Author: Dustin Ramsdell

Dustin Ramsdell is a higher ed content creator who focuses on modern solutions that drive student engagement and success. Connect with him on Twitter, @HigherEd_Geek!

ResEdChat Ep 160: Advice for Leading with Vulnerability with Katie Munshaw

ResEdChat 160

In this first episode of the year, guest host Dustin Ramsdell speaks with Katie Munshaw to wrap up our episodes featuring the 2025 blogging team. They discuss how to lead with vulnerability and what makes it especially important when working in the residence halls. Katie shares reflections from her own life that have reinforced these lessons as well as encouragement for how others can find the right balance of how to do the same. Guest: Katie Munshaw (she/her) - Residence Director at Roosevelt University Host: Dustin Ramsdell, Independent Higher EdTech Content Creator

ResEdChat Ep 159: Preparing for a Lateral Job Transition with Tamarah Humphreys

ResEdChat 159

In this final episode of the year, guest host Dustin Ramsdell speaks with Tamarah Humphreys about making lateral moves in your career. She details the reasons why someone might make these sideways pivots, and what to expect when they might occur. Tamarah shares reflections of her own experience making these transitions, and gives advice for how best to navigate them. Guest: Tamarah Humphreys (she/her) - Community Director at University of St. Thomas Host: Dustin Ramsdell, Independent Higher EdTech Content Creator

ResEdChat Ep 158: Helping RAs Develop Career Readiness with Alexis Karakas

ResEdChat 158

For this week's episode of ResEdChat, guest host Dustin Ramsdell chats with Alexis Karakas about her experience helping her student staff members understand the relevant skills they gain during their time serving the department, no matter what industry they pursue after graduation. Alexis also details her approach to this work, and what makes it so important. Guest: Alexis Karakas (she/her), Residential Living Coordinator, University of California - Irvine Host: Dustin Ramsdell, Independent Higher EdTech Content Creator

ResEdChat Ep 157: Advice for Success in Early Career Positions with Madison Vasich

ResEdChat 157

In this week's episode, guest host Dustin Ramsdell spoke with Madison Vasich, a current Roompact blogger from the University of Montana to get her reflections and advice on starting as a new professional staff member straight from completing her undergraduate degree. Madison also shares her experience moving to a new area for your first professional job and how best to acclimate to a campus environment.

ResEdChat Ep 156: Navigating Internal Job Transitions with Katie Steele

ResEdChat 156

In this episode of the podcast, guest host Dustin Ramsdell chats with Katie Steele, a current Roompact blogger from the Seattle University about how best to prepare for and navigate applying for a job at your current institution. She shares perspectives on going through these interview processes as a candidate as well as managing them as a reviewer. Katie shares tips for listeners to make sure you're being transparent and evaluated fairly as a an applicant as well as able to provide an impartial view as a reviewer.

ResEdChat Ep. 154: Reflecting on Moving to Mid-Level with Ashley Unmacht

ResEdChat 154

In this episode of the podcast, guest host Dustin Ramsdell chats with Ashley Unmacht, a current Roompact blogger from the University of Wisconsin-Madison about her path growing into a mid-level role early in her career. She shares advice for others as they navigate job related transitions as well as the unique dynamics of supervising students and colleagues when you move up as a young professional.

ResEdChat Ep 149: Supporting Academic Success Through Connection, Not Just Curriculum with Abby Groth

ResEdChat 149

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, guest host Dustin Ramsdell chats with Abby Groth, a current Roompact blogger from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln about her unique journey from art museums to residence life and how she’s using that perspective to reimagine student support. Abby shares how learning communities, peer mentorship, and early intervention surveys are transforming the student experience and contributing to academic success outside the classroom. She also gets candid about what doesn’t work—and why residence life doesn’t need to do it all.

ResEdChat Ep 144: How to Nurture Creative Thinking in ResLife with Sean Watson

ResEdChat 144

In this energizing episode of ResEdChat, host Dustin Ramsdell reconnects with Sean Watson — a returning guest and now a Roompact blogging team member — to explore how ResLife pros can nurture creativity both in and outside of work. Sean shares why creativity isn't just for artists and how embracing play, structure, and self-expression can actually make you better at your job. From performing poetry to writing emails with flair, this conversation is an honest and inspiring look at the power of creativity in student affairs and beyond.

ResEdChat Ep 139: How to Use Music to Connect and Engage with Students

ResEdChat 139

We're thrilled to kick off our yearly tradition of uplifting our latest cohort of amazing bloggers, starting off with Andrew Skelley from University of Pittsburgh. He chats with Dustin about what brought him to the writing team, and how he has brought his authentic self to his work by using music and other interests to forge unique bonds with the students he serves. Stay tuned until the end of the episode where Andrew shares a funny ghost story from his years in the halls.

ResEdChat Ep 131: New Book on the Three C’s Framework for ResLife Practice

ResEdChat 131

We're pleased to bring you this bonus episode of ResEdChat where Paul shares more details about a brand new resource from Roompact to help residence education leaders create a framework for their practice. Focused on the "Three C's" of Community Development, Competencies, and Care, Paul explains how this eBook came to be and how he hopes professionals across the country will use it to elevate their work.

ResEdChat Ep 127: Elevating Staff Recruitment and Performance Management with Dr. Brittany McDaniel

ResEdChat 127

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat podcast, guest host Dustin chats with Brittany to get insights from her diverse background working at a variety of institutions on how to develop an effective staff recruitment and performance management strategy. She outlines tips for supporting student staff as well as professional staff so that teams of any shape and size can reach their full potential.

ResEdChat Ep 118: Reflecting on Transitions In and Out of Residence Life with Dr. Cory Shapiro

ResEdChat 118

In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Dustin is chatting with Cory about his career journey in a variety of roles across different functional areas, many of which have been at the same institution. Cory shares reflections and advice on how best to determine what it is your looking for professionally, the value of finding a good mentor, and leveraging different resources to ensure you're making sound decisions about your career.

ResEdChat Ep 113: Strategies for Transitioning from a Residential to a Divisional Curriculum

We're pleased to welcome Erin to the show this week to have her share reflections on the work at University of Oklahoma did over the past few years to expand their residential curriculum to their entire division of student affairs. She examines how to identify and take advantage of windows of opportunity for change making and the ways to leverage communities to keep ourselves afloat in turbulent times.

ResEdChat Ep 111: Examining the Ongoing Importance of Professional Organizations with Brian Hopkins

ResEdChat Episode 111

We're pleased to welcome Brian to the show this week to talk about his journey that led him to joining ACPA in a professional capacity as well as what he sees as the ways professional organizations are creating relevant opportunities for learning, camaraderie, and authentic connections for higher education staff members all over the world. *You may notice that there was a minor audio issue in the middle of this episode, which required us to swap mics. We appreciate your patience and understanding!

ResEdChat Ep 106: Leveraging Newsletter Campaigns to Foster and Assess Student Learning with Crys Arellano-Fryer

ResEdChat Episode.106

We're pleased to welcome Crys to the show this week as they discuss with Dustin their email newsletter campaign initiative at their institution that seeks to provide relevant resources to students consistently. Crys also details the tools they use to develop the emails and the various strategies they use as collaborates with their colleagues to develop the content of each newsletter.

Up ↑