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 Bin Khalifa University has opened new doors for engineering education in Qatar.

It’s a heartfelt, behind-the-scenes look at what it means to make higher ed personal, even when the lights are turning off.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

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Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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 are shaping the future of academic advising, as well as a dash of pop culture nostalgia!

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The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

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 predictive analytics and the ethical questions behind using machine-learning models in advising.

💬 Dr. Sara Stein Koch: Reflects on her 14-year journey with the Gardner Institute and explains how purpose-driven advising and symposium-style learning are reshaping professional development.

🎓 Dr. John N. Gardner: Shares the origin story of the Gardner Institute and the importance of innovation and intentional design in student success.

🌈 Dr. Quentin Alexander: Discusses his NACADA pre-conference workshop on supporting inclusive leadership, transforming advising practice through new perspectives, and his college connection to Michael Jordan!

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcast

Also, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.