Episode 33 starts off with an ice breaker, introducing Lucky Luke Haumesser, Assistant Director of Student Activities and Governments at the University at Buffalo. After our ice breaker session, we’re comfortable enough with each other to argue about the correct pronunciation of ‘gif,” and make animal noises. Move in week is coming up, and in his new role outside of Residence Life for the first time, Luke talks about the Welcome Week events that he’s helping to plan – including the overhead “interlocking UB” photo, break dancing, and all night pancakes. We also talk about IKEA and Home Depot, in part to celebrate Luke’s transition from a live-on position to his own apartment.

By day, Jessica DePaul is the Associate Director for Recruitment Marketing at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She previously worked at Rutgers as the Assistant Director of Marketing. She is a passionate marketer that is an expert in the latest education technology and trends, including virtual reality for campus tours and open houses. 

By night, she’s a makeup artist who has done everything from zombie makeup to more traditional styles. In this conversation, we talk about both sides of her personality and how COVID-19 has impacted her work in recruitment and in makeup. 

Jessica will be presenting at the eduWeb Digital Summit on Monday, August 3 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Learn more about her session at: https://www.accelevents.com/e/eduweb2020

Hey everyone! We wanted to share something special with you this week. Jackie Vetrano, who helped create our show, has started a new podcast called Jackie Watches Stuff. As you might know from previous episodes of Higher Ed Social, she’s missed out on a lot of great movies and in this new show, she watches them and discusses them with friends.

Today, we’re sharing her first episode about Top Gun. That’s right, Jackie had never seen Top Gun. It’s a great episode, but a quick warning that there’s some explicit language and a bit of adult content. So be mindful of the kiddos and the workspaces.

The first 4 episodes are available now at jackiewatchesstuff.com and anywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to follow the show on Twitter at @JackieWatches.

Leigh Hall is a professor and the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Literacy Education at the University of Wyoming. While studying at the University of South Florida, she realized she wanted to be a teacher and create a better environment for future students. She got her master’s at Vanderbilt University then taught social studies for 6 years in Houston before getting her Ph. D at Michigan State University. Her research on literacy at the University of Wyoming aims to help elementary and middle school teachers around the state.

Ron started a new job as the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Student Conduct at Northwestern in May — in the midst of a pandemic and just before protests against racial violence began across the U.S. Both of these events directly impact Ron’s work both now and in the fall. Despite all the turmoil, he remains collected and more motivated than ever to create an inclusive environment for Northwestern’s students.

Ron and Lougan worked together at Belmont, but Lougan was not able to join this interview so Jenna caught up with him to talk about his history as a campus organizer and whether it’s possible to address public health and racial justice at the same time. We also discuss Ron’s work as a tour guide and organizer for Black travelers and where he wants to go once travel resumes.

Ron holds a master’s in college student affairs from the University of West Georgia and is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in student affairs leadership at the University of Georgia.