Wed, 19 December 2018
Close your eyes and picture a community college. Did you envision student housing? You may be surprised to hear that many campuses DO have housing, and just like any four-year school, living on campus has an impact on student success. The catch is, student housing cannot be just a building on campus; it must provide an experience that engages the students who live there. Tracy Morris has 17 years of experience as a community college administrator. Most recently, she served as Vice President for Student Services at Illinois Central College, where she leveraged her doctoral research on community college student housing and a relationship with COCM to transform the ICC student housing experience. In October, Tracy took on a new role as Compliance Officer with Joliet Junior College. She believes in the power of higher education to transform people’s lives. Today, Tracy joins me to share her take on the role of student services in supporting the social and emotional needs of students. She discusses her path from high school teacher to community college administrator, offering insight around how her own experience as a community college student ignited her love of learning. Tracy also explains why there is no such thing as a typical community college student, how involvement can help adult students get their confidence back, and how COCM went about transforming the student housing experience on her campus. Listen in to understand the importance of a flexible floor plan in the design of student housing and learn about the connection between engagement and the success of student housing on a community college campus! Topics CoveredTracy’s take on the power of higher education to transform lives The role of student services in facilitating student learning Tracy’s path from HS teacher to community college administrator Tracy’s experience advising adult students who had lost their jobs Why there is no such thing as a typical community college student How involvement helps adult students get their confidence back Tracy’s personal experience as a community college student Tracy’s doctoral research on community college student housing The link between engagement and the success of student housing How COCM transformed the student housing experience at ICC The tangible change in dynamic when staff knows the residents How student housing can be detrimental if there’s no connection The significance of a flexible student housing building plan The value in a holistic support model with tech-guided self-service Why the student debt crisis makes community colleges crucial Connect with TracyConnect with Leigh AnneStudent Housing Matters on Facebook
Direct download: Student_Housing_Matters_-Student_Housing_on_the_Community_College_Campus__with_Tracy_Morris.mp3
Category:Join The Conversation Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 12 December 2018
Even among student housing professionals, few are familiar with the idea of nonprofit ownership. What is it? How does it work? And why would a university choose to work with a nonprofit to develop student housing facilities? Will Givhan is the President and CEO of the Collegiate Housing Foundation, the country’s premier nonprofit provider of student housing. Since its inception in 1996, the 501(c)(3) has financed over $2.1B in student housing facilities, completing 55 projects at 40 schools in 24 states for a total of 31,940 beds. Will has been involved with Collegiate Housing since 1998, serving as outside legal counsel during his tenure at the law firm of Hand Arendall. He became the foundation’s in-house legal counsel and COO in 2011 and took the helm in May of this year. Today, Will joins me to share the unique origin of the Collegiate Housing Foundation and his path from outside legal counsel to President and CEO. He explains the foundation’s role in financing, building, owning and operating student housing facilities and the diverse reasons why colleges and universities might choose nonprofit ownership. Listen in for Will’s insight around the satisfaction of providing students with quality housing that promotes both social interaction AND academic success! Topics CoveredThe unique origin of the Collegiate Housing Foundation Will’s path to his current role as President and CEO The foundation’s role in financing and building facilities The advantage of the foundation’s tax-exempt status How a college benefits from working with a nonprofit How rating agencies account for nonprofit ownership What will has learned about the way universities work Will’s insight on student housing as a learning facility Collegiate Housing Foundation’s continued rapid growth Connect with WillConnect with Leigh AnneStudent Housing Matters on Facebook
Direct download: Student_Housing_Matters_-_The_Benefits_of_Nonprofit_Ownership_of_Student_Housing__with_Will_Givhan.mp3
Category:Join The Conversation Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 4 December 2018
To be a successful leader in the student housing space, you need buy-in from all of the players involved. But how do you determine what’s driving each stakeholder and make decisions accordingly? Brian Kraft argues that learning to listen is the most critical skill for leaders in student housing. Brian is the Regional Vice President at COCM. He is responsible for supporting the directors of six properties on the east coast and serving as a liaison among institutional partners, owners and the home office. Brian has 19 years of experience in student housing, serving at large public institutions and small private campuses all over the country before joining Capstone in 2009. His background in mathematics and data analysis informs the way Brian assists site staffs in performing more efficiently and improving their ability to forecast issues. Today, Brian joins me to discuss his path from undergrad RA to Regional VP. He explains the competition he faced to become a Resident Assistant and the reasons he was drawn to the position. Brian shares the deans who mentored him as an undergrad, his decision to pursue grad school, and how his assistantship integrated his background in math. He also offers insight around his student-centered approach and his current challenge in prioritizing the needs of diverse stakeholders. Listen in to understand the most rewarding part of Brian’s role at COCM and learn how to leverage listening to have a successful career in student housing! Topics CoveredThe competition to be an RA in Brian’s undergrad experience Why Brian was drawn to the RA’s duty to connect with residents The deans who mentored Brian when he was an undergrad RA Brian’s decision to pursue grad school rather than teach math How Brian’s assistantship merged student housing and teaching Brian’s student housing roles in Florida, California and Ohio Brian’s transition from the university setting to COCM Brian’s student-centered approach to student housing Brian’s challenge in prioritizing the needs of all stakeholders Brian’s responsibilities as Regional Vice President at COCM Why Brian enjoys sharing what he’s learned with colleagues How communication and listening are key to success Brian’s advice around challenging yourself to try new things Connect with BrianConnect with Leigh AnneStudent Housing Matters on Facebook
Direct download: Student_Housing_Matters_-_Listen_Your_Way_to_Leadership_in_Student_Housing__with_Brian_Kraft.mp3
Category:Join The Conversation Podcast -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |