In this episode of the Campus Changemakers Podcast, Ben Hallett sits down with Adam Klepetar, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management at Berkshire Community College, to explore the power of community colleges, holistic student support, and the human side of student success. Adam shares how his own transformational college experience shaped a career dedicated to creating access and opportunity for students. Together, Ben and Adam discuss Berkshire’s remarkable recent growth, the impact of Massachusetts’ free community college initiative, and why investing in advising, mental health, and essential needs support is critical to improving student outcomes. The conversation also dives into leadership, student development theory, AI in higher education, and the importance of preserving human connection in an increasingly digital world. At the heart of the episode is a simple but powerful idea: higher education works best when students feel seen, supported, and connected to a community that believes in their potential.
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In this episode of the student edition of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Sharna Silloux, Vygo’s Global Community Lead, sits down with Rudolf Orbacedo from Griffith University.
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Ben sits down with Dr.Leanne Holt from Macquarie University. She has over twenty-five years of experience in the higher education sector and is the inaugural Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy) at the University.
Phillip has been with Arizona State University (ASU) since 2005. During that time he has been responsible for the creation of the pre-professional advising office at ASU combining the pre-health and pre-law advising activities around campus into a unified office. For the past 5 years, Phillip has overseen the advising and retention efforts of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).
Ben sits down with Matt Hoskins from Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild. He is currently the Head of Student Services and leads nine very talented teams in the delivery of a range of programs, events and services.
Ben sits down with Michael Burgess from Western Sydney University. Michael Burgess joined Western Sydney University in February 2016 as the Chief Student Experience Officer and brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in complex consumer environments.
