Episodes (List) - Student Affairs NOW

Keith Edwards, New Episode, Podcast, Student Learning and Development

Student Engagement in Higher Education

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Drs. Stephen John Quaye and Sumun Pendakur, editors of Student Engagement in Higher Education: Theoretical Perspectives and Practical Approaches for Diverse Populations, discuss the new edition of this foundational book, bringing together the work of 50 scholars and practitioners. Each chapter focuses on engaging a different student population and includes three new “Problems of Practice” chapters. They discuss implications for navigating and leading higher education for all students in this moment.

Current Campus Context, Heather Shea, New Episode, Podcast

Current Campus Context: Whose Values Drive Institutional Decisions? (Campus Safety, Visa Investigations, & Budget Cuts)

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In this October edition of Current Campus Context, expert correspondents Dr. Kaleb Briscoe and Dr. Ethan Ris examine three pressing higher education issues: campus sexual violence and institutional accountability, federal investigations into the J-1 visa program, and widespread budget cuts and layoffs. Together, they explore what these developments reveal about institutional priorities, the tension between stated values and actual decisions, and the implications for student safety, belonging, and success.

Keith Edwards, Law, Policy, and Governance, New Episode, Podcast

Nuances of AI in Higher Education

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This conversation explores the nuances and complexity of AI beyond the binaries of “it’s terrible” or “it’s great.” Three thinkers really explore the complexity of AI, data centers, teaching and learning, practice, and more. They explore the ethics and the environmental considerations, as well as a helpful metaphor about elevators. This conversation is thoughtful, critical, and hopeful.

Here's The Story, New Episode, Podcast

Here’s the Story – “Structured Serendipity”

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Structured Serendipity explores how what feels like luck is often the result of intentional people, meaningful opportunities, and environments designed to help students succeed. In this episode, a current housing director reflects on the student job that unexpectedly became the foundation of a lifelong career in higher education. Through stories of mentorship, challenge, privilege, and perseverance, they consider how those early experiences shaped not only their own journey, but their enduring commitment to creating the same opportunities for the next generation of students

New Episode, Podcast, Raechele Pope, Social Justice and Inclusion

White Noise: Challenging Beliefs About Race On Campus

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Many conversations about race in higher education begin with the assumption that students simply need more exposure to diversity or education about racism. But what if white students arrive on campus having already spent years learning powerful lessons about race through their families, schools, neighborhoods, and everyday experiences?
Drawing on years of qualitative research, Drs. Zak Foste and Lauren Irwin challenge this “Empty Vessel Hypothesis,” examining how colleges and universities can reproduce, rather than disrupt, the racial understandings students bring with them. Their work invites us to rethink how students learn about race—and the role institutions play in reinforcing or challenging those lessons.

Heather Shea, New Episode, Organizational and Human Resources, Podcast

Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students

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College student mental health continues to be one of the most pressing issues facing higher education. In this episode of Student Affairs NOW, host Heather Shea is joined by Dr. Alexis Redding, editor of Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students, along with contributors Bryan Ashton, Adrian Gonzales, and Dr. Adam Pierson Milano. Together, they explore the latest research on student well-being, discuss how financial stress, institutional culture, and support for veteran students shape mental health outcomes, and share practical, research-informed strategies that every campus can use to create environments where students can thrive.

New Episode, Podcast, Social Justice and Inclusion

Advancing Indigenous and Native Student Affairs

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In this episode of Student Affairs NOW, we explore the evolving field of Indigenous Student Affairs and Native student success in higher education through the lens of the recent volume Advancing Indigenous and Native Student Affairs: Evolving Knowledges and Practice. Joining us are editors Symphony Oxendine, Cori Bazemore-James, Deborah Taub, and John Garland for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, belonging, leadership, financial aid, professional networks, and culturally grounded student support for Native and Indigenous students. Together, we discuss how colleges and universities can move beyond deficit-based approaches toward practices that genuinely center Indigenous voices, strengths, relationality, and community, while also examining the realities Indigenous students and professionals continue to navigate across higher education today.

Current Campus Context, Heather Shea, Law, Policy, and Governance, Podcast

Current Campus Context: Who Belongs, Who Pays, & Who Determines Quality?

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In this episode of Current Campus Context, Heather Shea and a panel of experts discuss three significant policy changes affecting higher education this fall: new limits on international students, adjustments to graduate borrowing, and proposed accreditation reforms. They analyze these shifts’ implications for access, belonging, and student success within colleges and universities.

Here's The Story, New Episode, Podcast

Here’s the Story: “More Than a Question”

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When a young white girl pointed at him and asked her father, “What is that?” and he responded, “I don’t know,” the storyteller came to understand how racism shapes the ways people are taught to see others. Rather than allowing that moment to define him, it became the foundation for a career dedicated to social justice, education, and helping others recognize the humanity, dignity, and worth in every person.

Heather Shea, Leadership, New Episode, Personal and Ethical Foundations, Podcast

Mid-Level as a Final Destination

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In this podcast episode, Heather Shea and her guests challenge the traditional view that success in student affairs is strictly tied to promotions. They discuss mid-level careers as intentional and fulfilling choices, emphasizing the importance of individual narratives over societal pressures. Participants share insights on navigating hustle culture, work-life balance, and fostering supportive environments in higher education.