Adventures in Advising takes a trip down memory lane with two legends of the field! In this special episode, guest host Dr. Jenny Bloom from Florida Atlantic University sits down with her longtime mentor and friend, Dr. Wes Habley, to explore his incredible journey from music major to one of the foundational voices in academic advising. 🌟

From developing the seven organizational models of advising, to launching NACADA’s Summer Institute, to shaping how generations of advisors think about conceptual, informational, and relational skills—Wes shares the stories, turning points, and even a few behind-the-scenes moments that defined his career.

This conversation is part history lesson, part masterclass, and all heart —celebrating the relationships and legacies that continue to shape the profession today. 

Tune in to hear how passion, mentorship, and a little bit of serendipity can change not only one career—but an entire field!

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What happens when advising professionals reimagine scholarship—not as something locked behind paywalls and jargon, but as a living, collaborative practice? In this episode of Adventures in Advising, hosts Matt and Ryan sit down with Dr. David Grey (UKAT) and Oscar van den Wijngaard (Maastricht University) to discuss Waypoint, a new open-access journal dedicated to student advising practice and research across Europe.

From redefining what “scholarly” means to creating a more inclusive, dialogue-driven peer review process, Oscar and David share how Waypoint is breaking barriers and building bridges between theory and practice. Whether you’re an advisor, researcher, or simply curious about how ideas become action in higher education, this conversation will inspire you to find your own waypoint in the evolving landscape of academic advising.

Check out the inaugural edition of Waypoint!

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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From teaching elementary orchestra, to editing books for bestselling authors, to leading student organizations and pursuing a PhD...Jordan Truex does it all! As a Senior Academic Advisor at Utah State University and current PhD student in Counseling and Student Development at Kansas State University, Matt and Ryan chat with Jordan to explore strategies for fostering student belonging through teaching and student organizations, the role of compassion in effective advising, and how advisor well-being directly impacts student success. Jordan also discusses her research interests around advisor satisfaction and retention, as well as her leadership in NACADA’s Region 10 and Sustainable Leadership Committee. This conversation is packed with energy, insight, and a little bit of wanderlust (Japan, anyone?). 

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Get ready for an energetic episode of Adventures in Advising with Temple Carter, Director of Advising Programming and Development for the Texas A&M University System. Temple shares how lessons from theater and the corporate world bring fresh ideas to advisor training, professional development, and organizational growth. You’ll hear creative strategies for supporting advisor wellness, building connections across institutions, and keeping curiosity at the center of advising. It’s a lively mix of storytelling, practical takeaways, and even a debate over pineapple on pizza! 

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Ready to swap burnout for a brighter why? Matt and Ryan welcome back Dr. Ashley Thomas from the NACADA Executive Office. Ashley opens up about discovering your purpose, using stories to find your “why,” and how aligning it with your advising work can boost wellness, deepen student relationships, and even curb turnover. Expect goosebumps, practical tips, and a whole lot of heart. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a conference session and Simon Sinek’s framework sparked Ashley’s purpose journey.
• Why narrative inquiry reveals the themes that really drive you.
• Concrete steps to craft your purpose
• The hidden costs of advisor turnover and how purpose helps people stay.
• Simple ways supervisors can build purpose check-ins

If you’re an advisor, a supervisor, or just someone who wants work to feel more you, hit play and get inspired to live and advise on purpose.

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Do you wish you had a more comprehensive, evidence-based guide for delivering coaching and mentoring interventions with your students? Enya-Marie Clay, Jennifer Hillman, and Dave Lochtie, the editors behind the brand-new book Coaching and Mentoring Students in Higher Education: A Practitioner Guide to Developing Independent Learners, have just that! From equity-driven frameworks to real student stories, this conversation explores how coaching and mentoring can empower learners, reshape institutional support, and even shift the way we think about advising itself. 

Tune in to hear how these trailblazing editors are helping practitioners everywhere bring courage, reflection, and creativity into student support! 

Order your copy today!

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Do you know what reverse mentoring is and its benefits? In this episode, Matt and Ryan sit down with Rachael O’Connor from University of Leeds to explore how reverse mentoring and relationship-centered advising can transform campus culture, especially for working class and first-gen students. From her journey from tax law to teaching, to building staff/student partnerships that actually change policies, Rachael shares real wins, real challenges, and no-fluff strategies you can use next week.

You’ll learn:

• What reverse mentoring is (and isn’t)
• Smart ways to make personal tutoring/advising more equitable and authentic
• How to navigate power dynamics without losing momentum
• Why “imposter syndrome” hits working-class students differently
• Practical, repeatable meeting structures that turn good intentions into action

About our guest: Rachael O’Connor is an Associate Professor in Legal Education and the University Academic Lead for Personal Tutoring at the University of Leeds, a former solicitor, and a trustee with LawCare. Her award-winning work builds student-led initiatives where lived experience is treated as expertise—and it’s seriously changing the game.

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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In this special episode of Adventures in Advising, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Terry O’Banion—visionary leader, prolific author, and one of the most influential voices in the history of academic advising and the community college movement. Known for challenging higher education to place student learning at the center, Dr. O’Banion’s work continues to inspire generations of educators.

Hosts Matt Markin and Ryan Scheckel are joined by guests Dr. Charlie Nutt, retired Executive Director of NACADA, and Dr. Wendy Troxel, Director of the NACADA Center for Research, who share personal memories, professional reflections, and insights into how Dr. O’Banion’s scholarship still shapes the field today. Together, they honor his enduring impact while asking the important question he often posed: What is academic advising at your institution?

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Ever wondered what happens when advising professionals trade their campus offices for classrooms to lead students across the globe ? In this special panel episode, guest host Gavin Farber brings together Dr. Sarah Imam, The Citadel; Brittany Hoover, University of Florida; Chris Kirchhof, University of Pittsburgh; and Jill Paulson, University of South Dakota. These incredible advising professionals share their journeys leading students across the globe.

These advising professionals show how “other duties as assigned” can turn into life-changing opportunities for students and staff. Packed with travel tales, cultural lessons, and tips for starting your own program, this conversation will inspire you (and maybe make you want to renew your passport).

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your advising work international or just love a good story about students becoming global citizens, take a listen to this episode!

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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In this edition of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan are joined by Jaime Ortiz, Director of Academic Advising at Saint Louis University’s Madrid campus. From his early days as a scholarship student to becoming a leader shaping the evolution of advising at SLU-Madrid, Jaime shares a powerful story of growth, resilience, and cross-cultural connection.

Tune in to hear how Jaime helped transform a one-person advising office into a thriving team supporting both permanent and study abroad students, all while balancing the unique challenges of being an American institution in a European setting. Plus, don’t miss his take on building community, embracing sci-fi, and what it really means to be at the crossroads of global education.

🧭 Madrid, advising a globally diverse student body, and a touch of Star Wars...what more could you want?

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.