Higher Ed Pulse

Today, listeners get an inside look at how one institution is moving from AI experimentation to structured implementation. Mallory sits down with Joe Manok, Vice President of Advancement at Clark University and founder of GlobalPhilanthropy.ai, to unpack how his team is building seven purpose-built AI agents with governance, budgets, and human oversight built in from day one.

Rather than chasing hype around AI in higher education, Joe outlines a disciplined, ethical, and ROI-focused approach to deploying AI agents in advancement. This episode is a must-listen for enrollment marketers, advancement leaders, and higher ed innovators looking for a practical roadmap to scale impact without sacrificing trust.

Related Article: Lessons from Morgan Stanley

- - - -

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 episode of Pulse Check: The Reputation Rethink, we turn to two areas where public skepticism about higher education becomes more pronounced: money and local community impact.

Ologie’s national study revealed that most people believe colleges and universities provide value to society, but when the conversation shifts to how institutions are funded and how they show up in their communities, confidence begins to waver.

Host Dayana Kibilds is joined by Doug Edwards, Chief Strategy Officer at Ologie, and Dr. Cassie Dutton, Research Director at Ologie, to unpack what the data tells us. Only 39% of respondents believe taxpayer dollars are being allocated to the areas they care most about. At the same time, only about half say they see meaningful benefits from their local colleges and universities.

Together, they explore where that skepticism comes from, what people actually want to see prioritized, and how institutions can respond in ways that feel clear, visible, and grounded in everyday life. This episode is about understanding the gap between value and visibility, and what it would take to close it.

Guest Bio (Doug Edwards): Doug is a seasoned professional who’s dedicated his career to helping brands do more good for the world. With 20 years of experience across healthcare, education, cultural institutions, and non-profits, Doug helps senior leaders and marketing teams navigate their toughest brand related challenges. He thrives at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and design and currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Ologie where he leads the research and strategy team. 

Guest Bio (Cassie Dutton, PhD): Cassie brings a unique perspective to her work, combining 10+ years of academic research and consumer insights experience. She’s conducted academic research on the immigrant experience, veterans perspectives on social issues, and public policy and worked with strategists and consumers at some of the world's largest brands. What ties this all together? A real passion for utilizing data to tell stories and get to the “so what.” As a qualitative and quantitative researcher, Cassie loves finding just the right methods and approach to get at the heart of a question. When she’s not drafting research design, analyzing data, or moderating, you can find Cassie at her local independent bookstore or stamping her passport on an international adventure.

Host Bio (Dayana Kibilds): With 15 years of experience, Dayana Kibilds has led award-winning work with universities around the world. An international keynote speaker and one of London, Ontario’s 20 Under 40, she is known for making complex ideas clear, practical, and possible. She loves to teach and share what she knows through her email book Mailed It!, as well as through her workshops, courses, her work with young professionals at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Summer Institutes, and her weekly newsletter. A lifelong immigrant who grew up in six countries, Day is now happily Canadian and lives with her husband, Bruno, and son, Romeo.

- - - -

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 episode of Higher Ed Pulse, hosted by Mallory Willsea, listeners hear directly from a senior marketing major navigating AI in higher education in real time. Mallory sits down with Sydney Yund, a University at Albany student, to unpack what it means to prepare for entry-level roles in an AI-powered workforce.

From prompt engineering assignments to AI screening job applications, this conversation explores how today’s students are using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude in both the classroom and internship settings. If you’re wondering whether higher ed is truly preparing students for the future of work, this episode offers a refreshingly candid—and energizing—student perspective.

Article: Something Big Is Happening

- - - -

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.

People believe research matters. What they don’t always see is how it shows up in their lives.

In this episode of Pulse Check: The Reputation Rethink, host Dayana Kibilds digs into one of the clearest findings from Ologie’s national study: across politics, geography, and education level, the public overwhelmingly agrees that research — especially in STEM and medicine — is higher education’s most important contribution beyond teaching.

And yet, only about two-thirds of people believe colleges and universities are actually making an impact through research.

So what closes that gap? Clearer storytelling.

Day is joined by two higher ed communications leaders who have built national campaigns around that exact idea:

• Marina Cooper, Senior Associate Vice President for Integrated Marketing and Brand at Johns Hopkins University, behind the Research Saves Lives campaign
• Kamrhan Farwell, Senior Vice President of University Relations at Boston University, behind the You Are Why campaign

Together, they unpack how research storytelling can:

• Make complex work feel real and relevant
• Build public trust without politicizing the message
• Mobilize partners across campus, government, and advancement
• Energize internal communities as much as external audiences

Guest Bio (Marina Cooper): Marina Cooper is the Senior Associate Vice President for Integrated Marketing and Brand at Johns Hopkins University. With more than two decades of experience in strategic communications and brand leadership across higher education and the public sector, Marina has built a career at the intersection of storytelling, reputation, and impact. Before joining Johns Hopkins, she served as Vice President for University Marketing and Communications at Towson University. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by I-95 Magazine, Marina remains an active voice in the higher education marketing community, serving on national boards and contributing her expertise to organizations such as the American Marketing Association and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Guest Bio (Kamrhan Farwell): Kamrhan Farwell is Senior Vice President of University Relations at Boston University, overseeing marketing and communications, as well as federal, state and local government relations. She joined Boston University in April 2025, following top leadership roles at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the University of Missouri. Prior to her 14-year career in university communications, Farwell served as education editor for a decade at the Dallas Morning News.

Host Bio (Dayana Kibilds): With 15 years of experience, Dayana Kibilds has led award-winning work with universities around the world. An international keynote speaker and one of London, Ontario’s 20 Under 40, she is known for making complex ideas clear, practical, and possible. She loves to teach and share what she knows through her email book Mailed It!, as well as through her workshops, courses, her work with young professionals at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Summer Institutes, and her weekly newsletter. A lifelong immigrant who grew up in six countries, Day is now happily Canadian and lives with her husband, Bruno, and son, Romeo.

- - - -

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 Willsea sits down with Emma Jamieson, Marketing Manager at Centennial College, to explore how her team has operationalized user-generated content (UGC) into a full-fledged strategy—not a side hustle. Emma reveals how UGC isn’t just performing well; it’s outperforming traditional branded ads in engagement, conversion, and trust. In a world flooded with AI-generated polish, this episode is a must-listen for higher ed marketers looking to prioritize credibility, human-centered storytelling, and results-driven social strategy.

- - - -

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.

Higher education’s reputation is being shaped by a familiar set of headlines: rising costs, political pressure, campus conflict, layoffs, and closures. It’s the story we keep hearing, and it’s loud.

But in this episode, we ask: is that the story most people actually believe?

In the first episode of this five-part Pulse Check series, host Day Kibilds is joined by Doug Edwards, Chief Strategy Officer at Ologie, and Dr. Cassie Dutton, Research Director at Ologie, to introduce The Reputation Rethink, Ologie’s national study on public perception of higher education.

Together, they define what “reputation” really means in this research, explain who was included and why, and share the study’s most encouraging (and challenging) insight: people believe colleges and universities contribute real value to society beyond educating students, but they struggle to see that impact in their everyday lives. This episode sets the foundation for the five specific areas institutions can address to close that gap and reconnect with the public.

Host - Dayana Kibilds (LinkedIn)
With 15 years of experience, Dayana Kibilds has led award-winning work with universities around the world. An international keynote speaker and one of London, Ontario’s 20 Under 40, she is known for making complex ideas clear, practical, and possible. She loves to teach and share what she knows through her email book Mailed It!, as well as through her workshops, courses, her work with young professionals at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Summer Institutes, and her weekly newsletter. A lifelong immigrant who grew up in six countries, Day is now happily Canadian and lives with her husband, Bruno, and son, Romeo.

Guest - Doug Edwards (LinkedIn)
Doug is a seasoned professional who’s dedicated his career to helping brands do more good for the world. With 20 years of experience across healthcare, education, cultural institutions, and non-profits, Doug helps senior leaders and marketing teams navigate their toughest brand related challenges. He thrives at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and design and currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Ologie where he leads the research and strategy team. 

Guest - Cassie Dutton, PhD (LinkedIn)
Cassie brings a unique perspective to her work, combining 10+ years of academic research and consumer insights experience. She’s conducted academic research on the immigrant experience, veterans perspectives on social issues, and public policy and worked with strategists and consumers at some of the world's largest brands. What ties this all together? A real passion for utilizing data to tell stories and get to the “so what.” As a qualitative and quantitative researcher, Cassie loves finding just the right methods and approach to get at the heart of a question. When she’s not drafting research design, analyzing data, or moderating, you can find Cassie at her local independent bookstore or stamping her passport on an international adventure.

- - - -

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 Willsea sits down with Ardis Kadiu, co-founder of AI Idea Lab and former CEO of Element451, to explore why 2026 is poised to be the breakout year for agentic AI in higher education. Unlike traditional AI tools that assist with tasks, agentic AI can now plan, execute, and deliver outcomes autonomously. They unpack how this shift will impact student communication, operational workflows, and the very structure of work across campuses. Tune in to hear real-world applications, insights into Ardis’s new venture Andy.AI, and how enrollment leaders can start leveraging these tools today.

Register for AI Engage Summit for FREE: https://element451.com/february-ai-engage-summit

- - - -

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, Carrie Phillips sits down with Jeff Ebbing for a practical, no-nonsense conversation about AI from a community college perspective. Jeff shares what it really looks like to think about AI when “doing more with less” is the daily reality, including what’s worth trying, what’s not, and how to bring skeptical colleagues along without overselling the technology. They talk about where community colleges are getting AI right and how to take smart, low-risk steps forward.

Guest Name: Jeff Ebbing, Director of Marketing and Communications, Southeastern Community College in Iowa 

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffebbing/

Guest Bio: Jeff Ebbing is currently Director of Marketing and Communications at the Southeastern Community College in Iowa, a position he’s held since 2005. In that time, he tripled the size of his department to three people, survived a handful of website relaunches, and has outlived the meteoric rise and spectacular flame out of more than his share of social media platforms.

- - - -

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 Willsea sits down with Jaime Hunt — founder of Solve Higher Ed and former cabinet-level CMO — to discuss why more institutions are turning to fractional marketing leadership instead of hiring full-time CMOs. As the role of marketing in higher ed has evolved rapidly, many campuses are struggling to keep up with growing demands. This episode explores the tension between expectations and reality and unpacks how fractional CMOs can fill leadership gaps during key inflection points. Whether you're restructuring your MarCom office or navigating leadership turnover, this episode delivers a clear-eyed look at a fast-emerging trend.

Apply by Feb 10 for Let’s Go Upstate

- - - -

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.

Carrie Phillips chats with Alice Maxwell to discuss how AI intersects with student-centered work. As someone who leads a marketing and communications team within student affairs, Alice shares how she’s thinking about AI through the lens of trust, communication, and bringing people along through change. They talk honestly about skepticism, what’s working, and how to use AI without losing the human connection that matters so much in Student Affairs. If you’re navigating AI in roles where people come first, this conversation will feel familiar, in a good way.

Guest Name: Alice Maxwell, Senior Director of Marketing & Communication, Division of Student Affairs, Florida State University

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-maxwell-2159154/

Guest Bio: Alice Maxwell serves as the Florida State University Senior Director of Marketing and Communications in the Division of Student Affairs. She is skilled in leading an award-winning creative team, managing multiple mission-focused marketing projects, developing and executing integrated marketing and communications campaigns, helping constituents adapt through change management, keeping colleagues informed and inspired through internal communications and growing awareness through public relations. Prior to arriving at Florida State in 2021, Alice worked as a director in community college strategic communications, integrated marketing and change management. She has also worked in communications at private university, Drury University, where she earned a master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications.

- - - -

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.