Get ready for a truly one-of-a-kind episode! Guest host Amanda Roberts Mather takes the mic to interview her boss Dr. Ryan McLawhon, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Services at Texas A&M University at Qatar as they share an inside look at what it’s like to guide students, staff, and faculty through one of higher ed’s biggest challenges: the planned closure of a university campus. Join Amanda and Ryan for an honest and inspiring conversation about leading through transition, ...

This week on the Adventures in Advising podcast, Matt and Ryan sit down with Michael Zaborowski, Director of Academic Advising at Ferris State University! Michael shares how Ferris State is transforming advising through a $500,000 grant, a groundbreaking collaboration with NACADA, and launching the new Center for Advising Excellence and Advising Fellows Program, designed to strengthen professional development, enhance student support, and build a unified advising community across Ferris State...

It’s a milestone moment for Adventures in Advising! Matt and Ryan celebrate 150 episodes by taking you on a two-city advising adventure—first to Las Vegas for the NACADA Annual Conference, then straight to Chicago for the Gardner Institute Symposium. In this jam-packed episode, you’ll hear in order: 🌟 Dr. Cecilia Santiago-González: The NACADA keynote speaker shares how she overcame imposter syndrome to take the stage, and how Cal Poly Pomona’s Billy Chat (an AI-powered chatbot) is transformin...

What does the future of academic advising look like as we approach NACADA’s 50th anniversary? In this special edition of Adventures in Advising, hosts Matt Markin and Ryan Scheckel take a stroll down memory lane with Dr. Charlie Nutt about NACADA and where the organization has led. Then, Matt and guest co-host Dr. Cheri Souza sit down with Dr. Melinda Anderson and Dr. Kyle Ross for a lively, thought-provoking panel. From tackling the enrollment cliff and advisor burnout to the promise (...

Adventures in Advising takes a trip down memory lane with two legends of the field! In this special episode, guest host Dr. Jenny Bloom from Florida Atlantic University sits down with her longtime mentor and friend, Dr. Wes Habley, to explore his incredible journey from music major to one of the foundational voices in academic advising. 🌟 From developing the seven organizational models of advising, to launching NACADA’s Summer Institute, to shaping how generations of advisors think about conc...

What happens when advising professionals reimagine scholarship—not as something locked behind paywalls and jargon, but as a living, collaborative practice? In this episode of Adventures in Advising, hosts Matt and Ryan sit down with Dr. David Grey (UKAT) and Oscar van den Wijngaard (Maastricht University) to discuss Waypoint, a new open-access journal dedicated to student advising practice and research across Europe. From redefining what “scholarly” means to creating a more inclusive, dialogu...

From teaching elementary orchestra, to editing books for bestselling authors, to leading student organizations and pursuing a PhD...Jordan Truex does it all! As a Senior Academic Advisor at Utah State University and current PhD student in Counseling and Student Development at Kansas State University, Matt and Ryan chat with Jordan to explore strategies for fostering student belonging through teaching and student organizations, the role of compassion in effective advising, and how advisor well...

Get ready for an energetic episode of Adventures in Advising with Temple Carter, Director of Advising Programming and Development for the Texas A&M University System. Temple shares how lessons from theater and the corporate world bring fresh ideas to advisor training, professional development, and organizational growth. You’ll hear creative strategies for supporting advisor wellness, building connections across institutions, and keeping curiosity at the center of advising. It’s a lively m...

Ready to swap burnout for a brighter why? Matt and Ryan welcome back Dr. Ashley Thomas from the NACADA Executive Office. Ashley opens up about discovering your purpose, using stories to find your “why,” and how aligning it with your advising work can boost wellness, deepen student relationships, and even curb turnover. Expect goosebumps, practical tips, and a whole lot of heart. In this episode, you’ll hear: How a conference session and Simon Sinek’s framework sparked Ashley’s purpose j...

Do you wish you had a more comprehensive, evidence-based guide for delivering coaching and mentoring interventions with your students? Enya-Marie Clay, Jennifer Hillman, and Dave Lochtie, the editors behind the brand-new book Coaching and Mentoring Students in Higher Education: A Practitioner Guide to Developing Independent Learners, have just that! From equity-driven frameworks to real student stories, this conversation explores how coaching and mentoring can empower learners, reshape instit...

Do you know what reverse mentoring is and its benefits? In this episode, Matt and Ryan sit down with Rachael O’Connor from University of Leeds to explore how reverse mentoring and relationship-centered advising can transform campus culture, especially for working class and first-gen students. From her journey from tax law to teaching, to building staff/student partnerships that actually change policies, Rachael shares real wins, real challenges, and no-fluff strategies you can use next week. ...

In this special episode of Adventures in Advising, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Terry O’Banion—visionary leader, prolific author, and one of the most influential voices in the history of academic advising and the community college movement. Known for challenging higher education to place student learning at the center, Dr. O’Banion’s work continues to inspire generations of educators. Hosts Matt Markin and Ryan Scheckel are joined by guests Dr. Charlie Nutt, retired Executive Direc...

Ever wondered what happens when advising professionals trade their campus offices for classrooms to lead students across the globe ? In this special panel episode, guest host Gavin Farber brings together Dr. Sarah Imam, The Citadel; Brittany Hoover, University of Florida; Chris Kirchhof, University of Pittsburgh; and Jill Paulson, University of South Dakota. These incredible advising professionals share their journeys leading students across the globe. These advising professionals show how “o...

In this edition of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan are joined by Jaime Ortiz, Director of Academic Advising at Saint Louis University’s Madrid campus. From his early days as a scholarship student to becoming a leader shaping the evolution of advising at SLU-Madrid, Jaime shares a powerful story of growth, resilience, and cross-cultural connection. Tune in to hear how Jaime helped transform a one-person advising office into a thriving team supporting both permanent and study abroad stude...

What is academic advising and who gets to define it? Kyle Ross, NACADA Executive Director; Janet Schulenberg, Penn State; and Patrick Cate, Lakes Region Community College, explore NACADA’s bold initiative: creating an official definition and scope of practice for academic advising. From institutional leadership to frontline advising, they explore how this effort could reshape professional development, elevate advising’s visibility, and influence external stakeholders. This conversation covers...

After five and a half years of building community and sharing best practices, Adventures in Advising is leveling up! In this special episode, we unveil two brand-new spinoff podcasts designed to broaden the conversation and amplify even more voices in higher education. 🎧 Meet the hosts behind these new ventures: Bri Harvie, co-host of Emerging Voices, shares how the podcast spotlights the stories and journeys of NACADA’s Emerging Leaders Program participants—and why no two advising paths are ...

Dr. Jamie Cawthra, lecturer at University College London, focuses on trust and its role in higher education, as well as staff training around generative AI. The discussion explores the challenges and opportunities presented by gen AI in education, including its rapid development, the difficulties in detecting AI-generated content, and the need for clear communication and shared understanding between students and staff regarding appropriate AI usage to foster trust and academic integrity. ...

Panelists Carrie Egnosak, Penn State World Campus; Beth Hobbs, American Public University System; and Katie Bunnell, SPU doctoral student, dive into the evolving landscape of online academic advising. Together, they explore the power of virtual relationships, the challenges of fostering community online, and why representation and research in remote advising matter more than ever. Whether you're new to online education or a seasoned pro, this conversation will inspire you to think differently...

Janelle Yasukochi, Maria Aladjova, and Kevin McVay of University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the dynamic trio co-chairing this year’s NACADA Annual Conference in Las Vegas share what makes this year’s event a must-attend. With the theme "Viva Advising: Excellence in Student Support," this conference is a celebration of community, growth, and the future of advising. Whether you're a seasoned advisor or just starting out, this episode offers a dynamic preview of what promises to be an energizing a...

Dr. Sarah Bosch, chief operating officer at the United Kingdom Advising and Tutoring (UKAT) association, discusses her unique path from competitive athletics to a doctorate in biomechanics and a distinguished career in academic advising. She reflects on her leadership in enhancing advising practices at Sheffield Hallam University and her contributions to UKAT in areas such as institutional accreditation and professional development. Sarah underscores the critical role of personal tutoring and...