Adventures in Advising

Join Matt Markin, Ryan Scheckel, and their amazing advising guests as they unite voices from around the globe to share real stories, fresh strategies, and game-changing insights from the world of academic advising.

Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned pro, this is your space to learn, connect, and be inspired.

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Adventures in Advising

High Stakes & Deep Takes: Adventures from Vegas to the Windy City - Adventures in Advising

November 09, 2025 • Matt Markin and Ryan Scheckel • Season 1 • Episode 150

It’s a milestone moment for Adventures in Advising! Matt and Ryan celebrate 150 episodes by taking you on a two-city advising adventure—first to Las Vegas for the NACADA Annual Conference, then straight to Chicago for the Gardner Institute Symposium.

In this jam-packed episode, you’ll hear in order:

🌟 Dr. Cecilia Santiago-González: The NACADA keynote speaker shares how she overcame imposter syndrome to take the stage, and how Cal Poly Pomona’s Billy Chat (an AI-powered chatbot) is transforming student support.

🧠 Alexander Bowie: Talks about his research on predictive analytics and the ethical questions behind using machine-learning models in advising.

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

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

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

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