“It might just look like a tiny starfish pin. But to me — and to the students I hand it to — it represents something so much bigger. It’s a reminder that leadership isn’t always loud or grand or headline-worthy. Sometimes leadership looks like kindness. It looks like encouragement. It looks like showing up for just one person, in just one moment, and making a difference that only they may ever fully understand. We may not change the whole world — but we can change someone’s world. And that’s the heart of what student leadership is all about.”
Leading with Heart and Strategy: Why Emotional Intelligence Is Essential for Managing Student Affairs Teams
Effective leadership in student affairs relies heavily on emotional intelligence (EQ), which enhances decision-making, team performance, and organizational culture. Leaders must cultivate self-awareness, manage emotions, and foster empathy to create trust and collaboration. Prioritizing EQ is crucial for retention and well-being, making it a foundational skill for impactful leadership.
The Power of Storytelling: A Path to Accountability and Transparency
Perhaps it is because I have a two-year old and I read children’s books every night for bedtime, but I’ve been thinking a lot about storytelling lately. It could also be the data nerd in me. In a world increasingly shaped by data, dashboards, and strategic plans, it’s easy to forget that behind every metric…
Not the only reason to go to college…
Scott Parker’s article, “The Only Reason to Go to College” (The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 28, 2025), is one of the more honest takes I’ve read in a while. It resonated with me—not just because I used to sit in philosophy classes wrestling with similar questions, but because, in my work with students, I…
How does using the word “maybe” in student development change the conversation with student leaders?
What if “maybe” is the key to helping students grow? Explore how possibility can reshape student leadership and learning.
Civic Love <3
“We urgently need to bring to our communities the limitless capacity to love, serve, and create for and with each other.” – Grace Lee Boggs* As an educator, I am committed to supporting the growth and development of students into agents of positive social change. I also see it as my role to help develop…
The Art of the Word “Maybe”
The word no ends conversations. It closes doors. It tells a student — or a colleague — that there’s no path forward. And yet, so often, that no is based on systems or assumptions we’ve never challenged. A form, a deadline, a requirement — something that feels immovable until someone dares to ask, why not?
Paul York, Ph.D. 