ResEdChat by Roompact

In this episode of Roompact's RA*Chat, join Assistant Director Amanda Franklin as she shares insights, practical strategies, and real-life advice to help Resident Assistants (RAs) and Student Staff members in Res Life prepare for training and succeed in your role! Whether you're a first-time RA or an experienced leader, this podcast offers quick tips, engaging stories, and practical tools to boost...

For this week's episode, we're pleased to introduce our 2025 ACUHO-I Intern, Venus, and have her share more about the work she's been doing on the RA360 resource library. She details what has gone into this project up to this point and how she envisions teams using the content to support their student staff training and development efforts.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat podcast, guest host Dustin chats with Brittany to get insights from her diverse background working at a variety of institutions on how to develop an effective staff recruitment and performance management strategy. She outlines tips for supporting student staff as well as professional staff so that teams of any shape and size can reach their full potential.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, host Jas Nettles is joined by Hayley, the Recovery Program manager at Baylor. Recovery programs on college campuses aren't new but have definitely become more of trend that's designed to support students recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs). These programs, often part of student affairs or wellness initiatives, provide resources such as peer suppo...

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal talks with Dr. Joshua Maxwell, Director of University Housing at Colorado State University, about crisis response in residence life. They discuss his research on entry-level professionals and what shapes their responses to crises, from environmental factors to training to self-awareness. The conversation offers practical insights for both new profes...

In this RA*Chat episode for student staff members, join us to discuss some tips on being a newly hired Resident Assistant! Desiree A. Valdez Chavez gives actionable advice and reflective insights as an experienced student affairs professional.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, join our host Noah Montague, and Guest Carter Roane, Resident Director at Miami University of Ohio, to talk about all things Greek Life, that is Fraternities and Sororities. Affiliated students have unique campus experiences and when they live in the halls, those experiences become all the more complex, exciting, and stigmatized. Noah and Carter explore fra...

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, join Noah and Tristan Morton to talk about Living Learning Communities (LLCs) and how they can be implemented to assist with community and identity development. Noah and Tristan explore different LLCs, structures, and theories as they relate to the topic at hand, share impactful stories, and provide practical advice to Residence Life Staff.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, we will be discuss "The Superhero Complex in Student Affairs." The superhero complex refers to a mindset where student affairs professionals feel the need to "save the day" constantly—taking on excessive responsibilities, overworking, and sacrificing personal well-being in the name of student support. This can stem from a deep commitment to student success...

Ever feel like you're faking it in housing? In this episode of ResEdChat, Crystal chats with Dr. A.J. Lauer, from Thriving Ibis Leadership Solutions, about imposter syndrome, identity, and the pressures of being the “expert” in res life. Tune in for real talk, empowering tips, and a reminder that yes, you belong here. If you have a topic idea or want to engage in the community discussion, use the...

In this RA*Chat episode, join host Anthony to discuss the complexities of move-out season for RAs and student staff members--from juggling school and work, to being prepared and planning ahead. Guest Naomi Semb-Lovejoy shares insights on managing this hectic time while supporting yourself and others.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Dustin is chatting with Cory about his career journey in a variety of roles across different functional areas, many of which have been at the same institution. Cory shares reflections and advice on how best to determine what it is your looking for professionally, the value of finding a good mentor, and leveraging different resources to ensure you're making...

In this episode of ResEdChat, join Noah and Nick Stanford, Senior Academic Advisor at Miami University's College of Engineering and Computing to talk about RA supervision and the concept of "challenge and support" as it relates to that conversation. They discuss challenging RAs to grow as individuals and people, the intricacies of that work, share impactful stories, and offer practical advice for...

In student affairs, especially Housing and Residence Life, we do what I like to call "shadow work"—outside the classroom, in late-night conversations, in the spaces where students grow into themselves. In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Host Jasmine Nettles and guest Bernard Nichols talk about understanding "why" we do what we do, what keeps us going, and how our personal values and lived ex...

Supporting students and staff in their spiritual and meaning-making journeys is an important but often overlooked part of residence life.  In this episode of ResEdChat, Crystal sits down with Dr. Cherjanét Lenzy, Associate Provost for Student Life & Thriving at Fielding Graduate University, and they explore how housing professionals can navigate conversations around religion, spirituality, an...

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, we rebroadcast a past webinar discussing storytelling through data and assessment with panelists from the University of South Carolina and University of South Florida. Through this session, the panelists explore best practices to collect, interpret, and present data to campus partners and departmental leadership to create buy-in and provide the “why” to stu...

We're pleased to welcome Erin to the show this week to have her share reflections on the work at University of Oklahoma did over the past few years to expand their residential curriculum to their entire division of student affairs. She examines how to identify and take advantage of windows of opportunity for change making and the ways to leverage communities to keep ourselves afloat in turbulent t...

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal sits down with Dr. T.J. Logan, Executive Director at Brailsford & Dunlavey,  to break down the financial side of residence life and housing—demystifying common budget terms, sharing best practices, and exploring how financial transparency can strengthen your team.  Whether you're just starting with budgeting or refining your expertise, this epi...

We're pleased to welcome Brian to the show this week to talk about his journey that led him to joining ACPA in a professional capacity as well as what he sees as the ways professional organizations are creating relevant opportunities for learning, camaraderie, and authentic connections for higher education staff members all over the world. *You may notice that there was a minor audio issue in the...

This week, Dustin chats with Sarah about her efforts to utilize pod mapping as a way to elevate the curricular approach at her institution. Sarah details the ways to and the importance of building sustainable coalitions at an institution to make sure there is consistent, collective efforts to aid in achieving learning outcomes for students.

In this episode, host Crystal sits down with Director of Photography Justin Kosman, whose career has taken him worldwide, working with brands like Red Bull, Vans, and ESPN. Reflecting on his time as a resident, student-athlete, and English Literature major, Justin shares the lessons and regrets that shaped his path to success. Tune in for powerful insights on embracing challenges, fostering belong...

In this episode, join host Crystal and Travis Tucker, Assistant Dean and Director of the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Understanding at Princeton University, as they explore how campus housing staff can better support LGBT students by addressing privacy, community, and inclusivity. They discuss impactful policies, staff training, and partnerships, share success stories, and offer practica...

In this episode, Crystal sits down with Dr. Jeremy Moore, Dean of Students at Naropa University, who shares the unique challenges and opportunities of being an internal candidate for housing and residence roles. Our guest shares his personal stories on navigating the hiring process, receiving, and utilizing feedback, and managing the transition after not being selected. Whether you're an aspiring...

We're pleased to welcome Crys to the show this week as they discuss with Dustin their email newsletter campaign initiative at their institution that seeks to provide relevant resources to students consistently. Crys also details the tools they use to develop the emails and the various strategies they use as collaborates with their colleagues to develop the content of each newsletter.

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal sits down with Deanna Hughes, Associate Director of Residential Education at the University of South Florida-Tampa Campus, to discuss the art of balancing life as a housing professional, doctoral student, mom, and partner. Deanna shares valuable insights on time management, building support systems, navigating dissertation research, and embracing ba...