Does your institution have a unique niche like Ringling College of Art and Design? For Dr. John Chopka, standing out in a niche starts with listening, builds on trust, and is fueled by storytelling. With more than 35 years of enrollment experience, Dr. Chopka shares practical strategies for recruiting in niche markets, managing institutional change, and creating momentum without losing mission.

From redefining outcomes through portfolio-based admissions to embracing servant leadership and transparency, this episode offers timely wisdom for leaders guiding campuses through growth, disruption, and transformation. Whether you serve at a faith-based college, an art school, or a liberal arts institution, these insights apply across the board.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

• Recruiting and marketing in niche higher ed settings

• Why outcomes storytelling is more effective than stats alone

• The role of servant leadership in driving lasting change

• How to balance innovation with institutional identity

• Communicating transparently without losing optimism

• The importance of peer networks for professional resilience

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

07:15 – How recruiting for niche institutions shapes marketing strategy

11:30 – Shattering the starving artist myth with storytelling

14:00 – Using experiences, not just facts, to engage Gen Z

20:10 – Prioritizing change with patience and servant leadership

25:30 – Staying grounded as a leader during uncertainty

27:40 – Communicating truthfully while building trust

32:40 – Why leaders should never go it alone

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education and each generation is approaching it differently. NYU’s Conor Grennan , alongside his Gen Z son, Finn, explores how AI is influencing academic integrity, workforce readiness, and the way students engage with learning.

Rather than approaching AI with fear or hype, Conor calls institutions to engage with it from a place of curiosity, conviction, and intentionality. This episode challenges assumptions and offers a hopeful, practical framework for integrating AI into both academic and personal formation.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

How AI is changing the way we teach, learn, and lead

The role of discipleship in shaping tech ethics

Why Gen Z students expect transparency, not perfection

Creating campus-wide AI literacy with joy and curiosity

Using storytelling to make tech feel less intimidating

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

06:14 – What it means to disciple students in the age of AI

08:50 – The danger of seeing AI as “just a tool”

13:22 – How higher ed should position itself as a moral compass

16:09 – The three pillars of AI literacy at NYU Stern

30:03 – Faith, imagination, and the opportunity ahead

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Higher ed is under pressure, and the clock is ticking for leaders to make bold, strategic moves. In this episode, Dr. Jamie Caridi shares how he helped Bethany College overcome deep financial challenges, rebuild trust, and launch a high-impact strategic plan. From reaching economic equilibrium to forming unexpected partnerships, Caridi unpacks a leadership playbook grounded in clarity, innovation, and courage.

This conversation is a practical roadmap for campus leaders looking to rethink planning cycles, enrollment strategy, and cross-sector collaboration in a rapidly shifting landscape.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

Why three-year strategic plans are the new standard

Redefining economic equilibrium in small colleges

How to stop chasing "more" and start choosing mission

Building innovation cultures in tradition-bound spaces

When partnerships become survival strategies

The courageous leadership higher ed needs now

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

08:34 – Fixing a $5M deficit and building economic equilibrium

11:00 – Calling out the “enrollment cliff” excuse

14:03 – What innovation really looks like in higher ed

17:47 – Start, Stop, Continue: Creating space for new ideas

21:18 – Why marketers must have a seat at the innovation table

25:21 – Building revenue-positive partnerships with former competitors

36:58 – Rethinking cost models and corporate partnerships

38:25 – Demand excellence, not perfection

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When Dr. Dr. Amy Bragg Carey stepped into her role as president of Friends University, the institution was facing financial instability, mission drift, and uncertainty about its identity in Christian higher ed. Nearly a decade later, Friends has achieved record enrollment and reclaimed its Christian mission with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, Dr. Carey shares how small, consistent decisions have built trust, attracted donors, and re-centered the university on its founding values. From building student personas to implementing AI tools in recruitment, her leadership blends faith, data, and vision for the future.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

Turning around a university in financial and mission crisis

Why small decisions shape institutional culture over time

Defining and articulating Christian identity in a diverse student body

Using student personas to inform recruitment

Leveraging AI for personalized marketing

Building trust as a new leader in times of change

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

02:00 -  Financial Challenges and Strategies

08:00 -   Revitalizing the Christian Mission 

15:00 -   Building Trust and Transparency 

21:00  -  Strategic Marketing and Personas

27:00  -  Maintaining Institutional Identity

33:00  -  Leadership Insights and Future Opportunities

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How do you manage and elevate a brand across 19 campuses serving more than 200,000 students? In this episode, Kathie Fleck of Ivy Tech Community College shares how her team is building brand consistency across one of the largest community college systems in the country.

From messaging and segmentation to staff mentorship and innovation, Kathie unpacks what it takes to lead with trust, strategy, and a people-first mindset in a highly decentralized environment.

🎧Join us as we discuss:

Building brand consistency across multiple campuses

Why research and listening come before messaging

Strategies for audience-based segmentation at scale

Embracing calculated risks in higher ed marketing

Using AI and innovation to stretch budget and impact

The power of internal mentoring and cross-campus collaboration

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

06:22 – Building Internal Assets for Brand Consistency

14:33 – Leading Change with a People-First Approach

24:17 – Segmenting by Audience, Not Region

27:20 – Innovating on a Budget: Testing New Channels

30:53 – Using AI to Scale Creative Output

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs. 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When Kesha Boyce Williams joined USC Upstate, she inherited an eight-year dream deferred: a much-needed website redesign. But rather than treat it as a technical update, she led with strategy, relationship-building, and storytelling to turn the university’s website into a true enrollment driver.

In this episode, Kesha shares how strategic leadership, cross-campus collaboration, and clear communication helped USC Upstate reimagine its digital presence. You’ll hear about the planning process, why outside expertise matters, and how to anchor web redesigns in data, user experience, and storytelling that moves prospective students to action.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

Why websites should serve as your #1 enrollment tool

Lessons in change management and cross-campus collaboration

How storytelling connects prospective students to your brand

The importance of internal buy-in and executive leadership support

Practical advice for kicking off a website redesign the right way

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

08:07 – Why Your Website Is Your Front Door

16:20 – Aligning Website Strategy With Enrollment Goals

18:40 – Embedding Storytelling Into Web Strategy

21:39 – Leadership Buy-In at Every Level

24:11 – 10 Practical Steps to Kick Off a Website Overhaul

35:52 – Collaboration Over Competition in Higher Ed

38:20 – Engage Students Early, Learn From Their Journey

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs. 

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What does it take to lead a beloved institution through a name change without alienating stakeholders or losing sight of your values? In this episode, Dr. Mark Milioni, President of Mission University (formerly Baptist Bible College), shares the deeply intentional and strategic process behind one of higher ed’s most thoughtful rebrands.

Dr. Milioni walks us through the financial and cultural challenges he faced upon taking leadership, why a name change wasn’t a silver bullet but rather the culmination of a larger transformation, and how he balanced tradition with vision to roll out Mission University. From legal protections to faculty engagement, from strategic partnerships to athletics and student recruitment, you’ll hear how courage, clarity, and collaboration shaped every step.

🎧 Join us as we discuss:

Why rebranding requires courageous leadership, not just clever marketing

How to roll out a new name without losing your base

The role of partnerships in expanding program offerings

How athletics and enrollment align with institutional mission

The importance of external validation and legal groundwork

🎙️ Inside the Episode 

02:15 - Mission Universities rebranding journey. 

10:30 -  Financial challenges and the initial state of the institution. 

18:45 -  The decision-making process behind the name change. 

25:00 - Strategies for managing change and stakeholder engagement. 

35:20 - The role of strategic partnerships in the transition. 

45:10 - Athletics and its impact on the rebranding strategy. 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs. 

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Fall is here and that means another great season of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast.

• Sneak Peak into Season 7

• 50,000+ downloads...WHAT?!?!?

• Thank you for helping shape this community.

Next week - Season 7 Launched.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This is the final episode of our Enrollment Rx: Strategies to Fill Your Funnel, a four-part series focused on diagnosing and treating common enrollment pipeline challenges. As fall reveals how well your funnel is performing, we’ll help you optimize lead generation, nurture flows, and student engagement. Tune in for essential tactics and insights to boost enrollment outcomes this cycle.

Episode 217 - Originally aired April 2023

Dr Kim Krull retired from Butler Community College in February of 2024

Community colleges are the front door of higher education for hundreds of thousands of students annually. They may be smaller than their 4-year counterparts, but schools like Butler Community College are leading the charge in innovating classrooms and workforce development programs.

How are they doing it? It’s simple — by listening to students and their future employers and pivoting to their needs.

Butler’s former president, Dr. Kimberly Krull, and Director of College Relations and Marketing, Kelly Snedden, tell us how they’re committing to graduating each student in digital literacy.

Join us as we discuss:

– Powering “high-flex” classrooms with the tech of tomorrow (13:03)

– Getting students job-ready in workforce development programs (21:09)

– How Butler is addressing the demographic enrollment cliff (34:51)

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This episode is number three in our Enrollment Rx: Strategies to Fill Your Funnel, a four-part series focused on diagnosing and treating common enrollment pipeline challenges. As fall reveals how well your funnel is performing, we’ll help you optimize lead generation, nurture flows, and student engagement. Tune in for essential tactics and insights to boost enrollment outcomes this cycle.

Episode 216 - Originally aired March 2024

Dave Hunt is now the Executive Creative Director at Old Dominion. 

On November 30th, 2022, ChatGPT changed the world.

Just months before, Dave Hunt, now Executive Creative Director of Old Dominion, had been developing a large-scale email marketing campaign at another university.

Dave discovered that the months of work that went into creating it could all be done in minutes now. It hooked him into looking at how to use generative AI further to keep his new team at ODU doing the creative work instead of grunt work.

This episode will change the way you think about using generative AI with your team and how it can shape the marketing of your college or university.

Join Us As We Discuss

- Focusing on the tasks AI can’t do [8:32]

- Enhancing audience engagement with prospective students [22:38] 

- The challenge of authenticity with Gen-Z and Gen Alpha [28:34] 

- Achieving brand voice alignment when using AI [33:42]

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.