A classroom emergency unfolded when an instructor lost consciousness, prompting students to exhibit remarkable compassion and leadership. This experience highlighted the importance of self-care for educators, revealing that they must prioritize their well-being to effectively support their students. The story underscores how community can flourish during unexpected challenges.

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In this podcast episode, a panel of student affairs faculty shares insights for new graduate students in higher education. They provide practical advice on topics like mentorship, managing workload, and navigating challenges in the field. Emphasizing the importance of authenticity, community, and self-care, they aim to empower students as they embark on their careers in student affairs.

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Hispanic-Serving Institutions enroll more than 4 million students, yet "serving" has largely meant enrolling. Dr. Gina Ann Garcia and grassroots leader Amber Gonzalez join us to explore what it actually takes to move an institution toward genuine servingness, drawing on Garcia's new book, The HSI Movement.

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Drawing from her book Race, Class, and Affirmative Action: College Admissions in a New Era, Dr. Park joins us for a timely and thoughtful conversation about the questions that continue to sit at the heart of higher education: Who has access to opportunity? How do race and class influence educational pathways?

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What if college student development is more complex than our traditional theories suggest? In this episode, we talk with the authors of Exploring Complexities in College Student Development: Critical Lessons from Researching Students' Journeys about the lessons they've learned from years of research and hundreds of student stories. Together, we explore how students make meaning of their experiences, challenge long-held assumptions, and consider new ways educators can support student growth in today’s evolving higher education landscape.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Higher education leaders today face simultaneous crises, requiring new skills for effective leadership amidst volatility. In a discussion hosted by Dr. Anthony Edwards, Keith Edwards and Heather Shea emphasize the importance of adaptability, inner work, and strategic partnerships to navigate challenges, focusing on aligned educational outcomes and thoughtful AI use.

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