Student Development Theory in Action: Why this Book, Why Now?

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Student development theory is often seen as the foundation of student affairs, but many educators struggle to apply it in everyday practice. In this first episode, authors Drs. Kristen Renn, Chayla Haynes Davison, Alex C. Lange, Cristobal Salinas Jr., and Rosemary Perez explore what we often get wrong about theory—and why this book is needed right now. We discuss the origins of College Student Development Theory in Action and how it’s designed to help educators, graduate students, and practitioners actually use theory in their work.

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Podcasts & Pedagogy: Faculty Teaching with Student Affairs Now

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Recorded live in front of an audience at ACPA26 in Baltimore, this episode of Student Affairs Now explores how podcasts and digital media are being used as dynamic teaching tools in graduate preparation programs. Presenters share sample assignments and a curated toolkit designed to help faculty connect theory to practice. The conversation highlights how podcast-based learning can amplify diverse voices and engage students in current issues shaping the field. Listeners will walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies for integrating episodes into their own teaching and learning environments. Access all of the resources shared in this session by visiting Patreon.com/StudentAffairsNow.

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Modern Scholarly Writing: Equity, Authorship & the Future of Publishing in Student Affairs

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In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of scholarly writing and publishing in student affairs. Our guests discuss how conversations about equity, representation, and access are reshaping whose knowledge is valued, as well as how emerging tools like AI are influencing authorship and intellectual labor. Together, we reflect on the responsibilities of authors and editors and offer practical insights for scholar-practitioners who want to contribute to knowledge production in meaningful and ethical ways.

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Current Campus Context: Who Defines Student Success? Power & Policy in Higher Ed

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Who gets to define student success right now? In this episode, we unpack how recent federal actions, state policy proposals, and accountability trends are reshaping higher education. From accreditation and DEI to academic freedom and ROI, we explore how power is shifting—and what student affairs professionals need to understand in this moment.

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Turning Assessment into Meaningful Change

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Turning assessment into meaningful change requires more than collecting data—it requires a plan for action. In this episode of Student Affairs Now, we talk with the authors of Maximizing the Impact of Assessment in Higher Education: Closing the Loop with Change Management about how to move beyond reports and compliance toward sustainable improvement. Together, we explore practical strategies for leading change, building cultures of learning, and using assessment as a lever for equity and student success. Whether you’re leading from the middle or shaping institutional strategy, this conversation offers tools to help close the loop with purpose.

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Current Campus Context: Campus Voting Data, Federal Funding & Loan Caps

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From scrutiny of student voting data and new SAVE Act proposals to proposed graduate loan caps, higher education may be breathing a slight sigh of relief as congressional appropriations rejected the administration’s deepest cuts. Yet this moment of funding stability comes alongside tighter regulation and expanding federal scrutiny. What happens when civic engagement feels politically charged and access to graduate education becomes more constrained? In conversation with Dr. Felecia Commodore and Dr. Crystal Garcia, we explore what these developments signal about institutional autonomy, belonging, and the posture higher education is adopting in 2026.

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Current Campus Context: One Year In—What Changed, What Didn’t

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One year into a new federal administration, the January 2026 installment of Current Campus Context examines what has actually changed for colleges and universities—and what has quietly reshaped campus life beneath the headlines. Heather Shea is joined by Dr. Brendan Cantwell and Dr. Crystal Garcia to explore federal power and institutional response, heightened ICE presence and campus climate, and how bluster, austerity, and silence are redefining institutional priorities. Together, they reflect on what these shifts mean for student affairs professionals navigating uncertainty, care, and purpose in 2026.

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Rethinking Mentoring: From Personal Care to Collective Change

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In this episode of Student Affairs NOW, host Heather Shea is joined by a powerful group of scholar-practitioners to explore mentoring and community-driven solutions in higher education. Recorded as an extension of a compelling panel from the ACPA–ASHE Presidential Symposium, the conversation examines mentoring as both a deeply personal act of care and a collective strategy for sustaining individuals, strengthening communities, and driving institutional change. Together, the panel reflects on how identity and positionality shape mentoring relationships, how culturally responsive practices foster more inclusive and affirming connections, and how community partnerships and collective approaches can expand the impact of mentorship beyond one-to-one models. This episode invites listeners to consider how mentoring rooted in care, justice, and joy can be transformative—for people, programs, and the field of student affairs.

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Students’ Perspectives on the Purpose of Higher Education

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In this episode, we explore students’ perspectives on the purpose of higher education at a moment shaped by rising costs, political tension, debates about belonging and DEI, and growing mental health concerns. Rather than talking about students, we center their voices—alongside the faculty member guiding these conversations in the classroom. Co-hosted by Dr. Michael Stebleton, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, the episode draws from his honors seminar on student development, career pathways, and the transition from college to work. Together with students enrolled in his fall 2025 course, What Is College For? Examining the Purpose and Value of U.S. Higher Education, we unpack what college is supposed to do—and who it is meant to serve.

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Twenty Years of the MSL: Leadership, Learning, and the Future of Expanding Leadership & Opportunity

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This episode of Student Affairs Now celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), one of the most influential research projects in student affairs and leadership education. Host Heather Shea talks with longtime colleagues and collaborators John Dugan and Kristan Cilente-Skendall about the study’s origins, impact, and evolution. Together they reflect on how the MSL has shaped our understanding of leadership, learning, and social responsibility across higher education and beyond. The conversation also explores their new venture, the Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity (CELO), and its role in advancing equity and human development for the next generation of learners.

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