Student Affairs NOW

Join scholars Christina Holmgren, Leah Fulton, and Jayne Sommers as they navigate the complex relationships between Black and white women in higher education. They discuss the challenges of trust-building, the impact of misogynoir, and the importance of self-reflection for effective allyship. Personal experiences reveal the dynamics of feminism, power imbalances, and the role of faith in promoting social justice. Their insights advocate for a new model of reciprocity that fosters genuine connections and collective growth in academia.

David Robinson-Morris, a visionary strategist and founder of the Reimagination, joins anthropologist and community ritualist Michelle C. Chapman, alongside gender studies expert Leroy Costa. They dive into the power of contemplative practices in higher education, exploring how inner work can lead to social transformation. The conversation touches on the importance of vulnerability, storytelling, and empathy in fostering community. They emphasize resilience amidst chaos and the necessity of creativity in education, igniting change from within.

Dr. Jessica Riddell, a Shakespearean scholar and professor at Bishop's University, dives into the pressing need for transformation in higher education. She critiques the status quo and presents ten innovative tools to foster hope and a thriving academic environment. Drawing on theatrical metaphors, she highlights the unsung heroes of student success and the importance of meaningful relationships. Riddell advocates for a mindset shift towards unlearning and relearning to navigate challenges, urging institutions to embrace vulnerability and collective efforts for transformative change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUicR1InL2s Episode Description Heather Shea shares how working in a women's center and bringing feminist icon Gloria Steinem to campus shaped her personal, political, and professional journey. She reflects on the enduring need for activism and advocacy in women and gender equity centers. Suggested APA Citation Gardner, H. (Host). (2025, May 14) Here's the Story: "Meeting Gloria, Finding Myself" (No. 270) [Audio podcast episode]. In Student Affairs NOW. https://studentaffairsnow.com/meeting-gloria-finding-myself/ Episode Transcript Helena GardnerWelcome to Here's the Story, a show that brings Student Affairs to life by sharing the authentic voices and lived experiences of those who are shaping the field every day as part of the Student Affairs now family, we're dedicated to serving and furthering the people who walk the walk, talk to talk and carry the walk that all of us find ourselves doing who work in Student Affairs in Higher Education. You can find us at studentaffairsnow.com, or directly at studentaffairsnow.com/heresthestory, or YouTube or anywhere you enjoy podcast, I like to start off by thanking today's sponsor Huron. Huron's education and research experts help institutions transform their strategy, operations, technology and culture to foster innovation, financial health and student success. I get to be your host today, Helena Gardner, and my pronouns are she? Her, her, and I serve as the Director of Residence, education and housing services at Michigan, Michigan State University. I live my life as a mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend and a mentor. I'm with you today from the ancestral, traditional contemporary lands of the Anishinabe three fires, confederacy of Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi peoples. The university resides on land seated in the 1819, treaty of Saginaw, home to Michigan State University. And I'm going to toss it to my co-host. Neil E. GolemoHowdy. My name is Neil Golemo. I use he, him pronouns, and I am blessed to serve as the Director of Campus Living Learning and Texas A name's Sonny Galveston campus, and I'm just over here living hard and making it look easy, Helena Gardnermaking it look easy now, because today, today, we have a special guest for you. Today. Want to introduce to you, Heather. Shea, you may be familiar with Heather. Shea, we see her often on Student Affairs NOW, kind of a big deal. Yeah, yeah, it's kind of a big deal. Like, kind of a big deal, like, we got a special guest today. I'm really excited. I have the pleasure of seeing Heather probably a little bit more often in real life on campus, as we get to be great colleagues doing this thing at Michigan State. Don't know, welcome Heather. Share whatever you want to share about you. And we're real curious what you gotta say today, so you let us know, and then we will get started. Alright. Heather SheaWell, it's so great to be here. Thank you for the invitation and for all of the work that the three of you are doing to create this, this amazing podcast, I think it's just such a powerful way of bringing the field to life, right? Because we are nothing if we are not the stories that have have shaped us. So I Yes, work at Michigan State, alongside Helena. I have been here since 2013 but before that, I lived in the West. As I like to say, I'm from the west. My originally born and raised in Colorado, moved to Arizona, then moved to Idaho, which is where I was right before coming to Michigan State, which Idaho will play prominently in my story that I'm going to share with you all today. Helena GardnerAlright. Well, Heather, we so you do this, and we typically see you get into our scholarly and practitioner land. Mm, hmm. And so, you know, tell us a story from the heavenly Alright, with that slide, all right. Heather SheaWell, this is the story about how I met feminist icon Gloria Steinem. And I'm going to share this story because it was one of the probably most um.

Dr. Carter-Atkins shares a powerful message of self-care and leadership through the magic of burpees!

Lorrie Miller, an instructor at UBC specializing in textile art and Indigenous education, and Shannon Leddy, an art education associate professor at UBC focused on decolonization, explore the richness of Indigenous pedagogies. They discuss the importance of respectful communication and community engagement in education. The conversation highlights storytelling, slow pedagogy, and the transformative potential of learning through relationships. They advocate for integrating Indigenous wisdom and holistic self-care in teaching to create inclusive, meaningful educational experiences.

Join Crystal Garcia, an expert in minoritized student experiences and associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, alongside OiYan Poon, co-director of the College of Admissions Futures Collaborative. They discuss the first 100 days under the current administration, revealing significant shifts in higher education policy. The conversation dives into the struggles of marginalized students, the balance of compliance versus pushback, and the vital role of faculty activism in advocating for equity. Their insights inspire hope and resilience amidst turbulent times.

Assessment experts and student affairs leaders discuss the multi-level assessment process and how to utilize it as a leadership practice. This conversation helps explain this approach, what it offers, examples of how it is being done, and tips. They discuss assessment beyond measurement, leading learning and operations, as strategic planning, and through relationships.

In this episode, host Heather Shea is joined by Dr. Brendan Cantwell and Dr. Demetri Morgan to break down a wave of federal actions reshaping higher education. From the NIH’s ultimatum on DEI to a new executive order on accreditation—and threats to university tax-exempt status—they explore what these moves mean for institutional governance, research integrity, and academic freedom.

Dr. Paul Dosal reflects on his 15 years as an innovator, champion, and leader of student success and well-being. He shares lessons from creating institutional transformations for student persistence and retention through deliberative and intentional approaches, breaking down silos, predictive analytics, and creating cultures of care. He highlights blending technological tools and personal connections and relationships for holistic and systematic approaches to student success and well-being.