Mission Admissions

In this episode Jeremy discusses the increasing trend of transfer enrollment with his guest Ben Houston. They explore the challenges and opportunities within this population, the importance of utilizing data, and the need for a supportive environment when transfer students start their journey on a new campus.

Guest Name: Ben Houston, Associate Director for Transfer Admissions, University of Indianapolis

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-houston-m-a-7b23173a/

Guest Bio: Ben is the Associate Director for Transfer Admissions at the University of Indianapolis. He started at UIndy in 2016 as a Graduate & Adult Learning Programs admissions counselor, and has overseen all transfer student recruiting, as well as development and implementation of new transfer enrollment initiatives and supports, since 2019.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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 Episode 57 of the Mission Admissions podcast, host Jeremy Tiers sits down with John Azoni, a video storytelling expert and owner of Unveiled, to explore how colleges and universities can leverage video content to engage prospective students. From crafting student testimonials to creating scalable video systems, this episode dives into actionable strategies for enrollment marketers to harness the power of video in an increasingly digital and visual world. If you're looking to better connect with Gen Z or improve your institution's video marketing strategy, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways

• Video is the preferred medium for Gen Z: Over 70% of students say they’d rather watch a video on a college’s social media page than read an email.
• Start small with scalable content: Focus on low-input, high-reward formats like man-on-the-street interviews or video podcasts that can be repurposed across multiple platforms.
• Focus on storytelling, not just promotion: Authentic student stories showcasing transformation resonate far more than generic promotional content.
• Match video to platform: Avoid repurposing polished, commercial-style videos on Instagram or TikTok. Instead, align content style with user expectations on each platform.
• Test and adapt: Use metrics like watch time, click-through rates, and audience engagement to refine your video strategy and double down on what works.

Why Video is a Must-Have in Enrollment Marketing 
Jeremy kicks off the episode with data that underscores the importance of video in higher education marketing. With platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram dominating the daily habits of Gen Z, colleges that fail to incorporate video content into their strategies risk falling behind. John emphasizes that video is particularly powerful for storytelling because it resonates with younger audiences who’ve grown up in a video-first world.

But the challenge isn’t just creating videos—it’s creating systems for video production. John notes that many schools feel overwhelmed by the idea of consistently producing content, often citing budget constraints and lack of bandwidth. His advice? Start small with simple, repeatable formats like "man-on-the-street" interviews or video podcasts that can generate a wealth of content in one shoot.

Overcoming Barriers to Video Production 
When asked why more schools aren’t embracing video, John points to two main obstacles: a lack of systems and a misunderstanding of ROI. Many higher ed leaders view video as a one-off project rather than an ongoing strategy. This mindset can lead to hesitation, as video doesn’t always deliver immediate results. However, John explains that video is a long-term investment that builds brand trust and awareness over time.

To combat concerns about bandwidth, John suggests prioritizing scalable content. For example, interviewing multiple students in a single day can provide months of social media content. Similarly, video podcasts can be broken into smaller clips for different platforms, ensuring a steady stream of engaging content without overwhelming your team.

Creating Impactful Student Testimonials 
One of the most valuable uses of video in enrollment marketing is showcasing authentic student testimonials. John highlights a simple yet powerful format:

• Old Normal: Where the student was before they joined the institution.
• Turning Point: What happened to shift their perspective or decision.
• New Normal: How the institution transformed their life or career trajectory.

By focusing on transformation and “side door” content—unique, personal stories that don’t feel like marketing speak—schools can create testimonials that resonate deeply with prospective students. For example, instead of asking generic questions like “What do you like about this school?” focus on specific moments or challenges that shaped the student’s journey.

Balancing Authenticity and Brand Guidelines  
Another common hurdle for higher ed marketers is balancing authenticity with brand consistency. John argues that while a baseline level of consistency is essential (e.g., fonts, logos, and colors), schools shouldn’t be so rigid that they miss opportunities to create engaging content.

He points out that Gen Z values realness over polish. Overly glossy, commercial-style videos can come across as “fake” to students, especially when they’re looking for genuine insights into campus life. Schools should embrace a mix of polished and raw content, leveraging vlogs, user-generated content, and unfiltered stories to build trust.

Distribution is Key: Meeting Students Where They Are 
Creating great videos is only half the battle—distribution is just as important. John emphasizes the need for a strategic approach to where and how videos are shared. For example:

• Use short, snappy videos on Instagram and TikTok to capture attention at the top of the funnel.
• Place longer, more detailed videos (like testimonials or program overviews) on landing pages or in email follow-ups for students deeper in the decision-making process.
• Think beyond traditional platforms. For instance, embed videos in automated emails or include them in SMS campaigns to create a more dynamic communication experience.

Ultimately, John urges marketers to view video as part of the student journey, not just a standalone asset.

Common Mistakes in Higher Ed Video Marketing 
Jeremy and John also discuss common pitfalls schools should avoid:

1. Generic Messaging: Repeating buzzwords like “small class sizes” or “dedicated faculty” fails to differentiate your institution.
2. Overly Glossy Content: Polished commercials often feel inauthentic to Gen Z.
3. One-Size-Fits-All Strategy: A video designed for YouTube might not resonate on Instagram or TikTok. Tailor content to each platform’s audience and format.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Higher Ed Video? 
While higher ed is slow to change, John sees growing interest in short-form video and scalable content systems. He predicts more schools will experiment with student-led vlogs, user-generated content, and videos that directly address prospective students’ concerns. The key, he says, is to focus on what works for your audience. Test, analyze, and iterate. With data-driven insights and a willingness to experiment, schools can create video strategies that truly move the needle.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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 quick take episode, Jeremy shares some important advice that will help admissions teams and enrollment marketers increase their school’s yield.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, Jeremy and Ken Anselment talk through a variety of common situations that many leaders face each year - including retaining staff, micromanaging, giving constructive criticism, and navigating the transition from being a colleague to being someone’s boss. They also unpack why so many leaders continue to deal with imposter syndrome.

Guest Name: Ken Anselment, Vice President for Enrollment Management, RHB

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

Guest Bio: Ken Anselment is Vice President for Enrollment Management at RHB, a division of Strata Information Group. He joined RHB in May 2022 after serving as the Vice President for Enrollment at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he worked for 18 years. Ken’s background in higher ed enrollment spans nearly three decades, beginning at his alma mater, Marquette University. He’s also the host of The Admissions Leadership Podcast, and recently self published a book titled ‘Climbing the Admissions Leadership Peak: Lessons from the ALP.’

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, newly elected 26 year old South Dakota State Senator Amber Hulse shares her thoughts on self awareness, gaining confidence, the importance of mindset and daily habits, as well as other things that have helped her grow and experience success as a young professional.

Guest Name: Amber Hulse

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hulse/

Guest Bio: Amber Hulse is a rising leader who recently became one of the nation’s youngest legislators when she was elected to the South Dakota State Senate at age 26. Originally from Hot Springs, South Dakota, Amber graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Dakota, and went on to receive her law degree from Georgetown Law this past spring. Amber’s dedication to public service extends beyond her legal career, having been named Miss South Dakota 2019 and Miss South Dakota USA 2023. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, Jeremy and Dr. Matt McLendon from the University of Alabama talk about their new, state-of-the-art welcome center, and how the Crimson Tide works hard to create a memorable and immersive visit experience for prospective students and families.

Guest Name: Dr. Matt McLendon, Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Enrollment Management at The University of Alabama

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mclendon/

Guest Bio: Dr. Matthew B. McLendon leads the University of Alabama’s enrollment efforts, providing strategic leadership for enrollment planning, implementation and assessment. He also has fiscal responsibility for all facets of enrollment management. During Matt’s time at UA the university has seen a continued increase in enrollment, setting a new enrollment record of 40,486 students enrolled in fall 2024.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, Jeremy sits down with higher ed middle manager Stephanie Dickerson to talk about a wide-range of leadership topics including empathy, developing your leadership style, accountability, self-care, and organization.

Guest Name: Stephanie Dickerson, Associate Director of Admission, University of Louisville

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-dickerson-m-a-a816779a/

Guest Bio: Stephanie Dickerson is currently in her eighth recruitment cycle with UofL. She began her career there in 2017 as an Admissions Counselor and progressed into a Senior Admissions Counselor role, then the Coordinator of the Dual Credit Program & AP Summer Institute, and now her current role as Associate Director. Stephanie’s responsibilities include the oversight of the first-time freshman recruiters, management of admissions scholarship programs and developing recruitment strategy for attracting diverse students. She also happens to be the current President of the Kentucky Association for College Admission Counseling.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, Jeremy is joined by Chas Williams, Executive Director of Social Media for Clemson University. Chas talks about building out a content calendar, why student interns are essential - and what their interns help with - the importance of creativity and being able to pivot, quantity vs. quality, storytelling differently based on the platform, and more!

Guests Name: Chas Williams, Executive Director of Social Media, Clemson University 

Guest LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaswilliams1/

Guest Bio: I came to Clemson in 2011 as a student and they haven't made me leave yet. During undergrad, I worked as a student manager with the baseball team, which introduced me to social media. After earning a degree in Financial Management in 2015, I spent a year as a graduate assistant for various sports teams before transitioning to the academic side in 2016. I started as a Digital Media Recruiting Strategist and later split my time between Enrollment Management and University Relations. In 2021, I became Clemson’s Social Media Brand Strategist, and in September 2022, I was promoted to Executive Director of Social Media. I now oversee the social strategy for Clemson University, its president, and its student accounts, while also teaching a course on video campaigns in social media as an adjunct lecturer.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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, Jeremy talks with hospitality expert and former Vice President of Hospitality VIP Marketing and Lifestyle VIP Services for Caesars Entertainment,  Pasquale Romano Jr. They discuss the most underrated aspect of customer service, the role that empathy plays in relationship building, why a good employee experience is essential, the importance of constantly auditing the consumer experience, and more! 

Guests Name: Pasquale Romano Jr., Hospitality Expert & Accounts Manager, UrVenue

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pasquale-romano-jr/

Guest Bio: A seasoned hospitality professional with over 15 years of experience in Las Vegas, working with renowned hotels and nightlife/daylife concepts, Pasquale is a firm believer in leading by example and cultivating a culture of collaboration and innovation. Beginning in 2005 he worked his way up the ladder at Palms Casino Resort, eventually becoming their Director of VIP Services. Three years later he moved over to Caesars Entertainment and spent 6 years as their Vice President of Hospitality VIP Marketing and Lifestyle VIP Services. At one point Las Vegas Weekly voted Pasquale #8 of the 53 things Las Vegas should be thankful for. Currently he’s an advisor for UrVenue the leading hospitality technology solution working with well-known hospitality brands like Tao Group, Groot Hospitality, and Wynn Nightlife.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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.

I’m ending Season 3 with a unique and very insightful episode where I’m joined by Mickey Baines who works on the higher ed partner side, and his son Reece who is a high school junior. Their family recently drove up and down the east coast, visiting 12 college campuses. Hear some eye opening feedback and stories about the experiences they had, as well as how the college search process is going. 

Guests Names:
Mickey Baines, Partner and Technology Services Practice Leader, Kennedy & Company
Reece Baines, Junior, Wilson High School, PA

Guests Social:
Mickey Baines - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickeyb/

Guests Bios:
Mickey Baines - As a consultant and former practitioner in higher education, Mickey has over 25 years of experience building, implementing, and leading enrollment and student success systems and teams. In his current consulting role he leads the technology services practice for Kennedy & Company. Under Mickey’s leadership the practice has helped over 225 colleges and universities in their design, implementation, and customization of CRM technologies. 

Reece Baines - Reece is a rising high school junior who has spent this summer visiting many colleges and universities up and down the east coast. He plans to study film and digital arts in college. Reece is an avid drummer, also works part time for a local community organization, and he volunteers as an orientation counselor at his high school. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions 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.