Adventures in Advising

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

What is academic advising and who gets to define it? Kyle Ross, NACADA Executive Director; Janet Schulenberg, Penn State; and Patrick Cate, Lakes Region Community College, explore NACADA’s bold initiative: creating an official definition and scope of practice for academic advising. From institutional leadership to frontline advising, they explore how this effort could reshape professional development, elevate advising’s visibility, and influence external stakeholders. This conversation covers how institutional context and misused terminology muddy the waters, as well as how this definition seeks to clarify the profession’s identity. 

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

After five and a half years of building community and sharing best practices, Adventures in Advising is leveling up! In this special episode, we unveil two brand-new spinoff podcasts designed to broaden the conversation and amplify even more voices in higher education.

🎧 Meet the hosts behind these new ventures:

• Bri Harvie, co-host of Emerging Voices, shares how the podcast spotlights the stories and journeys of NACADA’s Emerging Leaders Program participants—and why no two advising paths are alike.
• Kevin Thomas & Michael "Brody" Broshears, co-hosts of The Pickup Meeting, bring their administrative expertise (and sense of humor) to real, unscripted conversations about leadership, innovation, and problem-solving in student success.

Expect laughs, real talk, and a whole lot of inspiration. Whether you’re an advisor, leader, or somewhere in between, this episode is your front-row seat to the next chapter of the Adventures in Advising network.

🗓️ The Pickup Meeting launches August 6
🎙️ Emerging Voices is already live—go binge it now!

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

Dr. Jamie Cawthra, lecturer at University College London, focuses on trust and its role in higher education, as well as staff training around generative AI. The discussion explores the challenges and opportunities presented by gen AI in education, including its rapid development, the difficulties in detecting AI-generated content, and the need for clear communication and shared understanding between students and staff regarding appropriate AI usage to foster trust and academic integrity. 

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

Panelists Carrie Egnosak, Penn State World Campus; Beth Hobbs, American Public University System; and Katie Bunnell, SPU doctoral student, dive into the evolving landscape of online academic advising. Together, they explore the power of virtual relationships, the challenges of fostering community online, and why representation and research in remote advising matter more than ever. Whether you're new to online education or a seasoned pro, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about connection, support, and the future of advising.

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

Janelle Yasukochi, Maria Aladjova, and Kevin McVay of University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the dynamic trio co-chairing this year’s NACADA Annual Conference in Las Vegas share what makes this year’s event a must-attend. With the theme "Viva Advising: Excellence in Student Support," this conference is a celebration of community, growth, and the future of advising. Whether you're a seasoned advisor or just starting out, this episode offers a dynamic preview of what promises to be an energizing and impactful gathering for the advising profession. 

Register for the conference on or before September 11, 2025!

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

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

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.