What if the key to supporting students with payments isn’t a new policy, but a new tone? In this episode of Talking Tactics, host Dayana Kibilds chats with Karen Sorrell, Senior Business Operations Manager at Carroll Community College, about how one simple change—revamping payment reminder emails—led to big results. By shifting the tone from transactional to supportive, Karen’s team boosted student outreach by 16%, resolved 95% of payment issues for those who responded, and dropped outstanding payments by 11%.

If you’ve ever sent an email that looked more like a warning label than a helping hand, this conversation will inspire you to rethink how you communicate about the most stressful part of the enrollment journey: paying for college.

Guest Name: Karen Sorrell, Senior Business Operations Manager, Carroll Community College

Guest Social: www.linkedin.com/in/karen-sorrell-58745b33b

Guest Bio: Karen Sorrell is a seasoned business operations leader with 25 years of experience in financial management and human resources. She currently serves as Senior Business Operations Manager at Carroll Community College, where she leads strategic initiatives to improve operational efficiency and service delivery. With a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Penn State University—focused on organizational communication and paired with a minor in Spanish—and an MBA in Organizational Leadership, Karen brings a well-rounded, people-centered approach to institutional operations and change management.

Grounded in both communications and lean management principles, Karen is known for her ability to foster strong organizational cultures through clear, empathetic, and intercultural communication. She is especially passionate about supporting students as they navigate complex financial processes, ensuring they feel heard and empowered. Her work combines data-driven decision-making with a collaborative mindset, enabling her to lead successful transformation efforts even in traditionally change-resistant environments.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

In this episode of Talking Tactics, Dayana Kibilds is joined by former Hidden Gem host and current CMO at Carroll Community College, Maya Demishkevich. Maya shares how she tripled enrollment in a continuing education course by creating a more personalized email sequence—and how that tactic has since shaped how her the team approaches course promotion across the board.

You’ll get the inside scoop on the structure, strategy, and psychology behind the emails that got real results.

Guest Name: Maya Demishkevich, Chief Marketing Officer, Carroll Community College

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

Guest Bio: Maya Demishkevich is a digital strategist with a strong focus on creative efficiency. She currently serves as a Chief Marketing Officer at Carroll Community College in Maryland. With over 15 years of experience across diverse educational sectors — including public, private, for-profit, traditional, and online institutions — Maya brings a unique blend of innovative strategy and disciplined execution to her work. As the founder of College Crusader, she provides strategic marketing and social media consulting, consistently delivering practical, results-driven solutions.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Frostburg State University ran a game-changing billing and financial aid texting campaign that engaged 73% of admitted students and their parents—resulting in a 7% reduction in summer melt. 

In this episode, Kristin Miller, Recruitment Communication Manager at Frostburg State, shares how her team leveraged texting to create personal, stress-reducing conversations with students and families. She walks us through the steps to run a texting campaign, the unexpected benefits, and how texting is shaping future engagement efforts across campus. If you're looking for a way to build one-on-one relationships with families while saving staff time, this episode is a must-listen!

Guest Name: Kristin Miller, Recruitment Communications Manager, Frostburg State University

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

Guest Bio: Kristin Miller believes good communication brings people together. It invites people in and makes organizations and their services accessible. As the Recruitment Communication Manager at Frostburg State University, she works to create thoughtful, human-centered messaging to connect with students and parents.

With a background in higher education and nonprofit communication, Kristin has spent her career blending strategy with storytelling, helping institutions build trust. She’s got a special fondness for email communication and making sure the content she creates provides value.  

When she’s not writing or problem-solving, she’s probably playing with her tiny humans or reading about space. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Most fundraisers accept a 1.5% response rate from direct mail as standard. But Brenda Turner? She used cold calls to push that number to a staggering 20%, securing four major donors from just 37 letters.

Brenda, a certified fundraising executive with 16+ years of experience and nearly $1 billion raised, shares the exact tactic that made her outreach so effective. She breaks down her approach—from writing an “audacious” letter to making fearless follow-up calls—and explains why phone calls are an underutilized secret weapon in fundraising.

Guest Name: Brenda Marie Turner, Founder, Turner Divine Consulting

Guest Social: 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendamarieturner/
Instagram - @brendamarieturner

Guest Bio: Brenda has over 16 years of experience as a nonprofit fundraising professional. As an employee and consultant, she has directly raised more than $40 million and has indirectly raised nearly $1 billion. Brenda’s comprehensive experience includes annual giving (direct mail and e-solicitations, volunteer-led peer-to-peer solicitations and phone-a-thons), major gifts, planned giving, corporate partnerships/sponsorships, and institutional giving. She is also well-versed in the management of events, volunteers, staff, and stewardship processes, as well as management of CRMs. She is also a professional singer (mostly opera/classical) and uses those skills when presenting thoughtfully prepared and engaging fundraising concepts to myriad audiences.

Brenda has held an active Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential since 2017, sits on the board of AFP-NYC, the conference planning committee of the African American Development Officers Network, and is a current member of the Women of Color in Fundraisers Association. Learn more at brendamarieturner.com.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Graduate programs often focus on outbound marketing, but what about capturing students who are deciding whether to go back to school in the first place? Purdue Business found a solution that works—blogging. 

Shannon Hess, Director of Content and Communications at the Mitch Daniels School of Business, shares how launching a prospective graduate student blog led to a 425-keyword increase in non-branded organic search rankings, 680 additional website sessions per month, and 400+ new website visitors each month.

In this episode, Shannon walks us through the exact steps Purdue Business took to create a blog that drives real results, from SEO strategy and topic clustering to content creation workflows, and how AI can help. If you're looking to attract highly motivated prospective grad students, this episode is for you. 

• Follow Shannon Hess on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to Talking Tactics for more real-world higher ed marketing tactics that actually work.
• Attending CASE District V or EDU Digital Summit? Catch Shannon’s presentations for more insights on blogging and SEO.
• Want to see the Purdue Business blog in action? https://business.purdue.edu/graduate-programs/blog

Guest Name: Shannon Hess, Director of Content and Communications, Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue University

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

Guest Bio: Shannon is a seasoned marketing leader overseeing brand, content, and creative strategies for the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University. Her proficiency in leveraging data to inform decisions and her drive to continually improve, break silos, and test hypotheses has led to an estimated $7M+ in revenue growth. She is committed to combining creative thinking with emerging technologies and fostering a culture of curiosity, transparency, and quality to solve complex problems and deliver imaginative solutions.

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

In this episode of Talking Tactics, John Azoni, owner and executive producer at UNVEILD, unpacks how to capture impactful video testimonials while saving on cost. John reveals his go-to tactic: using “fill-in-the-blank” questions to draw out strong, structured responses that deliver memorable intros and outros. This simple tactic can cut editing time by up to 10% while guaranteeing your videos start and end with impact. From thinking like an editor to using AI to craft better questions, this episode is packed with actionable tips for creating standout video content.

Watch John’s “fill-in-the-blank” questions in action:

• Outro: “If it weren’t for Baker____” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaeWelrhlnA
• Outro: “Cleary has changed the way I ____” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W9MfPuzAFg

Intro: “Golf is ______” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJsbmtbu54

Guest Name: John Azoni, Owner/Executive Producer at UNVEILD

Guest Links:
Subscribe to John’s Newsletter: https://unveild.tv/newsletter
Follow John’s Podcast: https://unveild.tv/podcast

Guest Socials: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/higheredstorytelling
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HigherEdStorytelling

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

In this special episode, Enrollify’s Marketing Manager, Erin Fields steps into the guest host role to interview Day Kibilds. Day shares an innovative tactic she spearheaded while at Western University: a two-way texting initiative that connected admitted students to professors, current students, and alumni during the chaos of 2020. With over 4,000 personalized conversations, this approach led to a surprising boost in yield at a time when higher ed faced unprecedented challenges. Get ready to be inspired by a simple, scalable tactic that delivers big results.

Guest Name: Erin Fields, Marketing Manager, Enrollify

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-fields-m-s-75a040139/

Guest Bio: Erin Fields is a seasoned higher education professional with over five years of expertise in Admissions, Marketing, and Recruitment at the graduate level. She holds a BA in Advertising from Marshall University and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. Erin currently serves as the Marketing Manager for Enrollify at Element451, where she leverages her extensive knowledge and innovative approach to drive impactful marketing strategies. Her passion for higher education and commitment to empowering enrollment marketers is reflected in her dynamic role, fostering growth and innovation within the industry.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Sean Whitten, Senior Director of Enrollment Services at Southern Methodist University, is redefining how admission counselors handle one of the toughest parts of their job: letting go of students who choose another path. With empathy at the forefront, Sean created a clever, heartfelt tactic to celebrate the relationships built with students and families—a simple yet impactful goodbye video. Not only does this video leave a positive impression, but it’s also driving surprising results, with about 10% of students who initially withdraw deciding to come back!

Guest Name: Sean Whitten, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Southern Methodist University

Guest Social: www.linkedin.com/in/seanewhitten

Guest Bio: Sean Whitten works as the inaugural Director of Strategic Partnerships for Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, TX. Known for his imaginative learning approach and curiosity, Sean fosters inclusive environments that elevate and empower families, staff, and students in the college admission process and on campus. His 14 years of work span college admissions, enrollment management, and communications and marketing.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

What information do you hope a student finds when they search for “why do faculty relationships matter?” or “what does success mean?” Toni-Marie Critelli’s blog post at St. John’s University doesn’t hope for the best, she makes sure her institution’s content is ranking as a response. Tune in to this episode to figure out how as a team of two, they manage to produce 10-14 blog posts a month, ranking no. 1 in keywords such as “career mentoring,” “define success,” and “healthy snacks for college students.” Toni’s blog has seen a %1,400 increase in traffic over the past two years, and has created a prime opportunity for cross-campus content collaboration. 

Check out The Johnnies Blog: https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog

Guest Name: Toni-Marie Critelli, Digital Content Producer/Writer, St. John’s University

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-critelli-digital-content-producer-new-york-city/

Guest Bio: Toni’s journey in digital marketing started with a simple passion for building meaningful communities. Over the past six years, that passion has grown into a career she truly loves. She’s worked in different digital media roles, from full-time to freelance, and has gained experience in everything from creative writing and brand development to social media management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and public relations (PR).

Now, as a content producer and blog manager at St. John’s University, she gets to combine all of these skills in one place, making an impact on the university’s community today and in the future.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Summer camps are an incredibly effective way to attract and engage students in your community to your institution, from a very early age. Typically, summer camps are hosted by academic departments, and the relationship building ends after the camp is done. Not at Siena College. Brianna Brown, Assistant Director of Marketing, shares how they launched a new career-focused summer camp called Aspire Camp to build engagement within their community — and ended up with an early action admitted student in the process!

Guest Name: Brianna Brown, Assistant Director of Marketing, Siena College

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-brown9/

Guest Bio: Brianna Brown, a Siena College graduate ('20) with a BS in Marketing and an MBA in Management ('21), now serves as the Assistant Director of Marketing at her alma mater. Passionate about creativity and innovation, she’s dedicated to engaging students and showcasing Siena's vibrant community.

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Connect With Our Host:
Dayana Kibilds
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayanakibilds/

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! 
The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.

Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register