Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager

Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Devon Maloney, Associate Director of Digital Marketing at MIT Sloan School of Management. Devon shares insights into how her team crafts eye-catching, value-driven graphic series like "Numbers That Matter" and quote cards tailored for on-platform engagement on Instagram and LinkedIn. They discuss using Canva for scalable template creation, tracking saves and shares over vanity metrics, optimizing content for both humans and LLMs (AEO), and why authentic, tactile content resonates with modern digital audiences.

Guest Name: Devon Maloney, associate director of digital marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Devon Maloney is associate director of digital marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he works to bring the latest business ideas and insights to an audience of global executives. He leads strategy and content development for MIT Sloan’s paid and organic social media channels. With a background in higher education and the performing arts, Devon has worked across industries to develop and implement comprehensive strategic communications initiatives through traditional and new media. Devon earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and holds a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny is joined by Robb Conlon, Founder of Westport Studios, to explore practical advice for higher ed professionals tasked with producing podcasts on limited budgets. They discuss why podcasting requires dedicated time, essential budget-friendly equipment like reliable microphones and wired headphones, and key software tools such as Riverside and Descript. Robb highlights the importance of human-centered storytelling, defining clear target audiences, leveraging dedicated landing pages to capture subscriber data, and effectively managing upper-level leadership expectations.

Westport's Podcast Equipment Cheatsheet: https://www2.westportstudiosllc.com/gear-and-tech-guide-confessions-social-media-manager

Guest Name: Robb Conlon, Founder, Westport Studios

Guest Social: LinkedIn 

Guest Bio: Robb Conlon didn’t always plan on running a thriving podcast agency. But with his experience in radio, with degrees in broadcast communication and digital media, he saw podcast production as an exciting way to use his skills. He dove headfirst into the industry in 2021 and discovered how much he enjoyed helping podcasters develop their niche audience. Clients loved him and his career was headed in a great direction, when his employer wrote in a plot twist: Robb’s work was outsourced (surprise!) and his position, and half of his department, was terminated. And so Robb did what a lot of entrepreneurs do. He leveraged his final $26 and launched a business, with a commitment to putting the needs of clients and his team first. More than five years and 40 clients later, Westport Studios has emerged as a beacon in B2B podcasting, highlighting what’s possible when you build something aligned with your core values.
 

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny welcomes back Maree Jones, the Director of social media strategy at University of Alabama Birmingham, to dive into the intersection of parenting and social media management. They discuss guiding teenagers through digital literacy, the evolving habits of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and how social channels influence college search decisions. Maree also shares insights on Meta's legal settlement regarding addictive features and confesses to presenting a safety slideshow to her son before letting him join social media.

Related Link: https://lnkd.in/p/e6F-Ykfq 

Guest Name: Maree Jones, the Director of social media strategy at University of Alabama Birmingham 

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Maree Jones wears many hats: social media strategist, digital content writer and thought leader, sought-after speaker and emcee, and more. With more than 15 years of experience in the ever-evolving world of digital communication, she now serves as the Director of Social Media Strategy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the largest employer in the state of Alabama and a powerhouse research institution. Her guiding mantra, “Digital relationships are real relationships,” is the foundation of her work and leadership.

Throughout her career, Maree has shaped the online presence of national and global brands across industries, including higher education and technology, healthcare, and consumer products. It’s safe to say you’ve seen her award-winning work online without even realizing it.

When she’s not leading UAB’s social media ecosystem or speaking to audiences about digital culture, this Birmingham, Alabama native is a wife, mom, pet mom, and nonprofit advocate. Learn more at mareejones.com.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny talks with Isabella “Isa” Timiraos, Social Media Specialist at the University of Miami. Isa shares how organic collaborations and proactive community management on Instagram and TikTok drive immense brand growth, and they discuss the power of relationship-building, staying authentic, and experimenting with Gen Z trends.

Guest Name: Isabella “Isa” Timiraos, Social Media Specialist at the University of Miami

Guest Socials:

Guest Bio: Isabella “Isa” Timiraos serves as a Social Media Specialist at the University of Miami, where she manages the university’s flagship Instagram and TikTok accounts, leads content creation and community management, and informs creative and social strategy. Her work has driven substantial audience growth, millions of impressions and engagements, and a thriving network of higher education partnerships earning recognition for innovative collaboration strategies and authentic digital storytelling.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny Li Fowler chats with Joel Renner, VP of Partnerships at MeetYourClass. Joel shares how higher education communicators can establish a campus storytelling network—a human infrastructure made up of champions, connectors, and contributors. They also discuss treating storytelling as an ongoing relationship network rather than a contact list, leveraging authentic organic social media over polished marketing, and how human trust, rather than software, breaks down institutional silos.

Guest Name: Joel Renner, Vice President of Partnerships, MeetYourClass

Guest Socials: 

Guest Bio: Joel Renner is the Vice President of Partnerships at MeetYourClass, where he works with colleges and universities to better understand how students actually make enrollment decisions and how institutions can influence those decisions earlier in the process. MeetYourClass helps enrollment leaders gain visibility into student intent before deposit, improving yield, reducing melt, and strengthening the transition from admission to arrival. Joel brings nearly two decades of experience across higher education strategy, enrollment, and digital engagement. His career has focused on helping institutions connect insight to action, whether through strategic planning, graduate and undergraduate enrollment growth, student success initiatives, or marketing and community-building efforts. 

Prior to MeetYourClass, Joel served as a Strategic Leader at EAB, where he partnered with presidents, provosts, and enrollment leaders at institutions across the country. His work centered on enrollment strategy, market-responsive program development, and building scalable frameworks to improve student outcomes. He also played a key role internally in advancing thought leadership and social selling, helping leaders strengthen their voice and influence in the market. Joel spent more than a decade at The George Washington University, where he led digital strategy and career systems initiatives that significantly expanded the student community connection and employer connectivity. During that time, he also became a recognized voice in higher education marketing and community-building, serving as co-chair of the eduWeb Digital Summit, faculty for CASE’s Social Media and Community programming, and a frequent speaker on how digital behavior shapes the student journey. Across his work, Joel has consistently focused on one idea: student decisions don’t happen in systems, they happen online and with their community. Today, he brings that perspective to MeetYourClass, helping institutions rethink how they engage students before they ever step on campus and follow their journey till they are experienced alumni. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, Joel lives with his wife and three kids. Outside of work, he can usually be found coaching, cooking, or following soccer.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

HeyOrca Newsletter

Jenny explores the evolving landscape of professional networking with Alyssa Pulford, a community strategist at HeyOrca. Alyssa details her multifaceted role, which includes managing a daily newsletter and cultivating a highly engaged Slack community of power users who provide direct feedback to product teams.

Guest Name: Alyssa Pulford, Community Strategist, HeyOrca

Guest Socials:

Guest Bio: Alyssa Pulford is a Community Strategist at HeyOrca who has grown the company's newsletter to 40,000+ subscribers, the HeyOrca Community Facebook Group to 20.000+ members, and has created a private customer community called The HeyOrca Stans. She loves connecting with customers and providing them with the resources that will help them excel in their careers. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny Li Fowler welcomes Jessica VanderKolk, a Public Communications Specialist at East Carolina University. The conversation centers on ECU’s innovative communications department structure, which utilizes a liaison model. Rather than being siloed in a central office, communicators are embedded directly within the colleges they cover. Jessica explains how this geographical proximity fosters deep collaboration, allowing for stronger relationships with faculty and staff and creating an environment where teams share resources rather than acting territorially.

Guest Name:Jessica VanderKolk, public communications specialist at East Carolina University

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Jessica VanderKolk is an award-winning communicator with over two decades of experience spanning newspaper journalism, local government, and higher education. As a public communications specialist at East Carolina University, she crafts compelling stories, manages social media strategy, and drives daily communications for the ECU College of Fine Arts and Communication. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University and is currently pursuing her master’s in strategic communication at ECU. Actively involved in the professional community, she is a member of or volunteers with several government and communications organizations, including the Government Social Media Association. She is a fierce advocate for communication accessibility, transparency, and the non-negotiable use of the Oxford comma. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys life with her spouse, her super-cool teenage son, and their pittie mix. Her favorite ways to unwind include reading, running, enjoying great food, watching “Taskmaster,” and relaxing with a color-by-numbers app.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jenny sits down with Melanie Gonick, the senior video producer at MIT. Having managed MIT's YouTube channel since 2008, Melanie provides a unique historical perspective on the platform’s evolution from an early repository of raw video into the powerful search and entertainment engine it is today. Melanie shares actionable strategies for capturing viewer attention, emphasizing that successful production starts with thoughtful titles, optimized metadata, and eye-catching thumbnails. She highlights the importance of playlists as a tool for community building and content amplification, noting how they help organize vast academic archives into digestible experiences for the audience.

Guest Name: Melanie Gonick, Senior Video Producer, MIT

Guest Socials:
LinkedIn
Instagram

Guest Bio: Melanie Gonick is the Senior Video Producer and Editor at MIT, where she has been helping tell the stories of the Institute’s people and research since 2008. She specializes in translating complex science and engineering into compelling, accessible videos that connect with broad audiences, finding the human stories behind groundbreaking discoveries.

A lifelong North Shore resident, Melanie grew up in a beach town along the Massachusetts coast and now lives on the North Shore with her husband and son. When she’s not behind the camera or in the editing suite, she’s inspired by the challenge of helping people better understand the world through thoughtful visual storytelling.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Shuchita Poddar discusses her experience managing three distinct student content teams at the University of Iowa and reveals how her team successfully leverages authentic, student-driven content to engage prospective students.

Guest Name: Shuchita Poddar, Communications Specialist in the University of Iowa's Office of Admissions

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Shuchita Poddar is a Communications Specialist in the University of Iowa's Office of Admissions, where she manages three student teams across video production, marketing, and a volunteer blogger program. She approaches social media less like a content calendar and more like an anthropologist — deeply curious about why students behave the way they do online, what they actually respond to, and what makes them feel seen. That obsession with understanding people over platforms is what drives her student-first philosophy, and it shows up in everything she creates. If the content doesn't resonate with a real student, it doesn't go up.

Experience Iowa Bloggers: https://blog.admissions.uiowa.edu/

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Higher ed professionals have more conference options than ever before—but with limited budgets, packed calendars, and countless acronyms to navigate, how do you know which events are actually worth your time?

On this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager, host Jenny Li Fowler welcomes back Dr. Josie Ahlquist, higher education consultant, researcher, and longtime conference enthusiast, for a practical conversation about making the most of professional conferences. Together, they unpack the differences between major higher ed gatherings like AMA, NASPA, CASE, NACAC, and emerging niche events, while sharing strategies for maximizing learning, networking, and career growth.

From choosing the right conference for your goals to defining your own "Return on Conference Attendance" (ROCCA), this episode offers actionable advice for both first-time attendees and seasoned conference veterans.

Guest Name: Dr. Josie Ahlquist, CEO and principal of Dr. Josie Ahlquist Inc.

Guest Social: LinkedIn

Guest Bio: Dr. Josie Ahlquist guides educational leaders, organizations, and students to practice purposeful digital leadership through speaking, coaching, and consulting. Her practical, evidence-based frameworks empower clients to build and implement a digital engagement strategy that fits their life, audience, and purpose. Josie’s work is grounded in the grant-funded and award-winning research that has allowed her to train thousands around the globe as a speaker; provide consulting services to institutions and companies; and coach professionals in branding, voice, and positioning.

Josie 's work has appeared in The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration, The Journal of Leadership Studies, NASPA Leadership Exchange, Technology and Higher Education, and Contested Issues in Troubled Times: Student Affairs Dialogues on Equity, Civility, and Safety (Stylus Publishing, 2019). She also served as co-editor and author of the New Directions in Student Services volume Engaging the Digital Generation and the New Directions in Student Leadership volume Going Digital in Student Leadership.

In 2023, Dr. Ahlquist was selected as a NASPA Pillar of the Profession, one of the highest honors for the field of student affairs. Josie is a three-time LinkedIn Top Voice in Education has been recognized by Ed Tech Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Must-Read Higher Education Technology Blogs” for five years. Her podcast, Josie and The Podcast, has been featured by The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. Her new book, Digital Leadership in Higher Education: Purposeful Social Media in a Connected World was listed as an Amazon #1 new release for college and university student life.

Josie received her EdD in higher education leadership from California Lutheran University, an MEd in counseling from Northern Arizona University, and a BA in sociology and human development and family studies from South Dakota State University. Prior to her independent path, Josie spent nearly 15 years on college campuses in areas of student leadership, student activities, residence life, and student affairs communications and marketing. She previous served as a research associate and instructor at Florida State University Leadership Learning Research Center, where her curriculum builds digital literacy and leadership skills for undergraduates to doctoral students.

For more information about Josie Ahlquist’s research, speaking, coaching, and consulting, visit

 www.josieahlquist.com

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Connect With Our Host:
Jenny Li Fowler
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/
https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.