{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Small College America","title":"Wes Brooks, Vice President for Student Life at Augustana College — Inside the Work of Student Life Leaders","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1775,"description":"Dean Hoke: “Welcome to Small College America, a podcast dedicated to exploring the role and value of small colleges in the higher education landscape. I'm Dean Hoke, and I’m joined by my co-host, Kent Barnds.  Kent:  We have joining us today, Dr. Wes Brooks, who serves as Vice President and Dean of Student Life at Augustana College, where he leads a wide portfolio supporting student success, including residential life, athletics, counseling services, public safety, and campus engagement. Known for his energetic, student-centered leadership style, Wes plays a key role in shaping campus culture and advancing holistic student development.Before joining Augustana, he held leadership roles at Iowa Wesleyan University, Wartburg College, and Grand View University—even spending time early in his career as an assistant men’s basketball coach.Wes earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand View and both his master’s and Ph.D. in higher education from Iowa State University.  Outside of work, he enjoys family time, coaching youth sports, golf, and theater—bringing that same enthusiasm into everything he does on campus Question 1: Career Path and RoleDean: Wes, how did you enter the field of student life, and what drew you to this work? Follow-Up: For listeners who may not fully understand the scope of the position, how would you describe what a Vice President for Student Life does at a college like Augustana? Question 2: Mental HealthKent: Across higher education, we keep hearing that student mental health needs have grown significantly. From where you sit at a small college like Augustana, what has changed the most — and how has that reshaped the work of Student Life?Follow-Up: When students arrive at a small college, what’s one challenge that catches both the students and their parents by surprise — something they rarely anticipate going in?Question 3: Retention RoleDean: Wes, At many small private colleges, persistence isn’t driven only by academics — it’s closely connected...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/znlC7CX69qE7r5pUJE2XJslxrx-kQRnGqXvS0RvbqbM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kMjAw/ZTk5Nzg4NDA4ODlj/NjI1MzgwOTJjYTY5/MmUzYi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}