Rural College Students: Place, Identity, Systems, and Institutional Responsibility

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Rural students are on every college campus and yet they remain largely invisible in our equity conversations, our institutional design, and our student affairs practice. Elise Cain, Jarvis Marlow-McCowin, and Ty McNamee have each dedicated their work to understanding what it actually means to come from a rural place, to carry that identity into a college environment, and to navigate the intersections within higher education.

Creating Cultures of Care, Courage, & Connection

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At a time when many campuses are navigating fatigue, uncertainty, and change, creating cultures rooted in care and connection has never been more important. In this episode, Heather Shea speaks with Dr. Patty Perillo and Earl Cabellon about the power of courageous leadership, centering justice, authentic belonging, and intentional culture-building to help staff (and the institutions in which they work) thrive.

The Charge for Change: Build Safer Campuses Now with Research-Informed Hazing Prevention

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These contributors discuss the charge for change, a report from the Piazza Center on moving beyond compliance for hazing prevention. They discuss moving beyond policies and legal compliance to changing culture and shifting the conditions that make change possible. They offer insights and suggestions for campus leaders to implement now.

Peril and Promise: What Higher Education Needs from Leaders Right Now

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What happens when student affairs educators come together to discuss leadership, hope, and the future of higher education? In this special Student Affairs NOW Book Club episode, Heather Shea facilitates a live conversation with members of the Student Affairs NOW learning community inspired by Beverly Daniel Tatum’s Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times. Together, participants reflect on the challenges facing higher education today, the opportunities they see emerging, and the leadership practices needed to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.

Redefining Alpha: Leadership for Well-Being, Engagement, and Success

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Mark Butler breaks the myth of Alpha leadership based on wolves in captivity and redefines it as the behavior of wolves in the wild, where the Alpha focuses on protection, service, and responsibility. An expert in mental health, psychological safety, and leadership, Mark shares how leaders can be effective in leading teams, fostering well-being, avoiding burnout, and fostering psychological safety through simple practices any leader can utilize.

Education Abroad in a Changing Higher Ed Landscape

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Education abroad is not just “travel.” It is a high-impact learning experience shaped by the current realities of U.S. higher education: student mental health, belonging, political polarization, affordability, global awareness, career readiness, and the role of faculty and staff in helping students make meaning across difference. While co-leading an undergraduate education abroad program in Europe, Student Affairs NOW host Heather Shea connected with four students, a faculty co-leader, and a program assistant to discuss the importance of education abroad in a changing higher education landscape. Together, they reflect on identity, history, learning, and student development while exploring how education abroad can help students better understand themselves, others, and their place in an increasingly interconnected world.

Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn’t Really Matter – And What Really Does

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What if everything you’ve been told about picking the right college major is wrong? In Hacking College, Ned Scott Laff and Scott Carlson argue that the obsession with choosing the “right” major has left generations of students with what they call “empty college degrees.” Find out how students can stop jumping hurdles and start hacking the college game.

Here’s the Story: “Finding Joy”

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In this episode, a higher education housing professional reflects on a career shaped by intentionally seeking joy in both everyday moments and unexpected opportunities. He shares how investing in personal passions and relationships sustains his energy and strengthens his effectiveness at work. He encourages young professionals to define success beyond burnout, recognize small wins, and build routines that prioritize purpose and fulfillment. His message is simple: joy isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you create.

The Vital Role of Student Affairs in Community Colleges

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What does student affairs work really look like at a community college? From helping a first-generation student find their footing to supporting a working parent juggling classes and life, to guiding professionals with previous degrees to upskill and pursue different career paths- community college student affairs leaders and teams meet students where they are. Their work is hands-on, deeply relational, and shaped by a commitment to removing barriers and opening doors- it is truly love, justice, and humanity work. If you’ve ever wondered what makes community colleges feel so connected and responsive, this conversation offers a window into the educators who make it happen.