About Us

We Find Work Together

The Placement Exchange (TPE) exists as the primary, dynamic career hub in student affairs – working to connect empowered employers with exceptional candidates wanting to make a long-term, meaningful impact with their careers.

Our Vision

A sustainable diverse, fulfilled, healthy and vibrant workforce.

How We Plan to Achieve It

Listen carefully to the voices of employers and applicants in Student Affairs – building our understanding and knowledge of their unique challenges and needs.
Craft guidance for employers on how to tailor positions and postings that find the right candidates to foster the growth and thriving of their student bodies.
Create content that helps applicants become more informed job seekers, capable interviewees, and effective negotiators.
Provide the meeting place online that helps employers and job seekers find each other and build our industry – one great job at a time.
Design experiences and events that give job seekers confidence, give employers opportunity, and ultimately ignite growth in our industry.

Our Guiding Principles

Innovative Practice
Cultivation of Global Knowledge and Learning
Advocacy and Responsiveness
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
Wellbeing of the Individual and the Profession

Presented by NASPA & ACUHO-I

The Placement Exchange exists to connect empowered employers and those wanting to make a long-term, meaningful impact with their careers. Through the strength of our relationship with NASPA and ACUHO-I, TPE is able to say to the field of student affairs, “No matter where you are in your career journey—we’ve got your back!”

NASPA is the professional home for all those working in the field of student affairs, from vice presidents of student affairs to undergraduate students considering a career in the field. We place students at the center of our work, serving the field by creating exceptional professional development opportunities, conducting and sharing key research, nurturing support networks and career pipelines, and advocating for inclusive and equitable practices and communities.

ACUHO-I is the leading organization of choice for campus housing and residence life professionals because we enhance their work to continuously optimize on-campus student living environments. Our members build solutions in collaboration with a wide network of peers, allied organizations, and corporate members who provide diverse expertise, products, and services that enhance the delivery of on-campus housing and promote student well-being.

Meet Our Director

D’Najah Pendergrass Thomas

I started my career in student affairs serving in residence life and housing at Wake Forest University and Duke University. Over the decade that I spent in the field, I developed a passion for supervision and management, recruiting, hiring, and helping my staff with their goals for career advancement. In 2021, I was hired as the Director of TPE to help us envision what it means to provide a year-round career resource and service to the profession. In this role my vision is to create spaces and opportunities for student affairs, as a profession, to tap into the skills and resources needed to be forward-thinking, innovative and competitive in our practices to cultivate and sustain a diverse and robust workforce in student affairs and higher education. Without question, this is a big undertaking! I am confident though, that through listening to the needs of our job seekers and employers, grafting guidance, creating relevant content, and providing high-quality, relevant events and experiences, we will bring the vision to life.

Prior to my career in student affairs, I served as a marketing and communications practitioner in the non-profit sector with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, The Florida Bar and the Florida Psychological Association.

I am a native of Charlotte, NC. I hold a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School, a Master of Science in Sport Management from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Meet the Planning Committee

Learn More

We Find Work Together

Our Vision

How We Plan to Achieve It

Our Guiding Principles

Presented by NASPA & ACUHO-I

Meet Our Director

D’Najah Pendergrass Thomas

The new iteration of The Placement Exchange (TPE) is crucial for our profession as it embraces innovation and adaptability, providing a cutting-edge platform for employers and candidates to connect virtually and in a more accessible format.

TPE provides so many employment opportunities and candidate resources. It really optimizes your chance for finding a quality work experience.

The low-cost search option of TPE Placement gives you access to so many candidates with the exact experiences you are seeking.

Adaptation is one of the most important components for survival for any organization. TPE is the adjustment needed to serve our profession and its needs in a way that is sustainable and timely for today’s audience.

On the fence about TPE? Absolutely do it! Take advantage of the amazing resources that TPE provides to enhance your experience.

Candidates will never have unfettered access to this many employers in the same space at the same time. The ROI on your investment of time and energy to participate will be worth it and you may not have to leave your living room!

As someone who has extensively recruited through TPE, there is nothing better than being able to connect with potential job seekers from all across the country and in different places in their career journey.

Equity has long been a talking and sticking point in our profession of how we recruit, hire and retain talent. Our field has needed a kickstart to how we move hiring and recruitment forward into the future, TPE is and will continue to be that driving force.