Adventures in Advising

In this episode of Adventures in Advising, we explore a bold redesign of student support with guests Steven Schaffling, Cindy Zazzara, Molly Clock, and Ryan Howlett from Syracuse University! They share how they dismantled silos, rewrote the advising playbook, and built an integrated academic/career student success model! We talk:

✨ Holistic advising that connects the dots between academics and careers
 📊 Data, formative assessment, and why holds aren’t the magic answer
 🧠 Building “advisor tools” that free up brain space for real conversations
 🤖 How AI can offload the transactional so advisors can double down on the relational
 ...

In this energizing episode of Adventures in Advising, Imani Hill steps in as guest host to lead a powerhouse panel on advisor well being, retention, and the research that is reshaping the field. Joined by Rebecca Helms, and Chisom “Chi Chi” Anunobi, and Brandon Jones, this dynamic crew from NACADA’s Well Being and Advisor Retention Advising Community dives into the heart of what keeps advisors thriving instead of just surviving. From burnout and boundaries to job satisfaction and institutional responsibility, the conversation gives you the behind the scenes reflections on their...

In this episode of Adventures in Advising, Ryan flies solo for a one-on-one conversation with Dr. Patricia (Patti) Griffin, Director of Academic Systems and Advisor Development at Fort Hays State University, a longtime NACADA leader, communication scholar, and proud member of Starbucks’ top 4% worldwide. ☕ Yes, really.

Patti reflects on grit, growth, 18 office moves, and a steadfast belief that listening is one of the most powerful tools an advisor can carry.

You’ll hear:

What happens when a two minute self portrait becomes the doorway to deeper reflection? When advising slows down just enough for students to breathe? And when feminist pedagogy quietly reshapes the way we listen? Guest host Matt Plescia sits down with Hannah Stubley from Hamilton College for a conversation that blends theory, creativity, and heart.

Hannah shares her journey from growing up in a small factory town in upstate New York to studying Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and returning to her alma mater as a holistic advisor. Along the way, she ex...

What does it take to build meaningful, scalable professional development for academic advisors across an entire university system?

In this episode of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan pull back the curtain on a remarkable systemwide effort within The University of Texas System: the creation and launch of the Fundamentals of Excellence in Academic Advising learning modules. Joined by Angelica Barrera, Weston Rose, Dr. Heather Smith, and Dr. Rebecca Karoff, the conversation traces this initiative from early vision to implementation, highlighting the collaboration, trust-building, and intentional design required to support advising at scale.

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In this special episode of Adventures and Advising, guest host Dr. Margaret Mbindyo (Millersville University) leads a rich, eye-opening conversation with Rasha Tawfik (American University of Sharjah) and Miriam Khalil (Northwestern University in Qatar). Together, they explore what academic advising looks like in the Middle East and what advisors everywhere can learn from it.

From family-centered student success and culturally responsive advising to global similarities in student anxiety, transition, and belonging, this episode challenges assumptions and expands perspectives. You’ll hear why advising in the Middle East is deeply relational...

In this special episode of Adventures in Advising, Matt welcomes back Dr. Craig McGill from Kansas State University for a bold and slightly unconventional experiment: a friendly debate with ChatGPT on the professionalization of academic advising.

Craig makes the case for why academic advising must continue to professionalize to gain legitimacy, resources, respect, and fair compensation, while ChatGPT plays the thoughtful skeptic, raising questions about flexibility, accessibility, and unintended barriers. 

After the debate, Matt and Craig reflect on what the exchange revealed about the field, the limits of GenAI critique, and what professionalization really means f...

What happens when you put four Kansas State University faculty members, two curious cohosts, and a whole lot of passion for student success in the same podcast episode? You get a masterclass in what academic advising really looks like behind the scenes. Matt and Ryan chat with Drs. Ambyr Rios, Shabina Kavimandan, Vicki Sherbert, and Michael Lawson from Kansas State University about their approach to academic advising as faculty and the rewards and challenges they encounter. From Crash the Class surprises to study abroad storytelling to justice-centered pedagogy, this episode is packed with insight.

The NASPA Undergraduate Student Conference isn’t just another conference—it’s a launchpad. Charlie Sloop from Michigan State University and Derrick Ball from Texas A&M University join us to break down what students can expect, how the conference creates space for leadership and belonging, and why this experience sticks long after the closing session. From professional development to meaningful connection, this conversation is your all-access pass to what’s coming and why it matters. 

For more information, check out the NASPA USC website!

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🎒🌍 What happens when international student success meets academic advising, data, and a whole lot of heart?

In this episode of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan are joined by Dr. Ling LeBeau and Dr. Steven Schaffling from Syracuse University to unpack an award-winning framework that’s redefining how institutions support international students from day one to year one and beyond.

Together, they explore how intentional onboarding, structured peer mentoring, advisor training, and proactive communication helped boost retention to 91.5%, the highest in a decade. Along the way, the...

Six years. Hundreds of conversations. Countless “aha” moments. In this special anniversary episode of, Matt and Ryan chat with Dana Zahorik, Kyle Ross, and Jennifer Rush about the NACADA Institutes. They break down how these immersive experiences turn big advising challenges into doable next steps. Think intimate cohorts, expert faculty, and real take-home impact.

Then, Matt and Ryan are joined by special guest Jeff Elliott, Executive Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising at Purdue University. Jeff takes us on a journey of leadership lessons, ethical questions arou...

Matt and Ryan ring in the new year by blending reflection, realism, and a little sci-fi sparkle. Returning fan-favorite Melinda Anderson sets the tone with a powerful, compassionate conversation about navigating burnout, redefining expectations, building personal capacity, and leading through uncertainty. No fluffy resolutions here. 

Matt and Ryan then go full Adventures in Advising by interviewing not one, but two AI voice companions from Sesame: Miles and Maya. Together, they explore what AI can (and cannot) do for academic advising, higher education, ethics, student support, and the future of t...

In this meta installment of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan toss two wildly different previous podcast episodes into the digital cauldron of Google NotebookLM to see what kind of AI-brewed concoction bubbles up. Unpack the AI-generated “deep dive,” marvel at its narrative gymnastics, side-eye its dramatic metaphors, and wrestle with questions that higher ed is still learning to ask. Can advising frameworks tame the chaos of GenAI? Can trust survive the algorithmic whirlwinds? And should we be concerned when robots create podcasts about podcasts?

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In this experimental solo adventure, Ryan slips out of the usual interview cockpit and takes us on a narrative ride through meme history, advising philosophy, and the warp-speed culture tugging at all of us. What begins with Sweet Brown’s iconic “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” unfurls into a thoughtful exploration of how academic advisors navigate immediacy, burnout breezes, and the dream of true community in a profession built on quick turns and quicker expectations.

Ryan digs into pop culture as public pedagogy, communities of practice that don’t always behave like communities, and the yearning t...

Guest host Dr. Ann Bingham sits down with Dr. Josephine Gabi for a conversation that glows with insight and gentle challenge. Together, they explore Josie’s framework for encouraging individuals to look inward 🌱, outward 🌍, and forward 🎛️ through introspection, outrospection, reorientation. The episode hums with bright questions, brave reflections, and fresh possibilities for deepening student belonging. Listeners will hear how they can thoughtfully examine their identities and assumptions, recognize the institutional forces shaping student experiences, and transform everyday practices into meaningful acts of equity. 

Also look ahead 🎉 to the 2026 UKAT Conference in Manchester, UK April 13-14, 2026...

In this globally focused installment of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan sit down with Miriam Khalil and Sean Bridgen to learn about an exciting new international collaboration between the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) and NACADA-The Global Community for Academic Advising! 🌍🤝✨

In this episode, our guests dive into:
 💡 What meaningful collaboration really looks like between global organizations
🌏 Why this moment is the perfect time for IASAS and NACADA to join forces
📚 How their partnership will spark new research, resources, and worldwide professional development
🧭 The role culture, con...

What happens when two advising pros say, “What the heck, let’s do this”? In this special episode of Adventures in Advising, Matt and Ryan turn the mics on themselves to share the story behind their newest project: Academic Advising Quarterly, a fresh online magazine designed by advising professionals, for advising professionals.

Tune in as they dive into how a casual podcast chat turned into a full-fledged publication celebrating practitioner-centered stories, creativity, and community. 

💡 Check out our first issue! 

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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, keeping the Aggie spirit alive, and how collaboration with Hamad...

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. 

Plus: Back to the Future, family adventures, and an on campus wedding!

Tune in to hear how strategic partnerships and innovative leadership a...

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 transforming student support.

🧠 Alexander Bowie: Talks about his research on pre...

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 (and pitfalls) of A...