As we move closer to the national decision date of May 1st, colleges across the country are developing unique yield events to connect current students with their potential incoming class. On this episode, Nicole Lentine speaks with Ma'ayan, Tanya, and a current Oberlin student about how their virtual panels came to be, and their vital role in connecting their accepted students with each other and with the Oberlin community.

Excellent customer service is the most significant influence on consumer brand perception. Great customer service increases repeat-purchases, customer retention, and allows an organization more pricing-flexibility because customers will gladly pay more for an experience that is not only functionally but emotionally rewarding. Positive service culture can result in lower employee turn-over. Learn how to develop positive service culture through engaging and innovative training techniques from expert Shigeo James Iwamiya.

Postcards, coffee chats, and a helpful hashtag? Using these tools, the University of Minnesota is redefining the role that alumni play in turning prospective students into excited enrollees. While traditional roles such as college fair representative and student interviewer still have a place, hear what UMN and other schools are doing to advance alumni participation in the admissions process – and, with that, boost class yield numbers.

In this edition of Advancement Live, guest host Kim Brown from Syracuse University sits down with Keyana Scales, UMN’s Director of Freshman Recruitment, to talk student recruitment with an alumni engagement focus. Join us!

The Reach Higher initiative is the First Lady's effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. On May 1, "College Signing Day," institutions across the country will be encouraged to share welcome messages with new students on social media. Learn more about the Reach Higher initiative as host Chris D'Orso speaks with the program's executive director Eric Waldo.

How does access to a live feed of what people around you are saying effect your perception of the climate of your campuses, your professional association, or society at large? Regardless of whether you view YikYak as “harmless” or “harmful”, a conversation about the intersections of social media, social justice and social change and what to do about it is a critical next step. How do social justice movements utilize social media to foster social change? What concepts of social justice translate to a digital space? How might social media posts interrupt forward progress towards inclusivity? Finally, what role do all of these platforms play in our lives as student affairs professionals, as social justice activists, and as people who desire a more inclusive and equitable climate in higher education?

Higher Ed Advancement has seen dramatic changes over the past 20 years. During this time, Andy Shaindlin (@alumnifutures) has been a forward thinking observer, analyst, and change agent, encouraging not just his own institutions but also the Advancement professions to experiment and evolve. In this show, Andy will engage in a freewheeling conversation with Host Andrew Gossen about the current Advancement landscape, with a special emphasis on emerging opportunities.

Nine months ago, a team of top scholars, practitioners, and leaders from a range of industries were brought together by ACPA to address the issues facing digital educators, students, and administrators in Higher Education. The multi-pronged charge and full list of committee members can be found on the Digital Task Force website.

What are the new competencies required to be an effective educator in a digital age? How can we best encourage new research? What are the emerging themes that require attention and resources?

On this episode of SA Live, hosts Tony Doody and Heather Shea Gasser, talk with task force leaders Ed Cabellon, Paul Gordon Brown, Laura Pasquini, Julie Payne-Kirchmeier, Kristen Abell, Courtney O’Connell, Josie Ahlquist, and Heather Rowan-Kenyon about their findings, recommendations, and predictions.

Another incident of overt racism hits the 24-hour news cycle. The University of Oklahoma president issues this statement after a video of members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at the University of Oklahoma singing an overtly racist chant is filmed and posted on YouTube. In a media-driven culture, we suspect that the incident will likely fade from airwaves too soon and be forgotten. Yet, many questions remain about the role of fraternities and sororities on college campuses, university administrator’s proactive versus reactive responses, freedom of speech, empowering bystander action, and the overall culture that fosters institutionalized racism.

Join Heather Shea Gasser and guest co-host Dr. Zebulun Davenport as they discuss these questions and more with an esteemed panel. Participating in the conversation are Mark Koepsell, Dr. Susana Muñoz, and Jason Meriwether. Viewers can participate in the discussion online by using the hashtag

The battlefield for undecided prospective students between now and May 1 is fierce. Students without a firm sense of academic direction can feel more conflicted during this time than those with a clear path in mind. How can admissions counselors and communicators reach these students in a meaningful way? What are their pain points during the decision making process and how we put them at ease?