As travel became nearly impossible in summer 2020, study abroad programs were one area of campus seriously affected by the pandemic. Some campuses canceled all programs in both 2020 and 2021, while others found ways to innovate through virtual international experiences. In this episode, Dr. Heather Shea talks with Dr. Alex Akulli and Gabby Wahla about the many ways that campuses can expand access, reduce costs, and meet intended learning outcomes through virtual experiences.

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These scholar-practitioners join us to discuss the lessons learned from their four different research studies on a curricular approach to learning beyond the classroom. They discuss lessons and generously share resources on organizational change, learning organizations, organizational culture, staff members seeing themselves as educators, and the impact on learners.

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This episode features an engaging in-class conversation about expectations and realities for the first student affairs job search. Facilitated by the course instructor and Student Affairs NOW host, Dr. Heather Shea, the panelists were directed questions crowd-sourced from students in the class. The six panelists, all alumni of the same program from the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021, share their advice about navigating a complex job market, searching while finishing graduate school, and recommendations for negotiating the first job offer.

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Dr. Keith Edwards explores design thinking as both a process and a mindset with two authors of the new book Design Thinking in Student Affairs and two students. The conversation explores wicked problems, learning from failure, empathy, assessment, equity, organizational change, and indigenous pedagogies.

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Student transitions have often captured our attention as we consider the various interventions and opportunities for engagement with new students on campus. For many campuses, this year brought two groups of first-time-on-campus students. Dr. Heather Shea discusses with Dr. Jennifer Keup, Brian MacDonald, and Dr. Laura Randolph the unique needs of the two cohorts of college students arriving for the first time on college campuses and other complications of the pandemic.

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The rise in the number of young people who identify as biracial or multiracial presents college campuses with an opportunity to expand their racial understanding to better serve this growing population and become more inclusive in the process. Improving the college experience for multiracial students will require modifying existing student data-collection methods and providing better resources and support to ensure their inclusion.

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The relationship between Higher Education and the U.S. Military has been both long and complex. The opportunity for student veterans to be afforded the opportunity for an education introduced rewards but new challenges in student services best effort to best support this population of students. Dr. Glenn DeGuzman sits down with Dr. Phillip Morris, Dr. Dani Molina, and Dr. Bruce Kelley to explore and discuss the challenges, implications, and practices that student affairs professionals should be aware of in order to best support our student veterans.

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Dra. Susana Muñoz facilitates a critical conversation about the vital role that community colleges play with three scholars/community college leaders. 

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College students with experiences in the foster care system are often not central to institutionalized support within student affairs and higher education. Dra. Susana Muñoz meets with Angela Hoffman Copper, Dr. Royel Johnson, and Kenyon Lee Whitman about ways higher education and student affairs can better support college students with foster care experiences.

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College student mental health and well-being is a priority across the United States because of the growing demand and increasing severity of mental health concerns (i.e., rising anxiety, depression, and suicidality) on campus. Many college and university counseling centers have waiting lists and struggle to meet the needs of all students. Additionally, many students are struggling but not reaching out for help. These challenges have led to innovation and re-imagining the most effective ways to meet the mental health needs of college students. Student affair professionals are well-positioned to play an important role in addressing this campus challenge because of their extensive contact and relationships with students.

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