Melissa Richards, the founder of iMarketingMix and author of the upcoming book The 30-60-90-Day Handbook for New Communications and Marketing Leaders in Higher Education, joins FYI host Gil Rogers to talk about how she made a successful leap from the tech industry to higher education, bringing her tech expertise to Virginia Tech, and discover how her recent sabbatical has recharged her focus on entrepreneurial ventures like her freelance business, iMarketingMix. Melissa underscores the critical need for compassionate change in higher education, especially as institutions face challenges like declining enrollments, funding issues, and staff retention struggles.

Melissa and Gil also explore the crucial role of developing leadership teams in higher education. Melissa shares valuable strategies for building trust among executive teams and emphasizes the importance of professional development and effective internal communications. Get a sneak peek at her upcoming book The 30-60-90-Day Handbook for New Communications and Marketing Leaders in Higher Education, which serves as a roadmap for new leaders during their pivotal first 90 days. Don't miss this enlightening conversation packed with actionable strategies and insights for higher education professionals.

For Your Institution Podcast is a production of Mongoose Research.

Welcome and Introduction | 00:00 

Melissa's Career Journey | 00:37 

Current Projects and Sabbatical | 03:17 

Challenges in Higher Education | 04:30 

Strategies for Institutional Change | 06:58 

Writing The 30-60-90-Day Handbook | 11:29 

Leadership Crisis in Higher Ed | 23:59 

Conclusion and Contact Information | 29:18 

RELEVANT LINKS:

• iMarketingMix.com
• Administrators, How Would You Use a Professional Sabbatical?
• Melissa’s LinkedIn
• Melissa’s Email
• College and University Professional Association for Human Resources