Student Affairs NOW

Dr. Annmarie Caño, a clinical psychologist and author, shares insights from her book on transformative leadership in higher education. She critiques conventional models and advocates for a justice-centered approach that emphasizes accompaniment—supporting rather than solving problems for students. Caño discusses the importance of empathetic leadership, mutual transformation, and fostering equity within academic structures. Her practical strategies, especially during the pandemic, highlight the need for collaborative decision-making and well-being in creating thriving learning environments.

Kevin McClure, a faculty member at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and author of The Caring University, discusses a transformative approach to workplace culture in higher education. He emphasizes the need to prioritize faculty and staff well-being to improve student success. By challenging norms of burnout, he advocates for intentional investment in employee care. McClure also shares actionable strategies for fostering organizational change, encourages collaborative ideas, and highlights the importance of transformational leadership in creating resilient institutions.

Anne Brackett and Alicia Wojciuch, co-founders of Strengths University and Gallup-certified strengths coaches, dive into the transformative power of strengths-based leadership. They discuss practical strategies for supervision that prioritize emotional intelligence and inclusivity. The duo highlights the pitfalls of focusing on weaknesses and advocates for cultivating natural talents instead. They share insights on enhancing team dynamics, fostering engagement, and the critical role of self-awareness in inspiring meaningful change in higher education.

In these times, being honestly truthful reinforces listening, hearing and holding students. Dr. Palmer shares the necessary value of understanding the difference between honesty and truth.

Tragedy and loss are inevitable in the career of any Student Affairs professional. In this powerful episode, Dr. R. Bowin Loftin recalls the day he had to deliver heartbreaking news after a sailing tragedy, offering insight into the role of institutions in upholding dignity and healing in the wake of disaster.

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!