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March has arrived, and with it comes fake spring, real allergies, bracket dreams, and that annual daylight savings debate we all pretend will be resolved someday. In this "Just Us" episode, Kevin and Brody pull back the curtain on public speaking, storytelling, and why even seasoned presenters still get butterflies. Spoiler alert: the nerves never really leave, they just learn how to behave.

Along the way, they debate what makes a keynote soar or sink, share their rituals for surviving presentations, and confess to some truly vintage first music purchases. It’s higher ed meets March Madness meets mixtape memories.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Kevin and Brody welcome Jerel Benton, Assistant Provost for Student Success at Radford University, for a conversation that travels from the tutoring rooms to the leadership table. Along the way, Jerel shares how a nursing major became a student success leader, why empathy is not the same thing as softness, and how consensus can sometimes slow progress instead of strengthen it.

They dive into the mentors who quietly change the trajectory of our careers, building trust as a new leader (care, reliability, competence, sincerity), why relationships and culture of care are universal truths in higher ed, what it really takes to lead student success work without burning out, and yes, a spirited Kentucky vs. Indiana basketball detour.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

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Winter is (almost) over, spring break is playing hard to get, and The Pickup Meeting is back with a classic “Just Us” episode. Brody and Kevin kick things off with birthday gauntlets, daylight savings time grievances, and a spirited debate over the Winter Olympics. Speed skating? Electric. Hockey? Iconic.

What does it really mean to lead when leadership isn’t popular? How do you make tough calls, pivot initiatives, and have hard conversations with compassion? Kevin and Brody dive into the quiet weight of leadership in higher education, the importance of modeling self care, and why building a trusted professional network might be the most strategic move you make.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

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In this episode of The Pickup Meeting, Brody and Kevin welcome Cecilia Olivares, Director of Academic Advising Initiatives at the University of Missouri and former NACADA President, for a conversation that zigzags delightfully from Easter candy to change management to the existential question of academic advising itself.

Fresh off the Administrators Institute, the trio dives into:

• Tech implementation without losing the human touch
• Decentralization dilemmas and the art of staying curious
• Why “What’s the worst that could happen?” might be leadership’s most underrated question
• Exploratory students, major changes, and decision-making on the daily
• Dissertation marathons, dust-covered books, and the power of just finishing
• And yes…Criminal Minds vs. NCIS

There are road trip playlists. There is Garth Brooks. There is a brief and unexpected detour into Breaking Bad territory. The rails are left. The rails are found again.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

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In this Just Us edition of The Pickup Meeting, Kevin Thomas and Michael “Brody” Broshears settle into a wide-ranging conversation that feels like one of their regular phone calls. From the many ways we mispronounce February and other deeply suspicious English words, to Valentine’s Day nostalgia, chalky candy hearts, and why umbrellas are wildly overrated, this episode leans into humor, reflection, and a little bit of friendly ranting.

The conversation then shifts to higher education realities, including why the first three to five weeks of the semester matter so much for student success, how early alerts and meaningful feedback can change outcomes, and what strong faculty-advisor partnerships can really look like in practice. Kevin and Brody also tackle the evolving world of NIL, the transfer portal, and the tension between athletics and academics, before closing out with a spirited discussion of the most underrated movies of all time!

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

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This episode of The Pickup Meeting kicks off with peak banter, including an impossible Indiana football season, shared indifference toward cars, and the kind of sports fandom that only comes once in a lifetime. Kevin and Brody then welcome an incredible guest, Jennifer Markin, Director of Advising at Henry Ford College, who brings warmth, humor, and deep insight into advising, leadership, and student success in the community college context.

Jennifer shares what pulled her back into advising leadership and how intentional staff development and mission-driven work can transform student experiences. Along the way, the conversation hits solo music festivals, parenting moments you don’t want to rush past, Metro Detroit food gems, hidden talents, and a lightning round that somehow includes Barack Obama, Janis Joplin, and cereal for dinner. Thoughtful, funny, and deeply human, this episode is a reminder that the best pickup meetings are the ones where learning and laughter coexist.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

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This week on The Pickup Meeting, Brody and Kevin ditch the guest list and settle into a classic Just Us episode. Think less polished panel, more honest phone call between two friends who’ve seen a few semesters, a few campuses, and more than a few questionable comfort foods.

The conversation wanders joyfully through first-week-of-college memories, accidental class enrollment disasters, legendary professors, Super Bowl predictions that may or may not age well, and the real work behind student success and retention, and what no one tells you about becoming an administrator.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

Connect with Brody and Kevin on LinkedIn.

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🎙️ From Mascot Suits to Dean’s Office: Say Yes (and Hold On)

This episode of The Pickup Meeting is a full-tilt ride with Rodney Mondor, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of Southern Maine. Rodney’s career journey zigzags through academic advising, orientation, student affairs leadership, crisis response, Greek life, career services, and yes, literally being a mascot. 🐾

Along the way, Brody and Kevin unpack procrastination, graduation feels, student success, leadership, burnout, and why colleges are wildly complicated places that students are expected to magically understand. Rodney shares hard-earned wisdom about saying yes to opportunity, walking campus to stay connected, supporting the “whole student,” and how raising your hand (sometimes repeatedly) can change the entire trajectory of your career.

*The Pickup Meeting is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Also, subscribe to the Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!

Have a question? Want to chat? E-mail us at thepickupmeeting@gmail.com!

Connect with Brody and Kevin on LinkedIn.