Not the Plan, but the Path: Ashley Nells on Advocacy, Policy, and Purpose

In this episode of the We Grow Aces Podcast, we talk with Ashley Nells--Registrar and Head of Academic Advising & Retention at the University of Evansville--about the winding, grace-filled path that's led her from student to campus leader. Ashley shares how her journey--beginning in archaeology, shifting to history, stepping away from teaching, and moving through roles in admissions--was never a straight line, but always meaningful. It's a story of listening closely to where she felt most alive, most useful, and most grounded in purpose. We explore how she came to find herself in the registrar's office, where structure meets soul: where policy becomes a tool for justice, and where advocating for students is both a practice of leadership and a spiritual act of care. This conversation is about discernment, vocation, and trusting that even detours are part of the design. If you've ever wondered whether your path still 'counts' when it changes shape, Ashley's story is one worth hearing.