The Pickup Meeting

Send us Fan Mail Kevin and Brody are back to chat with Dr. Kyser Lough, Associate Professor and Director of the News Literacy Certificate Program at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Kyser discusses being a photojournalist turned scholar, bringing a rare practitioner's lens to questions about how news images shape public perception, what solu...

Send us Fan Mail Kevin Thomas and Brody Broshears reflect on the energy and renewal that spring brings before exploring the complex and timely topic of graduation. Their conversation examines graduation rates, institutional responsibility, and the policies and practices that support student persistence and success as they work toward completing their degrees.  * The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of...

Send us Fan Mail From March Madness hot takes and overrated things to FERPA, advising, and finding balance in higher ed life, this episode of The Pickup Meeting has a little bit of everything. Kevin and Brody welcome Dr. Rebecca Hapes, Associate Registrar at Texas A&M University, for a lively conversation about her journey from academic advising to the registrar’s office, the hidden complexity...

Send us Fan Mail What if faculty are the secret sauce in student success? In this episode of The Pickup Meeting , Kevin and Brody kick things off with sports hot takes, Olympics nostalgia, and the kind of job stories that include delivering newspapers in the 80s and bringing “sports salvation to the airwaves.” This conversation unpacks why great teaching is not just about content delivery but conn...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you mix student success, Disney debates, video game nostalgia, and one of the most respected advising professionals in the field? You get an episode that’s both fun and full of substance.  Kevin and Brody sit down with Tyler Phelps , Assistant Dean of Advising at Washington University in St. Louis, to unpack what truly helps students thrive: authentic presence, l...

Send us Fan Mail March has arrived, and with it comes fake spring, real allergies, bracket dreams, and that annual daylight savings debate we all pretend will be resolved someday. In this "Just Us" episode, Kevin and Brody pull back the curtain on public speaking, storytelling, and why even seasoned presenters still get butterflies. Spoiler alert: the nerves never really leave, they just...

Send us Fan Mail Kevin and Brody welcome Jerel Benton, Assistant Provost for Student Success at Radford University, for a conversation that travels from the tutoring rooms to the leadership table. Along the way, Jerel shares how a nursing major became a student success leader, why empathy is not the same thing as softness, and how consensus can sometimes slow progress instead of strengthen it. The...

Send us Fan Mail Winter is (almost) over, spring break is playing hard to get, and The Pickup Meeting is back with a classic “Just Us” episode. Brody and Kevin kick things off with birthday gauntlets, daylight savings time grievances, and a spirited debate over the Winter Olympics. Speed skating? Hockey? Iconic.  What does it really mean to lead when leadership isn’t popular? How do you make tough...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Pickup Meeting , Brody and Kevin welcome Cecilia Olivares , Director of Academic Advising Initiatives at the University of Missouri and former NACADA President, for a conversation that zigzags delightfully from Easter candy to change management to the existential question of academic advising itself. Fresh off the Administrators Institute, the trio dives int...

Send us Fan Mail In this Just Us edition of The Pickup Meeting , Kevin Thomas and Michael “Brody” Broshears settle into a wide-ranging conversation that feels like one of their regular phone calls. From the many ways we mispronounce February and other deeply suspicious English words, to Valentine’s Day nostalgia, chalky candy hearts, and why umbrellas are wildly overrated, this episode leans into...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of The Pickup Meeting kicks off with peak banter, including an impossible Indiana football season, shared indifference toward cars, and the kind of sports fandom that only comes once in a lifetime. Kevin and Brody then welcome an incredible guest, Jennifer Markin , Director of Advising at Henry Ford College, who brings warmth, humor, and deep insight into advising, le...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Pickup Meeting , Brody and Kevin ditch the guest list and settle into a classic J ust Us episode. Think less polished panel, more honest phone call between two friends who’ve seen a few semesters, a few campuses, and more than a few questionable comfort foods. The conversation wanders joyfully through first-week-of-college memories, accidental class enrollment dis...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ 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 service...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ 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 educat...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ 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 expl...

Send us Fan Mail 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 conv...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 s...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ 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...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ 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,...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ “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 shapi...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a feel-good episode packed with wisdom, laughter, and a few surprise concert stories! 🎶 Brody and Kevin kick things off with their favorite music memories before welcoming the incredible Dr. Jenny Bloom from Florida Atlantic University, a true legend in higher education and co-founder of Appreciative Advising . From her unexpected journey into creating a global advi...

Send us Fan Mail ⚾🍩 From Cardinals heartbreaks to donut debates, Kevin and Brody kick off this episode of The Pickup Meeting with laughter and plenty of sugar cravings. Then they’re joined by Todd Burrell , longtime admissions leader turned University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign regional rep, for a first-ever podcast appearance you won’t forget. Todd shares his journey as a first-gen student, h...

Send us Fan Mail Saving thousands on haircuts, binge-buying vinyl, and interviewing one of higher ed’s most approachable leaders. This week, Brody and Kevin sit down with Ben Gross for a conversation that blends laughter, leadership, and life lessons. Dr. Gross is department chair, mentor, and self-proclaimed fried chicken enthusiast from Lipscomb University. From fandoms to navigating faculty-sta...