In this conversation, we discuss the challenges, pride, and support for first-generation graduate students. Guests share their experiences, tips for others, recommendations and suggestions for faculty and staff working to support these students, and ways involvement and engagement with ACPA can help get that support and look to address systemic issues in higher education and society.

For over 4 decades, Harry Le Grande has been a student affairs senior leader innovating and breaking barriers through his no-nonsense and people-first approach philosophy. His career spans multiple institutions and holding senior executive positions at the University of California, California State University, and California Community College systems. His commitment to helping  underrepresented professionals break through the glass ceiling, maneuvering the politics of higher education, and championing the values of our profession is well documented in his professional career. Listen in to a master storyteller as he takes us down his professional journey and shares a bit about his thoughts about the future of student affairs.

In this episode we are discussing serving minoritized students and the unique institutional types that focus on supporting minoritized students. Our hope is to focus on ways we can serve minoritized student populations at institutions that may not have been created with these populations in mind but are now playing an important role in providing access to higher education. By doing so, we hope to highlight what all institutions can learn about serving minoritized students and how professional associations, like ACPA, can better support student affairs and higher education professionals engaging in this important work.

Stefaan Van Hooydonk, an author on workplace curiosity and leadership, is joined by Dr. Hilary Lichterman, an expert on education and neuroscience. They delve into the critical role of curiosity in leadership, emphasizing its importance in nurturing an innovative culture. The duo discusses the evolution of curiosity from childhood to adulthood, highlights its transformative impact in workplaces, and addresses how curiosity can bridge gaps in higher education. Personal anecdotes, including a love for ducks, add a light-hearted touch to this insightful conversation.

In this episode, we’re discussing how to support students' mental health and well-being during education abroad programs. Join us for an insightful discussion with experts Vernon Wall and Drs. Shayna Perry and Matt Rader as we explore the unique challenges students face, best practices for support, and strategies for faculty and staff to enhance mental health resources during international programs.

Join four game designers as they discuss the role of games and play in learning. Drs. Tricia Siefert,  Colleen Smith, Tracy Fullerton, and Andrew Peterson challenge the misalignment of education as only linear and structured and explore the paradox of play -  how games' mystery, rules, and openness can create space for creativity, connection, emotion, learning, and more.

Fernell Miller, a dedicated collaborator on racial healing, joins experts Dr. Mollie Monahan, who specializes in systemic oppression, and Dr. Jen Self, an authority on race and identity. They stress the importance of authenticity in discussing systemic issues. The trio promotes education as a tool for healing and emphasizes humility and curiosity. They also navigate the complexities of personal responsibility in racial healing and highlight the crucial role of safe spaces in fostering genuine conversations about race and identity.

Activists reflect on mobilizing for reproductive rights after the Dobbs decision, tackling accessible health initiatives. They spotlight a successful program offering free emergency contraceptives and confront period poverty through a student-led campaign. The dialogue emphasizes collaboration and community engagement in sexual health education, highlighting a conference aimed at fostering discussions. With a focus on mentorship and transparency, these students navigate challenges and drive impactful change in reproductive health advocacy.

Dr. Gina Garcia discusses Hispanic Serving Institions (HSIs). The conversation ranges from the definitions of HSIs and moving from demographics to "servingness." She also shares what that servingness can look like on various campuses including compositional diversity of faculty, staff, and administration; curricular inclusion; connections to serving local communities; and policy development.

Black women working in higher education as administrators, faculty, and staff face daily harms and traumas that affect their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being. Black women are often hazed, shamed, and unsupported in myriad ways that put their health and their future at risk. Even when colleges and universities highlight their commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, they rarely address the institutional and intersectional realities facing Black women. It is time for us to move beyond describing the problem and lean into discovering how to cope, survive, thrive,and embrace joy in our lives.