Dr. Zach Mercurio discusses his new book The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance. Zach comes from student affairs roots and focuses now on significance, meaning, purpose, and mattering at work. He describes how mattering differs from belonging and inclusion and how much mattering matters. He also shares a practical framework for cultivating mattering through three actionable practices: noticing, affirming, and needing.

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In this episode of Student Affairs Now, Drs. Amy Goodburn, Stephanie Bannister, and Mary Fugate join Heather Shea for conversation about advancing equity for first-generation college students through data transparency. Together, they explore how definitions shape data collection, the role of national datasets, and how institutions are using data to inform practice. The discussion also highlights the risks of data loss and the importance of collaboration in advocating for first-gen student success.

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While it is hard to think about the "dark place" that COVID holds in our collective heart, we are remiss if we do not acknowledge the great work that was done. Ardell Sanders tells a story about lessons learned and victories won during that tough time.

The post Here’s the Story: “It Can’t Be About Me” appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Paying it forward comes to life as Dr. McZee makes good on a commitment to pay forward care for the African American men he mentors until it was paid in full. 

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Dr. Annmarie Caño discusses her book Leading Toward Liberation: How to Build Cultures of Thriving in Higher Education. This book offers a transformative approach to leadership in higher education that centers justice, healing, and systemic change. Drawing from liberation psychology and Latin American liberation theology, Annmarie Caño advocates for a model of leadership, acompañamiento (accompaniment), which includes centering inner work, reading reality, and engaging in a process of co-creating with others.

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In his book The Caring University, Dr. Kevin McClure shares a transformative approach to higher education workplace culture. He argues that institutions must prioritize the well-being of faculty and staff to enhance student success. He challenges traditional norms that treat staff burnout and overwork as inevitable, instead advocating for an intentional, proactive, and sustained investment in employee care. Kevin shares how higher education leaders can re-imagine the workplace through a lens of organizational care.

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Anne Brackett and Alicia Wojciuch, two dynamic leaders who’ve helped hundreds of student affairs professionals, join Heather Shea to explore how strengths-based approaches can transform the way we supervise and lead. Whether you’re new to CliftonStrengths or know your top five by heart, you’ll leave with practical strategies, fresh insights, and a renewed perspective on leading with intention and humanity. 

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In these times, being honestly truthful reinforces listening, hearing and holding students. Dr. Palmer shares the necessary value of understanding the difference between honesty and truth.

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Tragedy and loss are inevitable in the career of any Student Affairs professional. In this powerful episode, Dr. R. Bowin Loftin recalls the day he had to deliver heartbreaking news after a sailing tragedy, offering insight into the role of institutions in upholding dignity and healing in the wake of disaster.

The post Here’s the Story: “When the Tide Turns: Grief, Honor, and the Role of a University” appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Authentic relationships between Black and white women in higher education are often difficult to cultivate—made more so by the persistent realities of misogynoir and the role white women can play in perpetuating harm. In this powerful episode, co-hosted by Heather Shea and Raechele Pope, we’re joined by Drs. Christina Holmgren, Leah Fulton, and Jayne Sommers to explore the preliminary findings of their ongoing research with Black women in student affairs. Together, they share stories, insights, and a new model for building reciprocal, accountable relationships that move us beyond performative allyship and toward real connection and change.

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