asian Pacific Islander Knowledge Community, Member at large for the International Education Knowledge Community, and as an Editor for the Journal of College and Character, and if you'd like to learn more about Joshua you, you can find their [email protected] Joshua welcome to Essay Voices. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson [00:02:38]: So happy to be here, Jill. Thanks for having me. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:41]: It's a rare treat that we get to have a president on the show, especially a president who's come through the pathways of student affairs like your journey has taken you. And we love to always start our episodes by asking our guests, how did you get to your current seat? Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson [00:02:54]: I don't even know if I ever thought, oh, I want to be a college president or anything like that. I started out as one of those, of course, like overly involved young student affairs students who kind of never, never left. I think, you know, for me, as a first one in my family to go off to university, I was terrified. And the thing that I do when I'm terrified, I overly prepare. And part of that was doing everything I could on campus because I was so afraid I wouldn't know what to do or how to get along. And finding social spaces within student affairs clubs and employment and extracurriculars and leadership really helped me find who I was and find purpose and help other young students. And then that kind of continued. And so most of my career has been in student affairs and higher education. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson [00:03:37]: I took a one year gap and worked in fashion marketing and quickly thought, hmm, I think higher ed's for me. And I spent probably the first almost 15 years at large, mostly research one universities, and then made the pivot to community college as that aligned a little bit easier for me to do equity social justice work in the ways that were meaningful to me and with larger populations who are more likely to be at a community college than a highly selective universities. I made that pivot, I think it was about eight years ago now and have had the opportunity to do a couple of student affairs like a dean of student services and equity and then a vice president of student affairs. And then I got pulled over to the provost side and was able to kind of dig a little deeper into academic affairs and this opportunity came up where I get to lead three community college campuses in Connecticut. I'm four months in and so far it's everything I hoped it would be. So it's been exciting so far. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:32]: Well, that's incredible to be a new president as well, coming out from the idea space as well as from the student affairs space. Joshua, you mentioned that community college has really spoke to you and your mission in terms of the students you could serve and the impact that you could have. What's different in that community college space from that highly selective four year. That really drew you that way. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson [00:04:51]: Yeah. I mean, and I'm not sure I don't know your background, Jill, like, if you ever did anything with community college. But I did not in most ways. So my family, I'm the youngest of five kids. My dad's the white military veteran. My mom's an immigrant from South Korea. And I never really realized it, but in some way, everybody in my family engaged in community college at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on the, you know, Gulfport, Biloxi, Mississippi. My dad as a veteran coming back in the early 70s. Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson [00:05:21]: My mom is an ESL student. And then each of my siblings went to community college. First for me as the youngest, I went off to a university, but I kept. Went back for summers and did community college to save money that I'd work all summer and pay off my tuition in that way too, because I was pretty much on Pell grants, scholarships, full financial aid, and trying to find ways to save money as much as possible. But I never really thought about college as a career after that. I really loved being at a university and specifically the identity development part of being in a kind of core s

Dr. Jill Creighton and Dr. Christopher Lewis talk about the past season and the holidays as they prepare for a short break and then the end of Season 13.   TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:02]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and accessible professional development for higher ed pros wherever you happen to be. This is season 13 on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. She her hers Your essay Voices from the Field Host. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:27]: Happy end of 2025. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:28]: Chris Happy end of 2025. It's been a great 2025 thus far. I know we've got a maybe another week or so left in it. We'll see what happens over the next week. But happy holidays to you and your family and friends. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:41]: And to yours as well. I hope everyone in Michigan is doing well in the snow and staying warm. It's just a much colder climate than I've ever lived in, so I know you must have the best coats. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:52]: We do have good coats, but I will say I have been to London at New Year's and dang cold. So though you may not have the snow, you definitely have the cold weather. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:02]: Oh my gosh, I'm freezing here all the time because it's so humid even when it's really cold. But we hope that everyone is enjoying a calm holiday season with your loved ones. This year we're going to do something a little bit different with the break in the past. We've been done with our fall season, but we wanted to make sure that we are bringing you continual episodes as best we can. So instead we're gonna take the next two weeks off. So we won't drop one on Christmas Day, we won't drop one on New Year's Day, but our last two episodes will come out the following two Thursdays in January, and then we'll take our break between seasons at the end of January with hopes that we're bringing you our next season in early February. Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:42]: Looking forward to coming back. We got these final episodes are really powerful ones, so I really encourage you to take a listen once they come back. It'll be a great way to start the new year. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:52]: And one of our lovely guests will be a current college president who came up through Student affairs, which I always think is a fantastic story for us to learn from and kind of hear the perspectives on higher education from various places in people's careers. The other episode coming your way is all about public policy and higher education. We know that this has been a super funky two years of policy shifts and we're going to be bringing on our incredible chair of the Public Policy division, James Tiger and Diana Ali, who works with NASPA in Public Policy Perspectives. So look forward to those two drops coming in January. In the meantime, we wish you and yours a very warm and renewing break and start to your 26. We'll see you next year. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:41]: This has been an episode of Essay Voices from the Field brought to you by naspa. This show is made possible because of you, the listeners. We continue to be so grateful that you choose to spend your time with us. If you'd like to reach the show, you can email [email protected] or find me on LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Jill L. Creighton. We welcome your feedback and your topic and guest suggestions always. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell a colleague about the show and leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:03:11]: It really does help other student affairs professionals find the show and helps us to become more visible in the larger podcasting community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton. That's me, produced and audio engineered by Dr. Chris Lewis. Special thanks to the University of Michigan, Flint for your support as we create this project. Catch you next time.