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.