Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders
Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Educational Leaders is where educators, leaders, and student success professionals unpack the decisions that shape students, teams, campuses, and communities.
Hosted by Nick “The Zebra” Zizi, this podcast goes beyond surface-level success stories to explore the real choices, turning points, leadership lessons, and even the “knuckleheaded decisions” that help us grow. Each conversation is designed to be insightful, practical, and engaging—giving educational leaders fresh perspective, useful takeaways, and better questions to bring back to their work.
Because in education, every decision is a direction.
Better decisions. Better outcomes.
Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders
Orientation Is Not a Checkbox with Brittany Jackson
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In this episode of Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders, Nick Zizi sits down with Brittany Jackson, Director of Orientation and New Student Programs at North Carolina A&T State University.
Brittany shares why orientation is not just a checklist or a schedule of events. It is often the first real experience students and families have with a campus community, and it can shape how they feel about belonging, safety, support, and student success.
This conversation explores orientation, student transition, first-year experience, family engagement, belonging, leadership, and the early decisions that can shape a student’s semester.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why orientation is more than logistics
• How orientation sets the tone for student success
• Why parents and families are part of the transition process
• What students are often unprepared for when they arrive
• Why students need to decide who they want to be
• How leaders can help students learn to pivot
• Why belonging matters from day one
• How authenticity creates connection with students
• What leaders should pay attention to during orientation
• Practical advice for students before and during orientation
Connect with Brittany Jackson:
LinkedIn: Brittany Jackson
Remember: Better decisions lead to better outcomes.
Learn more about Z-Rated Success:
Visit zratedsuccess.com
Bring Nick Zizi’s Decision Lab keynote or training to your campus, district, or conference:
Visit nickzizi.com