Global Perspectives: The Impact and Value of Student Affairs Around the World

In the latest episode of Student Affairs Voices from the Field, host Dr. Jill Creighton brings together members of the third cohort of the Global Master's Students Program, a unique partnership between NASPA, the European University College Association (EucA), and Lumsa University in Rome. This special episode showcases graduate students from around the world—including the Philippines, Belgium, Italy, Namibia, China, the Netherlands, Germany, Trinidad & Tobago, and South Africa—sharing their varied experiences, perspectives, and hopes for the student affairs profession.

Thank you to Lida Ricci, Julia Jaque, Joseph "Joel" Parcon, Luca Corona, Vency Mupupa, Raghavendra Reddy Manda and Leah Punch for sharing their voices today.

Central Themes: Heart, Transformation, and Collaboration

At its core, the conversation orbits around the powerful value student affairs brings to higher education globally. Joseph "Joel" Parcon emphasizes "values formation"—the role of student affairs in nurturing not just academic talent but shaping students as positive agents for societal change. Julia Jaque and Leah Punch echo this sentiment, describing student affairs as "the heart of the student experience," fostering belonging and personal growth beyond classroom walls.

The theme of transformation comes alive through Raghavendra Reddy Manda, who poignantly describes student affairs as "the soul of the higher education system"—a journey where students find purpose and learn to make an impact. Vency Mupupa adds that key values like diversity, respect, integrity, and care reflect a commitment to inclusive, supportive campus environments.

But visibility remains a challenge for the field. Many panelists note that student affairs is often misunderstood or underappreciated. Luca Corona and Leah Punch advocate for "joyful testimony" and storytelling, letting students themselves express how involvement in campus life, community, and extracurricular activities enriches their university journey. Collaboration—between student affairs, academic affairs, administration, and students themselves—is seen as crucial to raising awareness of the broad impact and importance of the profession.

Diverse Pathways, Unified Purpose

Panelists also share their personal motivations for studying student affairs: from accidentally stumbling into the field to intentionally pursuing it as a vocation. Each story reveals a commitment to supporting students, fostering development, and elevating the human aspect of academia.

Why Listen?

If you're curious about the future of student affairs—how the profession is viewed and evolving across continents—this episode will resonate. Hear firsthand how practitioners are meeting challenges and opportunities in vastly different cultural and educational contexts. The candid reflections and shared wisdom from emerging leaders across four continents are sure to inspire anyone invested in student success and campus well-being.

Tune in to this thought-provoking episode for a truly global perspective on why student affairs matters—and how its impact ripples far beyond campus boundaries.

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 back to our next episode of Student Affairs Voices from the Field. We have a very special episode today where we're going to be talking to our current Global Master's Students cohort.

Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:37]:
This is our third cohort of global Master's students and this is a collaboration project. This course is in collaboration with NASPA and EucA, which is the EucA University College Association, and also Lumsa University, which is a university in Rome, Italy. We have students today spanning the entire globe, many, many different time zones, all earning their master's degrees in student affairs, and I'm thrilled to bring them to the podcast today. So our first student is Joel. Joel, please tell us where you're joining us from, what univers