In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett sits down with Dr. Stanley Bazile, Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life at Ithaca College, to explore what it truly means to put students first and how institutions can show up for students when it matters most.
Dr Bazile leads more than 200 professional staff and over 1,000 student employees at Ithaca College, advancing student engagement, leadership, well-being, and success. With previous leadership roles at St. Francis College and deep involvement in national student affairs organizations, he brings both academic and practitioner perspectives to the work of student success.
The conversation begins with what makes Ithaca College distinctive—from its renowned performing arts and communications alumni to its commitment to creating an environment where students feel safe, supported, and intellectually challenged. Dr. Bazile shares how Ithaca embraces the idea of community over individuality, grounding its culture in the belief that students should never have to navigate college alone.
This conversation is a moving reminder that student success is built on relationships, empathy, and shared responsibility—and that the most meaningful impact often happens outside the syllabus.
