Student Housing Matters Podcast - Join the Conversation

Dr. Marsh on LinkedIn

Student Housing Calculator

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: How COCM's Student Housing Calculator Revolutionizing Student Housing with Doug Brown

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"Housing is a critical activity that relates directly to the status of the university, and if it's not healthy, the rest of the institution is not either," - Doug Brown, President, COCM

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of "Student Housing Matters," Gray

Bekurs, Vice President of Business Development sits down with Doug Brown, President of Capstone On-Campus Management (COCM) to discuss COCM's implementation of the Student Housing Calculator for use in forecasting housing demand based on historical data and enrollment trends

The conversation explores how and why the Student Housing Calculator was created, how the calculator simplifies what seems like a complex problem, and the importance of understanding the critical parameters necessary for filling housing relative to enrollment.

Listen in as Doug shares interesting stories related to the use of the Student Housing Calculator, the outcomes on long-term planning, and how this innovative tool is helping institutions in the student housing industry make more informed decisions to manage housing resources more effectively.

For more information on the Student Housing Calculator visit Capstone On-Campus Management or click here.

Topics Covered

Doug shares how and why the Student Housing Calculator was created

The critical parameters for understanding occupancy and filling housing relative to enrollment

Why the first time-to-college student product is so important

The key indicators and data the Student Housing Calculator uses to calculate housing occupancy and yield
The biggest difference between the housing calculator and market studies in determining who to build for in the future

How the Student Housing Calculator helped one struggling institution realize they could close a building for renovations without a shortage of beds

Why the Student Housing Calculator is available free of charge and how it will help people in the housing industry

Resources

Student Housing Matters Podcast

Connect with Doug Brown

Doug at COCM

Doug on LinkedIn

Connect with Gray Bekurs

Gray at COCM

Gray on LinkedIn

Greenwood/Asher & Associates, LLC

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Fostering Leadership Excellence with Dr. Sharon McDade

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"Strike up conversations with everyone you possibly can while you're at conferences, you never know what threads will come from them. Thank you, Doug, for talking with me on a bus ride, oh, so many years ago. And [to COCM] for being such engaged participants in addressing leadership issues for the fellows," - Dr. Sharon McDade

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Alton Irwin, Director, and Chief Marketing Officer at COCM, sits down with Dr. Sharon McDade to discuss her involvement with COCM and the Fellows Program of the American Council on Education (ACE).

Dr. Sharon A. McDade, a seasoned higher education leader, is the senior executive leadership and search consultant with Greenwood Asher & Associates' leadership and strategic services, specializing in searches for educational leaders and organizational development. With an illustrious background, Dr. McDade's impact extends globally, encompassing diverse leadership programs, keynotes, and scholarship, making her a prominent figure in advancing leadership in higher education.

The conversation explores Sharon's experiences in leadership development and higher education and her interactions with COCM, particularly her engagement in the Fellows Program case study involving Pennyfield College.

Listen in as she shares stories of her collaborative relationship with COCM leaders Doug Brown and others, highlighting how their expertise and innovative ideas contributed to the Fellows Program of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the impact of her leadership development initiatives within the higher education community.

Topics Covered

Dr. McDade discusses the role of leadership development programs in promoting leadership positions, particularly for women and individuals of color

The impact of the ACE Fellows Program

The collaborative partnership between Dr. Sharon McDade and COCM (Capstone) in enhancing the Fellows Program's case study including the Pennyfield College simulation

Dr. McDade's transition to Greenwood Associates and her role in facilitating strategic planning processes for various higher education institutions

The far-reaching effects of leadership development initiatives in the higher education landscape

Connect with Dr. Sharon McDade

Connect with Alton

COCM Operations & Management

Leading Maintenance Teams with Care & Respect – with Hermond Lawson, Chris Adams & Chenal Alford

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

What makes a Director of Facilities successful in leading their maintenance team?

It's more than just showing up and doing the job. And it's more than just taking good care of the facility.

Success comes from taking care of the students and staff as well, building relationships with them as people to make sure they have what they need to thrive.

Chris Adams is Director of Facilities for The Village at the University of South Florida, Chenal Alford (better known as Al) is Director of Facilities for Millennium Hall at Towson University, and Hermond Lawson serves as Assistant Director of Facilities for Walker Avenue Apartments at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Hermond, Chris and Al join host Jeremy Steed to explain how they got their start in facilities maintenance at COCM and share their experiences working at different sites in multiple roles.

Hermond, Chris and Al discuss how campus maintenance has evolved since the 2000s, describing why ongoing training is crucial for their teams and how the design of the facilities themselves have changed to benefit students.

Listen in to understand how Hermond, Chris and Al build a culture of respect and transparency on their teams and learn how their genuine care for staff and students contributes to their success!

Topics Covered

How Hermond, Chris & Al got their start in facilities maintenance at COCM

Hermond, Chris & Al's experiences working at different COCM sites in multiple roles

How facilities maintenance has evolved since the 2000s

What Hermond learned from the students he was teaching to answer maintenance calls

Hermond, Chris & Al's appreciation for the support they receive from COCM leadership

The ongoing education and training required for maintenance teams

How Hermond, Chris & Al build a culture of respect and transparency among their teams

How the facilities themselves have changed over time to benefit students

Connect with Hermond, Chris & Al

Connect with Jeremy

Patrick Savolskis - Purchase College Association

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: COCM's Early Days and Path to Success with Patrick Savolskis

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"The great thing about Capstone is it gives you the ability to get some skills that you wouldn't have, otherwise, for years. Especially because in housing, it's not like you're back in the office somewhere, just pushing paper; you're right there on the frontline with students," - Patrick Savolskis

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Alton Irwin, Director, and Chief Marketing Officer at COCM, sits down with Patrick Savolskis, one of the very early employees of COCM.

Patrick Savolskis is the Executive Director Purchase College Association at SUNY-Purchase. He has over twenty years of success both in higher education and private industry. Patrick spent five years in the privatized student housing market managing properties and working with development teams for new construction and turning around failing properties by building a solid staff and focusing on what was important at each property.

During the conversation, Patrick shares interesting stories and reminisces about the early days of COCM, where meetings took place in hotel rooms, highlighting the company's humble beginnings and expresses admiration for COCM's growth.

Listen in as Patrick reflects on what he learned from his time at COCM, the valuable skills he gained, and how they've served him in his work life post COCM. Plus, he shares his advice with new employees of COCM.

Topics Covered

How Patrick came to COCM and the roles he served in during his tenure

COCM—the early days: small teams and humble beginnings

Patrick's career post COCM

The value of working at COCM, learning atypical skills, and working for a family-like organization

Why leadership that helps you succeed is better

Patrick's advice for new employees of COCM

Connect with Patrick

Patrick on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Leadership Team - Green River College

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Green River College and COCM: A Partnership for Student Success with George Frasier

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"I've really enjoyed working with Capstone. Capstone is truly a learning organization, and our relationship has evolved over time. I've never doubted that we had their attention. I appreciate that commitment to the project and making sure the resident life experience is where it needs to be," - George Frasier, Green River College

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Masha Sapper, SVP of Business Services at COCM, sits down with George Frasier of Green River College.

George Frasier is the Vice President for College Advancement and Executive Director of Green River College Foundation. George is a non-profit executive and development professional with 28 years of experience and is passionate about supporting the educational dreams and aspirations of Green River Community College students.

George discusses his role at the Green River and the college's focus on meeting students where they are, helping them find their path, and the transformative power of education in the community college and vocational space.

Listen in as George shares the significance of student housing at Green River, its integration into the college's mission, the instrumental role that COCM played in fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for students, and his personal stories and experience working with several COCM staff members.

Topics Covered

George's background and his role at Green River College

What didn't work, and the three partners that worked toward the integration of student housing into Green River's mission
The pandemic's impact on Green River's international population and their adaptive changes

The evolution and success of the management partnership with COCM and the importance of strong partnerships in ensuring student success

George shares his personal stories and positive experiences working with COCM employees

The transformative power of education in the community college setting

Connect with George

George on LinkedIn

Connect with Masha

Masha at COCM

Masha on LinkedIn

Sherideen S. Stoll, C.P.A.

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: COCM and BGSU A Powerful Partnership with Sheri Stoll

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"It was just this juxtaposition of people from very different places with their heads down working on stuff. And I thought, you know, this is going to work, and it's going to work well. And everything that we couldn't have hoped for, and more has happened. And I'm very appreciative." - Sheri Stoll

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Alton Irwin, Director, and Chief Marketing Officer at COCM, sits down with Sheri Stoll of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, one of Capstone's esteemed long-time clients.

Sheridan (Sheri) Stollis the Vice President for Finance and CFO at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). With a background in public higher education, she previously held positions at Kent State and Northeast Ohio Medical University. With over 16 years of experience at BGSU, Sheri has played a vital role in the university's financial management and strategic decision-making processes.

During the conversation, Sheri reflects on her early career in public accounting, the unexpected path that led her to BGSU, and her behind-the-scenes insight into the vibrant campus culture at BGSU and its impact on the students there.

Listen in as Sheri shares the dynamic partnership between BGSU and COCM, the challenges they faced along the way, and how the reassurance of having a trusted partner paved the way for their successful long-term collaboration.

Topics Covered

Sheri's early career in public accounting and pursuit of an MBA

The campus culture and student experience at BGSU

The housing management partnership between BGSU and COCM and the challenges they faced when getting starting

The benefits of a long-term partnership and stable on-site presence brought by COCM

The continuous support and resources provided by Capstone

Connect with Sheri Stoll

Sheri on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton Irwin

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Lasting Connections and Leaving a Legacy with Dr. Amy Lorenz

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"COCM is receptive to hearing from their team. So…speak up if there's something that you need or have feedback on. Most people are really willing to listen and work with you to help create something better."— Dr. Amy Lorenz

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Building the Future." On this episode of Student Housing Matters. Alton C. Irwin, Director, and Chief Marketing Officer at COCM, sits down with Dr. Amy Lorenz, former COCM student housing professional and current Director of Residence Life at the University of North Florida.

Dr. Amy Lorenz is a highly experienced professional in the field of student housing. In her current role at the University of North Florida, she oversees the residence life team, including the Assistant Directors of Residence Life and the Residence Life Coordinator of Educational Initiatives. As a valued member of the Housing and Residence Life Senior Leadership team, Amy brings a wealth of expertise to her position.

During her conversation with Alton, Amy reflects on her time at COCM, the memorable traditions and the lasting connections she made with colleagues across multiple campuses, and her active participation in women's leadership.

Listen in to learn more about Amy's journey with COCM, her journey from COCM to the University of North Florida her current role as the Director of Residence Life, and her valuable advice for new COCM employees.

Topics Covered

Introduction to Dr. Amy Lorenz and her roles with COCM at Marshall University and Bowling Green State University

Amy shares memorable experiences, traditions, and stories about women's leadership initiatives during her time at COCM

The transition to the University of North Florida and Amy's current role as Director of Residence Life

Amy's advice for new COCM employees

Connect with Dr. Amy Lorenz

Amy Lorenz @UNF

Connect with Alton Irwin

University of Idaho Contact Housing & Residence Life

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Professional Development, Relationships, and the Power of Campus Living with Erik Elordi

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"You've got something unique here with COCM with so many different types of schools. One of the things I loved about COCM is the ability to move on within the company and grow and progress. I would really encourage people to do that as much as possible. It's really worth it,"— Erik Elordi

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "honoring the past, celebrating the present, and building the future."

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Alton C. Irwin, Director and Chief Marketing Officer at COCM, sits down with Erik Elordi, a former COCM staff member and now the Director of Campus Services at the University of Idaho.

Erik shares his journey of how he came to work with Capstone On-Campus Management (COCM), his initial hesitation in working for a third-party company, and the story of what made him decide to apply. He discusses his various roles within the company, the challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how he utilized his skills in different ways to support the company.

Listen in to learn about his experience at COCM and the organization's impact on student outcomes. Plus, what his current role as Director of Campus Services at the University of Idaho entails and his advice as a former COCM employee for employees new to the company.

Topics Covered

Erik's introduction and his journey to COCM

Erik shares his initial hesitation about working for a third-party company and the story of what convinced him to apply

The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic

Erik's role at the University of Idaho as the Director of Campus Services

The impact of COCM and on-campus housing on student outcomes and graduation

COCM's support for professional development and the all-around person

Erik shares his advice for new employees at COCM

Connect with Erik

Connect with Alton Irwin

Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: From Unexpected Hire to Key Player with Tamiko Thompson

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"I may not have direct contact with our clients and owners and residents, but when I can fix a problem, or solve an issue for someone, that's what gives me satisfaction every day," — Tamiko Thompson

Join us as we celebrate COCM's 20th anniversary with the theme "honoring the past, celebrating the present, and building the future."

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Kern Williams, COCM's Regional Vice President, sits down with Tamiko Thompson, Accounts Payable Manager, who has been with COCM since March 1997.

Tamiko shares the story of her unexpected hiring at COCM and her initial impression of the company. Then she reflects on the evolution and remarkable changes she has witnessed over the years, with a focus on the transformative impact of technology on the accounts payable process.

Gain valuable insights from Tamiko's extensive experience as she shares the essential role of remarkable service, the unwavering commitment to excellence in student housing management, and her anticipation for what lies ahead at COCM. Plus, discover what brings her the greatest satisfaction in her role as the Accounts Payable Manager.

Topics Covered

Tamiko shares her journey to COCM and her initial impressions of the company

Tamiko's role as the Accounts Payable Manager and the daily functions of the AP process

The changes Tamiko has witnessed over the years, including technological advancements and the vendor verification process

How COCM has evolved over the years by embracing innovation while maintaining a strong focus on exceptional service

The #1 thing that brings Tamiko satisfaction in her job

The significance of remarkable service and its impact on client satisfaction

Tamiko's anticipation for the future at COCM, including plans for continued growth and success

How COCM's 20th-anniversary celebration reflects the company's commitment to progress and excellence in student housing management

Connect with Tamiko and Kern

20 Years of Growth and Innovation: Celebrating COCM's Impact on Student Housing

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 19 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Student Housing Matters Podcast, host Alton Irwin, Chief Marketing Officer COCM, celebrates the 20th anniversary of Capstone On-Campus Management by looking back at the company's early days. He is joined by three longtime employees of COCM:

Doug Brown is the President and Founder of COCM. Doug's passion for higher education and dedication to fostering partnerships have been instrumental in shaping COCM's success. His visionary leadership has led the company to become a leader in managing student housing, challenging industry norms, and setting new standards along the way.

Michelle Smith, the Regional Vice President at COCM, drives growth and exceeds expectations through exceptional leadership. With a talent for building strong university relationships and mentoring her team, Michelle's contributions have made a lasting impact on the student housing industry.

Marsha Sapper, the Senior Vice President for Business Systems at COCM, brings extensive expertise and invaluable insights to the company. Marsha's commitment to innovation and ability to navigate complex challenges have made her an invaluable asset to COCM's success in the dynamic student housing landscape.

The discussion kicks off with the guests sharing how they came to join COCM, and Doug shares a behind-the-scenes look at the events that led him to establish COCM. The conversation then delves into memorable moments from the early days of COCM and reflections on the company's growth and the importance of promoting from within.

Join Alton and the guests as they reflect on the journey of COCM, from its humble beginnings to becoming a leader in managing student housing. Hear their stories, insights, and the lessons they've learned along the way.

Topics Covered

Reflecting on 20 years: celebrating COCM's journey of success, innovation, and impact

The journey begins: how COCM found its footing in the student housing industry

Insights into the early days of hiring at COCM

How COCM built strong relationships with universities

Revolutionizing the approach to managing student housing programs

The key to transforming troubled projects into success stories

Nurturing talent and cultivating long-term employee success

How COCM provides career acceleration and diverse exposure

Sharing the lessons learned: wisdom and advice for new employees entering the student housing field

Connect with Doug Brown

Doug on LinkedIn

Connect with Michelle Smith

Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with Marsha Sapper

Marsha on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton Irwin

Creating a Positive Living Experience - with COCM's Maria Saad

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000

For Maria Saad, of the COCM team providing guidance and making a positive impact on students' lives is not just a job—it's a passion.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Maria sits down to share her insights on the student housing industry.

As someone who believes that 'it's more of a learning experience for the students,' Maria shares why she 'is passionate about providing guidance and making a positive impact on student's lives and why, for her, 'it's all about the experience' and 'making that connection' with students.

In this episode, Maria takes us on a journey through her experiences from her multifamily background to her current role at CSCM.

We discuss the challenges facing the industry today and Maria shares her wisdom on how to create a successful student housing experience that goes beyond the classroom and the importance of providing guidance and teaching moments for students who are living on their own for the first time.

Maria also shares her experience attending Lease Con and the profound impact it had on her approach to creating a positive living experience for students. She shares several strategies for personifying the brand and becoming the experience, which is the biggest focus for her and her team in driving growth and making a connection with students.

Listen in to hear Maria's unique perspective on the importance of creating a positive living experience for students and the impact it can have on their lives.

Topics Covered

Maria shares her background in multifamily housing and transition to student housing

The importance of providing guidance and teaching moments for students

The impact attending Lease Con had on Maria

The importance of transparency in student housing

How Maria and her team approach creating a positive living experience for students

Key strategies for becoming the experience and personifying the brand in student housing

The impact that Maria hopes to leave on the student housing industry.

Connect with Brittany

Introducing COCM's New EVP of Operations – with Jeremy Biddy

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:00:00 +0000

"It's been an interesting, interesting time since early spring of 2020. And I think what we have learned are some lessons about how we can better provide service for both our students and our employees… Those folks on the front line really are the key to our success. We know that, and we're going to work really hard to make sure they understand that we understand that."

—Jeremy Biddy

Jeremy Biddy is the new Executive Vice President of Operations at COCM. He began his professional career working to prevent shoplifting at Kmart before transitioning to an opportunity in student housing at Spring Hill College in July of 2002.

In 2008, Jeremy joined the team at COCM, where he has served as Site Director, Regional Manager, Regional Vice President and Senior Vice President of Operations.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Jeremy joins host Alton Irwin to share his journey from Kmart to COCM, discussing some of his mentors in student housing and what they taught him about putting students and staff first.

Jeremy describes what he is most looking forward to in his new role, sharing his goals around applying best practices across the COCM portfolio and leveraging technology to work smarter, not harder.

Listen in to understand Jeremy's commitment to delivering top-notch service and learn how he plans to support students and staff as COCM's new EVP of Operations!

Topics Covered

Jeremy's first job out of undergrad as District Loss Prevention Manager for Kmart

What inspired Jeremy to pursue an opportunity in the Housing Department at Spring Hill College

Jeremy's many roles at COCM since he joined the team in July 2008

Some of Jeremy's mentors in student housing and what he learned from them about putting students and staff first

What Jeremy is most looking forward to in his new role as EVP of Operations at COCM

Jeremy's goals to apply best practices across the COCM portfolio and leverage technology to work smarter, not harder

Jeremy's commitment to support sites in delivering top-notch service

Connect with Jeremy

Connect with Alton

From Desk Attendant to EVP of Operations, a Look Back-with Sandy Hill

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 16:00:00 +0000

"I think I'm the proudest of how much growth we've had. By expanding, we got to get on so many different diverse campuses. And we get to meet so many different administrators in the business of student housing, and that gives you the opportunity to provide jobs for folks, which gave me all the interactions I've had with the incredible employees we've had through the years." — Sandy Hill

Sandy Hill began her career in student housing as a desk attendant in 1979 and has served as the Executive Vice President of Operations at COCM since 2003.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Sandy joins host Alton Irwin to discuss how she came to COCM. We'll discuss her years with student housing, beginning as a desk attendant to the famous student she acted as a residence assistant for and her transition to COCM in 2003. Sandy will share the highlights of her career and the most memorable figures she met along the way.

Listen in as she reflects on her years in student housing, her more memorable mentors along the way, what's next for her in her journey, and her parting advice for everyone at COCM.

Topics Covered

How Sandy was introduced to student housing

What brought Sandy to COCM

What Sandy is most proud of from her years at COCM

The surprising FAMOUS person Sandy served as a residence assistant for

The most influential people in Sandy's on-campus housing career journey

The two people who taught her the most in her career

The story of difficult but necessary growth

The priceless lessons she learned along the way in her career

Coming full circle: What's next for her in her journey

Where Sandy will be moving to for her retirement

Sandy's #1 piece of advice for everyone at COCM

Connect with Sandy

Sandy on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Michael Huereque on LinkedIn

Web3 and Using Smart Contracts in Student Housing with Michael Huereque - with Michael Huereque

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Web3 is coming and it will revolutionize the internet and how we transact business in all aspects of our lives.

In the student housing arena, technologies like blockchain and smart contracts can offer digital credentialing, making the real estate process faster, more efficient, and even more secure.

But, like with all new technologies, many new terminologies are being bandied about, with more questions than answers.

So how can we begin to understand these technologies and how they will be employed in student housing?

Michael Huereque is an entrepreneur with unique experiences in traditional and non-traditional media and marketing. As the founder and former executive vice president at Agency Fifty3, Michael managed marketing services for over 1000 communities and helped the agency bring home 68 awards and six years, including being voted a top place to work. For the last two years, Michael has switched gears, taking a deep dive into studying Web3 and how it will drastically change the way we do business in the future.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Michael joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss what Web3 is and his mission to bring it into the multifamily and student housing industry.

Listen in for Michael's insight on technologies such as blockchain and smart contracts and how they work in student housing.

He'll share how student housing industry leaders can prepare to use these new technologies to recruit and retain residents. Plus, why he wants to use blockchain to revolutionize the way things work in multifamily housing.

Topics Covered

Michael shares what Web3 is

How blockchain works

How smart contracts originated with the invention of vending machines

How smart contracts streamline the contractual process in real estate

How industries like healthcare are already successfully using smart contracts

The difference between a centralized and a decentralized system

Why decentralized is a safer alternative for your crypto wallet

The possible applications for the metaverse for multifamily and student housing and the resident experience

How industry leaders can prepare to recruit and retain residents using these new technologies

Why Michael wants to revolutionize the way things work in multifamily housing

Connect with Michael

Connect with Brittany

Advocating for Gender Equality Through the COCM Women's Alliance - with Hannah Mountford

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Sexism, racism, and economic and educational inequality are just some of the significant challenges and barriers women face today.

There are gender injustices everywhere, and women often struggle to make their voices heard.

So, what can student housing organizations do to make gender equality a priority?

Hannah Mountford serves as the Director of Facilities and Operations at Roundtree commons. As a hard-working team player, she takes great pride in her master's degree focused on Counseling Education with an emphasis on Student Affairs from Mississippi State University.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Hannah joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss why she chose COCM, the importance behind her position within the Women's Alliance, and the impact the Women's Alliance has on the student housing industry.

Hannah shares several examples of how the Women's Alliance is creating a safe space for members of COCM to share concerns, network, and champion one another.

Listen in for Hannah's insight on how the Women's Alliance advocates for women by bringing people together and helping them feel valued and recognized, giving them a voice so the critical conversations that need to happen for more equality can happen.

Topics Covered

How she came to be the Director of Facilities at COCM in Plattville, Wisconsin

Why COCM was the right choice for her at this point in her career

What the Women's Alliance at COCM is

Why Hannah wanted to become involved in the COCM Women's Alliance

How the Women's Alliance helps create a safe space for members of COCM to champion for one another

The impact Hannah hopes to make with her involvement with the Women's Alliance

How cultivating connections in a safe space can help vital gender equality conversations take place

Why transparency is critical in student housing

Hannah shares her goals for the Women's Alliance and COCM

Connect with Hannah

Hannah on LinkedIn

Connect with Brittany

Point in Time on Instagram

Immersive Marketing for Student Housing – with Rami Kalla

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 15:00:02 +0000

It's one thing to see photos or even watch a two-dimensional video of a student housing complex you're interested in.

But what if you could experience what it's like to walk around the apartment, sit by the pool and even play cornhole with other students on the property—from anywhere in the world? Or even well before the property is built?

Rami Kalla is Founder of Point in Time Studios, an award-winning video production company and marketing firm that creates engaging content, photo-realistic renderings and VR tours for several well-known brands in the student housing space.

With a goal to help clients maximize their content across all channels and put more heads in beds, Rami and his team have helped clients successfully recruit and retain students year after year.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Rami joins host Brittany Oliver to explore how immersive marketing takes people to another world and explain why it's a game changer for marketing in the student housing space.

Rami discusses the future of immersive technology, describing how VR glasses are likely to evolve and what the hardware will be capable of in the years to come.

Listen in for Rami's insight on lifestyle photography as a marketing strategy in student housing and learn how Point in Time's technology can help your company or organization meet its lease-up goals.

Topics Covered

How Rami's early passion for film translated to a career in marketing for student housing

How immersive marketing takes people away to another world

Rami's first experience with virtual reality and why he knew it would be a game changer for marketing

How VR allows students to experience an apartment and its amenities well before it's built in a fully immersive, hyper-realistic environment

The future of immersive technology and how it's likely to affect student housing

How VR and AR glasses are likely to evolve and what the hardware will be capable of

How Rami thinks about people who are slow to adopt immersive technology and want a human touch

How Point in Time's technology helps companies and organizations meet their heads-in-beds goals

Why Gen Z responds to lifestyle photography as a marketing strategy

A case study of how Point in Time helped a client explain roommate matching through 15-second animated videos

Connect with Rami

Point in Time Studios

Point in Time on Facebook

Point in Time on YouTube

Email rami@pointintimestudios.com

Rami on LinkedIn

Connect with Brittany

The Metaverse vs. Virtual Reality

Resources

1994 GMA Segment on the Internet

2022 InterFace Student Housing Conference

Brent Little at Fountain Residential Partners

Dynamic Women in Leadership – with Erica Steele

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 11:00:06 +0000

Women and other minorities often struggle to make their voices heard, especially in the tech industry.

But Erica Steele proves that a dynamic, young Black woman can rise through the ranks and become a C-suite leader in the technology space.

Erica is the Chief Marketing Officer for the proptech startup EZ Turn, where she oversees the planning, development and execution of all marketing and advertising initiatives for the company.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Erica joins host Brittany Oliver to explain how she landed in the student housing industry and walk us through a day in the life of a CMO in the tech world.

Erica describes the challenges she faces as a Black woman in tech and offers her take on the next big disruption in the way we market student housing.

Listen in for Erica's advice to aspiring female leaders in the industry and learn how she is empowering women to become the best version of themselves!

Topics Covered

How Erica landed in the student housing industry

How her previous experiences prepared Erica for her current role

A day in the life of a CMO in the tech world

Why marketing is usually the last place organizations want to invest

How marketing professionals can leverage data to prove their value

The next big disruption in the way we market student housing

What challenges Erica faces as a Black woman in tech and how they impact her personal growth and development

Erica's advice to aspiring female leaders in tech or marketing

What excites Erica about the future of proptech and student housing

Empowering women to be the best version of themselves

Connect with Erica

Connect with Brittany

Proptech to Serve Student Housing – with Chase Minnifield & Lincoln Ogata of EZ Turn

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 13:00:41 +0000

Do you seem to have the same issues with turn year after year? Are you still using paper lists? And communicating with vendors in a fragmented way?

What if you could use a proptech platform to streamline the process, making turn season (and many other aspects of your student housing operations) run much more smoothly?

CEO Chase Minnifield and COO Lincoln Ogata are the cofounders of EZ Turn, the world's first property project management software.

The EZ Turn web portal and mobile app helps student housing professionals manage the day-to-day operations of their facilities, including the turn process, quarterly inspections, scheduling and communication with students and service providers.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Chase and Lincoln join host Brittany Pieper to discuss the challenges the student housing industry faces in terms of maintenance and operations and describe how sites of any size can benefit from EZ Turn technology.

Chase and Lincoln explore why the current generation of students demands more from operations teams, offering advice on how to communicate with residents and give them an avenue to air complaints.

Listen in for Chase and Lincoln's insight on automating the turn process and leveraging proptech data to make it faster, easier and more efficient!

Topics Covered

How Chase's experience as a turn services vendor inspired him to build EZ Turn

How Lincoln's background in the Navy's construction battalion led him to student housing

EZ Turn's role as the original property project management tool and why it's useful for a site of any size

The challenges the student housing industry faces in executing quarterly inspections

Why the current generation of students demands more from operations teams

Chase & Lincoln's advice on communicating with students and giving them an avenue to air complaints

Chase & Lincoln's predictions re: disruptions likely to change student housing operations

Chase & Lincoln's experience running a minority-owned business

Automating the turn process and leveraging data to make it faster, easier and more efficient

The impact Chase & Lincoln want to have on student housing and proptech

Connect with Chase & Lincoln

Connect with Brittany

Helping Your College Student Succeed

Resources

Helping Hand

Storytelling for Student Housing – with F.J. Talley

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 19 May 2022 15:00:37 +0000

Storytelling is a powerful teaching tool. It helps us engage with history and make sense of complex ideas.

Telling stories is also an effective way to demonstrate the value of a business or organization and help consumers make informed decisions.

So, what does that mean for us in the student housing industry? How can we best use storytelling to communicate with students, their parents and each other?

F.J. Talley is a career educator with more than 40 years of experience. He began his career in student affairs and has since served as Dean of Students, Adjunct Professor, Associate Provost and President of a small college in Michigan.

Seven years ago, F.J. added published author and professional copywriter to his resume, penning several novels as well as a blog entitled Helping Your College Student Succeed. F.J. also writes blogs, e-newsletters and case studies for businesses selling to colleges and universities. His first non-fiction title, Parenting a College Student, is due out in June.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, F.J. joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss the power of story in helping us frame our lives and make important decisions.

F.J. explains how case studies lend credibility to a business and where to share these stories for maximum benefit to your organization.

Listen in for F.J.'s insight on using blog content to demonstrate market authority and learn how to leverage storytelling as a marketing tool in the student housing space.

Topics Covered

How the challenges F.J. faced in his first year as an undergraduate informed his decision to pursue a career higher ed

What inspired F.J. to add writing to his professional resume

The power of stories to help us frame our lives and make important decisions

How case studies lend credibility to a business like COCM

F.J.'s insight around the 2 main types of case studies

Where to share case studies for maximum benefit to your organization

How blogs demonstrate market authority in the student housing industry and F.J.'s advice on how often to publish new blog content

The role of collaboration in making great things happen (in student housing and beyond)

Connect with F.J.

F.J.'s Website

F.J. on Twitter

F.J. on Facebook

Connect with Brittany

National Novel Writing Month

Resources

Books by F.J. Talley

Digital Marketing Strategy for Student Housing – with Matt Pavlick

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 03 May 2022 11:00:24 +0000

The bar for providing an unforgettable student housing experience gets higher every year. And it's crucial for a student housing community to develop a digital marketing strategy that showcases its differentiators and truly stands out from the rest.

That's where a strong agency collaboration comes in.

Matt Pavlick is President at GRO, a full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in student housing. GRO serves 200 communities in 100 markets, leveraging proven digital marketing strategies to reach 100% pre-leased well ahead of schedule.

Matt earned the Student Housing Business Innovator Award for Best Digital and Mobile Marketing Campaign two years running, and his team is dedicated to helping student housing communities develop their identity and execute multi-channel marketing strategies that generate opportunities and put heads in beds.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Matt joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss what owners and operators should look for in a partnership with a digital marketing agency and describe what communities with limited budgets can do to build an online presence.

Matt offers his take on holistic versus paid advertising, explaining where to invest your ad dollars and how to take advantage of video as part of a successful organic social media strategy.

Listen in for Matt's insight on digital marketing in the metaverse and learn how your student housing community can stay competitive and maintain authentic, human connection in the quickly evolving online world.

Topics Covered

Matt's journey to starting a digital marketing agency that serves the student housing industry

What Matt learned from other industries that lends to his success in marketing student housing online

The ownership mentality and proactive, customized approach owner-operators should look for in a partnership with a digital marketing agency

Why Matt recommends paid search advertising for communities with limited budgets

The benefit of maintaining an online presence through SEO or a limited brand awareness campaign—even if you're leased up to 100%

Why Matt suggests having real estate in paid ads, the local maps pack and the top organic listings on Google

Matt's insight on the importance of short-form video as part of a successful organic social strategy

Why advertising dollars don't go as far on TikTok as other social media platforms

Matt's take on virtual reality, the metaverse and the future of digital marketing

What makes one-on-one, in-person interactions the most powerful marketing strategy of all

Connect with Matt

Connect with Brittany

Resources

Google Business Profile

Google Paid Search

The Role of Mental Toughness in Facing Life's Challenges – with LaRae Quy

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:00:05 +0000

Circumstances in our world have challenged individuals to be resilient in ways they never have before. The pandemic was new territory for all of us. As our world is changing, we need to activate new skills in order to land on our feet.

Mental toughness is believing you will prevail when confronted with the unknown.

So, how do you develop the mental toughness that will see you through?

LaRae Quy grew up on a remote cattle ranch in Wyoming. Her influences there prepared her for her 24-year career as an undercover counterintelligence agent and spokesperson for the FBI in Northern California. Her upbringing, combined with her career achievements, helped her develop the mental toughness required to survive in environments of great risk and uncertainty and the survival skills she would need to navigate life.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, LaRae joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss how the student housing industry can benefit from team members receiving training on mental toughness, and how mental toughness aids individuals and organizations.

Listen in as LaRae shares her journey toward developing her own mental toughness and offers listeners strategies for failing forward, balancing burnout and mediocrity, and suggestions for safe spaces in which to develop mental toughness.

Topics Covered

How growing up on a remote cattle ranch prepared LaRae to overcome life's obstacles

LaRae's definition of mental toughness and why she believes is it so essential for Gen Z

What makes strong-minded individuals unique according to LaRae
The 4 key components of resilience

Why high ideals play a bigger role in defining mental toughness for Gen Z

The biggest risks individuals face in developing a strong mindset
Key strategies for individuals and organizations to develop mental toughness in a safe space low risk way

How the student housing industry can benefit from mental toughness training

Connect with LaRae

LaRae Quy

LaRae on Twitter

Connect with Brittany

Mental Toughness Assessment

Resources

Secrets of a Strong Mind

Diversity in American Higher Education - with Frank Wu

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:00:32 +0000

There are over 100 languages spoken at Queens College. It is one of the most diverse higher education institutions in the United States.

So how can other colleges, universities, and companies across the country become more proactive in their diversity efforts?

Frank Wu is the first Asian American President of Queens College in New York. He is also the author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Frank joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss his immigrant roots, his experience in higher education, and his vision for the future of Queens College.

Frank shares his insights on the rise in violence against Asians since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as how Queens College believes in diversity, equity, and inclusion for all students.

Listen in to hear more from Frank Wu and how Queens College prioritizes students by ensuring the education works for them, not the other way around.

Topics Covered

Frank's immigrant roots and educational history

The diversity of Queens College

Why Frank still believes in American higher education as the engine of the American dream

Why Queens College prioritizes flexible schooling options for students to ensure everyone can achieve their goals

Why it is crucial to have a residence hall on campus

How students at Queens College can and are encouraged to explore multiple education programs

Frank's book Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White

The racism and violence Asians face on a daily basis, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic

The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion… but it's not about charity

How companies can invest in their personnel and become more in-touch with their employees

Connect with Frank Wu

Frank on LinkedIn

Connect with Brittany

Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White, by Frank Wu

Resources

Queens College

Queens College on LinkedIn

The Supply Chain's Effects on the Furniture Industry and Student Housing - with the Division Twelve Team

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 12:00:20 +0000

We all know about the supply chain issue. Manufacturers, companies, and even individual buyers know they're more susceptible to issues receiving their products than ever before. But what is the impact on the furniture and student housing industries?

Division Twelve is a minority-owned contract furnishings company, representing the finest manufacturers in the contract furnishings industry. President Christopher Washington is joined on the podcast today by Vice President of Account Management and Product Management, Nathan Re, Director of Marketing and Sales, Judd Levinson, and Director of Interior Design and Project Management, Cathy Brown.

On today's episode of Student Housing Matters, host Brittany Pieper sits down with the team from Division Twelve to discuss furniture industry trends, the supply chain issue, and how student housing can be better prepared for the challenges ahead.

Listen in to learn more about how issues in the supply chain impact student housing!

Topics Covered

Background on Division 12 and all four guests on the shows

Current problems for industry manufacturers due to the supply chain issues and the impact it's having on the industry

The significant price increases from 2020 to 2021 in manufacturing and shipping

How material shortages have affected the furniture industry and student housing

Logistics problems and the causes of the foam shortage and the impact it's leaving on the furniture industry

Juggling manufacturer lead times and product price increases to meet deadlines

Importation of goods from other countries vs working with American-made goods

The best strategies for guaranteeing manufacturing and shipping deadlines

Projection for industry lead times in the foreseeable future

The long-term impact people and companies face when furniture lead times are not planned properly

The shift in the furniture industry to appeal to younger generation preferences

Connect with Christopher Washington

Christopher on LinkedIn

Connect with Judd Levenson

Judd on LinkedIn

Connect with Brittany

Division Twelve on Instagram

Resources

Division Twelve

Division Twelve on Facebook

Division Twelve on Twitter

Division Twelve on LinkedIn

How Strategic Leadership Can Change the Face of Higher Education - with Richard Gaumer, Dr. W. Joseph King, and Brian C. Mitchell

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:00:14 +0000

Higher education has evolved drastically over the last century. These unprecedented times have put the strategic leaders of colleges and universities inside a whirlwind of financial, demographic, and social challenges.

On today's episode of Student Housing Matters, guest host Alton Irwin sits down with Richard Gaumer and the authors of the new book Leadership Matters: Confronting the Hard Choices Facing Higher Education, W. Joseph King and Brian C. Mitchell. They discuss the importance of accepting strong leadership in order to modernize practice, monetize assets, and focus on core educational strategies.

Dr. Brian C. Mitchell previously served as President and first CEO of Bucknell University and is a past chair of many other colleges, universities, and athletic conferences. Dr. W. Joseph King served as the President of Lyon College and Executive Director of the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education.

Also joining us on the show today is Richard Gaumer, a highly regarded and distinguished professional whose career is dedicated to internal corporate management and assisting struggling institutions in becoming stronger and more sustainable.

King, Mitchell, and Gaumer are all principals of Academic Innovators, an organization offering solutions to the people, programs, governance, and facilities challenges facing higher education. In addition to Leadership Matters, King and Mitchell also co-authored How to Run a College.

Topics Covered

Recommendations from the new book Leadership Matters: Confronting the Hard Choices Facing Higher Education

Higher education struggles, such as higher sticker prices, tuition discounting, and loss of consumer confidence

The difference between strategy and strategic planning

How higher education institutions can make a difference in the communities they reside in

Capabilities and inefficiencies of shared governance in relation to academic endeavors and economic enterprises

What colleges and universities need to do to adapt and thrive in the modern age

King, Mitchell and Gaumer's hope for the future of higher education

Connect with Dr. W. Joseph King

Joseph King on Twitter

Joseph King on Academic Innovators

Connect with Brian C Mitchell

Brain C. Mitchell on Twitter

Brian C. Mitchell on Academic Innovators

Connect with Richard Gaumer

Richard Gaumer on Academic Innovators

Connect with Alton

Leadership Matters by W. Joseph King and Brian C. Mitchell

Resources

How to Run a College by W. Joseph King and Brian C. Mitchell

Emotional Intelligence in Student Housing – with Natalya Cook

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:00:56 +0000

It's important for students to feel valued in the place where they live. And emotional intelligence is key in giving Gen Zers that sense of belonging and connection.

So, what can student housing organizations do to make EQ a priority? How can we create a culture where students feel seen, heard and understood?

Natalya Cook is one of the newest team members at COCM. She serves as Marketing Coordinator for THE MARQ, a unique collection of student housing communities on the campus of Marquette University.

Natalya is also a published author, versatile creative and passionate activist on a mission to inspire others and make them feel valued.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Natalya joins host Brittany Pieper to define emotional intelligence and discuss how she applies it in her current position at THE MARQ.

Natalya shares several strategies organizations can use to market in an emotionally intelligent way, describing how Gen Z's demand for authenticity is playing out in the student housing space.

Listen in for Natalya's insight on getting into the mind of a student to plan community events and learn how to reach Gen Z by creating a healthy environment based on transparency, vulnerability and trust.

Topics Covered

How Natalya defines emotional intelligence and why it's essential in student housing

Why emotional intelligence is overlooked in our personal and professional lives

How Natalya sees Gen Z's demand for authenticity playing out in the student housing space

How Natalya applies emotional intelligence in her current position as Marketing Coordinator at THE MARQ

The alignment between what COCM stands for and Natalya's purpose to inspire others

Why it's crucial for Gen Z students to have a sense of home and feel like they belong

What strategies organizations can use to market to Gen Z in an emotionally intelligent way

How to get into the mind of a Gen Z student for the purpose of planning community events

How to reach Gen Z by creating a culture where students feel seen, heard and valued

Connect with Natalya

THE MARQ

Natalya on LinkedIn

Connect with Brittany

Christa McAuliffe Residential Community

Resources

No Studios

Achieve 100% Occupancy in a New Student Housing Community – with ReNesha Martin

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 12:00:00 +0000

How do you achieve 100% occupancy in a new student housing community—during a pandemic?

ReNesha Martin is the Director of Affiliated Housing at Bowie State University's Christa McAuliffe Residential Community and Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community (ELLC), a new development designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs and other business-minded students with the resources and space for collaboration, creativity and innovation.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, ReNesha joins host Brittany Pieper to discuss Bowie State President Dr. Amita Breaux's vision for the ELLC, explaining what differentiates it from apartment-style campus communities.

ReNesha reflects on COCM's role in matching Dr. Breaux's vision with student needs and describes how student involvement in the ELLC project contributed to its success.

Listen in for insight on how ReNesha's team achieved 100% occupancy of the Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community in its first year—during a pandemic!

Topics Covered

Bowie State University's history as the oldest HBCU in Maryland

ReNesha's role as Director of Affiliated Housing at the Christa McAuliffe Residential Community and Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community

Dr. Aminta Breaux's vision for the new ELLC community

How the ELLC provides a space for creativity and innovation

What differentiates the ELLC from apartment-style campus communities

COCM's role in matching Dr. Breaux's vision with student needs

How ReNesha's team achieved 100% occupancy of the ELLC in its first year (during a pandemic)

How student involvement in the ELLC project contributed to its success

Connect with ReNesha

Bowie State University

Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community

ELLC on Instagram

Connect with Brittany

3 Things You Should Be Doing Now for 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery – with Erik Elordi

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Mon, 17 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Conference service programs have been in survival mode through the pandemic, adapting to challenging circumstances one day at a time. But in-person events are starting to come back, and it's time for colleges and universities with summer programs to get prepared for the 2022 season.

Erik Elordi is the National Director of Conference Services at COCM, a program that both supports our current institutions and provides program evaluation and standalone management of summer conference services to campuses outside the Capstone network. Erik began his career with COCM in 2015, serving as Director of Residential Facilities and Director of Housing and Residential Life at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, before transitioning to his current role in March of 2020.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Erik joins host Alton Irwin to discuss COCM's new resource, '3 Things You Should Be Doing Now for 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery.' Erik explains what inspired him to create the recovery guide, challenging conference staffs to start preparing NOW for Summer 2022. Listen in for Erik's insight on using the COCM guide—not just to get back where you were pre-pandemic but to exceed your 2019 benchmarks and come back better than before!

Topics Covered

How Erik was introduced to COCM through Lauren Pigott and his 6 years with the organization

Erik's role as National Director for Conference Services

How his previous work at a COCM site serves Erik in his current role

The 3 main components of the COCM Conference Services program

What inspired Erik to create the 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery Guide

How the recovery guide provides an opportunity for campuses to exceed their 2019 benchmarks

Erik's advice on using the guide to prepare NOW for Summer 2022

Connect with Erik

COCM Conference Services

Erik on LinkedIn

Erik on Twitter

Connect with Alton

Meeting People Where They Are – with Corey Reedy

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 06 May 2021 17:30:41 +0000

Corey Reedy doesn't do what he does for the recognition. He truly cares about the student housing professionals he works with, and that inspires him to meet people where they are and pour into them as much as possible. But Corey does appreciate being recognized with the Excel Award because it lets him know he's doing something right!

Corey Reedy is Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working with the corporate staff, he served as COCM General Manager at Bowling Green State University from 2010 through 2014. Corey has 20-plus years of experience as a student housing professional, and he was the recipient of the 2019 COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Corey joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to describe how he serves as a resource for the staff and students he manages at COCM. Corey explains how site diversity makes the scope of his responsibilities unique and reflects on what his colleagues said about his ability to provide individualized support. Listen in for insight on what made Corey successful through the pandemic and learn how seeing his COCM colleagues succeed gives him the greatest satisfaction in his job.

Topics Covered

How Corey serves as a resource in his role as Regional Vice President at the COCM home office

What made Corey successful through the pandemic and how his role changed

How the diversity of the schools Corey manages makes the scope of his responsibilities unique

How meeting COCM staff at a student affairs placement exchange (and a perfect summer day at Bowling Green) inspired Corey to take a job with Capstone

What tipped Corey off that he was receiving the 2019 COCM Excel Award

What Corey's colleagues had to say about his core values of meeting people where they are and providing customized support

How helping to develop COCM staff and students and seeing them succeed gives Corey the greatest satisfaction in his job

Connect with Corey Reedy

Corey at COCM

Corey on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Why the Excel Award Is a Win for Your Team– with Michelle Smith

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

"The [COCM Excel] Award is given to one person, but it's really comprised of everybody on the team. It just happens to be that one person who received it because everybody pushes you to be better and do better. You always see the head coach gets all the kudos, but it's really the folks that are behind the scenes working day in and day out—they're truly deserving of it as well."

—Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith currently serves as Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working at the COCM home office, Michelle was Director of Campus Housing at Florida Atlantic University, where she earned the 2013 COCM Excel Award. Michelle was also part of the Capstone founding team, and she has been with the company for the last 17 years.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Michelle joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to explain why she considered the award a win for her entire team at Florida Atlantic. Michelle reflects on her time at FAU and reacts to what her colleagues said about the impact she had there. Listen in for insight on COCM's ability to promote from within and why it's so rewarding for Michelle to see that level of growth at every level of the company.

Topics Covered

What's unique about Michelle's role as Regional Vice President of COCM

How meeting Sandy Hill at a retreat early in her student housing career led Michelle to work for COCM

Why it was special for Michelle to receive the Excel Award from Sandy Hill

How Michelle saw the Excel Award as a win for her whole team at Florida Atlantic University

What Michelle's colleagues had to say about the impact she had at FAU

How Michelle thinks about her time at FAU and as the campus partner, Residence Life team and COCM staff worked toward a common goal

The sense of satisfaction Michelle feels in nominating COCM staff for the Excel Award

Why being able to promote from within is so important to Michelle

Connect with Michelle Smith

Michelle at COCM

Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

To Earn Respect, Be a Team Player – with Kerissa Hobstetter

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Some student housing professionals are only inclined to perform the duties listed in their job description. And others are team players, willing to get their hands dirty to keep things running smoothly. Kerissa Hobstetter falls into the second category, doing whatever needs to be done to provide the best possible experience for her residents.

Kerissa is COCM's Assistant Director of Operations at Fayette Square on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Kerissa began her career with Capstone in 2011, serving freshman at Marshall University before transitioning to the graduate campus at UMB where she earned the 2015 COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Kerissa joins guest host Alton Irwin for the fourth in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the diversity of the graduate student population that makes UMB unique. Kerissa describes how her interest in student affairs grew over time, explaining how the opportunity to interact with students gives her the greatest satisfaction in what she does every day. Listen in for insight around the impact of facilities on student satisfaction and learn how being a team player earned Kerissa the respect of her colleagues—and the COCM Excel Award!

Topics Covered

The small, graduate-level campus Kerissa serves at the University of Maryland, Baltimore

What surprised Kerissa about serving graduate students

The diversity of the student population that makes UMB unique

What Kerissa has learned about communicating with students from all over the world

How Kerissa's interest in student affairs grew over time

Why Kerissa was shocked to receive the COCM Excel Award

What Kerissa's colleagues had to say about her willingness to go beyond her job title and get her hands dirty

How interactions with residents give Kerissa the greatest satisfaction in what she does

The impact of facilities on student satisfaction and retention

Connect with Kerissa Hobstetter

Kerissa on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

A Day in the Life of a Servant Leader – with Scott Schatzer

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. And lucky for COCM, Scott Schatzer loves to serve others.

Scott is the Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at the Capstone corporate offices, assisting the operations team in the recruitment, hiring and onboarding of field staff and managing COCM's Learning Management System and Employee Retention and Wellness Program. Scott formerly served as the Director of Housing Operations for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University, where he earned the prestigious COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Scott joins guest host Alton Irwin for the third in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University. Scott reflects on what his colleagues at Marshall said about his passion to help others, sharing how he approaches each day as a servant leader. Listen in to understand the satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM's current employees—so they can better serve our residents, campus partners and each other.

Topics Covered

Scott's former role as Director of Housing for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University

The respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University

What Scott is responsible for in his new role as Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at COCM

How visiting other sites helps Scott better serve his colleagues at COCM

How connecting with a mentor at COCM led Scott to work for the organization

Scott's appreciation for the opportunity to grow as a student housing professional through COCM

What Scott's colleagues have to say about his passion to help others, leadership ability and work ethic

How Scott approaches each day with the intention to be a servant leader

The satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM's current employees—so they can best serve our residents, campus partners and owners

Connect with Scott

Scott on LinkedIn

Scott on Twitter

Connect with Alton

University Village Apartments at CSUSM

Leading with Calm in a Crisis – with Jeremy Williamson

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

A strong leader stays calm in a crisis, taking whatever is thrown at them in stride and simply doing what needs to be done. And it is Jeremy Williamson's ability to stay cool, collected and confident when problems arise that his colleagues admire most.

Jeremy is the Director of Housing Operations and Facilities at University Village and The QUAD Student Housing Communities on the campus of California State University San Marcos. He served as Residence Life Coordinator at the University of Louisville and Area Coordinator at the University of Florida before taking on his current role with Capstone at CSUSM in October of 2017. Jeremy is also a recent recipient of the COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Jeremy joins guest host Alton Irwin for the second in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the opportunities for growth associated with working on a young campus like CSUSM. Alton shares what Jeremy's colleagues have to say about his consistently calm and positive demeanor, and Jeremy explains why the Excel Award was the 'boost he did not know he needed.' Listen in for insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool and learn how Jeremy's focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves!

Topics Covered

Jeremy's role as Director of Housing Operations at CSUSM's University Village and The QUAD

The opportunities for growth associated with working on such a young campus

How Jeremy works with four different partners in the management of his sites at CSUSM

How maintaining relationships with former colleagues led Jeremy to COCM

Why Jeremy describes the Excel Award as 'the boost he did not know he needed'

What Jeremy's colleagues have to say about his calm and positive demeanor (even in crisis situations)

Jeremy's insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool

How Jeremy's focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves

How being a position to make someone's day gives Jeremy the greatest satisfaction in his role

Connect with Jeremy

The QUAD at CSUSM

Connect with Alton

The Daumier at Western University

Connecting with the Students We Serve – with Meera Ramsoondar-Cuevas

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Western University of Health Sciences takes a whole-student approach to educating future healthcare professionals. And that complements the way COCM's Meera Ramsoondar-Cuevas serves her team and the students she works with, connecting with people through the lens of their individual experience.

Meera is the Director of Housing Operations at The Daumier at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. She has been with Capstone On-Campus Management for six years, serving as Associate Director of Residence Life at City College of New York before taking on her current role in October of 2018. Meera earned the COCM Excel Award in February of 2020.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Meera joins guest host Alton Irwin for the first of a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss what it's like to serve graduate students in the healthcare space. She describes the humanistic approach unique to the community and campus at WesternU and shares the benefit of having pet-friendly floors on her site. Listen in to understand how the Excel Award reflects the excellence of the people Meera's worked with and find out what her students have taught her about cultivating compassion and seeing the world through a different lens.

Topics Covered

Meera's role as Director of Housing Operations at The Daumier at Western University

The graduate degree programs in health sciences offered at WesternU

The humanistic approach unique to the community and campus at WesternU

How a student population of future health professionals navigated the COVID pandemic

The benefit of having two pet-friendly floors at The Daumier

Why Meera loved working 1:1 with students in her first role in residence life with COCM

How Meera sees her Excel Award as a reflection of the great teachers she's worked with

What Meera has learned from her students about compassion and seeing the world through a different lens

Why it's the small interactions with students that bring Meera the most satisfaction

Connect with Meera

The Daumier on Instagram

Meera on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Cornish College of the Arts

Summer Internship Housing – with Emily Eskridge-June

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Most of us associate summer on campus with conference programs. But summer interns need housing, too, and many campuses are capitalizing on this need. So, what does a summer internship student housing program look like? Would it work on your campus? And what are summer interns looking for in a place stay?

Emily Eskridge-June is the Director of Housing and Residence Life at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. In the summer of 2016, Emily started housing interns in partnership with ABODA, a global short-term rental company that specializes in student and corporate housing, and since then, she has built a robust, independent summer internship housing program at Cornish Commons.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Emily joins guest host Erik Elordi to explain how she started offering summer internship housing at Cornish Commons. She walks us through the four strategies her team has used to increase the number of interns they house over the years, describing the relationship between good customer service and word-of-mouth recruitment. Listen in for Emily's insight on the four things summer interns are looking for in a place to stay and learn how to build and market a summer internship housing program on YOUR campus!

Topics Covered

When and how Emily started offering summer internship housing at Cornish Commons

The 4 things Emily's team has done to increase the number of interns they house over the years

The relationship between strong customer service and word-of-mouth recruitment

How Emily's team leverages Google Ads and a streamlined website to market directly to summer interns in Seattle

The 4 things interns are looking for in a place to stay for the summer

Why Emily's team can no longer rely on big Seattle companies like Amazon and Microsoft for a large pool of interns and what they are doing to face that challenge

Connect with Emily

Seattle Intern Housing

Connect with Erik

Erik at COCM

Erik on Twitter

The Heights at Montclair State University

Facilities & Operations in Student Housing – with Patrick Shanahan

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000

What does it look like to serve students from the facilities and operations side of student housing? What does it take to keep a residence hall complex well-maintained and running smoothly?

Patrick Shanahan is the Director of Facilities and Administration at The Heights, Montclair State University's newest residence halls complex. Patrick has worked at The Heights since it opened its doors in 2011, serving as Office Coordinator and Assistant Director of Operations before taking on his current role two years ago. Today, Patrick is responsible for the facilities, maintenance and custodial work at The Heights, where he serves 1,978 residents across eight buildings.

On this episode of the podcast, Patrick joins Leigh Anne to explain how he was introduced to student housing as an undergrad desk assistant and how serving in a supervisory role in Residence Life sparked his interest in a career in higher ed. Patrick shares the challenges he faces in facilities and operations, describing what he's learned about adapting to change and educating students who are away from home for the first time. Listen in to understand the rewards of building relationships with your team and seeing them succeed and get Patrick's advice around connecting with others in the campus community.

Topics Covered

Patrick's role in overseeing the facilities, maintenance and custodial work at The Heights

How Patrick was introduced to student housing as an undergrad desk assistant

How a friend encouraged Patrick to apply for a supervisory role in Residence Life and how that experience sparked his interest in student housing as a career

The AHA moment walking on campus with his wife when Patrick saw a future in student housing

How Patrick and his team are navigating the stresses of COVID

The challenges Patrick faces in educating residents who are living away from home for the first time

What makes building relationships with his staff and seeing them succeed the most rewarding part of Patrick's job

The biggest lesson Patrick has learned around adapting to change and to the needs of the students

Patrick's advice for aspiring student housing professionals on getting involved in the community

Connect with Patrick Shanahan

Patrick on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Solving Complex Problems in Student Housing – with Kern Williams

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000

As you rise through the ranks of a career in student housing, you face more and more complex problems. Imagine, for example, taking on a site that has occupancy concerns, building issues AND staffing challenges. So, what do successful leaders do to avoid overwhelm and focus their energy on finding solutions?

Kern Williams serves as Regional Manager and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force at COCM. In his 15 years in student housing, Kern has worked at a variety of institutions and been an active contributor to the profession at large, giving national webinars and conference presentations on undocumented students, access to higher education, team dynamics and staff motivation.

On this episode, Kern joins Leigh Anne to share his unique shift from insurance to student housing and discuss how having the right mentor influenced him to pursue a career in higher education. Kern describes both the challenge and reward of managing from a distance, offering advice on breaking down big problems and turning worry into action. Listen in for Kern's insight on asking the right questions, serving as a mentor and a mentee, and developing the wide range of skills required to be a leader in the student housing space!

Topics Covered

How Kern transitioned from the insurance industry to student housing

Kern's insight on the unique range of skills you develop as a student housing professional

How having a mentor who looked like him influenced Kern to make a career of student housing

Realizing you're in the right place when colleagues start coming to you for advice

Kern's ability to manage people, process and product effectively

How Kern navigates the challenge of managing from a distance

The opportunity for growth that comes from managing a variety of staff and locations remotely

How Kern learned to overcome overwhelm by breaking down big problems

Why you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions (even in a leadership role)

The value in finding a mentor and serving as a mentor yourself

Kern's advice for aspiring student housing professionals on turning worry into action

Connect with Kern Williams

Kern on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Marketing & Leasing in the Student Housing World – with Brittany Pieper

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 12:00:00 +0000

How do you design a marketing plan that attracts residents to a particular student housing community? What if you're responsible for promoting 35 different sites, each with their own unique culture and set of amenities?

Brittany Pieper is the Site Marketing Coordinator for COCM, where she works with our 35-plus partner institutions and their onsite team members to ensure that each of our student housing communities is properly positioned in the market. A rockstar when it comes to marketing and leasing in the student housing world, Brittany is committed to achieving maximum demand and occupancy at each site.

On this episode, Brittany joins Leigh Anne to share her journey from multifamily marketing and leasing to student housing, explaining what she learned from her first property manager and how she designs creative initiatives to attract and retain residents. Brittany discusses how having an entrepreneurial spirit has helped her develop a business mind around sales and walks us through the AHA moment that inspired her to pursue a leadership role in the marketing space. Listen in for Brittany's insight on customizing solutions to individual sites and get her top five tips for ambitious student housing professionals.

Topics Covered

Brittany's early interest and experience in marketing and sales

Brittany's journey from multifamily marketing and leasing to student housing

Designing creative ways to attract and retain residents

How Brittany's first property manager trained her to do things the right way, take ownership of her mistakes and strive for her goals

How an entrepreneurial spirit helped Brittany develop a business mind around sales and marketing

What inspired Brittany to pursue a leadership role in marketing and leasing

The challenge Brittany faces in customizing solutions to work at individual COCM sites

Brittany's top lessons learned around adapting to change and working with diverse personalities

Brittany's top five tips for aspiring student housing professionals

Connect with Brittany Pieper

Brittany at COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne

Residence Life in the COVID Era – with Katherine Warren

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Student housing professionals have faced one challenge after another in 2020. When it comes to residence life, this has not been an ideal year, as the pandemic has kept us from doing most of our traditional programming. So, how are housing directors building community in the COVID era?

Katherine Warren is COCM's Assistant Director of Residence Life Campus Housing at Illinois Central College. She earned her BA in Communications and Media Arts from Bethany College and her master's in Student Affairs and Higher Education at Indiana State University. Katherine chose a career in student affairs because she loves working with college students as they begin to carve out their own niche.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Katherine joins Leigh Anne to discuss the recent roundtable she led with COCM housing directors across the country and share the team's commitment to maintaining a positive attitude as we adapt to changing circumstances. She describes the challenges housing directors face in preparing for 2021 and explains what our colleagues are doing to maintain their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing through this challenging time. Listen in for Katherine's insight on how COCM housing directors are innovating around residence life to build community (within social distancing guidelines) and facilitate student interaction online.

Topics Covered

Katherine's approach to the recent roundtable discussion she led with COCM housing directors across the country

The COCM team's commitment to maintaining a positive attitude as we adapt to changing circumstances

How housing directors are building community through pop-up events and DIY programming

The challenges housing directors face in preparing for 2021 (i.e.: RA interviews, room selection, etc.)

How housing directors are using Discord and social media platforms to promote community and interact with students

What our COCM colleagues are doing to maintain their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing

How COVID is teaching Katherine to be more intentional about making time to do the things she loves

Connect with Katherine Warren

Katherine on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Emerging Touchless Security Technology Coming Out of COVID-19 - with Charlie Regan

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:36:47 +0000

Over the course of 2020, different industries have been impacted in a variety of ways. Today, we take a look at the topic of security – specifically the tracking of the coming and going of people within facilities. Students come and go from student housing facilities all hours of the day – so how do we keep them safe and secure during a pandemic?

Charlie Regan is President of Gorrie Regan and Associates based in Birmingham, AL, a company dedicated to making sure that your property and facility is secure, your gate system is functioning, and your employee's time is calculated accurately. When it comes to security systems, they focus on the control function of opening and closing doors and gates to properties, video solutions, as well as analytics and monitoring.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Charlie joins host Alton Irwin to talk about security issues and how they have changed during 2020and the pandemic. When COVID-19 hit, GorrieRegan was able to continue to work as an essential business as they were implementing security systems. He discusses how the industry as a whole is focusing on ramping up the touchless technologies that have been developed over the last several years and how all projects are resuming later this year are wanting to take the approach of utilizing these touchless technologies. He also shares that during times of crisis, the innovation of different technologies grows exponentially, mentioning thermal technologies that over the course of this year have become more widely used. Along with an increase in usage, they are also seeing systems with thermal technology becoming more affordable and being utilized in creative ways.

Topics Covered

How Gorrie Regan and Associates started out and how they have grown to where they are today.

What happened to the company when COVID-19 first hit.

How they have continued as an essential business.

How they are reapproaching some projects with different technology because of COVID-19.

What changes they are seeing in the security industry.

What they are seeing in the different touchless technologies for security systems.

What they can offer to folks and businesses looking to implement some of these technologies.

Connect with Charlie Regan

Connect with Charlie on Linkedin

Learn more about Gorrie Regan at www.gorrieregan.com

Email info@gorrieregan.com to get in touch with Charlie Regan

Connect with Alton & Leigh Anne

Alton on Linkedin

The New Normal of Conference Services – with Christine Sismaet

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000

The conference services team at the University of Washington was looking forward to serving 11,000 overnight guests and facilitating 200 overnight conference sessions this summer. But 2020 had other plans, and though the campus did not close, Christine Sismaet and her team had a very different season than expected.

Christine is the Operations Manager of Conference Services at the University of Washington. As an undergrad at UW, she served as Summer Conference Desk Host and Conference Assistant before taking on a full-time position as Conference Coordinator in 2010. Christine was promoted to her current role in 2014, and in her 14 years in conference services, she has developed an expertise in building relationships with her staff as well as the clients they serve.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Christine joins guest host Erik Elordi to explain what Summer 2020 would have looked like for her team without the disruption of COVID-19 and describe what the UW summer conference season actually looks like running at about 10% of its usual activity. She shares how her reduced (and mostly remote) staff is adapting to Coronavirus restrictions and working to keep guests safe and comfortable on campus. Listen in for insight around how Christine's experience can benefit institutions that closed and get her take on what conference services might look like in 2021 and beyond.

Topics Covered

How working in conference services as an undergrad inspired Christine's career in the space

What Summer 2020 would have looked like for Christine's team without the disruption of COVID-19

Christine's commitment to building positive relationships with clients and working as a team

How the Summer 2020 conference season at UW was reduced to 10% of its usual activity

What Christine's team is doing to adapt to COVID restrictions and keep summer guests safe and comfortable

How Christine is reorganizing duties around a reduced staff (most of whom are working remotely)

What Christine is doing to keep summer conference organizers engaged and encourage them to schedule for 2021

How Christine's experience can benefit institutions that didn't have guests this summer

Christine's interest in helping develop the new normal for conference services moving forward

Connect with Christine Sismaet

Email sismaetc@uw.edu

Connect with Leigh Anne & Erik

Erik on LinkedIn

COCM's Conference Services

Utilizing Conferences and Summer Programming for Income Growth and Positive Net Revenue – with Erik Elordi

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 22:11:26 +0000

Conferences and summer programs offer institutions an opportunity to generate revenue that can reduce the financial burden placed on students during the academic year. And it's not just housing – a strong, efficient summer program brings revenue to other campus entities as well, including dining services, athletics, facilities, and even academic departments. Developing these programs to really work for your campus takes creativity, research, and planning.

Erik Elordi is the Director of National Conference Services for COCM. He specializes in reviewing campuses' summer programs and providing support, direction and management of the implementation of a tailored plan via a management partnership. His passion for approaching campus revenue with an entrepreneurial mindset drives him to help campuses solve the problem of generating revenue over the summer months. While the summer of 2020 brought a set of unique challenges, Erik is looking to summer of 2021 opportunities and currently building a small library of resources for student housing professionals to learn how to leverage the campus amenities during summer months.

For universities and colleges that do not have a management agreement with COCM, our corporate team can help by taking our Fresh Eyes Consulting approach and focusing specifically on conference and summer programming. Our team provides for those interested in knowing how much more they could be making off of the summer months outcomes, reports and implementation plans to help put conference services together or help grow and build on the ones that the campus may already have in place.

Why do so many campuses miss out on the opportunities that the summer months provide for revenue? For a lot of institutions, conferences are a secondary thought – which makes sense. It often falls to the student housing department, and that task often falls behind because during the academic year the student housing department is so focused on making the student experience great for the students. Then, summer becomes a scramble.

By having Erik as a dedicated person, he is able to help campuses think about these opportunities all year round and leverage those summer months as much as possible. COCM encourages campuses to put in the time to prepare for the summer months so they don't leave money on the table by not using all of their campus assets during all twelve months.

Topics Covered

Erik's background experience in housing in Oregon and Washington
Why he takes an entrepreneurial approach to summer months and why that excites him
Seeing summer housing as opportunity to keep rates lower for students during the regular year
How his team at Cornish College of the Arts built and developed a conference program from the ground up
How summer programming also helps with recruitment and a pipeline into the college into the future
The story behind Erik's entrepreneurial approach to building summer revenue
Why building resources for others looking to develop similar programs is so important to Erik
How COCM can take a look at your own campus housing through the Fresh Eyes Process providing recommendations on how to grow that
Why a lot of campuses are missing out on these opportunities and the questions they have about the potential
Why COCM takes the approach of thinking about potential summer revenue opportunities year round
How any campus can connect with COCM to get their questions answered and talk about the opportunities for conferences and summer programs

Connect with Erik

Erik on Linkedin

Erik on Twitter

Connect with Leigh Anne & COCM

Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 Info & Resources

COVID-19's Impact on JHU Off-Campus Housing – with Kristen Franklin

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Serving university students who live off-campus puts Kristen Franklin in a unique position. Yes, she works closely with the highly regarded research institution her residents attend. But her team also has the freedom to individualize their services and work independently. So, what are the pros and cons of this arrangement when a global pandemic closes the campus and takes classes virtual?

Kristen is COCM's Director of Operations at Nine East 33rd, a high-end apartment complex that houses students from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to her work with Capstone, Kristen served as Associated Director of Housing at The George Washington University and Community Director at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She has 10-plus years of experience in higher education and student affairs, and Kristen holds a Master's in Educational Policy & Leadership from Marquette University.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Kristen joins guest host Alton Irwin to explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her residents at Nine East 33rd. She describes the property's unique position as off-campus housing for Johns Hopkins students and discusses the university's thoughtful response to the crisis and role as a trusted resource for up-to-date information. Listen in to understand how Kristen's day-to-day looks different working from home (with two kids!) and learn what her team is doing to maintain contact both with residents who are staying at Nine East 33rd and those who are sheltering elsewhere.

Topics Covered

Kristen's background in student housing + current role as Director of Operations at COCM

The unique position of Nine East 33rd as off-campus student housing

Johns Hopkins' thoughtful response to the Coronavirus pandemic

How Johns Hopkins is supporting Maryland's response to COVID-19

What Kristen's team is doing to ensure the health and safety of residents at Nine East 33rd

The gift baskets and door hangers Kristen is using to maintain regular contact with residents

How the Nine East 33rd staff is communicating with residents who are sheltering elsewhere

How Kristen's day looks different working from home with two children

Kristen's message for Nine East 33rd residents and campus partners at Johns Hopkins

Connect with Kristen

Kristen on LinkedIn

Nine East 33rd

Connect with Leigh Anne & Alton

Adapting to Coronavirus Guidelines at 'Gator Pond' – with Lupita 'Pete' Morales

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:00:00 +0000

When the Coronavirus shut down college campuses across the US, most student housing facilities closed as well. But what do you do if the majority of your residents are not from the US and may not have the option to simply go home? How do you continue to serve students and stay connected with them when you're required to stay at least six feet apart?

Lupita 'Pete' Morales is the Assistant Director of Housing Operations at the Campus Corner Apartments at Green River College in Auburn, Washington. She oversees operations for the 340 students living on campus, 179 of whom have remained on campus through the COVID-19 shutdown. Pete is committed to building a diverse and equitable community in an environment where 80% of the residents are international students.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Pete joins guest host Alton Irwin to discuss her team's response to Coronavirus. She describes the diverse population of international residents she serves, weighing in on why she advocated to keep student housing open and what innovative strategies her team is using to stay in touch with its residents. Listen in for Pete's insight around how the GRC team is navigating social distancing guidelines and learn what customer service, communication and cleanliness processes they plan to continue even after the pandemic is over.

Topics Covered

Pete's role as AD of Housing Operations at Green River College

The diverse population of international students at Green River

What Green River leadership did to plan for COVID-19 in February

The Instagram account Pete's staff is using to stay in touch with residents

What processes Pete's team plans to continue once the crisis is over

How Pete's team navigated move-in/out with social distancing guidelines

Why Green River student housing advocated to stay open

How Pete's staff communicates with students who are learning English

How a typical day in Pete's office looks different right now

What Pete's team is doing to improve customer service to residents

Connect with Pete

Green River College

Pete on LinkedIn

Gator Pond on Instagram

Connect with Leigh Anne & Alton

Caring for our Student Residents and Personnel during COVID-19

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 27 May 2020 14:58:57 +0000

COCM understands the importance of motivating a team and driving engagement during a time of isolation and unfamiliar work environments. In order to determine how residential faculty working on campus and remotely at Marshall University are adapting to conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic we interviewed Heather Smith, Assistant Director of Operations of the First Year Residence Halls at Marshall.

Connect with Us

Heidi's Article in About Campus

Addressing Workplace Bullying in Student Affairs– with Heidi Yoder

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 08 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

We all want to work in an environment that somehow feeds our souls. What happens when we encounter a workplace that does the exact opposite? Heidi Yoder began researching workplace bullying within student affairs in the Fall of 2018. Now, she's sharing some of her insights on preventing toxic workplace environments and handling instances of abusive leadership.

Heidi Yoder is the Assistant Director of Residence Life at Edgewood Commons on the campus of Frostburg State University. She has dedicated 14 years to working with students and is currently working towards a Doctor of Education in Administration and Leadership Studies at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. As part of her research there, Heidi is taking an in-depth look at workplace bullying within student affairs. She hopes to use her research to encourage people to have conversations around the topic. Heidi recently published an article in About Campus titled, When the compassionate are abusive: workplace bullying and student affairs.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Heidi joins me to talk about why she chose to take a closer look at workplace dynamics within student affairs. She shares how her research has progressed since she started her doctoral degree, sharing some particular instances of workplace bullying she uncovered through a qualitative survey of colleagues in the field. Listen in for Heidi's advice on how individuals and their managers can take steps to prevent problematic workplace environments.

If today's podcast raised some questions for you about workplace bullying, email them to media@cocm.com. We hope to have Heidi back on the podcast to answer your questions soon.

Topics Covered

Heidi's career in student housing and residence life

What constitutes workplace bullying and abusive leadership

How Heidi gathered responses for a qualitative survey on workplace bullying

How lived experience informs Heidi's research

How residence life and student affairs differ from other workplaces

Why managerial training is essential for new supervisors

Understanding your employee handbook and finding people to confide in

Connect with Heidi

Heidi on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Building a Community Beyond Higher Ed – with Nicole Terrell

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 05 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

It's well known that a career in higher education leaves you with many transferable skills. Are those skills useful outside of your workplace? How can we use what we've learned working with students to better ourselves and our communities?

In 2009, Nicole Terrell joined COCM as a first-time Assistant Director in a brand-new residence hall at Marshall University. In Nicole's role at COCM she developed a resident handbook and worked to guide first years struggling to transition to university life. After COCM, Nicole went on to work in loss prevention at Target. Today, she is raising a family, serving on community boards, and teaching cross-fit to kids.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Nicole joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to reminisce about her time as an AD. Nicole shares how building a sense of community in a first year residence hall relates to supporting members of the community she now lives in. She also weighs in on how working in higher ed pushed her outside of her comfort zone and taught her how to deal with tough situations. Listen in for Nicoles's insight on how her experience with CCOM continues to influence the way she approaches supporting others in her local community and what 'paying it forward' really means.

Topics Covered

How Nicole got involved with COCM

Nicole's experience working with first years in a new residence hall

How Nicole's role as an Assistant Director prepared her for future positions

The importance of reaching out to others in your community

Nicole's lasting relationships with former COCM colleagues

How COCM helped Nicole push past her boundaries

Connect with Tara

NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

Chosen for a Career in Higher Ed – with Rafael Cordwell

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 01 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Rafael Cordwell believes that you don't choose your profession, your profession chooses you. And in the beginning, Raf resisted a career in student affairs—despite encouragement from more than one of his supervisors at Southern Connecticut State. But higher education had other plans for Raf, and today, he aspires to impact campus culture and policy for the better as a senior leader in the field.

Raf currently serves as COCM's Director of University Affiliated Housing at Towson University in Towson, Maryland, and the Director of Leadership and Business Development at Driven2Inspire, a professional training and keynote speaking firm. Raf was selected to be a part of the inaugural cohort of the Ujima Institute, a prestigious program offered by NASPA, the Association for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Raf earned his BA in English and Master's in Women's Studies at Southern Connecticut State University and is currently pursuing his PhD in Higher Education Administration at Morgan State.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Raf joins me to share his experience at the Ujima Institute, explaining its purpose in supporting higher education and student affairs professionals of color who aspire to senior-level and faculty positions. Raf describes the incredible level of energy among attendees as they shared their lived experiences and walks us through the values exercise he learned at Ujima that had the most profound impact on him as a leader. Listen in for Raf's advice to young professionals considering a career in student housing and learn how residence life chose Raf to be a leader in college administration.

Topics Covered

How Raf was encouraged by his early supervisors to pursue a career in higher education

How the opportunity to impact campus culture and policy inspired Raf's decision

The role Raf's academic background in gender studies plays in his work in residence life

Why working with different types of people is both the most challenging and rewarding part of Raf's job

How Raf helps students and their parents through the transition to college life

The Ujima Institute's aim in supporting higher ed professionals of color who aspire to senior-level positions

The high level of energy among Ujima Institute attendees in sharing their lived experiences

Why Raf would encourage others to apply for the Ujima Institute

The values exercise Raf learned at the program that had a profound impact on him as a leader

Raf's advice for young professionals considering a career in student affairs

Connect with Raf

Raf on LinkedIn

Ujima Institute

Connect with Leigh Anne

Dr. Arnn at Hillsdale College

What Would Winston Churchill Say About the Current Situation with Coronavirus? – with Dr. Larry P. Arnn

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Winston Churchill led Britain through both World Wars. But how would he fight the invisible enemy we face today? How might Churchill approach the current situation with Coronavirus?

Dr. Larry P. Arnn is the President of Hillsdale College, where he also serves as a professor of politics and history. He earned degrees from Arkansas State and Claremont Graduate University and studied at Oxford University, where he was the Director of Research for Sir Martin Gilbert, the official biographer of Winston Churchill. Dr. Arnn is also the author of Churchill's Trial: Winston Churchill and the Salvation of Free Government and the editor of The Churchill Documents.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Dr. Arnn joins guest host Alton Irwin to explore what Winston Churchill might say about the situation we face with Coronavirus. He discusses Churchill's leadership style in challenging circumstances, describing Churchill's fight-hard-to-win-fast approach to war and explaining why he believed that serious judgements cannot be made with expertise alone. Listen in to understand how Dr. Arnn thinks about making decisions for Hillstone and learn how we can leverage Churchill's idea of shared sacrifice to combat COVID-19.

Topics Covered

Churchill's leadership style in challenging circumstances

What Churchill might tell us if he were alive today

Be impatient, find strategy to win fast
Give people tools + autonomy to use

Why serious judgements can't be made with expertise alone

Weighing the health, mental health and economic impact of COVID-19

The unprecedented suspension of in-person classes at Hillstone

Dr. Arnn's approach to making decisions for Hillstone

Don't make difficult decisions until you HAVE to
Never make decisions alone

The factors Dr. Arnn considers re: bringing students back to campus

Connect with Dr. Arnn

Books by Dr. Arnn

The Churchill Documents by Martin Gilbert

The Churchill Project

Connect with Alton

Top Channels for Communicating with Students – with Mellissa Taylor

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 13:00:00 +0000

During her tenure at COCM, Mellissa Taylor quickly became known among students as The Housing Lady. So, what did she learn as the face and voice of student housing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham? How have those lessons around communicating with students carried over to her current role in higher ed?

Mellissa serves as the Assistant Director of Honors Advising and Retention at UAB. But her first role out of graduate school was that of Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Resident Services with Capstone, where she was responsible for community engagement for UAB student housing. Mellissa earned her graduate degree in Student Affairs at Florida State University.

On this episode of the Alumni Series, Mellissa joins Tara Wilkinson to explain how she connected with COCM through contacts at UAB, her undergraduate campus. She weighs in on the most effective ways of communicating with students, describing the challenges of TLDR in email communications and the value of social channels like Instagram and Snapchat. Listen in for Mellissa's insight on the enduring relationships she built at COCM and learn how her Capstone colleagues helped her grow a thick skin early in her professional career!

Topics Covered

How Mellissa connected with COCM through contacts at UAB

Mellissa's responsibilities as Marketing Manager with COCM

Representative at recruitment, admission events
All housing assignments

Mellissa's insight on communicating with students via email

Using channels like Snapchat, Instagram and text messaging

Mellissa's enduring relationships with colleagues at COCM

The lesson Mellissa learned at COCM on growing a thick skin

Connect with Mellissa

Mellissa on Facebook

Connect with Tara

Build Lasting Influence with Infrastructure – with Tricia Wells

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +0000

"Build the bridge as you walk across it. Just find something and try it out and define it. And then over time, it becomes the normal that everybody's used to—an efficiently run process."

In her ten-year career with COCM, Tricia Wells played a major role in developing the infrastructure we use today, creating several of the programs, initiatives and systems that make our jobs easier. Because she was willing to raise her hand when a need came up, Tricia left a lasting impression, and her influence lives on at Capstone.

Today, Tricia is the Assistant Vice Provost for Administration and Finance in the Division of Professional Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Prior to joining UMBC in 2014, she rose through the ranks at COCM, taking on roles as General Manager, Regional Manager, and eventually Regional Vice President for the organization.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Tricia joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to discuss the instant connection she felt when she joined the team at COCM, explaining how the organization aligned with her professional values and career goals. She describes how the understanding of financial systems she learned at Capstone serves her in her current role and why relationships are key to success in higher education. Listen in for Tricia's insight on transitioning from a private company to a public institution and learn how she helped design several of the programs and initiatives that define COCM's current infrastructure.

Topics Covered

Tricia's instant connection with COCM's executive leadership

How COCM aligned with Tricia's professional values + career goals

How Tricia's responsibilities grew in her 10 years with Capstone

Tricia's willingness to jump in and assist wherever the gap was

Transforming a troubled site into a place students want to live

Tricia's involvement in creating the current infrastructure at COCM

How understanding financial systems serves Tricia in her new role

Tricia's advice on transitioning from COCM to a public institution

Articulate alignment of values
Recognize difference in flexibility
Build professional network

Why Tricia credits her success in higher ed to relationships

Connect with Tricia

Tricia on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Getting Connected on a New Campus – with Amy Lorenz

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:00:00 +0000

At times, student affairs professionals are hesitant to pursue a role with COCM, thinking that the transition back to a university setting will be challenging. And yet, a number of former Capstone employees have made the successful move to public institutions. What have they done to make the transition as seamless as possible? And how do they go about getting connected on a new campus?

Amy Lorenz is the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life at the University of North Florida. Prior to joining the team at UNF in March of 2018, she spent nearly four years as Director of Operations at Bowling Green State University through COCM. Amy's resume also includes roles with Marshall University and Miami University in the realm of academic initiatives and first year experience.

On this episode of the podcast, Amy joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to explain her intentional decision to join COCM to learn about facilities and operations, sharing her responsibilities at BGSU and what she learned about remaining calm in a crisis. She discusses her work in the area of social wellness and describes how she came to appreciate the perspective of the maintenance and custodial staff during her time at COCM. Listen in for Amy's insight around making connections on a new campus and easing the transition from Capstone back to a college setting!

Topics Covered

Why Amy joined COCM to learn about facilities and operations

Amy's responsibilities as Director of Operations at BGSU

Day-to-day maintenance + emergencies
Marketing and occupancy management

Amy's work with social wellness during her time at Capstone

Amy's experience attending the Women's Leadership Institute

The top skills Amy learned in her time working at COCM

Remain calm in crisis
Listen to ALL constituents
Appreciate perspective of maintenance, custodial staff

Taking initiative to meet + listen to people in a new setting

Why Amy recommends finding friends outside of work

Amy's advice on the transition from COCM to a university

Stay connected to people, professional organizations
Continue to invest in professional development

Amy's insight around being a mom in the student housing space

Connect with Amy

Amy on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

How Student Housing Skills Translate to Other Roles – with Jen Oliver

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:00:00 +0000

We talk a lot about wellness and work-life balance, but most of us in the world of student housing are just not very good at it. So, how can we learn to prioritize our emotional and spiritual health? How can we develop the courage to ask what's really important to us and align our choices accordingly? And if that means choosing a new path, how can we apply the skills we learn in student housing to other roles?

Jen Oliver is the former Director of Facilities and Conference Services with COCM at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and current Membership Recruitment Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. Prior to joining the Girl Scouts team in 2018, she spent two years at home with her young daughters, serving her family and getting involved in the local community.

On this edition of the Student Housing Matters Alumni Series, Jen sits down with Tara Wilkinson to discuss how her role with COCM at MassArt rounded out her experience in student housing, exposing her to the facilities side of the space. She shares her gratitude for the relationships she developed with partners, vendors, COCM colleagues as well as the MassArt team. Listen in to understand Jen's decision to step away from her career at Capstone and prioritize her family and community—and learn how she is applying the skills she honed in student housing to other roles that fit her lifestyle and align with her values!

Topics Covered

How Jen's role with COCM rounded out her student housing experience

Jen's responsibilities as Director of Facilities and Conference Services

The trust Jen had to build with her team at MassArt in Boston

The relationships Jen valued with vendors, partners and colleagues

Jen's decision to prioritize her wellness through family + community

Having the courage to search for work that truly aligns with your values

Jen's advice around making the decision to step away from your career

How wellness is encouraged among the employees at Capstone

Articulating how skills in student housing apply to other kinds of work

Jen's insight around the concerns people have with privatized housing

Connect with Jen

Jen on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Leveraging Support to Initiate BIG Change – with Jes Lassiter

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 28 May 2019 11:00:00 +0000

If you're looking to make a big change or pursue an extraordinary venture, the first step is to share your intentions and then accept help when it's offered. This can be challenging for those of us in higher ed, as we're used to providing a support system rather than tapping into one ourselves. But seeking out someone (or multiple someones) willing to champion you is often just what you need to gain the courage to move forward.

Jes Lassiter currently serves as a Financial Analyst with JB Hunt Transport, but prior to earning her graduate degree in economics and finance in 2017, she spent three years as an Assistant General Manager with Capstone On-Campus Management. In Jes' role with COCM, she supported students at Walker Avenue Apartments and served as a liaison with the University of Maryland—Baltimore County. Jes was an active participant in the Women's Leadership Initiative at Capstone and continues to work in the space through JB Hunt's Growing & Retaining Outstanding Women program.

Today, Jes joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to share her responsibilities around student accounts and financial reports as Assistant General Manager with COCM, discussing how she improved processes to help students fulfill their financial obligations. She also reflects on how her time at COCM and the support she received from colleagues there inspired her to pursue a master's from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. Listen in to understand how Jes is applying what she learned at COCM in her current role and learn why Jes encourages you to find people who will champion you in taking the next step—and accept help when it's offered!

Topics Covered

How Jes transitioned to COCM from one of its campus partners

Jes' responsibilities around student accounts + financial reports

How Jes helped improve a process to benefit students at Walker

Why Jes values the operations experience she gained at COCM

Jes' master's from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics

How the skills Jes learned at COCM translate to her current role

How COCM's Women's Leadership Initiative influenced Jes

Jes' advice on finding someone to champion you + accepting help

Why it's crucial to recognize and take advantage of opportunities

Connect with Jes

Jes on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Give to Receive & Succeed in Student Housing – with Jeremy Thompson

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 15 May 2019 11:00:00 +0000

As with most things, the amount of effort, dedication and heart you put into a career in student housing is directly correlated with what you get back. And Jeremy Thompson contends that if you go in with an open mind and really give it a shot, the profession may surprise you.

Jeremy is the Regional Vice President of Capstone On-Campus Management. In his ten years at COCM, Jeremy served as a Site Director, Site Operations Specialist and Regional Manager before taking on his current role in 2016. Today, Jeremy joins us as a continuation of the 'How I Got into Student Housing' series. He explains how being a commuter student led him to understand the importance of building relationships with peers on campus and describes how the community development aspect of being an RA attracted him to the position.

Jeremy discusses how supporting the development of a team as a Graduate Hall Director inspired his career in student housing—and continues to be the most rewarding part of his job as Regional VP. Listen in to understand why navigating several different sites and competing responsibilities is the most challenging part of Jeremy's current role and get his advice on approaching the profession with an open mind and willingness to give!

Topics Covered

How being a commuter student led Jeremy to understand the importance of community

Why the community development aspect of being an RA attracted Jeremy to the position

How serving a team as a Graduate Hall Director inspired Jeremy's student housing career

The challenges Jeremy faces in navigating several different sites as Regional VP of COCM

Why supporting the development of his team is the most rewarding part of Jeremy's role

The top lessons Jeremy has learned throughout his career in student housing

Take care of students
Use 'newspaper test'
Document everything
Follow-up is key

Jeremy's advice on going into student housing with an open mind + willingness to give

Connect with Jeremy

Connect with Leigh Anne

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Marrying Access + Excellence in Higher Ed – with Dr. Eileen Strempel

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 11:00:00 +0000

How can we be elite without being elitist? Dr. Eileen Strempel contends that for an institution of higher learning to be truly great in the 21st century, it must adapt to the changing nature of the student body and support what she calls the neotraditional student, marrying the ideas of access and excellence.

Eileen is the inaugural dean of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Prior to UCLA, she spent three years as Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Cincinnati and 16 years in various roles at Syracuse University. Eileen is also a former ACE fellow-in-residence and the coeditor of Transition and Transformation: Fostering Transfer Student Success and Transition and Transformation: New Research Fostering Transfer Student Success. An opera singer turned academic leader, Eileen is committed to higher education as the social justice issue of our time.

Today, Eileen joins me from ACE2019 to discuss the role of higher education in promoting artists who represent a diverse global community. She shares her commitment to being an unabashed champion of transfer students and describes how she benefited from the ACE Fellows Program with a lifelong network of support. Eileen also explains the shift in demographics of the students we serve and higher education's responsibility to be responsive and welcoming. Listen in for Eileen's insight on listening to learn, empathize and respect—and learn how student housing can build a sense of community that fosters compassion and creativity.

Topics Covered

Eileen's belief in the transformative power of music

The role of higher ed in promoting diverse artists

Why Eileen is an unabashed champion of transfer students

How Eileen benefitted from the ACE Fellows Program

Addressing similar issues in different contexts in higher ed

How the demographics of students we serve are changing

Eileen's key takeaways from ACE2019 in Philadelphia

Social inequality vs. social mobility
Listen (learn, empathize + respect)

What Eileen is looking forward to in her new role at UCLA

How student housing can forge a sense of community

Connect with Eileen

Eileen on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Making Strategic Career Moves to Find Your Unicorn Job – with Heather O'Leary-Agosta

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 11:00:00 +0000

How do you find your unicorn job? Heather O'Leary-Agosta argues that rather than getting caught up in titles, it's more important to consider what you love about your current role and make decisions that facilitate more of THAT. Though she was hesitant to make a career move that seemed like a step back, Heather focused on the quality of her work and the impact she made on the students she served, and that led to an ideal role that fits her passion and education.

Heather found her unicorn job as Resident Services Manager at Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture, a study abroad campus for a university based in Tokyo. In her role, Heather supports the international students who comprise 100% of the student population, familiarizing them with American culture, creating a culturally-sensitive environment, and working with facilities and food services to meet student expectations. Prior to Showa, Heather served as Property Manager for the YWCA in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and General Manager of two residence halls at MassArt for COCM.

Today, Heather joins Tara to reminisce about their time together at MassArt, sharing her responsibilities with COCM and the value in helping plan new construction on campus. Heather describes the deep support and diverse perspectives she valued at COCM and explains how she fostered lasting connections with colleagues who continue to be resources. Listen in for Heather's advice around making strategic career moves and learn how her passion for supporting international students led to her current role at Showa.

Topics Covered

Heather's responsibilities working for COCM at MassArt

The value in being involved in planning new construction

The support + diverse perspectives Heather valued at COCM

Heather's career transition to property managing a YWCA

How working with international students led Heather to Showa

Heather's role as Resident Services Manager at Showa Boston

Heather's advice around making strategic career moves

Heather's appreciation for lasting connections from COCM

Connect with Heather

Showa Boston

Heather on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Perspectives on Student Housing Facilities and Operations - Recorded LIVE at the 2019 Annual Meeting with COCM Assistant Directors

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 19:45:11 +0000

Every year COCM hosts an Annual Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. In February, COCM's Assistant Directors fly in from over 40 different sites for a week of learning, listening, sharing, and building community amongst fellow student housing professionals.

Being an Assistant Director of Housing can mean many things. Depending on the particular site, AD's have a variety of roles, responsibilities, and challenges in facilities, maintenance, operations and res life. During one session at the 2019 Annual Meeting we sat down with four of our assistant directors to discuss their experiences and perspective from what they have learned at their own site.

Our panelists are from very different sites with different students – and with that we get some great insight from their unique perspectives. Learn about all that goes into running on-campus housing and the creative ways these individuals have approached their everyday work to create an environment for student success.

The Panel Participants:

Omar Mahmoud, Assistant Director for Operations at The Heights at Montclair State University

Chris Adams, Associate Director of Maintenance Operations at South Campus Commons at Univ. of Maryland

Lupita "Pete" Morales, Assistant Director for Housing Business Operations at Green River College

Ryan Rosevelt, Assistant Director of Residence Life, First Year Residence Halls at Marshall University

Topics Covered

How you explain what you do in your role as an assistant director to your friends and family

Perspectives on both operations responsibilities as well as facilities responsibilities

What issues they see most often in their site-specific role, and how they manage that issue

The importance of walking alongside students on their individual journey

Working with international students who are adapting to being away from home

Educating residence on how to use appliances as well as how to deal with maintenance issues

Looking at new things like technology that student are interested in having in their residence hall

Lessons learned through their years of experience

How to grow in your career through these lessons learned

How being valued as an employee changed perspective on worth

How student housing is so much more than just putting students in rooms

Connect with Leigh Anne and COCM

Reflections on Working in Student Housing with Brian Collins

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 20:57:24 +0000

Brian served as the IT Coordinator at COCM for 10 years. In 2018, he left COCM to join the BL Harbert Team as an IT Manager for the US Group. In today's episode, Tara Wilkinson catches up with Brian to ask him about all that he learned from working with COCM and how it is impacting his new position.

Brian joined Capstone Development Group over a decade ago in a different role than where he ended up – as IT Coordinator. Soon after he started to work at Capstone, Brian noticed areas where some help might be needed, so he jumped in to help. Slowly, picking up more and more projects in IT, Brian was later asked to be the IT Coordinator for COCM in 2012. In this role, he managed a wide range of responsibilities. There was a home office structure, but then each individual site managed by COCM also needed IT support. Every site having an independent IT set-up, depending on the owner or campus, required Brian to build strong relationships with people to ensure everything stayed up and running. Brian also was able to join the Marketing team in the home office to work on website building, podcasting and other audio/video projects – allowing him to get creative within the company as well.

It is very clear through this interview with Brian that a "can-do" attitude leads to an immense amount of learning opportunities and growth. Brian credits the relational side of the roles that he has filled to the joy and rewards of his time working with COCM. The ability to work with the people who are on the "front lines" of student housing at the site level, has shaped his core values to always recognize all of the people it takes to make student housing successful.

Brian's decision to leave COCM was a very difficult one. Having worked with such great people, he truly still misses the community of Student Housing Professionals. His decision to move, albeit tough, has allowed him to stretch himself by stepping into a new field. Brian explains why he needed this shift and encourages others at COCM that it doesn't mean leaving the company to find ways to stretch yourself – he suggests to his former colleagues to engage in opportunities that are outside of your defined roles, and see what you learn. You never know where it will take you – whether to another site, a new role within COCM, or even toward a career shift that may take you elsewhere. The big takeaway? Always push yourself, and you will continue to have an exciting life journey.

Topics Covered

The value of stepping into roles that are outside your job description

Serving others through relationships – and how that impacts your work success

Learning the skill of working with all different types of people – and finding joy in the process

Connect with Brian

Connect with Leigh Anne

Rafael Cordwell on LinkedIn

Lessons-learned from Student Housing Professionals – Recorded LIVE at the 2019 Annual Meeting

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 16:44:34 +0000

Every year COCM hosts an Annual Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. In January, site directors from over fly in from over 40 different sites for a week of learning, listening, sharing, and building community amongst fellow student housing professionals.

Being a Director of Housing at any university comes with a variety of roles, responsibilities, and challenges. During one session at the 2019 Annual Meeting we sat down with four directors to discuss all of these things. Our panelists are from very different sites with different students – and with that we get some great insight from their unique perspectives.

Learn about all that goes into running on-campus housing and the creative ways these individuals have approached their everyday work to create an environment for student success.

The Panel Participants:

Rafael Cordwell, Director of University Affiliated Housing at Millennium Hall, Paca & Tubman Houses at Towson University
April Yost, Director of Housing at Glen Oaks Community College
Scott Schatzer, Director of Operations at First Year Residence Halls at Marshall University
Alexis Ireland, Director housing Operations at Claremont Graduate University

Topics Covered

What it means to be a "Student Housing Professional"
The many roles involved in serving students through student housing
Diversity of different universities and how needs may look different than others
The importance of communication and adapting to the needs of the campus
Challenges that come with new housing on a campus
How collaboration is key and being unified as a team on campus allows people to thrive
Identifying the basic needs of students
Understanding the partnerships that affect you as a site director and your students
Perspectives on students today compared to when they were students
Parent involvement in their student's college experience
How technology plays into the student experience and accountability for staff
How working for a third-party manager has impacted the panel participants' careers
The variety of experiences given to a student housing professional through COCM
Opportunities to grow within student housing with a holistic approach
How working for a private company in student housing has opened doors for learning
Understanding the "why" behind everything done on campus and at the site

Connect with the Panelists

Rafael at Millennium Hall

April at Glen Oaks

Scott Schatzer at Marshall University

Alexis at Claremont

Connect with Leigh Anne and COCM

Building the Foundation for a Successful Community – with Rob Olson & Greg Houghton

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Opening a brand-new residence hall, on a campus that is not used to serving its students 24/7, is quite an undertaking. How do you manage the expectations of a diverse student population? How do you initiate support services after traditional hours? How do you build the foundation for a successful community—without the luxury of established policies and procedures?

Rob Olson is the Director of Facilities and Capital Projects at Green River College, and Greg Houghton is the Director of Finance and Operations at Northeastern University. But prior to their current roles, both Rob and Greg worked with guest host Tara Wilkinson at COCM. In fact, the trio was part of the pioneering leadership team that established Green River College's first on-campus student housing program.

Today, Rob and Greg join Tara to reconnect and reflect on their experience as part of the startup leadership team at Green River. They discuss the challenges of opening a brand-new residence hall and fostering a successful community—in a community college setting. Greg explains why he values the diversity of opportunity COCM provided, and Rob describes the supportive feeling of community he experienced working with the Capstone Family. Listen in for insight around the rewards of building something from nothing and learn how their background at Capstone helped Rob and Greg grow into their current roles in higher education.

Topics Covered

Rob's transition from the construction industry to student housing

How Greg discovered student affairs as a profession as an RA

Rob, Greg and Tara's experience on the startup team at Green River

The leadership team's challenges in opening a new residence hall

The rewards associated with 'building something out of nothing'

How the COCM Team at Green River forged lasting relationships

How COCM supported Rob in advancing his career

Why Greg values the diversity of experience he gleaned at COCM

The significance of building relationships with on-campus partners

How to capitalize on the multitude of opportunities in higher ed

Connect with Rob & Greg

Rob on LinkedIn

Greg on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing on the Community College Campus – with Tracy Morris

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Close your eyes and picture a community college. Did you envision student housing? You may be surprised to hear that many campuses DO have housing, and just like any four-year school, living on campus has an impact on student success. The catch is, student housing cannot be just a building on campus; it must provide an experience that engages the students who live there.

Tracy Morris has 17 years of experience as a community college administrator. Most recently, she served as Vice President for Student Services at Illinois Central College, where she leveraged her doctoral research on community college student housing and a relationship with COCM to transform the ICC student housing experience. In October, Tracy took on a new role as Compliance Officer with Joliet Junior College. She believes in the power of higher education to transform people's lives.

Today, Tracy joins me to share her take on the role of student services in supporting the social and emotional needs of students. She discusses her path from high school teacher to community college administrator, offering insight around how her own experience as a community college student ignited her love of learning. Tracy also explains why there is no such thing as a typical community college student, how involvement can help adult students get their confidence back, and how COCM went about transforming the student housing experience on her campus. Listen in to understand the importance of a flexible floor plan in the design of student housing and learn about the connection between engagement and the success of student housing on a community college campus!

Topics Covered

Tracy's take on the power of higher education to transform lives

The role of student services in facilitating student learning

Tracy's path from HS teacher to community college administrator

Tracy's experience advising adult students who had lost their jobs

Why there is no such thing as a typical community college student

How involvement helps adult students get their confidence back

Tracy's personal experience as a community college student

Tracy's doctoral research on community college student housing

The link between engagement and the success of student housing

How COCM transformed the student housing experience at ICC

The tangible change in dynamic when staff knows the residents

How student housing can be detrimental if there's no connection

The significance of a flexible student housing building plan

The value in a holistic support model with tech-guided self-service

Why the student debt crisis makes community colleges crucial

Connect with Tracy

Tracy on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Collegiate Housing Foundation

The Benefits of Nonprofit Ownership of Student Housing – with Will Givhan

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Even among student housing professionals, few are familiar with the idea of nonprofit ownership. What is it? How does it work? And why would a university choose to work with a nonprofit to develop student housing facilities?

Will Givhan is the President and CEO of the Collegiate Housing Foundation, the country's premier nonprofit provider of student housing. Since its inception in 1996, the 501(c)(3) has financed over $2.1B in student housing facilities, completing 55 projects at 40 schools in 24 states for a total of 31,940 beds. Will has been involved with Collegiate Housing since 1998, serving as outside legal counsel during his tenure at the law firm of Hand Arendall. He became the foundation's in-house legal counsel and COO in 2011 and took the helm in May of this year.

Today, Will joins me to share the unique origin of the Collegiate Housing Foundation and his path from outside legal counsel to President and CEO. He explains the foundation's role in financing, building, owning and operating student housing facilities and the diverse reasons why colleges and universities might choose nonprofit ownership. Listen in for Will's insight around the satisfaction of providing students with quality housing that promotes both social interaction AND academic success!

Topics Covered

The unique origin of the Collegiate Housing Foundation

Will's path to his current role as President and CEO

The foundation's role in financing and building facilities

The advantage of the foundation's tax-exempt status

How a college benefits from working with a nonprofit

How rating agencies account for nonprofit ownership

What will has learned about the way universities work

Will's insight on student housing as a learning facility

Collegiate Housing Foundation's continued rapid growth

Connect with Will

Will on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Listen Your Way to Leadership in Student Housing – with Brian Kraft

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 12:00:00 +0000

To be a successful leader in the student housing space, you need buy-in from all of the players involved. But how do you determine what's driving each stakeholder and make decisions accordingly? Brian Kraft argues that learning to listen is the most critical skill for leaders in student housing.

Brian is the Regional Vice President at COCM. He is responsible for supporting the directors of six properties on the east coast and serving as a liaison among institutional partners, owners and the home office. Brian has 19 years of experience in student housing, serving at large public institutions and small private campuses all over the country before joining Capstone in 2009. His background in mathematics and data analysis informs the way Brian assists site staffs in performing more efficiently and improving their ability to forecast issues.

Today, Brian joins me to discuss his path from undergrad RA to Regional VP. He explains the competition he faced to become a Resident Assistant and the reasons he was drawn to the position. Brian shares the deans who mentored him as an undergrad, his decision to pursue grad school, and how his assistantship integrated his background in math. He also offers insight around his student-centered approach and his current challenge in prioritizing the needs of diverse stakeholders. Listen in to understand the most rewarding part of Brian's role at COCM and learn how to leverage listening to have a successful career in student housing!

Topics Covered

The competition to be an RA in Brian's undergrad experience

Why Brian was drawn to the RA's duty to connect with residents

The deans who mentored Brian when he was an undergrad RA

Brian's decision to pursue grad school rather than teach math

How Brian's assistantship merged student housing and teaching

Brian's student housing roles in Florida, California and Ohio

Brian's transition from the university setting to COCM

Brian's student-centered approach to student housing

Brian's challenge in prioritizing the needs of all stakeholders

Brian's responsibilities as Regional Vice President at COCM

Why Brian enjoys sharing what he's learned with colleagues

How communication and listening are key to success

Brian's advice around challenging yourself to try new things

Connect with Brian

Brian at COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne

Student Housing in the Public vs. Private Sector – with Gray Bekurs

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 11:00:00 +0000

What are the key differences in working as a student housing professional for COCM versus a public institution? How does working within the confines of a bureaucracy for a university contrast with serving a housing-focused private company? And how can the two work together for the good of the students they serve?

Gray Bekurs is the Vice President for Business Development at COCM, working with the marketing team to pursue new management and consulting opportunities. Gray began his career in student housing as Hall Director at Mississippi State, and he had ten years of experience as a residence life professional before joining the COCM team for the first time in 2004. Gray transitioned to the public sector in 2014, serving as Director of Auxiliary Real Estate Operations at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His background in the public and private sectors gives Gray a unique understanding of holistic nature of student housing.

Today, Gray sits down with COCM CMO Alton Irwin to discuss his positive experience with student housing as a college freshman and explain the shift in his career focus from music education to housing. He shares his belief in student housing as an important element of access to higher education and describes his initial interest in COCM as an opportunity to learn the business side of operations. Gray addresses the differences between his work in the public and private sectors, offering insight around his experience dealing with related departments like parking and dining. Listen in to understand Gray's goals as VP of Business Development at COCM and learn how the organization can serve struggling institutions through management or consulting services.

Topics Covered

Gray's positive experience with student housing as a college freshman

Why Gray shifted his career focus from music education to housing

How housing affords students access to higher education

Gray's interest in COCM as an opportunity to learn fiscal responsibility

The contrast between working in the public and private sector

How Gray learned about related aspects of housing like parking and dining

The importance of integrating with other departments

Gray's goals as VP for Business Development with COCM

Gray's intention to explore untapped markets and promote COCM

How COCM can serve struggling institutions via consulting or management

Connect with Gray

Gray at COCM

Gray on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

21st Century Challenges Facing Higher Education – with Brian Mitchell

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 11:00:00 +0000

There is no doubt that institutions of higher learning face a number of challenges, not the least of which is an unsustainable financial model. Tuition, fees, room and board no longer pay the bills—despite sticker prices as high as $72K a year! So, how do colleges and universities design innovative solutions and continue to thrive in the 21st century?

Brian Mitchell is the founder and president of Academic Innovators, a consultancy that helps colleges and universities learn to adapt and evolve in the ever-changing world of higher education. Brian served as president of Bucknell University (2004-2010) and Washington & Jefferson College (1998-2004), and he spent seven years leading the Association for Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). Brian is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Academe, and he is the co-author of How to Run a College: A Practical Guide for Trustees, Faculty, Administrators, and Policymakers.

Today, Brian joins me and COCM CMO Alton Irwin to discuss his 'unintentional career' in higher education, from history professor to AICUP lobbyist to president of Bucknell. He explains the value of a liberal arts education in training students to speak, write, use technology, apply quantitative methods and work in a collaborative setting. Brian addresses his interest in the transfer population and the challenges faced by colleges in the 21st century, describing how those pursuits led him to found Academic Innovators. He also shares the themes of his book, offering insight around the unsustainable financial model currently employed by university systems and the importance of a differentiated mission. Listen in to understand what's next for Brian and learn about his vision for the future of higher education!

Topics Covered

Brian's path to an 'unintentional career' in higher education

Why Brian credits his college experience for teaching him to think

Brian's experience in the lobbying division of the AICUP

Brian's service as the president of two universities

The interests that led Brian to found Academic Innovators

The role of the liberal arts in educating citizens

The three inflection points that caused major shifts in higher ed

Why the current financial model of university systems is unsustainable

The number of colleges and universities that merge/close every year

Brian's aim for How to Run a College to be practical AND inspirational

Brian's take on governance as the weak link in university systems

Brian's insight around the importance of having a differentiated mission

Why strategic relationships may have more impact than new programs

Brian's next steps in terms of writing and speaking on higher education

Connect with Brian

Academic Innovators

Connect with Leigh Anne

How to Run a College: A Practical Guide for Trustees, Faculty, Administrators, and Policymakers by Brian C. Mitchell and W. Joseph King

Resources

The Paddy Camps: The Irish of Lowell, 1821-61 by Brian C. Mitchell

Moody's Study of College Closures

Inside Higher Ed's Poll of CFOs

How I Got into Student Housing – with Jeremy Biddy

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Many professionals in the world of student housing began as RAs, gaining exposure to the industry as college students and eventually realizing the opportunity to pursue a career in the space. But what if you weren't a resident assistant in college? How do you get into student housing with a background in what seems like a vastly different industry?

Jeremy Biddy is the Vice President of Operations for Capstone On Campus Management. In that role, he oversees all of the operations in the field and serves as a conduit for regional managers and regional VPs to report to the home office. Jeremy worked as both a Site Director and Regional Vice President for COCM before taking on his current position as VP of Operations.

Today, Jeremy joins me to share his unconventional route to the industry, explaining how his practice in managing crises as a District Loss Prevention Manager for Kmart translated to student housing. He describes how his first boss and mentor taught him to be firm but caring and offers insight into the experience that made him realize he could make a living in the field. Jeremy walks us through the challenges and rewards of his role at COCM, offering insight around the satisfaction of finding a creative solution that works. Listen in for Jeremy's advice on diversifying your experience and stepping out of your comfort zone to take on new opportunities—even if they fall outside your current job description!

Topics Covered

Jeremy's experience as a retail District Loss Prevention Manager

How Jeremy's experience managing crises translates to student housing

How Jeremy's first boss taught him to be firm AND caring

The opportunity Jeremy had to run a program as a young professional

Jeremy's affinity for interacting with students and staff

The unique skill set required for a career in student housing

Jeremy's current role as VP of Operations at COCM

What Jeremy has learned about dealing with difficult employees/clients

How Jeremy works with staff to find a solution in each unique situation

Jeremy's appreciation for positive feedback from parents and partners

The reward that comes with finding a creative solution that works

Jeremy's advice around pursuing a diverse range of experiences

Why it's important to have a network of support that offers honest advice

The value in taking on opportunities outside of your specific job description

Connect with Jeremy

Jeremy on COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne

Brian Kraft on Diversity of Sites

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

When it comes to student housing, there is simply no way to copy/paste a set of processes on each new campus. Rather, you need to gain an understanding of the institution and the property itself and customize your approach based on the circumstances at hand. How exactly does site diversity impact the way you work with a particular university?

Brian Kraft is the Regional Vice President of Capstone On Campus Management. He has worked in the student housing industry since 1999, serving small private institutions as well as large public universities. Brian has been a part of the Capstone team for nine years, and his diverse experience makes him an effective primary liaison to campus partners and support for COCM's general managers and site directors.

Today, Brian joins me to share his breadth of experience working with diverse sites, including both small private and large public institutions. He explains why communication is key in any partnership and shares the variations to his approach in collaborating with existing partners, new construction or a troubled site. Brian offers his comprehensive definition of site diversity, describing how size, affiliation, culture and the level of collaboration impact COCM's methodology. Listen in for insight on the benefits of a shared-governance model in improving the student experience and learn how developing trust up front leads to a better relationship long term!

Topics Covered

Brian's experience in both small private and large public institutions

Why communication is key in establishing successful partnerships

Brian's approach to enhancing an existing university partnership

Understanding the university's goals for a new construction project

The accelerated timeline necessary for a troubled site

Brian's comprehensive definition of site diversity

How a site's size and affiliation influence the operational approach

The significance of understanding a site's culture, personality

The varying levels of collaboration between COCM and university partners

How Brian navigates resistance to a private management company

The benefits of COCM's shared-governance model

How COCM evolves processes over time to improve the student experience

The lessons Brian has learned around aligning goals between partners

Brian's advice on developing relationships and trust on a personal level

How student housing influences student success

Connect with Brian

Brian at COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne

Leveraging Student Feedback to Make Facilities Improvements – with Kelly Podach Francis

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

When a residence hall comes in under budget, that money can be invested in the building itself. But how do you make decisions around what improvements to prioritize? Kelly Podach Francis designs an action plan based on student feedback, and she contends that this approach leads directly to student retention.

Kelly is the Director of Facilities and Operations for Rountree Commons at the University of Wisconsin—Platteville. In this role, she manages the day-to-day operations of the privately-owned residence hall, supervising the professional staff and monitoring the finances of the building. Prior to her work with COCM, Kelly served as Hall Director at UW—Stout for eight years.

Today, Kelly joins me to share her first experience in student housing as an Academic Resource Coordinator and explain why she was inspired to support other students in the transition to college. I ask her when she realized she could pursue student housing as a career, and she discusses the positions she held as an undergrad that led to her AHA moment at ACUHO-I. Kelly addresses the transition from working for a university system to COCM, offering insight around her responsibilities as Director of Facilities and the challenges of managing the finances of a residence hall. Listen in to understand how Kelly designs an action plan based on student feedback and learn why it's important to make friends with the campus locksmith, fire inspector and parking staff!

Topics Covered

Kelly's early experience as an Academic Resource Coordinator

How Kelly's parents influenced her decision to become an ARC

The difficult transition to college for a first-generation student

How ACUHO-I inspired Kelly to pursue student housing as a career

The student housing positions Kelly held as an undergrad

Kelly's years of experience as a Hall Coordinator and Director

Kelly's transition from the university system to COCM

How Kelly developed an interest in facilities management

Kelly's responsibilities as Director of Facilities at UW-Platteville

Why Kelly enjoys the financial piece of her role

The rewards of coming in under budget

How Kelly develops an action plan based on student feedback

How Kelly's team has grown and developed a rhythm

The lessons Kelly has learned around deciding what to prioritize

Kelly's advice on building relationships with key people on campus

Connect with Kelly

Kelly at UW—Platteville

Kelly on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Harlan at Cleveland State University

Driving Innovation at the Urban Research University – with Harlan Sands

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

How can an urban research university serve as an anchor for its community—attracting employers and giving talent a reason to stay in the city after graduation? Harlan Sands believes that the key is to serve as a hub of innovation, aligning skills taught with the needs of a modern economy.

Harlan is the newly appointed President of Cleveland State University. A highly regarded leader in higher education, Harlan has 30-plus years of experience at urban research universities. Harlan has served as a thought leader, academic administrator, business process changemaker, professor and student advocate. Prior to his career in higher ed, he served as a public defender in the city of Miami, litigating more than 50 trials in state and county court. Harlan holds a BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from George Washington University, and a JD from George Mason.

Today, Harlan joins me to walk us through the diverse career path that led to his current role as President of Cleveland State. I ask him about the value of an urban research institution as an anchor to its city, and he describes his vision for CSU as a driver of innovation. Harlan shares the previous accomplishments he is most proud of, from supporting faculty in conducting vital research to engaging students and staff in a university's mission. Listen in for Harlan's insight on the role of student housing in creating a living and learning community on campus and learn how mentors can help you in the pursuit of lifelong learning!

Topics Covered

The diverse career path that led Harlan to his new role with CSU

Harlan's background in both academia and administration

The importance of a research institution as an anchor to its city

How a university can serve to draw people to the community

Harlan's vision for Cleveland State as a driver of innovation

Attracting employers by aligning skill sets taught with market needs

Why 80% of CSU grads stay in the city of Cleveland

Harlan's aim to engage students and staff in the university's mission

How Harlan supports faculty in conducting research

Harlan's take on students as clients or customers

The role of student housing in promoting retention and progression

Why student success should be the starting point for student housing

How student housing contributes to a living and learning community

Harlan's advice around the pursuit of lifelong learning

The idea of MBWA (Management By Walking Around)

Connect with Harlan

Harlan's Opinion Piece on Cleveland.com

Harlan on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Rebuilding the Reputation of a Struggling Site – with Jeremy Steed

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 11:00:00 +0000

'We came in humble and approachable, wanting to collaborate.'

How do you turn around a student housing site that has spiraled into decline? Where do you begin when all of the problems—occupancy, reputation and facility issues—are intertwined? How do you look at the situation with Fresh Eyes and change the narrative, rebuilding the site's reputation one step at a time?

Jeremy Steed is the Operations Director for Capstone On-Campus Management. He began his housing career as an RA while studying biology at the University of Alabama—Birmingham. Since then, he has worked in several roles with COCM, most recently leading a site takeover at a community college in East Peoria, Illinois. In that role, he built a residence life program from the ground up and headed the turnaround that rebuilt the site's reputation in the eyes of the students, campus partners and community at large.

Today, Jeremy joins me to explain how he became the Site Director at a struggling facility, discussing the gradual decline of the property under previous management as well as its interconnected reputation, occupancy and facility issues. He walks us through COCM's Fresh Eyes process and offers insight as to why rebuilding trust with the campus partner became top priority. I ask Jeremy how he rebuilt the site's reputation with a complete rebrand, and he addresses the significance of open, honest communication with students. Listen in for Jeremy's advice around getting out ahead of a property on the decline and learn how he went about creating a better, safer living environment for the students at Illinois Central College.

Topics Covered

How Jeremy became the Site Director for a struggling facility

The site's gradual decline under previous management

The site's intertwined reputation, occupancy and facility issues

The Fresh Eyes process COCM used to assess the site's problems

Why rebuilding trust with the campus partner became top priority

Why a complete rebrand was necessary to change the narrative

The use of focus groups to determine student experience, needs

Using honest communication being present with students

How building trust with the institution translated to parents, students

Jeremy's advice around preventing decline with annual walk-throughs

The significant increase in occupancy at the site each of the last 3 years

How Jeremy created a better, safer living environment for students

The rewards of turning around a struggling site

Connect with Jeremy

Jeremy at COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne

From RA to Operations Director – with Jeremy Steed

bcollins@capstoneoncampus.com (Capstone On Campus Management) — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Time management. Customer service. Conflict mediation. Critical thinking. Teamwork.

Whatever your motivation for becoming a resident assistant, the position allows you to hone a number of incredibly valuable skills that carry over to any career you might choose to pursue. And though the field of student housing is less familiar to the general population, it affords the opportunity to give back and do work that truly matters, whether you're working one-on-one with students as an RA or overseeing operations from the main office.

Jeremy Steed started his housing career as a resident assistant in 2010 while studying as an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama—Birmingham. Since then, he has worked in several roles with Capstone On-Campus Management at various institutions, and Jeremy's experience ranges from working at a large public university to leading a management takeover at a community college. Today, he serves as the Operations Director for COCM, working under the premise that 'each day presents a new opportunity to do something great.'

Jeremy joins me on Student Housing Matters to discuss how financial considerations and the need for leadership experience informed his initial motivation to become an RA. He shares the benefits of serving as a role model and mentor to students, explaining how the role motivated him to stay on top of his game. I ask Jeremy about his path from RA to Operations Director, and he describes the shift in priorities that led him to pursue student housing as a career. Listen in for Jeremy's insight around listening first and tailoring your approach to the individual—and learn how the skills you develop as an RA can translate to whatever career you choose.

Topics Covered

Jeremy's initial motivations for becoming an RA

The benefits of being a role model and mentor

How serving as an RA motivated Jeremy to succeed

Jeremy's path to from RA to Operations Director

Jeremy's ability to tailor his approach to the individual

The value in a career that affords the opportunity to give back

How working on-site differs from the main office at COCM

The skills you develop as an RA that translate to any career

Connect with Jeremy

Jeremy at COCM

Connect with Leigh Anne