On Campus - with CITI Program

Study abroad has long been considered the gold standard for global learning, but many students never have the opportunity to participate due to cost, work obligations, family commitments, or other barriers. In this episode of On Campus, we welcome Dr. Danielle Walters, an international education leader and expert in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), to explore how colleges and universities can expand access to meaningful international experiences through virtual exchange and globally connected learning. 

Drawing on her experience developing global partnerships and intercultural learning initiatives, Dr. Walters discusses how COIL enables students to collaborate with peers around the world without leaving campus. The conversation explores the benefits of virtual exchange for student learning, workforce readiness, and global competency development, as well as the challenges institutions face when building sustainable international partnerships. Whether you're interested in internationalization, student success, or preparing graduates for an increasingly interconnected world, this episode offers practical insights into the future of global learning in higher education. 

Resource 

CITI Program’s International Student Success series: https://about.citiprogram.org/series/international-student-success/ 

Many students arrive on campus excited about college but are uncertain about their future. They may be undecided about a major, unsure about career goals, or struggling to understand how their education connects to a larger sense of purpose. In this episode of On Campus, we welcome Dr. Kate Lehman, Executive Director of the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina, for a conversation about how colleges and universities can help students find direction early in their academic journey. 

Drawing on her research and experience, Dr. Lehman explores why purpose is a critical driver of student engagement, persistence, and success. She discusses how institutions can support exploration without overwhelming students, the role of faculty and first-year programs in helping students connect learning to future goals, and why career readiness should begin long before graduation. The conversation also examines the relationship between purpose and belonging, offering practical strategies for helping students build confidence, make informed decisions, and create meaningful connections to their education from day one. 

 Links:

• Navigating Online and Hybrid Teaching - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/navigating-online-and-hybrid-teaching/
• Introduction to Program Assessment - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/introduction-to-program-assessment/
• Explore CITI Program's full Course and Webinar Catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog/?reset=true

What does the future of higher education look like from the perspective of a CEO working at the intersection of research, compliance, and workforce development? Recorded live at the 2026 NCURA Conference in New York City, this special episode of On Campus features Paddy Mullen, CEO of BRANY, the Biomedical Research Alliance of New York and parent company of CITI Program. Drawing on more than 16 years of leadership experience, she shares her perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping higher education today. 

The conversation explores several major trends impacting colleges and universities, including the demographic changes affecting enrollment, increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of a college education, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on teaching, learning, and the workforce. Paddy also discusses the skills employers are seeking beyond technical knowledge, including problem-solving, collaboration, project management, and ethical decision-making. She offers practical advice for students entering the workforce and explains why trust, compliance, and human connection remain essential in an increasingly technology-driven world. Despite the challenges ahead, Paddy shares an optimistic view of the future, highlighting the talent, creativity, and potential of today's students to solve some of society's most pressing problems. 

BRANY: www.brany.com 

CITI Program: www.citiprogram.org 

When colleges and universities think about student well-being, the conversation often begins and ends with counseling centers. But what if student well-being is much broader than mental health services alone? In this episode of On Campus, Dr. Maithreyi Gopalan, Associate Professor at the University of Oregon, for a discussion about how institutions can build a campus-wide approach to student well-being by focusing on belonging, connection, and student flourishing. Based on her research, Dr. Gopalan explains why a student's sense of belonging is strongly connected to persistence, graduation, academic success, and mental health outcomes. 

The conversation explores practical strategies for higher education leaders, including measuring belonging as an institutional outcome, conducting regular student pulse checks, strengthening advising and first-year experiences, and creating meaningful connections throughout the student journey. Dr. Gopalan also discusses the role faculty play as "first responders" in supporting students, the importance of equity-centered well-being initiatives, and why institutions must move beyond reactive approaches to create environments where all students can thrive. Whether you're a student affairs professional, faculty member, administrator, or higher education leader, this episode offers research-based insights for building a more supportive and successful campus community. 

Resources 

• Gopalan, M., & Brady, S. T. (2020). College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A National Perspective. Educational Researcher, 49(2), 134 137. https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X19897622___.YzJ1OmNpdGlwcm9ncmFtMTpjOm86NjgwOGY4OTBmZjYyNzJkNjA4YjdkM2YwMDYwMTgyODY6NzowMzMxOjYxYmQ2ZGQxMTU1N2ExYzI5YmVmYTQ0MmYyNGMxNmE4M2YzMmMzZjUwMmU4YWZjOWRiNWFjYWJjMmU5MDQ3NjQ6dDpUOkY 
• Gopalan, M., Linden-Carmichael, A. Lanza, S. (2022). College Students’ Sense of Belonging and Mental Health Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, Journal of Adolescent Health, 70(2), 228-233. https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.10.010___.YzJ1OmNpdGlwcm9ncmFtMTpjOm86NjgwOGY4OTBmZjYyNzJkNjA4YjdkM2YwMDYwMTgyODY6NzpjOTJiOjRmN2IxNTc1Mjc3MWIxYmYxZjA5MDIzNDIyZDcwN2FiY2E2ZmExYzgwZmMxNjdhZGQ2MmE1ZTFlMWZlYWY1OWY6dDpUOkY 
• Murphy, M.C., Gopalan, M., Carter, E. R., Emerson, K. T. U., Bottoms, B. L., and Walton, G.M., (2020). A customized belonging intervention improves retention of socially disadvantaged students at a broad-access university Science Advances, 6(29). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba4677 
• Walton, & Cohen. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82. https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.1.82___.YzJ1OmNpdGlwcm9ncmFtMTpjOm86NjgwOGY4OTBmZjYyNzJkNjA4YjdkM2YwMDYwMTgyODY6NzpiZmI3OmM5YmYwYTY2YmE3ZGQxMzY0MzM1ZTg2OWIwYjBkNTZmYzNmMGEyNzhkMmQ5ZThiZGEzZTc2M2ZiZTY0NDkzMjA6dDpUOkY 

Micro-credentials have quickly moved from a niche innovation to a central part of how colleges and universities think about workforce alignment, lifelong learning, and student value. But as more institutions launch certificates, badges, and short-form credentials, a critical question remains: what makes a micro-credential ecosystem credible? In this episode of On Campus, Anne Reed, Director of the Office of Micro-Credentials at the University at Buffalo, explores how institutions can design, implement, and scale micro-credentials that deliver real value for students, employers, and institutions. 

Drawing on her research and professional experience, Anne unpacks what separates high-quality, outcomes-driven programs from those that struggle to gain traction. The conversation explores common strategic missteps, the role of faculty and institutional infrastructure, and the challenge of balancing academic rigor with speed and flexibility. They also dive into how institutions can build employer trust, measure ROI beyond revenue, and move from isolated pilot programs to a sustainable, system-wide approach. Whether you’re just getting started or refining an existing strategy, this episode offers practical insights for building micro-credentials that truly work in today’s higher education landscape. 

Links:

• CITI Program’s course on Navigating Online and Hybrid Teaching: https://about.citiprogram.org/course/navigating-online-and-hybrid-teaching/ 
• University of Buffalo, Office of Micro-Credentials: https://www.buffalo.edu/micro-credentials.html 

In this episode of On Campus, Elizabeth Allan, PhD, Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Hazing Prevention Research Lab at the University of Maine and Founder of StopHazing and Meredith Stewart, MEd, Operations Manager for StopHazing break down the Stop Campus Hazing Act and what it means for colleges and universities as new federal requirements take effect. Signed into law in 2024, the legislation amends the Clery Act and introduces new expectations around campus hazing reporting, transparency, and prevention programs. With the first full Annual Security Report including hazing data due in 2026, institutions are now facing critical questions about compliance, policy development, and campus culture.  

Our conversation explores what higher education leaders need to know now—from Campus Hazing Transparency Reports and reporting requirements to the operational realities of implementation across student affairs, public safety, and compliance offices. We also examine how institutions can move beyond compliance to build safer, more accountable campus environments, and why transparency around hazing incidents is becoming essential for student trust, institutional credibility, and campus safety. 

 Links:

• CITI Program’s Clery Act Course: https://about.citiprogram.org/course/clery-act-training/  
• StopHazing: https://stophazing.org/  
• Hazing Prevention Research Lab: https://umaine.edu/edhd/hazing-prevention-research/

In this episode of On Campus, we welcome Dr. Corey Seemiller, a leading researcher on Generation Z and co-author of "Generation Z Goes to College," for a candid conversation about what Gen Z students truly want from higher education. Drawing on years of national research and direct student voices, Dr. Seemiller challenges common assumptions—emphasizing that Gen Z is not simply an extension of previous generations, and that traditional practices in admissions, pedagogy, and campus life must evolve to meet new realities. The discussion explores the critical factors Gen Z weighs when deciding if college is "worth it," including cost, lost wages, alternative career paths, and the need for institutions to demonstrate clear return on investment. 

The episode also delves into issues of trust, transparency, and the student experience, highlighting Gen Z’s skepticism toward institutional messaging and their desire for authentic, student-driven content. Dr. Seemiller shares insights on microcredentials, the evolving value of a degree, and the impact of AI on learning and recruitment. She underscores the importance of holistic support services, mental health resources, and flexible learning modalities, urging colleges to rethink outdated structures and actively engage Gen Z in shaping the future of higher education. The conversation closes with a call for institutions to listen, adapt, and create positive change in response to Gen Z’s expectations and needs. 

Links:

• Dr. Corey Seemiller's website – https://www.coreyseemiller.com/

In this episode of On Campus, we explore what high-quality online and blended learning looks like today with Director of Instruction Design, Dr. Rhiannon Pollard, from the University of Central Florida’s Center for Distributed Learning. As colleges and universities continue to expand hybrid and digital offerings, Dr. Pollard shares practical insights on course design, student engagement, faculty support, and the evolving expectations of learners who are balancing school with work, family, and other responsibilities. 

We discuss what makes an online or blended course truly effective in 2026, how institutions can move beyond emergency remote teaching toward intentional design, and the role instructional designers play in helping faculty create meaningful, flexible learning experiences. Whether you’re a faculty member, administrator, or higher-ed professional thinking about the future of teaching and learning, this conversation offers actionable ideas and a look at where the digital classroom is headed next. 

Links: 

• CITI Program’s Navigating Online and Hybrid Teaching course
  https://about.citiprogram.org/course/navigating-online-and-hybrid-teaching/ 
• UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning
  https://cdl.ucf.edu/  

In this Season 4 kickoff episode of On Campus, we set the stage for higher education in 2026 by exploring three defining trends shaping today’s campuses: how colleges and universities are marketing to Gen Z and today’s high school students, what the 21st-century classroom really looks like, and why AI has become the new normal across teaching, learning, and campus operations. From shifting enrollment and digital recruitment strategies to reimagined learning spaces, hybrid instruction, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence, this episode previews the conversations ahead this season and invites listeners to reflect on how higher education is evolving. We also invite listeners to share topic ideas or reach out if they’re interested in joining the conversation as a future guest on the podcast. 

Please reach out if you have: 

• An idea for a topic you’d like to hear covered this season 
• A perspective you think deserves more attention 
• Or if you’re interested in being a guest on the podcast 

Ed Butch - [email protected] 

As Season 3 of On Campus comes to a close, this wrap-up episode offers a moment to reflect and look ahead. In this, we revisit key themes from the season: student engagement, community connection, professional development, and global learning, while highlighting major shifts that shaped higher education throughout 2025, including the growing role of AI, evolving career pathways, and renewed attention to student belonging. The episode also previews what’s planned for Season 4, with new topics, fresh voices, and timely conversations that continue to explore the changing landscape of higher education.