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🎙️ From Mascot Suits to Dean’s Office: Say Yes (and Hold On)

This episode of The Pickup Meeting is a full-tilt ride with Rodney Mondor, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of Southern Maine. Rodney’s career journey zigzags through academic advising, orientation, student affairs leadership, crisis response, Greek life, career services, and yes, literally being a mascot. 🐾

Along the way, Brody and Kevin unpack procrastination, graduation feels, student success, leadership, burnout, and why colleges are wildly complicated places that students are expected to magically understand. Rodney shares hard-earned wisdom about saying yes to opportunity, walking campus to stay connected, supporting the “whole student,” and how raising your hand (sometimes repeatedly) can change the entire trajectory of your career.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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🎙️ New Year, Same Pickup Energy

It’s 2026! In the first Just Us episode of the year, Kevin and Brody kick things off with sharp banter, real talk, and the kind of spirited disagreement that only longtime co-hosts can survive.

This episode zigzags delightfully through end-of-semester chaos and post-holiday limbo. But beneath the laughs is a powerful conversation about higher education, advising, and the quiet, life-altering magic of a single 30-minute meeting.

Press play, settle in for 30 minutes, and welcome to The Pickup Meeting in 2026. Do good. Be nice. 

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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🎙️ New Year, Same Pickup Meeting Energy (But Less “Circle Back”)

In the first Pickup Meeting of 2026, Brody and Kevin kick off the year with a conversation that spirals into resolutions, leadership, and why grocery stores might be the ultimate metaphor for exploratory advising.

They're joined by Kerry Kincanon from Oregon State University, a nationally respected voice in exploratory advising, student success, and developmental advising. Kerry brings deep insight on helping students navigate uncertainty, building advising communities, leading institutional change, and why exploration belongs to every student, not just the undecided ones.

It’s exactly the kind of Pickup Meeting you want to start 2026 with.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Before the calendar flips and the ball drops, Brody and Kevin wrap up 2025 of The Pickup Meeting! In this special “Just Us” mini episode, the duo looks back on personal wins, professional highlights, and the unexpected moments that made 2025 meaningful. From record-breaking step streaks to kids publishing books to NACADA adventures and beyond. They also look ahead at the big conversations coming for higher ed in 2026 (spoiler: AI and navigating the enrollment cliff).

Light the tree, grab that leftover fruitcake (or don’t), and join us for a cozy, reflective, end-of-year sendoff filled with laughter, gratitude, and genuine connection.

✨ It’s the final Pickup Meeting of 2025. Thanks for listening, laughing, and learning with us all year. See you in 2026...Do good and be nice.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Brody and Kevin are back to talk hot and cold weather, holiday traditions, and the magic of Mariah Carey season! They are then joined by Dr. Michelle Pickett, Director of the Academic Advising Center at Northern Illinois University, for a warm and insightful conversation about student success, leadership, and the power of genuine human connection in advising.

Michelle shares her journey from advisor to university leader, the secrets behind building trust and belonging on a team, and why advising should never be transactional. Plus, the Christmas movie debate (yes, Die Hard counts) and who really hates Elf.

❄️ Expect laughs, heart, and higher ed wisdom served with a side of holiday spirit and why “advising is relationships” might just be the most powerful mantra in higher ed.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Grab your coffee (or whatever keeps you running through back-to-back meetings) and join Brody and Kevin for another hilarious and heartfelt episode of The Pickup Meeting! This week, they’re talking with Jon Mark Hall, Vice President and Director of Athletics at University of Southern Indiana.

From surviving the chaos of college athletics in the NIL era to leading with empathy and old-school values, Jon Mark shares stories of mentorship, music, and making a difference on and off the field. Oh—and there’s plenty of banter about golf, Taylor Swift, and Thanksgiving food wars (spoiler: Kevin hates turkey).

It’s leadership lessons, laughs, and a little lemon meringue pie all in one episode!

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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In this milestone 10th episode of The Pickup Meeting, Kevin and Brody celebrate double digits with an unforgettable guest, Dr. Chrissy Davis Jones, Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College.

From transforming student retention with a “data as a flashlight” philosophy to leading with heart (and humor), Chrissy shares her journey from aspiring pediatrician to higher ed powerhouse. Oh, and did we mention she once competed in an international pancake race? 🥞

Tune in for lively banter, leadership insights, and the perfect mix of inspiration and laughter as we talk enrollment cliffs, advising wins, and why Brussels sprouts might just deserve a second chance.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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🎙️ From Shocker Spirit to Innovation Nation — with Bobby Gandu

This week on The Pickup Meeting, Kevin and Brody are back with birthday cake in hand for a laugh-filled chat that goes from tight-rolled jeans and cheesecake to Wichita State’s wildest ideas made real. 🎂

Their guest? The one and only Bobby Gandu, Associate Vice Provost at Wichita State University, a marketing-minded leader who shares how bold vision and collaboration has led to a thriving innovation hub that's changing lives.

You’ll hear:
 ⚡ The quirky origin of the WuShock mascot (yes, it’s a wheat-eating bundle of wheat!)
 🎓 Blending marketing strategy and higher ed leadership to engage new generations of students
 💡 The story behind Wichita State’s hands-on learning model — connecting students, industry, and community impact 
 🍕 Why the world’s first Pizza Hut is now a museum (and a slice of Kansas history)
 🎶 Plus: Concert stories, favorite movies, and nostalgic 80s-90s talk

It’s one part birthday bash, one part college-spirit celebration, and all heart. Tune in for stories that prove innovation, humor, and community make the perfect mix.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at [email protected]!

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🎙️ The Pickup Meeting: “From Songwriting Dreams to Student Success — A Conversation with Isabelle Langham”

In this lively and laughter-filled episode, Brody and Kevin welcome the incredible Isabelle Rena Langham, Director of Advising and Technology Initiatives at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Isabelle shares her journey from aspiring songwriter to higher ed changemaker, revealing how she blends creativity, technology, and heart to empower students and teams alike.

Expect plenty of laughs (yes, AirPods and cats make cameo appearances 🐱), bourbon recommendations 🥃, and insights on how to keep human connection at the center of innovation. Whether you’re headed to the NACADA Annual Conference or just need a boost of positivity, this episode reminds us all to embrace the journey, not just the goal.

🎧 Tune in for stories, wisdom, and a few karaoke-worthy moments!

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at [email protected]!

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🎙️ “Advising Legends, Dogs, Donuts, and the Energizer Bunny: A Conversation with Marsha Miller”

Get ready for an episode that’s part celebration, part storytelling, and all heart. 🎉 Brody Broshears and Kevin Thomas sit down with NACADA legend Marsha Miller, award-winning author, mentor, and self-proclaimed “genealogical adventurer.” From camping mishaps in the Utah snow to shaping the field of academic advising, Marsha shares decades of wisdom (and a few hilarious stories) that remind us why relationships and not robots, are at the heart of advising.

Expect laughter, inspiration, a dash of donut talk, and a reminder that every great advisor has a little bit of the Energizer Bunny inside. 🐰

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at [email protected]!

Connect with Brody and Kevin on LinkedIn.