Anyone who works in communications knows that it’s easy for productive conversions to turn dark and hurtful, particularly when it comes to issues like race and identity. Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee leans into the difficult parts of these conversations in his work as a leader, teacher, mentor, speaker, and more. He joins us this week to discuss the need for spaces where we can freely share our own experiences and learn from the experiences of others. We also talk about how to set a positive example on social media and use it to lift people up, rather than get dragged into the latest conflict of the day.

Mordecai currently serves as the Vice President for Student Success at St. Philip’s College. Effective July 15, 2021, he will serve as the sixth President of the Community College of Aurora within the Colorado Community College System. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Morgan State University School of Education & Urban Studies and the University of Charleston School of Business and Leadership, as well as a higher education columnist for EdSurge.

His mission as an educator is to work collectively with all stakeholders to create a safe and equitable learning environment that promotes student inclusion, student engagement, and student success. That mission comes through loud and clear in this conversation.

Links to cool stuff: 

• Mordecai’s website
• Mordecai on Twitter

We’re a year into the pandemic, and many of us are getting ready for commencement and everything that the end of the school year brings. Anyone feeling a little (or maybe a lot) of burnout? Ken Schneck has been there and joins us this week to share his journey from student affairs professional to an administrator in his mid-20s to a tenured faculty member and published author.

Ken found himself burned out at age 35 and spoke up about what he was experiencing. The message resonated more than he ever thought it would and became the catalyst for launching his speaking and writing career. In this episode, Ken talks with us about that journey and the advice he now gives to his students in the Leadership in Higher Education program at Baldwin Wallace University.

Ken also talks with Lougan and Jenna about how escaping the grind of administrative work allowed him to pursue a writing career and tell the stories of Ohio’s LGBTQ communities.

Links to cool stuff: 

• Ken’s website
• Ken on Twitter
• Ken on LinkedIn
• Ken’s HuffPost article “Student Affairs Administrators Get Suicidal Too”
• Baldwin Wallace University Leadership in Higher Education
• Download the episode transcript

This week we discuss the barriers faced by low-income students with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, president of the Amarillo College. In his time as president, he’s overseen significant increases in student retention and graduation rates while also working to make his institution an economic driver for the community and region. On the show, Dr. Lowery-Hart shares how Amarillo College made such radical change happen and the many opportunities for higher education to break tradition and adapt to a changing world.

Links to cool stuff:

• Dr. Lowery-Hart on Linkedin
• Dr. Lowery-Hart on Twitter
• Dr. Lowery-Hart’s profile in The Atlantic

Kevin Singer is a PhD student in higher education at North Carolina State University where he serves as a Research Associate for the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS). He also serves as Co-Director of Neighborly Faith, an org helping evangelical college students to build bridges of friendship with people of other faiths, and teaches world religions at two community colleges. IDEALS recently released a national report called “Friendships Matter” about befriending people across all faiths. Lougan and Kevin talk about consequences of online behavior as well as empathy in conversations one might disagree with. When he’s not in higher ed, he’s hanging out with his wife and their 4 kids.

Links to cool stuff

• Kevin on Twitter
• Kevin on Linkedin
• Kevin’s Website
• IDEALS Research

Eric Stoller is the vice president of digital strategy at GeckoEngage. You may know him from his articles on Inside Higher Ed, his speaking engagements and his consulting work around digital engagement. He’s always loved doing marketing and public relations, but never wanted to work for an agency. Eric’s experiences in student development services at University of Illinois Chicago and enrollment management at Oregon State University really cemented interest in the intersection of technology and student success. He’s had an incredible and unique journey through the world of higher education. 

Links to cool stuff

• Eric on Twitter
• Eric on LinkedIn
• GeckoEngage

On this week’s episode, we talk sit down with John Delony, the Associate Provost and Dean of Students at Belmont University. John talks about how his own mental health challenges proved to be an important turning point in his life. Those events inspired him to take counseling classes at Texas Tech and join a crisis team to help grieving families. All of these experiences have profoundly shaped his approach to working with students. 

Kasandrea Sereno is the lead academic advisor at the University of South Florida. She is completing her doctorate in higher ed organizational leadership at Vanderbilt University and is the head of My Advisor Says, an independent academic consulting company that helps those who want to go to college. Kasandrea talks with Lougan and Jackie about her doctoral work, advising technology and the importance of the advising relationship to retention and student success. 

Links to cool stuff: 

• Kasandrea on Twitter
• Kasandrea on LinkedIn
• Kasandrea’s Website
• My Advisor Says

Teresa Gawrych is many things. She’s an instructor at University of Alabama and the internship coordinator for Creative Media Majors. She’s also a director. Lougan may have drooled a little bit as Teresa described her students’ opportunities inside and outside of the classroom, especially with her awesome upcoming project with the Center for Public Television. The discussion also includes learning ALL the skills even if you don’t want to and drawing the line between journalism and creative storytelling (spoiler: it’s not as black and white as you think).

Link to cool stuff:

• Our other guest from Pittsburg, KS

Ed Cabellon is the director of administration for the division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Bridgewater State University, and just completed his 2nd Boston Marathon! We talk about The Avengers (don’t worry, no spoilers), and find out which Avenger Ed would be. Jackie shockingly holds her own in a conversation about comic books and superheroes. Ed tells us about empowering students through work opportunities while simultaneously capturing authentic content that he shares in a unique way to help relate to incoming students and their families.

Links to cool stuff: 

• Ed on Twitter
• Ed on LinkedIn
• BSU Life Website

Brian Keiser is the director of academic advising at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Brian’s path has been a winding one. He originally went to college to study meteorology, and after several changes in major graduated with a degree in communications studies and a master’s in educational psychology. He’s currently pursuing his Ph.D. in child development and early childhood education, which he claims has nothing do with his job. On the show, we discuss Brian’s work leading Bridgeport’s advising and retention efforts that are funded by a Title III grant from the Department of Education.

Links to cool stuff: 

• Brian on Linkedin
• University of Bridgeport Academic Advising Center