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Crowded airport terminal with people in line, many carrying luggage. Signs for "Sbarro" and gate "C42" visible. Bright, busy atmosphere.

18 Hours in an Airport and Showing Up Anyways

After 18 hours stranded in an airport, missed sleep, and mounting exhaustion, this reflection explores what it really means to show up when conditions are far from ideal. A story about preparation, purpose, and delivering anyway.

Mar 224 min read

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PUBLICATIONS

Centering the Student Affairs Workforce

READ THE REPORT

Student Affairs Job Pathways: Why So Many Talented Professionals Can’t See a Futureil 2026

READ ARTICLE

When Colleagues Vanish Without a Trace -

Article published: Inside Higher Ed

READ ARTICLE

The Next Act: Realigning Your Mindset, Purpose, and Care -

Chapter 12: Boundaries, Balance, and Moving Forward

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THE FRAMEWORK

The Centering the Student Affairs Workforce framework guides this work and provides a foundation for how institutions approach leadership, culture, and staff experience.

This framework comes to life through five core areas:

Growth

Continuous learning, leadership development, and career pathways

Culture

Creating workplace environments rooted in collaboration, respect, and shared purpose.

Well-being

Supporting healthy work environments.

Talent

Attracting, developing, and retaining talented professionals.

Alignment

Ensuring leadership priorities and institutional values support the people

Source: Lovett, D., Cabellon, E., Pape, D., Scully, D., & Wallace, M. B. (2026, March 4). Centering the student affairs workforce. NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. https://www.naspa.org/report/centering-the-student-affairs-workforce