Next Practices

Student success in higher education isn't just about reacting to problems — it's about building systems that anticipate them. And at the University of North Carolina Asheville, that proactive approach is making all the difference. Joining today's conversation are two incredible leaders who are doing this work every day: Regine Criser, Director of Student Success, and Lynne Horgan, University Regis...

Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on. Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of expe...

In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, it's crucial to recognize that students are not just statistics or numbers; they are individuals with unique challenges, needs, and aspirations. As educational leaders, it's imperative to adopt a holistic approach that considers the whole human behind the student. Joining us is Chris Campbell, the Chief Information Officer at Devry University. With a...

In this episode, I'm speaking with Dustin Ramsdell, host of The Higher Ed Geek Podcast. The Higher Ed Geek explores the impact of edtech on the student experience by speaking with diverse leaders from institutions, companies, and nonprofit organizations. We are extending that conversation to the Next Practices Podcast as we think about ways to use technology to streamline the student experience. I...

Today, we're exploring ways to expand appreciative inquiry, a framework designed to empower students by focusing on their unique strengths, passions, and aspirations, beyond advising to all facets of campus. Joining us is the esteemed Dr. Jenny Bloom, a trailblazer in the field of educational leadership and the visionary behind the Office of Appreciative Education at Florida Atlantic University. D...

Welcome to today's episode, where we dive into the insights from this year's Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Report. I'm thrilled to be joined by Sarah Demeo, a dedicated data analyst at Civitas Learning, who has extensive experience in higher education, having worked in academics and student affairs for over a decade. Together, Sarah and I develop this report annually to share the latest...

Today, I am delighted to be talking with Dr. Jeffrey Taylor, from the University of Texas at Arlington. Our focus is on how this institution is effectively serving students, both in-person and online, from various parts of the country. We'll delve into the strategies employed by UT Arlington to ensure these students not only enroll in the necessary courses but also successfully navigate their acad...

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ruth Reinhart, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Support Services at Austin Community College (ACC) in Austin, Texas. With over 35,000 students spread across 11 campuses, ACC serves as a beacon of opportunity in the community, but also faces unique challenges in supporting its diverse student body. Dr. Reinhart takes us on a journey through ACC's proactive...

Welcome back to another season of Next Practices Podcast! In this episode, we're talking about how coordinating student success efforts across campus boosts retention. Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Dr. Allison Hoffmann, the Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Student Success at Northwest Missouri State University. Together, we'll explore the remarkable journey of Northwest Missouri S...

Today, we are joined by Dr. Steve Wilkerson and Dr. Tammy Wyatt of the University of Texas San Antonio. Dr. Wilkerson is the Associate Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer, and Dr. Wyatt is Vice Provost for Student Success. You can catch an earlier conversation with Dr. Wyatt in Episode 5.    Today we're talking about how the UTSA Student Success Team works closely together with Institutiona...

Today on the show, I'm talking with Dr. Marissa Vernon White, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services at Lorain County Community College. We begin by discussing Lorain County Community College's use of data-informed collaboration and case management to understand the needs of its students and the broader community. We also talk about how they established data-informed practice...

In this episode, I'm talking with Allison Chase Padula, Assistant Provost for Student Success at Roger Williams University. Roger Williams University is a liberal arts college in Bristol, Rhode Island.  We discuss how this liberal arts institution navigates the enrollment cliff, mental health crisis, and enduring impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. We also talk about their transition from a faculty...

Today we have a panel of guests! Joining today is Landon Peterson, Director of Academic Advising at Snow College, Julia Carlo, Executive Director of Advising at Northeastern State University, and our own Rob Friedhoff, Vice President of Community Development at Civitas Learning. If you'd like to hear a previous episode with Rob Friedhoff, he spoke about boosting academic advising capacity in Seaso...

In this episode, Dr. John Rindy covers a lot of ground when discussing proactive academic support. Dr. Rindy is the Assistant Vice President for Career and Academic Progress at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and has changed their strategies to be data informed action. Dr. Rindy shares Slippery Rock's initiatives on how to help all students succeed with increasing student need and shrinki...

Rethinking strategies can be a challenge, but with the many changes we are seeing in higher education post-Covid, redesigning systems could be the key to student success. At SUNY Broome Community College, Dr. Penny Kelly explains that they've taken some new approaches to how they use data and technology. Dr. Kelly is the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Broome and with the collaboration...

Today's guest is Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, former University of Central Oklahoma President and CEO and Principal Consultant of Arc C-Suite Advisory. To kick off Season 2 of Next Practices, Patti digs deep into the strategies behind building a student success model that also supports the financial health of an institution. Patti shares what leaders should think about when building a financially heal...

We are so excited to announce that Next Practices Season 2 begins on May 16th! All new conversations with higher ed leaders across the country. In each episode, we'll talk about higher ed's most pressing challenges like closing equity gaps, delivering proactive student support at scale, removing barriers to graduation, and building financially healthy institutions. And more! Listen to this sneak p...

Today I'm speaking with Rob Freidhoff, Vice President of Community Development at Civitas Learning. Rob has extensive experience in higher ed as an academic advisor, advising administrator, Strategic Enrollment Manager, educational consultant focused on improving advising practices, and as an Associate Vice President for Student Success.  In this episode, we're talking about improving advising eff...

Today's guest, Dr. Gene VanSickle, discusses the importance of using data consistently and campus-wide to promote student success. As the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs at University of North Georgia, he has a great deal of insight into how you can navigate a rapidly evolving higher education landscape. And shares how use of data has made if feasible for UNG to provide proactive supp...

In higher education institutions, we are all familiar with the need to use data. We know this, but in many ways, we could be letting some opportunities fall through the cracks due to the lack of collaboration and unified goals throughout an entire campus. The University of Texas at San Antonio has been refining its use of data for the last decade, and Dr. Tammy Wyatt joins the podcast today to sha...

Technology helps student success professionals better understand their students and more efficiently serve their diverse needs in a rapidly changing higher ed landscape. In this episode, we explore how institutions can maximize their investment in student success solutions to help students achieve their academic goals. Today's guest is Dr. Chelsy Pham, Vice President of Information Technology at H...

With all that has happened in the last couple of years, it is more important than ever to proactively engage students. But how can we do that when students and potential students have barriers blocking their way? We have the unique opportunity to remove those barriers and support students in many ways through community events and real human connections. Today's guest is Juan Gilberto Garcia Jr., t...

Navigating through higher education can be tough as it is, but combined with the other challenges students are facing in today's world, it can be overwhelming. Advisors have the opportunity to play a huge role in guiding students not only to their desired academic path, but to resources they need to overcome obstacles.  Today's guest is Leticia Wilson, Director of Advising Initiatives at Del Mar C...

Introducing Next Practices. Data-informed strategies to shape the future of higher education.  From closing equity gaps to building financially stable colleges and universities, higher ed leaders face many challenges that yesterday's practices can't solve.  Hear how transformational higher ed leaders tackle today's most pressing issues to make a difference for their students and institutions. In e...