Gemenskap Series: Building intentional student communities https://coly.io Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/building-intentional-student-communities-gemenskap-series For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live. Gemenskap brings together housing directors, residential life leaders, student affairs professionals, and RAs for honest conversations about the real work behind student belonging, social-emotional growth, and persistence. Each episode explores how practitioners are building communities where students are truly understood - from roommate conflict resolution and early intervention to community design and RA support. No corporate jargon. No easy answers. Just the people doing the hard, precise, human work of creating residential experiences that matter. Whether you manage on-campus residence halls, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), or off-campus residential communities, this podcast speaks to a shared mission: creating spaces where students don't just live, but grow. Enabling self-excellence through community and understanding. -- Sponsored by Coly.io - the student insight platform helping universities understand who their students really are, and build residential communities where students belong and persist. Learn more at https://coly.io © 2026 Coly.io f2a468d8-fcf3-5697-a3a7-0bf70960a8e9 yes Building Intentional Student Communities: Gemenskap Series en Mon, 02 Nov 2026 04:32:09 -0800 Mon, 02 Nov 2026 04:33:09 -0800 https://img.transistorcdn.com/9uKKqODsuQgju7FPS70K-EiR2UK2IGo-HQZt2_69QbA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wZDdi/ODQ0NjEyZjI5NjA4/MWIyNTExOTc4MTgy/NjhlZS5wbmc.jpg Gemenskap Series: Building intentional student communities https://coly.io episodic Anna Moustakas For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live. Gemenskap brings together housing directors, residential life leaders, student affairs professionals, and RAs for honest conversations about the real work behind student belonging, social-emotional growth, and persistence. Each episode explores how practitioners are building communities where students are truly understood - from roommate conflict resolution and early intervention to community design and RA support. No corporate jargon. No easy answers. Just the people doing the hard, precise, human work of creating residential experiences that matter. Whether you manage on-campus residence halls, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), or off-campus residential communities, this podcast speaks to a shared mission: creating spaces where students don't just live, but grow. Enabling self-excellence through community and understanding. -- Sponsored by Coly.io - the student insight platform helping universities understand who their students really are, and build residential communities where students belong and persist. Learn more at https://coly.io For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live. student belonging, residential life, student affairs, housing directors, roommate matching, student retention, higher education, campus housing, student success, social-emotional learning, RA support, residence halls, PBSA, student engagement, community design, roommate conflict, student persistence, on-campus housing, residential education, student wellbeing, dropout prevention, university housing, student incident Coly.io management@thepod.fm No No Giving Students the Language to Belong, with Veronica Summers 5 5 Giving Students the Language to Belong, with Veronica Summers full 281c7ea8-c192-4e62-99ee-0fe0f6ec9fcc https://share.transistor.fm/s/65aacceb A student can be given a chair and still be seated at a separate table off to the side. Veronica Summers draws that line between assimilation and true belonging, and shows what it takes to build the second one. Veronica is Director of International Student Engagement at Abilene Christian University, working within the Office of Intercultural Engagement and Belonging. She grew up in Cebu City, Philippines, arrived at ACU as an international student herself and now works with engagement for international students at ACU. She talks about cultural humility, giving students language for their experiences, and why belonging is everyone's job across campus.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:31 Introducing Veronica Summers

01:19 From Cebu City to Abilene Christian University

02:29 What a Director of International Student Engagement does

04:35 The biggest learning: becoming a lifelong learner

07:40 Cultural humility versus cultural competence

10:07 Lowering assumptions and seeing the whole person

11:02 Belonging versus assimilation: the seat at the table

14:34 Designing events with intention from the start

18:24 The problem with labels and who feels welcome

19:39 Representation in leadership and the Ethnos culture show

23:30 Why language and self-identity matter for success

25:26 Finding the words: being a third culture kid

27:21 Helping students name their needs and ask for help

31:20 What happens when students lack the vocabulary

33:26 One size fits all and the limits of a single office

34:39 Partnerships, physical proximity, and changing campus culture

39:18 First steps for professionals new to this work

42:16 Finding the gaps: Family Weekend and international students

43:15 Closing thoughts


You can follow Veronica Summers here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/veronica-whitt


Learn more about Abilene Christian University:

Website - https://acu.edu

]]> A student can be given a chair and still be seated at a separate table off to the side. Veronica Summers draws that line between assimilation and true belonging, and shows what it takes to build the second one. Veronica is Director of International Student Engagement at Abilene Christian University, working within the Office of Intercultural Engagement and Belonging. She grew up in Cebu City, Philippines, arrived at ACU as an international student herself and now works with engagement for international students at ACU. She talks about cultural humility, giving students language for their experiences, and why belonging is everyone's job across campus.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:31 Introducing Veronica Summers

01:19 From Cebu City to Abilene Christian University

02:29 What a Director of International Student Engagement does

04:35 The biggest learning: becoming a lifelong learner

07:40 Cultural humility versus cultural competence

10:07 Lowering assumptions and seeing the whole person

11:02 Belonging versus assimilation: the seat at the table

14:34 Designing events with intention from the start

18:24 The problem with labels and who feels welcome

19:39 Representation in leadership and the Ethnos culture show

23:30 Why language and self-identity matter for success

25:26 Finding the words: being a third culture kid

27:21 Helping students name their needs and ask for help

31:20 What happens when students lack the vocabulary

33:26 One size fits all and the limits of a single office

34:39 Partnerships, physical proximity, and changing campus culture

39:18 First steps for professionals new to this work

42:16 Finding the gaps: Family Weekend and international students

43:15 Closing thoughts


You can follow Veronica Summers here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/veronica-whitt


Learn more about Abilene Christian University:

Website - https://acu.edu

]]> Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Anna Moustakas Anna Moustakas 2659 A student can be given a chair and still be seated at a separate table off to the side. Veronica Summers draws that line between assimilation and true belonging, and shows what it takes to build the second one. Veronica is Director of International Student Engagement at Abilene Christian University, working within the Office of Intercultural Engagement and Belonging. She grew up in Cebu City, Philippines, arrived at ACU as an international student herself and now works with engagement for international students at ACU. She talks about cultural humility, giving students language for their experiences, and why belonging is everyone's job across campus.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:31 Introducing Veronica Summers

01:19 From Cebu City to Abilene Christian University

02:29 What a Director of International Student Engagement does

04:35 The biggest learning: becoming a lifelong learner

07:40 Cultural humility versus cultural competence

10:07 Lowering assumptions and seeing the whole person

11:02 Belonging versus assimilation: the seat at the table

14:34 Designing events with intention from the start

18:24 The problem with labels and who feels welcome

19:39 Representation in leadership and the Ethnos culture show

23:30 Why language and self-identity matter for success

25:26 Finding the words: being a third culture kid

27:21 Helping students name their needs and ask for help

31:20 What happens when students lack the vocabulary

33:26 One size fits all and the limits of a single office

34:39 Partnerships, physical proximity, and changing campus culture

39:18 First steps for professionals new to this work

42:16 Finding the gaps: Family Weekend and international students

43:15 Closing thoughts


You can follow Veronica Summers here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/veronica-whitt


Learn more about Abilene Christian University:

Website - https://acu.edu

]]> student belonging, cultural humility, international students, assimilation, residential life, student affairs, representation, third culture kid, campus partnerships, student success No Emily Roh on Building Team Trust Before Student Belonging 4 4 Emily Roh on Building Team Trust Before Student Belonging full 61ebaa15-7c7c-4a0a-93b2-a8b30230439a https://share.transistor.fm/s/1b692928 Emily Roh walked into six cultural centers at Cal Poly Pomona that had lost half their team, been restructured into a shared office, and had two weeks until fall training, all under federal pressure that redefined what inclusion work could look like. She started with the staff, not the students: team development meetings, a card game built for vulnerability, and lessons drawn from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Emily is a facilitator, coach and student affairs professional who spent the past year as interim Associate Director of Student Retention Initiatives and Support, and founder of My Invisible Knapsack. Her point throughout: a siloed staff cannot build community for students.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:32 Meet Emily Roh

01:59 Why student affairs and youth development

03:58 Defining an exceptional student experience

06:56 Eight years to a degree and starting My Invisible Knapsack

11:02 Six cultural centers, one restructured team

13:35 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and building trust

16:26 Team development meetings and building the container

19:04 Teaching conflict, toxins and antidotes

21:19 The spiral effect to students and fall training

23:55 The web and ball activity across siloed centers

26:24 Tree branding and building camaraderie

28:33 Where to start: facilitation training

31:13 Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

33:27 Discomfort is not the same as unsafe

37:24 First moves for building trust that holds

40:36 Closing thoughts


You can follow Emily Roh here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/emilyroh


Learn more about My Invisible Knapsack:

Website - https://cpp.edu

]]> Emily Roh walked into six cultural centers at Cal Poly Pomona that had lost half their team, been restructured into a shared office, and had two weeks until fall training, all under federal pressure that redefined what inclusion work could look like. She started with the staff, not the students: team development meetings, a card game built for vulnerability, and lessons drawn from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Emily is a facilitator, coach and student affairs professional who spent the past year as interim Associate Director of Student Retention Initiatives and Support, and founder of My Invisible Knapsack. Her point throughout: a siloed staff cannot build community for students.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:32 Meet Emily Roh

01:59 Why student affairs and youth development

03:58 Defining an exceptional student experience

06:56 Eight years to a degree and starting My Invisible Knapsack

11:02 Six cultural centers, one restructured team

13:35 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and building trust

16:26 Team development meetings and building the container

19:04 Teaching conflict, toxins and antidotes

21:19 The spiral effect to students and fall training

23:55 The web and ball activity across siloed centers

26:24 Tree branding and building camaraderie

28:33 Where to start: facilitation training

31:13 Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

33:27 Discomfort is not the same as unsafe

37:24 First moves for building trust that holds

40:36 Closing thoughts


You can follow Emily Roh here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/emilyroh


Learn more about My Invisible Knapsack:

Website - https://cpp.edu

]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Anna Moustakas Anna Moustakas 2522 Emily Roh walked into six cultural centers at Cal Poly Pomona that had lost half their team, been restructured into a shared office, and had two weeks until fall training, all under federal pressure that redefined what inclusion work could look like. She started with the staff, not the students: team development meetings, a card game built for vulnerability, and lessons drawn from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Emily is a facilitator, coach and student affairs professional who spent the past year as interim Associate Director of Student Retention Initiatives and Support, and founder of My Invisible Knapsack. Her point throughout: a siloed staff cannot build community for students.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:32 Meet Emily Roh

01:59 Why student affairs and youth development

03:58 Defining an exceptional student experience

06:56 Eight years to a degree and starting My Invisible Knapsack

11:02 Six cultural centers, one restructured team

13:35 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and building trust

16:26 Team development meetings and building the container

19:04 Teaching conflict, toxins and antidotes

21:19 The spiral effect to students and fall training

23:55 The web and ball activity across siloed centers

26:24 Tree branding and building camaraderie

28:33 Where to start: facilitation training

31:13 Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

33:27 Discomfort is not the same as unsafe

37:24 First moves for building trust that holds

40:36 Closing thoughts


You can follow Emily Roh here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/emilyroh


Learn more about My Invisible Knapsack:

Website - https://cpp.edu

]]> student belonging, facilitation, team trust, conflict resolution, student affairs, residential life, cultural centers, community building, team development, student success No Why Students Really Drop Out (Not Grades) 3 3 Why Students Really Drop Out (Not Grades) full 12366574-4f2d-4cdd-a5d4-5e78debccb20 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a2ffbcee GPA measures whether a student can perform. It says nothing about whether they feel seen, know where to go when a class goes wrong, or believe they can find themselves in the community around them. Elsy Ayoub, Assistant Director, Student Retention at the University of Miami, works in that gap. Drawing on both American and Scandinavian models of education and a special education background, she talks with Anna Moustakas about belonging as an ecosystem, the four capacities students carry out the door, and why the questions an institution asks decide what it optimizes for.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:35 Meeting Elsy Ayoub

02:16 A college memory that stayed with her

03:55 From pre-med to education by accident

07:38 Discovering passion in the doing

11:00 Can education be different

15:15 Designing beyond the average student

17:56 Why students really drop out

18:09 Belonging as an ecosystem, not an event

21:36 GPA eight and normalizing challenges

25:47 Where to start: changing the questions

27:04 From skills to the four capacities

29:39 What AI can and cannot do

31:29 Words create worlds

34:27 Success stories and the domino effect

35:56 The most impactful practice

38:47 Design thinking and failing fast and forward

40:16 Closing the gap and goodbye


You can follow Elsy Ayoub here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/elsy-ayoub-1b58a31b4


Learn more about University of Miami:

Website - https://miami.edu

]]> GPA measures whether a student can perform. It says nothing about whether they feel seen, know where to go when a class goes wrong, or believe they can find themselves in the community around them. Elsy Ayoub, Assistant Director, Student Retention at the University of Miami, works in that gap. Drawing on both American and Scandinavian models of education and a special education background, she talks with Anna Moustakas about belonging as an ecosystem, the four capacities students carry out the door, and why the questions an institution asks decide what it optimizes for.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:35 Meeting Elsy Ayoub

02:16 A college memory that stayed with her

03:55 From pre-med to education by accident

07:38 Discovering passion in the doing

11:00 Can education be different

15:15 Designing beyond the average student

17:56 Why students really drop out

18:09 Belonging as an ecosystem, not an event

21:36 GPA eight and normalizing challenges

25:47 Where to start: changing the questions

27:04 From skills to the four capacities

29:39 What AI can and cannot do

31:29 Words create worlds

34:27 Success stories and the domino effect

35:56 The most impactful practice

38:47 Design thinking and failing fast and forward

40:16 Closing the gap and goodbye


You can follow Elsy Ayoub here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/elsy-ayoub-1b58a31b4


Learn more about University of Miami:

Website - https://miami.edu

]]> Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Anna Moustakas Anna Moustakas 2541 GPA measures whether a student can perform. It says nothing about whether they feel seen, know where to go when a class goes wrong, or believe they can find themselves in the community around them. Elsy Ayoub, Assistant Director, Student Retention at the University of Miami, works in that gap. Drawing on both American and Scandinavian models of education and a special education background, she talks with Anna Moustakas about belonging as an ecosystem, the four capacities students carry out the door, and why the questions an institution asks decide what it optimizes for.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:35 Meeting Elsy Ayoub

02:16 A college memory that stayed with her

03:55 From pre-med to education by accident

07:38 Discovering passion in the doing

11:00 Can education be different

15:15 Designing beyond the average student

17:56 Why students really drop out

18:09 Belonging as an ecosystem, not an event

21:36 GPA eight and normalizing challenges

25:47 Where to start: changing the questions

27:04 From skills to the four capacities

29:39 What AI can and cannot do

31:29 Words create worlds

34:27 Success stories and the domino effect

35:56 The most impactful practice

38:47 Design thinking and failing fast and forward

40:16 Closing the gap and goodbye


You can follow Elsy Ayoub here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/elsy-ayoub-1b58a31b4


Learn more about University of Miami:

Website - https://miami.edu

]]> student belonging, student retention, capacity building, critical thinking, residential life, dropout prevention, student success, design thinking, special education, higher education No Sharing Skills, Not Hoarding Them: Jessica Carron on Student Support 2 2 Sharing Skills, Not Hoarding Them: Jessica Carron on Student Support full 23213002-2fe2-471f-bb7c-0ddcc9027211 https://share.transistor.fm/s/4cc1942e Students arrive at college with fewer social skills, a different baseline in mental and physical health, and a different academic starting point than a decade ago, and the offices meant to support them keep getting smaller. Jessica Carron, Senior Associate Dean of Students at Lewis & Clark College, runs an office of two and covers conduct, case management, BIT teams, on call, and campus living. She talks with Anna Moustakas about restorative practice, training other staff to carry a five part conflict program across campus, using AI honestly, and choosing the practices worth keeping.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:33 Meet Jessica Carron and her many hats

02:00 Why she stayed in higher ed

04:13 What an exceptional student experience means

05:42 How student belonging has changed in 20 years

09:06 AI in higher education and student pushback

12:48 Using AI as a tool, weighing the cost

18:09 From avoiding conflict to restorative practice

19:05 The first conduct case that changed her view

21:59 Sharing information instead of hoarding it

24:48 Training every office in the conflict program

27:02 Inside the five part conflict series

30:00 Doing more with less on a small budget

34:20 Using data and technology to pick what works

37:37 Communication as the root of community

38:22 One practice: tell me more about that

39:09 Wait time and reflecting words back


You can follow Jessica Carron here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/jessicacarron


Learn more about Lewis & Clark College:

Website - https://lclark.edu

]]> Students arrive at college with fewer social skills, a different baseline in mental and physical health, and a different academic starting point than a decade ago, and the offices meant to support them keep getting smaller. Jessica Carron, Senior Associate Dean of Students at Lewis & Clark College, runs an office of two and covers conduct, case management, BIT teams, on call, and campus living. She talks with Anna Moustakas about restorative practice, training other staff to carry a five part conflict program across campus, using AI honestly, and choosing the practices worth keeping.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:33 Meet Jessica Carron and her many hats

02:00 Why she stayed in higher ed

04:13 What an exceptional student experience means

05:42 How student belonging has changed in 20 years

09:06 AI in higher education and student pushback

12:48 Using AI as a tool, weighing the cost

18:09 From avoiding conflict to restorative practice

19:05 The first conduct case that changed her view

21:59 Sharing information instead of hoarding it

24:48 Training every office in the conflict program

27:02 Inside the five part conflict series

30:00 Doing more with less on a small budget

34:20 Using data and technology to pick what works

37:37 Communication as the root of community

38:22 One practice: tell me more about that

39:09 Wait time and reflecting words back


You can follow Jessica Carron here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/jessicacarron


Learn more about Lewis & Clark College:

Website - https://lclark.edu

]]> Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0700 Anna Moustakas Anna Moustakas 2481 Students arrive at college with fewer social skills, a different baseline in mental and physical health, and a different academic starting point than a decade ago, and the offices meant to support them keep getting smaller. Jessica Carron, Senior Associate Dean of Students at Lewis & Clark College, runs an office of two and covers conduct, case management, BIT teams, on call, and campus living. She talks with Anna Moustakas about restorative practice, training other staff to carry a five part conflict program across campus, using AI honestly, and choosing the practices worth keeping.


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Gemenskap Series

00:33 Meet Jessica Carron and her many hats

02:00 Why she stayed in higher ed

04:13 What an exceptional student experience means

05:42 How student belonging has changed in 20 years

09:06 AI in higher education and student pushback

12:48 Using AI as a tool, weighing the cost

18:09 From avoiding conflict to restorative practice

19:05 The first conduct case that changed her view

21:59 Sharing information instead of hoarding it

24:48 Training every office in the conflict program

27:02 Inside the five part conflict series

30:00 Doing more with less on a small budget

34:20 Using data and technology to pick what works

37:37 Communication as the root of community

38:22 One practice: tell me more about that

39:09 Wait time and reflecting words back


You can follow Jessica Carron here:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/jessicacarron


Learn more about Lewis & Clark College:

Website - https://lclark.edu

]]> student belonging, restorative justice, conflict resolution, residential life, student affairs, higher education, AI, staff training, student conduct, community building No Building Intentional Student Communities: Gemenskap Series 1 1 Building Intentional Student Communities: Gemenskap Series trailer 21c82d2e-7b9a-4926-9940-c0ceec1948ca https://share.transistor.fm/s/b66ffe9a For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live.

Gemenskap brings together housing directors, residential life leaders, student affairs professionals, and RAs for honest conversations about the real work behind student belonging, social-emotional growth, and persistence.

Each episode explores how practitioners are building communities where students are truly understood - from roommate conflict resolution and early intervention to community design and RA support. No corporate jargon. No easy answers. Just the people doing the hard, precise, human work of creating residential experiences that matter.

Whether you manage on-campus residence halls, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), or off-campus residential communities, this podcast speaks to a shared mission: creating spaces where students don't just live, but grow.

Enabling self-excellence through community and understanding.

--

Sponsored by Coly.io - the student insight platform helping universities understand who their students really are, and build residential communities where students belong and persist. Learn more at https://coly.io

]]> For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live.

Gemenskap brings together housing directors, residential life leaders, student affairs professionals, and RAs for honest conversations about the real work behind student belonging, social-emotional growth, and persistence.

Each episode explores how practitioners are building communities where students are truly understood - from roommate conflict resolution and early intervention to community design and RA support. No corporate jargon. No easy answers. Just the people doing the hard, precise, human work of creating residential experiences that matter.

Whether you manage on-campus residence halls, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), or off-campus residential communities, this podcast speaks to a shared mission: creating spaces where students don't just live, but grow.

Enabling self-excellence through community and understanding.

--

Sponsored by Coly.io - the student insight platform helping universities understand who their students really are, and build residential communities where students belong and persist. Learn more at https://coly.io

]]> Mon, 18 May 2026 11:51:42 -0700 Anna Moustakas Anna Moustakas 34 For students to succeed, they need to feel they belong - and that starts where they live.

Gemenskap brings together housing directors, residential life leaders, student affairs professionals, and RAs for honest conversations about the real work behind student belonging, social-emotional growth, and persistence.

Each episode explores how practitioners are building communities where students are truly understood - from roommate conflict resolution and early intervention to community design and RA support. No corporate jargon. No easy answers. Just the people doing the hard, precise, human work of creating residential experiences that matter.

Whether you manage on-campus residence halls, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), or off-campus residential communities, this podcast speaks to a shared mission: creating spaces where students don't just live, but grow.

Enabling self-excellence through community and understanding.

--

Sponsored by Coly.io - the student insight platform helping universities understand who their students really are, and build residential communities where students belong and persist. Learn more at https://coly.io

]]> student belonging, residential life, student affairs, housing directors, roommate matching, student retention, higher education, campus housing, student success, social-emotional learning, RA support, residence halls, PBSA, student engagement, community design, roommate conflict, student persistence, on-campus housing, residential education, student wellbeing, dropout prevention, university housing, student incident No