Higher Ed Pulse

Mallory speaks with Zach Hosseini, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President for University Relations at Pace University, about navigating public mistrust in higher education. Despite declining national confidence in the sector, Zach explains why Pace is boldly launching a new brand during "Awesome October". They discuss strategies for breaking out of higher ed's "doom loop," embracing industry disruption, and supporting rising leadership. Finally, Zach previews his programming for the Senior Leader Experience at the upcoming AMA Higher Ed Symposium.

Related Links:
Register for the AI Engage Summit this October
The College Reality Check: What Students Experience vs. What America Believes
Faith in Higher Ed Slips: 38% of Adults Report High Confidence
2026 Survey of College and University Presidents
Presidents Puzzled on Rebuilding Public Trust in Higher Ed
2026 Edelman Trust Barometer
The CUPA-HR 2025 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

What Do We Really Need? Part 2: We Need Better Leads

We need better leads sounds like a diagnosis. In higher education enrollment marketing, it can also become the easiest explanation when applications, deposits, yield, or student fit are not where an institution needs them to be. The real issue may be hiding somewhere else in the prospective student journey.

In the second episode of What Do We Really Need, Ologie Marketing Director Erin Fields talks with Jen Johnson, Ologie's Chief Client Officer, about how colleges and universities can determine whether they have a lead-generation problem or a broader enrollment funnel problem. Drawing on Jen's experience leading both enrollment management and marketing at Queens University of Charlotte, they discuss the pressure enrollment teams face when a class is not coming together and why that pressure can quickly turn into finger-pointing between marketing and admissions.

The conversation looks at the factors that shape lead quality and conversion, including market demand, brand positioning, clear program messaging, CRM strategy, lead nurturing, competition, affordability, and coordination across the institution. Erin and Jen also explore why a campus visit remains one of the strongest signs of student interest and how a personal interaction with an admissions professional can accomplish something a merge tag cannot.

For higher education marketing and enrollment leaders, the episode offers a more useful starting point than simply asking for more names at the top of the funnel. Examine the full student journey, focus on the parts the institution can control, and give marketing and enrollment a shared understanding of the brand, audience, and experience they are responsible for building together.

Ologie is a brand and marketing agency for colleges, universities, and mission-driven organizations. Services include: brand strategy, enrollment marketing, advancement and fundraising, higher-ed web.
 

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

Register for the AI Engage Summit

Mallory sits down with Granit Doshlaku, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Manaferra, to discuss the findings from Manifera's AI Index, which analyzed 200,000 prompts to reveal how AI search engines recommend institutions. Granit explores the role of domain authority, Reddit, and third-party mentions in shaping AI-generated answers, emphasizing that solid SEO fundamentals and off-site brand presence remain crucial for institutional visibility in AI search.

Related Links:
Manaferra’s AI Index
HigherEducationMarketing.com

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

“We need this to go viral” sounds like a clear request. In higher education marketing, though, it can point to several very different goals. Does the institution need greater brand awareness? More engagement from prospective students? More qualified leads? A newsworthy moment? Or does someone simply want to see a bigger number on the social media report?

In the first episode of What Do We Really Need?, Ologie Marketing Director Erin Fields talks with Alicia Camden, Ologie’s Associate Vice President of Digital Creative, about what leaders are really asking for when they want a piece of content to go viral. Drawing from Alicia’s experience leading organic social strategy and developing new content formats, they examine what virality can accomplish, what it cannot guarantee, and why reaching millions of people means very little if those people have no context for the brand.

They also look at the work hidden behind a breakout post. The content itself may take 20 minutes to create, but the conditions that make it successful can take years to build. That includes a clearly defined brand, a distinct voice, a deep understanding of the audience, trust in creative talent, room to experiment, and a social media strategy connected to the institution’s larger enrollment and marketing goals.

For higher ed marketers and social media professionals, the episode offers a practical way to respond when “make it go viral” lands on their desk. Erin and Alicia discuss how to uncover the real objective, ask questions without sounding resistant, and help leaders define what success should look like before anyone starts creating. Alicia also shares an important reminder for early-career marketers: being closer to the platforms, audiences, and daily work gives you expertise worth bringing into the conversation.

Ologie is a brand and marketing agency for colleges, universities, and mission-driven organizations. Services include: brand strategy, enrollment marketing, advancement and fundraising, higher-ed web

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

Mallory welcomes back Jenny Petty, Vice President Industry Relations and Advisory Services SimpsonScarborough, and Marina Cooper, Head of Brand and Marketing at The Johns Hopkins University, to introduce the Next Leader Experience (NLE) program at the upcoming AMA conference in Denver. Designed for rising higher education marketing leaders, NLE bridges critical skill gaps in leadership, financial acumen, cabinet dynamics, strategic planning, and team management. 

Related Links:
2026 AMA Next Leader Experience
Spencer Stuart's 2025 CMO Tenure Study
The Conference Board's CMO+CCO Meter - June 2025
SimpsonScarborough's 2025-26 CMO Study

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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 the final part of this Pulse Check series, Host Michele Ehrhart welcomes Jason Cook, Vice President for Marketing and Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at Baylor University, to discuss how a college degree represents far more than a certificate—it encompasses personal, spiritual, and character growth, alongside critical thinking and leadership. In an era increasingly shaped by AI, human connection and complex problem-solving become key differentiators. Together, they explore how higher education fosters ethical boundaries, adaptability, and personal calling, urging institutions to articulate the enduring, holistic value of the campus experience.

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

Mallory sits down with Erik Toedt, new business leader at Snapchat, to discuss how higher education institutions can effectively reach 13- to 18-year-olds amidst tightening platform ad restrictions. Erik shares valuable lessons from his previous work at TikTok in travel and quick-service dining, emphasizing the power of organic content, strategic retargeting, and authentic, unpolished creative. Learn why institutions must venture beyond traditional platforms, step out of their comfort zones, and commit real support to drive meaningful enrollment growth.

Related Links:
AI Engage Fall Summit 2026
Pew Research Center, Teens' Experiences on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat
Eduventures / Encoura, Who To Turn To: The Roles Impacting Students' College Choices
2025 E-Expectations Trend Report

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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 Part 3 of this Pulse Check Series, host Michele Ehrhart is joined by Tom Addonoizio, Vice President for University Communications & Chief Marketing Officer, to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence in academia and the workforce. They discuss how AI acts as a productivity tool rather than a job replacement, highlighting the growing importance of human success skills like adaptability, collaboration, and critical interpretation.

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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 final episode of our pulse check series, Understanding the Modern Student Journey, Faton Sopa talks with Mark Hatton, Director of Admissions and Marketing at Webster Geneva Campus, to discuss the evolving landscape of international student recruitment and how digital platforms and AI are shifting how students research colleges. Mark emphasizes that despite the rise of online tools, personal relationships with global referral partners and face-to-face connections remain critical in building trust with families. The conversation highlights the value of campus visits and why institutions must remain adaptable to navigate changing global climates.

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.

Mallory is joined by Natalie Gleason, VP of Marketing at Portico, to discuss the critical skill of building internal advocacy for new ideas. They explore why change efforts often stall under committee governance and how to overcome these hurdles by crafting solid business cases, anticipating stakeholder objections, and obtaining early voice-of-customer proof. Natalie shares insights from launching Portico’s new community initiative, offering practical advice on managing resources, executing successful pilots, and checking your ego at the door to turn great concepts into greenlit realities.

Related Links:
Portico’s The Commons community site

Stop Losing Sales to Customer Indecision

Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail

Gartner Sales Survey Finds 74% of B2B Buyer Teams Demonstrate "Unhealthy Conflict" During The Decision Process

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse 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.