SA Voices From the Field

This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Dr. Niamh Nestor, Student Adviser at the Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin.

Niamh's work is focused on student support, primarily on mental health and well-being among veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing students. Niamh's background is in sociolinguistics, migration, and integration, and her doctoral research focused on Polish children and teenagers who had migrated to Ireland since Poland joined the European Union in 2004. At UCD, Niamh's work is focused on student support, primarily on mental health and well-being among veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing students.

She supports the rollout of the HEA National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework at UCD. Niamh is an active member of the community life of the university. She runs UCD Purl Jam, the university's craft/creative group. She co-founded the Veterinary Community Garden on campus. She is also an active member of the UCD Community Choir. Niamh is involved in implementing equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in her School and the wider UCD community. She co-chairs the UCD LGBTQI+ EDI committee and the UCD LGBTQI+ Staff Network. She is an active member of the Athena SWAN Committee in her school. She joined this committee because she is deeply committed to challenging injustice, intolerance, and bigotry and to achieving equality, diversity, and inclusion for all. She believes in active allyship and is passionate about fighting against complacency. Rights that have been hard won can be easily lost, and every small thing we do to protect those rights matters. EDI work on higher-level campuses is vital in this regard, and Niamh is particularly interested in empowering and supporting students to continue the fight for equality into the future.

Outside of work, Niamh loves to work in her garden. She has recently joined a dance class and taken up carpentry. She volunteers for Dublin Lesbian Line, teaches piano, and likes to travel.

Niamh Nestor is on LinkedIn, and also people can get me by email: [email protected]

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This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed David Pe, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at NYU Shanghai.

In his role, David Pe oversees the student life experience for NYU Shanghai's diverse student community and ensures that all students are provided the support and resources needed to thrive during their studies at this university. His areas of oversight include Residential Life, New Student Programs, Student Belonging, Athletics & Fitness, Student Health, Career Development, Student Involvement, and Inbound/Outbound Mobility.

David joined NYU Shanghai in 2012 as an inaugural member of the university's administrative team, helping to build NYU Shanghai from the ground up. He has also served in various capacities within student life at the NYU campus in New York.

David holds a Bachelor's Degree in Chinese Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. His research interests include intercultural communication and the interactions between design and learning.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we bring you the third episode of our conference recap. In this episode we bring you the voices of about 70 professionals who attended the NASPA Annual Conference as they answer the question: What topics would you like to see more in future conferences? Special thanks to all of the professionals who shared their voices with us. If you have an interest in sharing your voice or ideas with us about a future podcast, email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

This week on SA Voices From the Field we bring you the first episode of our conference recap. In this episode we bring you the voices of about 70 professionals who attended the NASPA Annual Conference as they answer the question: What is one thing that is changing within the field that excites you? Special thanks to all of the professionals who shared their voices with us. If you have an interest in sharing your voice or ideas with us about a future podcast, email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

This week on SA Voices From the Field we bring you the second episode of our conference recap. In this episode we bring you the voices of about 70 professionals who attended the NASPA Annual Conference as they answer the question: What would you like to learn about student affairs practices around the world? Special thanks to all of the professionals who shared their voices with us. If you have an interest in sharing your voice or ideas with us about a future podcast, email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Hala Al-Abdulrazzaq, Dean of Student Affairs at the American University of Kuwait (AUK).

Hala Al-Abdulrazzaq earned a B.A. in Psychology from George Washington University in 2005 and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Educational Leadership at the University of Central Florida. Since joining American University of Kuwait in 2008 as an academic advisor, Ms. Abdulrazzaq was appointed as Assistant Director in 2012 and Director of the Academic Advising Center in 2017. Ms. Abdulrazzaq continuously improved upon the academic advising landscape at AUK always maintaining the academic and holistic success of students as her ultimate goal. She was responsible for the efficient and effective operations of academic advising activities and carried out the responsibilities of quality academic advising services while continuously interfacing with faculty and staff alike.

As Dean, Ms. Abdulrazzaq is in charge of the Academic Advising Center, the Office of Student Life, the Counseling Center, and the direction and management of the Dean of Student Affairs Office.

Her approach to promoting excellence, encouragement, and hands-on support within the Division and AUK community is exemplary. Ms. Al- Abdulrazzaq' s willingness and efforts to enhance the student experience have not gone unnoticed.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed PhD candidate in China, Echo Zhao.

Echo Zhao was an international student in the United States for about six years and a double alumnus of Iowa State University. Like many international students, she entered college underprepared to succeed. Her parents valued education but could not help her navigate college with their language barriers. She struggled with her academics, self-confidence, and sense of belonging.

She switched three majors because she was unsure of what she wanted to do. With different student affairs professors' support and help, she continued her master's degree in higher education-student affairs. Her college experience became the catalyst for her career in student affairs.

She has worked in 5 different departments within Student Affairs in 3 different types of institutions in her past working experiences. She realizes the need to connect practical practices with theoretical knowledge to further contribute to the international higher education field.

Meanwhile, she values herself as a lifelong learner. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Macau in the Faculty of Education. I hope I can continue supporting college students' dreams and empowering them to own their path to a degree in my current role and future.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Mirela Mazalu, Secretary General of the European University College Association (EucA).

Mirela Mazalu spends her day job in the European higher education by helping students explore career pathways and gain confidence in their potential.

When she's not pursuing directly students' aha moments, she does it indirectly by organising professional development initiatives for student affairs staff internationally.

Her official job title is Secretary-General of the European University College Association - EucA, a non-profit association based in Belgium.

She joined EucA in 2010 and serves in her current capacity since 2017.

Mirela speaks 5 languages, Romanian, Italian, English, Spanish and French, and has lived in 3 countries, Romania, Italy and Belgium. But the best title she has is, simply, international educator.

When asked where home is, she feels most comfortable replying "Europe".

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This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Wadad Youssef El-Husseiny, Consultant to VP of Student Affairs at Qatar University.

Ms. Wadad Youssef El-Husseiny Consultant to VP of Student Affairs at Qatar University. She has worked at multiple institutions in the Middle East and started her career as Instructor of Social Sciences at Balamand University in Lebanon where she taught for a decade. In 2001, she joined the American University of Beirut as Director of Student Activities till 2009. Joined Qatar University as Consultant to VP of student affairs where she resumed the responsibility of Acting Director of Student Activities till May 2012. Since 2012 her role as consultant for the VP entitled her to get involved in various strategic initiatives to ensure the success of Qatar University students. She is the chair of the Student Affairs Professional Development committee at Qatar University.

Former vice president for the IASAS (International Association of Student Affairs and Services). Certified Springboard Trainer since 2010 which is Women's empowerment program in collaboration with Springboard Consultancy. Member of the MENASA-NASPA board for 2020-2022. Recipient of the Wisdom Award of the Commission of Women's Identities – ACPA in 2021. Interested in Leadership of Higher Education and Student Affairs, and women role in higher education.

Well known for having her finger on the pulse of the region, Wadad continues to be an engaged advocate of professional development, and student affairs leadership in the Middle East.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Dr. Sumun L. Pendakur, DEI Strategist/Consultant, Speaker, and Trainer with Sumun Pendakur Consulting.

Dr. Sumun L. Pendakur (Sumi) believes that we have infinite capability to imagine and enact a more just, equitable, and compassionate world. Sumi is a scholar-practitioner, an activist-educator, a skilled facilitator, and a mom. With nearly 20 years in the field of higher education and a decade as a DEI speaker and trainer, Sumi's work and research focuses on helping campuses, corporations, non-profits, and other organizations build capacity for social justice and racial equity by empowering individuals at all levels to be transformational agents of change in their spheres of influence. Most recently, Sumi was the Chief Learning Officer and Director of the USC Equity Institutes at the USC Race and Equity Center, dedicated to advancing racial justice in higher education and other sectors. Prior to that position, Sumi held roles as the Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Harvey Mudd College, serving on the President's Cabinet and directing the Office of Institutional Diversity, and as the Director for USC Asian Pacific American Student Services.

Sumi received her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership, as well as the Dissertation of the Year award, for her study on institutional change agents, from the USC Rossier School of Education. Sumi is serving her second term on the Board of Directors for NADOHE, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. She has served as Faculty Coach for the AAC&U's multi-year TIDES (Teaching to Increase Diversity and Equity in STEM) Institute. She is also the co-editor, with Dr. Shaun Harper and Dr. Stephen Quaye, of Student Engagement in Higher Education: Theoretical Perspectives and Practical Approaches for Diverse Populations (3rd edition) (2020). In 2019, she was named one of the top 35 women in higher education by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.

Sumi is the multilingual daughter of immigrants, was raised in the Midwest, and currently calls Los Angeles, CA, home. She is the wife of actor Sunil Malhotra, and proud mommy to Shashi Veer and Shama Shakti.

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