Sep 25, 2025
If you’re searching for inspiration and actionable insights on leadership in higher education, you’ll want to tune in to the latest episode featuring Dr. Jhenai Chandler, hosted by Dr. Jill Creighton. This engaging conversation shines a light on the complexity of change management and the importance of authentic leadership through times of uncertainty.
One major theme that emerges from their discussion is the necessity of adaptability in the ever-evolving landscape of student affairs. Dr. Chandler shares her personal experiences navigating institutional shifts, emphasizing that flexibility and open communication are key to both individual growth and organizational success. She discusses how leaders who prioritize empathy and transparency foster environments where innovation isn’t just encouraged—it thrives.
Another powerful topic is the need for intentional mentorship and community-building. Dr. Chandler highlights how finding and being a mentor can propel professional development in meaningful ways. She stresses that mentorship doesn't have to be formalized; often, those small, consistent connections spark the greatest impact. Listeners are reminded that building a supportive professional network sharpens resilience, especially when facing challenges unique to the higher education sector.
The conversation doesn’t shy away from discussing the personal side of leadership either. Dr. Chandler is candid about the importance of self-care and boundary-setting, particularly for those who often take on invisible labor within their institutions. She encourages embracing humanity within the professional sphere—celebrating wins, learning from setbacks, and bringing your whole self to work.
Rounding out the episode, the hosts and Dr. Chandler offer practical advice for emerging leaders. They underscore the value of continual learning and the importance of staying true to your values, even amidst external pressures. From candid anecdotes to strategic insights, this episode is packed with wisdom that will resonate with higher education professionals at every stage of their journey.
If you’re ready to be inspired and energized, don’t miss this insightful episode! The perspectives shared by Dr. Chandler, and Dr. Creighton, will leave you with actionable strategies and a renewed sense of purpose. Whether you’re a seasoned administrator or just starting your career, this dynamic conversation is sure to spark new ideas and meaningful reflection.
Tune in and join the dialogue today!
TRANSCRIPT
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:02]:
Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where
we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to
seasoned experts brought to you by naspa. We curate free and
accessible professional development for higher ed pros wherever you
happen to be. This is season 13 on the value of student affairs.
I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. She her hers your essay Voices from the
Field Host welcome to season 13 of SA Voices from the Field. This
season is on the Value of Student affairs and I'm thrilled to open
this season with Dr. Janae Chandler, who currently serves as the
Vice President of Research and Policy for Student Affairs
Administrators in Higher Education.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:42]:
That's us. Here at naspa, she's leading efforts to advance student
success and equity through research driven policies. Previously,
Dr. Chandler was Senior Director of College Completion Policy at
TCUS, or the Institute for College Access and Success, where she
oversaw the organization's advocacy and policy strategy aimed at
improving college completion rates. Her work focused on enhancing
institutional capacity to support student success, collaborating
with state and federal policymakers, industry leaders and
researchers to promote policies that advance equity in higher ed.
Before joining TCUS, Dr. Chandler was a leader of Post Secondary
Transitions at Education Strategy Group, where she worked with
state and regional policymakers to improve advising practices,
early post secondary opportunities, and mathematics pathways. She
also led business development in college and career advising,
ensuring that advising systems address the holistic needs of all
students.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:30]:
As the Inaugural Director of the Florida Caribbean Louis Stokes
Regional center of Excellence, Dr. Chandler conducted research to
assess the impact of growth mindset interventions on STEM student
success. Dr. Chandler began her career in advising at Tallahassee
Community College, later holding leadership roles with both the
Florida College System and the State University system. As a first
gen college graduate and former parenting student, she's deeply
committed to improving access to higher education and creating
support systems that promote the success of diverse student
populations. Dr. Chan Chandler holds an Associate of Arts degree
from Florida A and M University, a Bachelor of Science in Food and
Nutrition Sciences, a Master of Science in Leadership from nova, a
Master of Science in Leadership from NOVA Southeastern university,
and a PhD in higher education Policy from Florida State University.
Janae, welcome to Essay Voices.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:02:19]:
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:22]:
It is season 13, the value of the Student affairs profession. I
can't think of a better time to be having this conversation and for
our NASPA squad to be meeting you. You've been with NASP. I think
it's just about a year now.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:02:34]:
Yeah, August 19th made a year. So I just hit my what we call
NASPiversary Happy NASPiversary. Yes, yes. It was a great day and
I'm really proud to be a part of this association in supporting the
professionals who just are doing phenomenal work, phenomenal work
on campuses across the.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:02:53]:
You are one of our newest, I think actually the newest executive
team member for NASPA on staff serving in the role of VP for policy
and advocacy and research, taking over Amelia Parnell' old seat
actually. So we know that you're working really hard to fill those
shoes at a really challenging policy time. Can you tell us a little
bit about how you got to naspa?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:03:15]:
Yes. So I got to naspa. Really. I call it like a shoot my shot
moment to be quite honest. I worked at TCAS as the Senior director
for College Completion Policy where I oversaw all of this federal
advocacy work related to college completion. And I work with
members of Congress to work on designing and implementing federal
policies that thought about the holistic needs of students. And
even though I wasn't from the traditional federal policy landscape,
one value that I brought to that work is I always thought about the
practitioner. I always thought about their voices are missing in
this work.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:03:52]:
We're designing things and we're not thinking about how this looks
on campus or how students experience it. And so I was very proud to
be a bridge between the practitioner and the policymaker. And so
when I saw this opportunity come up at naspa, I thought it would
just be a phenomenon, phenomenal experience to work with student
affairs professionals and now bringing policy to our environment a
little bit more and helping us be forward thinking about how we get
to inform and shape policy. And so that decision, I didn't know
what the climate was going to be. I didn't realize what we were
going to be experiencing in 2025. But it really affirms my decision
to come to NASPA. And I remember being at tables on campuses and
being a part of policy conversations and not feel feeling equipped
or empowered enough to engage. And that's what I want to
dismantle.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:04:46]:
I want student affairs professionals to be able to engage in policy
conversations and research conversations. And so I'm really excited
to build our members toolkit more in these arenas.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:57]:
You mentioned you come from TCUs. Can you tell us a little bit
about what that is and what TICUS does for higher ed? I believe it
stands for the Institute for College Access and Success.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:05:07]:
Yes, correct. And so in the policy arena you'll have intermediaries
or research think takes that really dive deep into research on
particular topics. They are also a primary resource for state and
federal policymakers and staffers to get information from. And we
also provided a lot of advocacy through webinars, publications,
obviously scholarly engagement. And so it was really an
organization to shape the policy field around higher education and
advancing equity and access for students and institutions.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:41]:
That background is going to be so valuable for naspa, especially as
we're facing a really unique policy environment right now. I know
it's kind of difficult to say, given that the policy world is what
I would call a bit kind of unstable almost at the moment. What are
we doing at NASPA right now? And I say that internally as a member
of the Public Policy Division, but also as a person who's just kind
of a bit of a policy nerd and knowing that we're seeing funky
impacts that we didn't necessarily see even a year ago.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:06:09]:
I'm so proud to say that our team has gone all in on policy
research right now. We have stayed tuned in to all of the
happenings. We have trackers, State Policy Trackers, Federal Policy
Trackers, and we've made that all available to NASPA members for
free. And we've created a centralized Policy Resource hub where
members can review breakdowns and policy analyses about what's
happening in the landscape and what it means for them in their
roles and for their campuses. And so we have invested a ton of
resources and time to make sure that NASPA members have real time,
current, relevant and accurate information, which the accurate part
for me is so valuable and important because there's so much noise
and it's coming from so many places, you have no idea what source
to trust. But I believe NASPA is a trusted source for not just
NASPA members, but the broader higher education field. And so I'm
really excited to partner with the Public Policy Division to host
events. We've had a number of briefings related to the first 100
days phase of this new administration.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:07:16]:
We've done follow ups related to the different SCOTUS decisions
that have rolled out. And so I want our members to know that we're
continuing to do high quality research about how to best support
our students, while we're also investing a lot of our time and
energy on policy research as well and providing tools and
resources. And so those updates can be found in our weekly update.
So scroll past some of the things that you might not want to attend
and just pay attention to the policy update. We try to include
something every week. And we also have the Policy Hub, which you
can Access online from naspa.org under Key Initiatives.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:07:54]:
I think one of the things that's important for our NASPA members to
understand is that NASPA isn't at the moment making policy stances
so much as it is trying to figure out and help us navigate what to
do with the policies that are coming down. And that's an
interesting place because we've historically advocated in some ways
or been trying to work with the Department, that means the
Department of Education historically. And because the landscape is
different, I think right now we're focusing on, okay, so these
policies have happened, now what do we do about them? Because as a
lot of us are public servants and so we're in a position where we
are trying to implement as public administrators rather than kind
of change things differently. It's kind of an interesting space for
us to be in and maybe different than one that we're used to being
in.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:08:38]:
Yeah, and my approach has been action oriented. We can sign it, we
can put out statements and like say that we are upset about
something. But I want you to to read a statement or read something
and say, I'm getting strategy out of it. I'm getting tools to be
able to do my job better within this current landscape. And so
although NASPA is not putting out traditional statements in this
time, what we are doing is we're actively engaged in coalitions. So
there are a number of policy coalitions. And this might be a really
cool teachable moment right now for our listeners because what they
don't teach you in the Schoolhouse Rock version of like policy
development is that they're players in coalition coalition. So like
TCUS was a part of a coalition and IHEP Institute for Higher
Education Policy, naspa, all of the associations, some of those
intermediaries and think tanks, we come together and we think about
how to collectively push Congress, how to collectively take action
on some sort of issue that's coming up in the field.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:09:39]:
So we're actively engaged in a number of coalitions. So when you
see today's student coalition and they're talking about college
affordability and student basic needs, NASA is a part of that. And
we sign on to coalition letters. And so you can find the coalition
letters that NASPA has signed on to recently on naspa.org under our
policy section. And so we are committed to action oriented advocacy
in that way. For instance, we are working with our partners at the
Fair Election Center. So I don't know if many people realize, but
NASPA also is a partner in the Voter Friendly Campus Initiative and
we help institutions prepare students for civic engagement. And
obviously there's been new guidance around how federal work studies
should no longer be used for those types of opportunities.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:10:29]:
And so we're currently putting out a statement on how this is
disappointing and it goes against everything that higher education
is about when it comes to student development. However, within that
same document, here are resources on how you can continue to help
your students engage in different civic opportunities. Here are
funding opportunities, things of that nature. I want people to have
tools to be actionable and impactful.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:10:55]:
I really appreciate this approach because it's one thing to say,
here's the perspective that we're bringing, but it's a whole other
to say here's what you can do about it.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:11:02]:
I really want folks to know what to do about it. Because think
about it, we're also impacted personally by everything that's
happening. And it's overwhelming. It's like sometimes I have to
turn off the news as a mom of children who have to navigate this
space, and it's like I don't know what to do sometimes. And so I
want to make sure that we can help be a filter in a funnel for our
members in.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:11:25]:
The field and fully acknowledging that a lot of us feel some type
of way about a lot of these changes. But some of those feelings are
positive, some of them are fearful, some of them are frustrated.
We're kind of all over the map as a profession as to how we're
receiving all of these changes. But I did want to ask you what's
kind of that hot button issue that you see coming forward from the
Hill right now? Because we've gone through waves and iterations of
it being Title IX or it being federal financial aid or EDI
initiatives, what have you. The list has been long and the waves
have come pretty quickly. What are we seeing now on the
horizon?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:11:59]:
I'm paying attention to all of it. But my immediate reaction is if
we cannot address college affordability, we may not have students
on our campuses. So I am very sensitive to the implications of, do
I have to say it? The one big beautiful bill. There's so much in
there around federal financial aid that I'm concerned for students
who, who I share similar backgrounds with, who I was a Pell
student, I came from a low income area and federal financial aid
was the way for me, plus scholarships, because Pell is not enough.
But there are some new rollouts on how the order in which aid can
be applied. And so I also think about the student loan repayment
restructures that's happening in there. And so for some of us who
go into nonprofit work, or who work on campuses, this can create
challenge. Can I do my purpose work and pay my bills and pay my
student loans? And so I'm again concerned about the field and what
these implications may mean for many student affairs professionals,
educators, just across the board.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:13:03]:
There's no protection if you lose your job. There's some hardship
things that are included in that package that will have real
implications for people. And so I really think about the root,
which is the college affordability piece right now, because we need
to have students on our campuses and in our classrooms, but if they
can't afford to be there, some of us may not be around. I don't
mean to be so stark about it, but it's just a real reality of
although we're not student affairs professionals, we also have to
pay attention to college affordability because even if a student
gets onto our campus, they will experience other financial
hardships or unexpected emergencies where we may lose them. And so
it all ties into retention and student success.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:13:45]:
You mentioned a couple of things related to college affordability
in terms of the layering of the application of federal financial
aid and student loans and parent plus loans and those types of
things. But the student loan forgiveness repayment plans that a lot
of student affairs professionals are frankly relying on in order to
stay in the field. Do you have any commentary or brief education
that you can give us in these areas?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:14:08]:
As of right now, I've encouraged people who I've come in contact
with to document, document, document. This is another issue that
we're having with the reduction in force, is that the customer
service is a challenge right now. There's not clarity on what, what
the next steps are or what are the policies and procedures to get
to PSLF and to make sure that when is your time that you're able to
get the credit for the time that you are owed or allowed based on
your years of experience. And even within my household, I'll just
go personally, two public servants, two different levels of
correspondence right now about it. And so there's just no clarity.
And so if you can do your best to document and keep track of your
records, I think it's really important. And I've just really been
paying attention to the small attacks to pslf. And so just stay
current on what's happening and continue to document and submit
your employment verification as often as possible.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:15:08]:
That's what I'm trying to do.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:15:09]:
And PSLF is Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, a hard acronym
for me to say for some reason. So in my head, always I have to say,
pumpkin Spice Latte forgiveness and it's so fun fact for our
listeners to me with Pumpkin Spice latte Forgive me. I love that
it's a heavy topic, right, Because a lot of people's futures are
going to be dictated by what guidance comes out around PSLF and
what will be counted towards service and what won't. We'd like to
strongly believe that if you're providing public service to a
university that you know, it's a pretty clearly within the
guidelines of forgiveness or if you're working at 501c3 nonprofit
organization. But because of that lack of clarity, all we can do
right now is make sure that our documents are all aligned,
right?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:15:51]:
Absolutely. And a lot of the changes that we seen proposed in let's
say the one big beautiful bill again, NASPA has also signed on to a
coalition letter calling for more capacity at the department to be
able to carry out these things. And we're also in support of saying
let's pause on implementation until we can give clarity to the
students, families as well as the institutions who are being
implicated in these particular changes. But like right now, it's
just a lack of clarity. But we have been very vocal in calling out
for a need for greater capacity and time for clarity.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:16:26]:
Let's also visit that component about the layering of how federal
aid is applied. What can you teach us there?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:16:31]:
Goodness. What I will say is this financial aid does a phenomenal
job at making sure students are able to maximize their awards and
students have been able to cover textbooks, housing, other approved
expenses so that they can remain in college and enrolled. And so
some of the new shifts and changes, it may not give students the
best reach with their financial aid packages or their scholarship.
And so I think about my personal experience. My kid went to on
campus childcare that was tacked onto my bill every semester. And I
don't know if a student in my situation now or with a new policy
will be able to afford tuition as well as on campus childcare.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:17:16]:
One thing that we introduced you with was that you're a formerly
parenting student, meaning that you had a young child while you
were attending full time university. Can you talk to us about how
student affairs impacted your journey given that you were juggling
these two very intensive roles?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:17:30]:
Oh my gosh, yes. It's student parent month too in September. And so
this is a really great question and I was sharing with you earlier.
I've just been really emotional this month reading all of the new
briefs and reports around student parenting month because that very
kid is now applying to Colleges, and it's so exciting. And none of
that would have been possible without Student Affairs. I was able
to work on campus and I did not have federal work study. I had an
actual job on campus. And that is what Student affairs is
about.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:18:02]:
It's like seeing the need having structures in place to make sure
students are successful. And so I was on my way to going to be a
scientist. And working in advising was transformative for me. It
was the strangest job because I was the formal advisor for my peers
and I was trusted. I was trusted with data. I was FERPA trained,
all of the things. And it catapulted my career in a way that I
couldn't imagine. And I was able to make a difference based on my
experience.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:18:32]:
I was able to say, childcare closes at 4:30, the organic chemistry
2 lab starts at 4. There's no way I could make that. And then
having to navigate different challenges to finish my degree, to
take that course at the local community college. But Student
affairs positioned me to be able to work on campus, not have to
drive across town to go to daycare, drop off, go to work, go to
class. I was also supported when I had tough times, when I was just
emotionally drained, when I was exhausted, there were people on
campus who I could go to for whether it was mental health support,
whether it was counseling, or just to open their fridge and get a
snack, because I just needed a moment. And I did that for my
students when the tables were turned. But that would not have been
possible if we did not have access to high quality and affordable
childcare that was offered through Florida State University's
Office of Housing and Residential Life.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:19:29]:
I think this transitions us nicely into our theme questions for the
season. And like our previous seasons, we've got three questions on
the theme of on the value of Student affairs and I am pleased to
introduce those now. So, Janae, our first question for the season
is when you think about the value of Student affairs, what comes to
mind first and why?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:19:49]:
When I think about the value of Student affairs, the first thing
that comes to mind is how it shapes the student experience beyond
the classroom. As someone from the inner city in Jersey City, New
Jersey, I didn't really travel much. A lot of my exposure came
through the out of classrooms experiences that Student affairs
offered. It's where I got to meet people from different states, or
even I met people from New Jersey that were from different areas.
And that was pretty cool for me as well. Sociology talks about like
social norms in the classroom, but I was able to apply it in
different settings, as I met people through campus recreation and
different ways that I engaged on campus. And so whether it's
learning to lead through different leadership programs, building
community, and, like, just figuring out how to navigate life,
that's what student affairs does. And a lot of those traits that
you learn from those experiences are what employers want.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:20:43]:
They want someone who's collaborative, that knows how to work with
people from different backgrounds, who can foster community in the
workplace, particularly now in, like, a virtual environment. Can
you lead a team? Can you navigate conflict? Those are all things
that I learned through various programs and opportunities. And it's
also what I see right now happening. And so we just have to do a
better job of quantifying that with data and showing how these
connect to employer expectations.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:21:13]:
So, going to our second question, can you share a specific story or
moment when you saw the value of student affairs come to life?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:21:20]:
I really, again, think about my personal experience and how the
student affairs professionals helped me navigate my academic
challenges and my personal challenges or circumstance that I was
navigating. Because of their support and their help, my sister was
able to go to college. My husband was able to graduate college.
During that time, he was a student parent as well at the local
community college. My mom just went to community college during the
pandemic and is now a successful nurse. So the work that was
invested in me, me help change a family dynamic. And so I think
about the student affairs professionals at community colleges,
which is where my background is. I spent most of my higher
education professional work at community colleges, and that's where
I see the magic happen as well.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:22:10]:
Those students come from diverse backgrounds, diverse academic
levels, different challenges, different lived experiences, but
they're driven and their worlds could be shifted based on the
interactions with campus staff and administrators. But I always see
student affairs professionals wrap their their arms around them and
support them in ways that's just transformative, similarly to my
story. And so when I see people show up on a community college
campus and they take advantage of all of the support, and then
their life stories are changed, like, that's just where student
affairs just lights up my heart. And the impact is just
undeniable.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:22:49]:
I think for a long time, the student affairs profession has kind of
pejoratively said, my own parent doesn't understand what I do for
work. And I think that is still true across a lot of college
campuses with our colleagues. And so our third question for the
season's theme is, what do you think student affairs needs to do
better to be understood and better seen in today's educational
environment.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:23:10]:
We have got to do a better job of telling our story and telling our
story in a way that resonates with the public, that resonates with
the folks at home at the kitchen table. And we were very smart,
we're very bright people. We're into scholarship. But we have to be
able to talk directly to the students and the families that we need
on our campuses and that we want to support. But we also have to be
able to translate our language and what we're trying to articulate
to employers, to policymakers so that they can understand the value
of student affairs in higher education. And so that's why I love
coming from the outside into nasp is because I can help translate
what we're trying to communicate in a way that resonates with
policymakers and uses their language. And so you know how we talk
about code switching, we have to learn how to code switch around
our communication. When we're doing a scholarly paper, that's one
thing, do that.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:24:08]:
But now that you're talking in front of a policymaker, you need to
be quick, succinct, and to the point, right? And when you're
talking to students and families and communities, we need to be
able to articulate why what we do matters. And so the communication
is one piece. The other piece is, again, the data and assessment to
be able to tell our story and share the value. I think that is so
critical because if you think about it, when you go shopping for,
like, an appliance, you're like, which one is most efficient on
energy? Which machine is going to stretch my laundry detergent a
little bit more? Right? Like, you want the most most for your time
and that investment that you're going to make. And so we have to do
the same thing. We offer these programs. Here's what the outcomes
are for the students who engage in this program. Our employer
partnerships have led to X, Y and Z.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:24:59]:
Like, we need to be able to do that a little bit more. But for the
most part, we've been people who do this work because we love it
and we enjoy it, and that's great. But it's like, now we have to
make sure we have to do the assessment to be able to tell our story
and also not be afraid of what the data may tell us. So sometimes I
think we avoid assessment in data collection because we're a little
afraid of what it might tell us. But it's an opportunity. It's not
a ding. It's an opportunity for enhancement, improvement, to be
able to reallocate resources into something that's working for us.
And so that's what I would say.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:25:36]:
Data collection and telling our story in a way that resonates with
all audiences.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:25:41]:
You mentioned, you know, being able to bring the perspective of
coming from the outside in. Is there any language that we use
internally in student affairs that you think that we could frame
differently for the outside world to help us be better understood,
or any pro tips on making that switch from understanding ourselves
internally to being able to share that more outward facing?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:26:00]:
There's a lot there. There's a lot of opportunity. There's a lot of
opportunity. But I think it's the venue, it's the venues that we
use to advertise, to market and to communicate and to share
information. One of the things that I prioritized in my time at T
is was to get with faculty. Like, if I read a journal article and
I'm like, wow, these are amazing outcomes from this study. I would
make sure I took their report with them, collaborated with them,
turned it into a policy brief with, as recommendations for, like,
policymakers. And so it's just making sure that we get the
information that we know.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:26:36]:
We know a lot about our field, we know a lot about our students,
but we're talking to each other. And so how do we make sure that
we're using different venues and platforms to be able to
communicate our work? So, essentially, if you're doing a lot of
quality research and you're published in journals, that's great.
Continue to do those things because it's necessary. But make sure
you have a strategy on how you are going to maybe get this into the
campus paper first, maybe, right. And then next get it into the
local paper, maybe diverse issues in higher ed. Just making sure
that you're thinking outside of the box of where to share our
insight to be able to shape and move the field. And so to me, that
would be my number one recommendation, is to make sure that
whatever you're doing from a scholarly, scholarly perspective that
is translated in different venues and platforms that different
audiences are viewing. And so this podcast, for an example, is one
that a family could listen to and learn about student affairs in a
way that's just simple and clear.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:27:34]:
And we could do that from our work and our research too.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:27:37]:
Anything that you're researching right now that.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:27:38]:
You want to highlight, we're doing so many cool things. I'll share
a few things. Some professional, some personal. So professionally
at naspa, what we're doing is we're looking at college
affordability in a sense of emergency aid, student employment,
working with some potential partners on student financial wellness
and how we can equip institutions to help students think about
their financial health and well being. We just partnered with TIAA
to award five institutions micro grants to be able to give students
$500 if they experience an unexpected emergency. So we want to be
able to continue to work to help students face the financial
challenges to persist through their college. I'm also intrigued by
this concept of secondary stress. A number of NASA members have
already published articles about it and again I'm looking to like
contact them and work with them on like how to do briefs and have
different work around it.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:28:36]:
Because right now, and I've talked, we talked about this earlier in
the podcast around how the weight of the environment is impacting
us personally and we still have to show up for work, but then we
also have to engage with students on the challenges that they're
experiencing. So how do we help not only the staff navigate
navigate secondary stress, but how do we help VPs and leaders
identify it early and have preventative measures in place so that
staff can be supported before burnout? So I'm really intrigued by
that personally. I have just started doing some blogging and
videos, vlogging I guess, content videos. I'm new to the whole
TikTok world, but about my parenting journey with autism and so
being able to help families and moms who have children with autism
to give them some hope. We're 12 and a half years into that journey
and so it's really cool to like look at new studies, look at new
research and practices and kind of connect them to what our lived
experience was and just sharing that out for for the world and for
moms. Really?
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:41]:
Are you willing to share your TikTok handle?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:29:43]:
Yeah, it's called Reclaiming My Stride. All one word. Reclaiming my
stride. Stride because I'm a runner.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:48]:
Janae, is there anything else you'd like our NASPA membership to
know about you as you've just passed your one year
NASPiversary?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:29:54]:
I am here to really support NASPA and NASA members with current
research, high quality research policy work to empower them to do
their jobs to the best of their ability, to support their students
in a way that's meaningful and purposeful. I want each NASA member
and every listener who's out on the field to know that I am here to
support them. Deeply appreciative and full of gratitude for this
field because I have personally been impacted. My family has
benefited as well and so whatever it is that I can do from my
sphere of influence in my area of expertise. I would love to hear
from them about that again. I have continuously made sure
Practitioner Voice was centered in my work and that's something
that I want to continue. And I'm just so excited to be here. It's
just been a great organization.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:30:48]:
And I will also say one thing that's different about NASA that I
haven't experienced in a lot of other places. Well, this is my
first membership association too though, so maybe that's what it
is. But NASA prioritizes members like, I mean to the point where I
used to say like what is happening right now, but it's really like
what our members would need, what our members would think, what our
members like. It is unreal. Like, I mean it's real because it
happens, but it's something that I have not seen a lot in different
avenues or arenas is like really caring about its members. And
NASPA does that. And I really feel good to be at a place that
prioritizes their members and what's best for them. And so I'm
really, really excited to be here.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:31:31]:
It's time to take a quick break and toss it over to producer Chris
to learn what's going on in the NASPA world.
Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:31:37]:
Hey Joe, thanks so much. Welcome back to the NASPA world. And
there's a ton of things happening, happening in naspa. One of the
biggest things right now that I want you to do is put on your
calendar October 1st. The annual conference registration and
housing will be open on October 1st. You don't want to miss out on
the best prices as well as the hotels that are closest to all the
action. So you want to be able to get into the members only hub and
be able to register for the conference, register for housing and be
ready for an amazing time this coming spring. The 2026 NASPA
elections are open and nominations are due on October 22, 2025.
Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:32:18]:
Currently, nominations are open for Board Chair Elect, Regional
Directors elect and Knowledge Community Chair and Co Chair elect
positions. You can follow the nomination process and candidate
selection online and as a member of naspa, you'll be invited to
participate in the election that will Open open on January 14th. I
encourage you if you are looking to take that next step in
considering how you want to lead within the association, to
consider running for a position and be able to nominate yourself or
others for positions because we need volunteer leaders to be able
to help our association to grow and thrive in the future. I'm going
to tell you about a new book available in the NASPA Publication
section on the NASPA website called Small and Mighty Student
affairs at Small Colleges and Universities by Carolyn Livingston,
Krista Porter and Thomas Shanley Small and Mighty Student affairs
at Small Colleges and Universities explores critical opportunities
and challenges at higher education institutions with fewer than
5,000 students. Written by a diverse group of seasoned campus
leaders, this comprehensive text covers a range of topics relevant
to higher education and student affairs while providing detailed
insights and actions to take for, in support of and alongside
students at small colleges and universities. Thriving in the small
college culture requires flexibility, collaboration and the ability
to shift rapidly within the changing environment of higher
education. Small and Mighty offers thoughtful strategies and
insights to help student affairs professionals identify innovative
solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing small colleges
and universities. You can find out more on the NASPA website.
Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:34:08]:
The 2026 NASPA Excellence Awards are also open and nominations
close on October 1, 2025. Through the NASPA Excellence Award, you
can recognize the professionals transforming higher education
through exceptional programs, innovative services, and effective
administration. NASPA Excellence Awards cover 12 categories crucial
to the growth of the profession. You can nominate a colleague or
two your colleagues for an excellent award today. You can go to the
NASPA website for more information. Every week we're going to be
sharing some amazing things that are happening within the
association. So we are going to be able to try and keep you up to
date on everything that's happening and allow for you to be able to
get involved in different ways. Because the association is as
strong as its members and for all of us, we have to find our place
within the association.
Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:34:59]:
Whether it's it be getting involved with a knowledge community,
giving back within one of the centers or the divisions of the
association. And as you're doing that, it's important to be able to
identify for yourself where do you fit, where do you want to give
back? Each week we're hoping that we will share some things that
might encourage you, might allow for you to be able to get some
ideas that will provide you with an opportunity to be able to say,
hey, I see myself in that knowledge community, I see myself doing
something like that, or encourage you in other ways that allow for
you to be able to think beyond what's available right now to offer
other things to the association, to bring your gifts, your talents
to the association and to all of the members within the
association. Because through doing that all of us are stronger and
the association is better. Tune in again next week as we find out
more about what is happening in naspa.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:36:02]:
Chris, thank you so much for bringing us back to our very first
NASPA World segment of the season. Always great to get the update
on what's going on in and around naspa and Janae, we have reached
our lightning round. I have seven questions for you in about 90
seconds. Are you ready?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:36:18]:
Ooh. Okay.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:36:19]:
All right, question number one. If you were a conference keynote
speaker, what would your entrance music be?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:36:24]:
I don't know the title of the song, but it's gonna feel like the
man when I walk through. I think it's like Rich Homie Kwan.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:36:30]:
Number two, when you were five years old, what did you want to be
when you grew up?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:36:34]:
A business owner.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:36:35]:
Number three, who's your most influential professional mentor?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:36:38]:
One that I know because I have a lot in my head. I would say. Okay,
okay, okay, okay. So I actually follow, like, CEOs and presidents
online of different companies, and I use them as my mentors.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:36:51]:
Number four, your essential Student affairs read.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:36:54]:
The Green book, the Student Development Theory book. I call it my
Student affairs Bible, Student Development in College Theory,
Research and Practice.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:37:01]:
We've had that as a lot of people's Essential Student affairs read.
And for those listening, Janae just pulled it right off the shelf.
It's great. Number five, the best TV show you've.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:37:09]:
Binged lately, forever on Netflix.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:37:12]:
Number six, the podcast you've spent the most hours listening to in
the last year.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:37:16]:
Definitely Mel Robbins.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:37:17]:
And finally, number seven, any shout outs you'd like to give,
personal or professional?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:37:21]:
My family, my husband and my kids, they're so supportive. This role
requires a lot of time and travel, and they've just been great at
being support and just playing their part. Oh, definitely. My
family.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:37:33]:
Janae, it's been such a pleasure to get to know you a bit better
and to introduce you to our NASPA membership. If anyone would like
to get ahold of you after this episode airs, how can they find
you?
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:37:43]:
Jchandlerspa.org is the best way to find me. LinkedIn. I'm super
active on LinkedIn. You can find me on LinkedIn as well.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:37:51]:
And that's Janae. J H E N A I Chandler, like the character from
Friends. Or you can also find you on TikTok. Say that one for us
again.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:37:59]:
Reclaiming my stride. But I also just started a Instagram because
NASA is super active on Instagram, like all the regions and
divisions, and so it's just Dr. Janae, Dr. J H E N A I All one
word.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:38:12]:
Thank you so much, Janae, for sharing your voice with us today.
Dr. Jhenai Chandler [00:38:14]:
Thank you for having me.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:38:20]:
This has been an episode of Essay Voices from the Field brought to
you by naspa. This show is made possible because of you, the
listeners. We we continue to be so grateful that you choose to
spend your time with us. If you'd like to reach the show, you can
email us@savoicesaspa.org or find me on LinkedIn by searching for
Dr. Jill L. Creighton. We welcome your feedback and your topic and
guest suggestions always. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell
a colleague about the show and leave us a five star review on Apple
Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now.
Dr. Jill Creighton [00:38:50]:
It really does help other student affairs professionals the show
and helps us to become more visible in the larger podcasting
community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill
Creighton. That's me, produced and audio engineered by Dr. Chris
Lewis. Special thanks to the University of Michigan Flint for your
support as we create this project. Catch you next time.