The Higher Ed Marketer

One of The Higher Ed Marketer's most anticipated annual series is back. In this special summer preview, Zach Coffin shares what listeners can expect from the 2026 Faithful Leaders Series, recorded live at the CCCU International Forum in Dallas. This year's series explores leadership, institutional clarity, enrollment challenges, and the unique opportunities facing Christian higher education today.

Zach also celebrates a major milestone for the Higher Ed Marketer community and offers a look ahead at additional summer programming designed to equip higher education professionals before the fall season begins. Whether you're planning strategy, preparing for recruitment season, or simply looking for leadership inspiration, this preview offers a glimpse of what's ahead.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘A preview of the 2026 Faithful Leaders Series

🔘The higher education leaders featured throughout the series

🔘An introduction to the upcoming NextGrad Summer Series

🔘Encouragement for marketers and campus leaders heading into the fall

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Episode Highlights

01:02 – Celebrating Bart Caylor's Amazon #1 bestseller achievement

02:17 – Announcing the return of the Faithful Leaders Series

02:50 – Behind the scenes from the CCCU International Forum in Dallas

03:06 – Meet this year's Faith Leaders guests

03:48 – Preview of the NextGrad Summer Series

04:25 – Summer encouragement for higher education professionals

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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.

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

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

Zach Coffin is excited to share some big news with you as The Higher Ed Marketer approaches its 250th episode! We celebrate our co-host Troy Singer and his transition into a new industry. Troy, you will be deeply missed and we are forever grateful for you. 

There are big plans for The Higher Ed Marketer this summer including the return of the beloved Faith Leaders series. 

The Higher Ed Marketer Network is adding a brand new show and The Higher Ed Marketer Press will be releasing a brand new book very soon.

With deep gratitude for everything we've built together and clarity about the future, we invite you to hear about the continued momentum of our network and community. Thank you for being a part of this journey as we remain committed to serving higher ed well.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘The journey to 250 episodes and what it represents for the community

🔘Honoring Troy Singer’s impact and leadership transition

🔘The return of the Faith Leaders series and summer content lineup

🔘 A new podcast launching within The Higher Ed Marketer Network

🔘Expansion of The Higher Ed Press with an upcoming book release

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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.

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

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

Silos are one of the biggest barriers to growth in higher education, yet they persist across academics, enrollment, and marketing. Dale Lemke, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Tabor College, brings a refreshing, collaborative perspective shaped by experience in both faculty and leadership roles. He shares how institutions can move from isolation to alignment by fostering intentional relationships, embracing shared ownership, and staying anchored to mission while navigating change.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘 Breaking down silos between academics, enrollment, and marketing

🔘 Why faculty should adopt a learner mindset across departments

🔘 How to evaluate and evolve academic program portfolios

🔘 The human side of making difficult program decisions

🔘 Creating space for innovation while staying mission-aligned

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Episode Highlights

02:50 – From faculty to collaborator, shifting perspective on enrollment and marketing

07:05 – Why silos exist and how leaders can begin bridging the gap

12:09 – What healthy collaboration actually looks like across teams

16:12 – Why market demand must shape academic offerings

22:58 – Navigating AI in the classroom and institutional strategy

26:16 – How marketing and enrollment can influence what gets built next

29:06 – A simple but powerful step to start collaborating today

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

Deep Gratitude for Troy Singer: Bart has an important announcement. Our beloved co-host Troy Singer is stepping into a new opportunity after nearly six years and almost 250 episodes of co-hosting The Higher Ed Marketer podcast. Bart and the entire team at The Higher Ed Marketer are beyond grateful for Troy and wish him the very best. 

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Special Fan Favorite Episode: In this reply conversation, Eric Hogue, President of Colorado Christian University, offers a bold perspective on leadership that challenges traditional thinking and calls institutions to rethink how they operate, fund their mission, and prepare for what’s ahead as financial pressures continue to rise.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘Why adopting a CEO mindset is critical for institutional survival

🔘The role of net tuition revenue in long-term sustainability

🔘How to approach donor relationships as strategic partnerships

🔘Building a multi-year strategy for growth and innovation

🔘Creating a distinct institutional identity that attracts the right students and supporters
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Episode Highlights

--Why higher ed presidents must think like CEOs

--A donor-centric approach that prioritizes input over asking

--A three-part strategy for sustainable growth

--Where transformation starts, aligning with your board chair

--The power of building relationships, not just networks

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

What happens when a university website becomes a cluttered “junk drawer” instead of a clear, welcoming first impression? Paul Garner, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at Western Carolina University, shares how his team transformed a confusing, overloaded website into a true digital front door that reflects the student experience and institutional story. This conversation unpacks how thoughtful leadership, trust, and alignment can turn a fragmented digital presence into something purposeful, intuitive, and mission-driven.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘 Why "attention is king" in modern higher ed marketing

🔘 Lessons from transitioning into higher ed from the private sector

🔘 Building trust across campus before launching major iniatives

🔘Navigating website redesigns as change management, not just tech projects

🔘 How to align stakeholders around a student-first digital experience.

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Episode Highlights

02:03 – Transitioning into higher ed and culture shock

07:20 – Building trust through presence and authenticity

10:06 – Why the website redesign was necessary

12:00 – The real challenge, people not technology

13:30 – Creating buy-in across campus stakeholders

15:35 – Moving to a student-first website strategy

22:00 – Leadership growth during major transitions

24:30 – Post-launch challenges and holding the line

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

Drawing from their shared roots in journalism, Julia Ferrante and Rachel Colquitt reveal how storytelling, authenticity, and human connection are reshaping how institutions communicate, build trust, and inspire action in a rapidly changing landscape. Their conversation highlights how marketers can move beyond surface-level messaging to uncover deeper stories, create meaningful connections, and lead with clarity in an increasingly complex and AI-influenced world.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘 The transition from journalism to higher ed marketing and why it matters

🔘 How storytelling and qualitative research shape authentic brand voices

🔘 Why asking better questions leads to stronger marketing outcomes

🔘 Balancing AI adoption with human-centered communication

🔘 Strategies for gaining buy-in and leading brand change across campus

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Episode Highlights

03:10 – Why journalism naturally leads to purpose-driven higher ed work

07:40 – The most valuable journalism skills marketers should adopt

12:10 – How brand voice is shaped by audience perception and truth

19:50 – Building authentic brands through storytelling and culture shifts

33:20 – Advice for new marketers entering higher education

38:20 – Staying human in an AI-driven world

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

Vince Slomsky, Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Brand at the University of South Florida, brings a journalist’s mindset to university marketing, blending storytelling, data, and video strategy to create content that resonates with modern audiences. From leveraging YouTube as a discovery engine to empowering students as creators, his approach challenges the traditional marketing playbooks and encourages teams to think like media organizations.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘How a background in broadcast journalism shapes Vince's marketign approach

🔘Why video-first storytelling is a nonnegotiable for higher ed marketing teams

🔘The surprising rise of YouTube viewing on TV screens

🔘Practical ways to uncover authentic stories across campus

🔘How student creators can power a university’s content strategy

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Episode Highlights

00:45 – A surprising YouTube insight

02:45 – Vince’s journey from TV news reporter to higher ed marketing leader

09:24 – How universities can uncover powerful stories across campus

15:48 – Why higher ed teams must embrace a video-first mindset

22:30 – Letting students lead the way with YouTube Shorts and vertical video

41:00 – Why every institution can build a strong video strategy with the tools they already have

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

Enrollment decline rarely comes from a lack of effort. More often, it stems from misalignment. When marketing operates separately from enrollment strategy, even strong branding and storytelling can fail to move the needle. Live from the CCCU International Forum in Dallas, Stacey Berggren shares the candid journey of moving marketing under enrollment leadership at Northwest Nazarene University and rebuilding strategy after several years of decline.

From costly brand awareness campaigns that produced little measurable impact to restructuring teams, redefining priorities, and focusing on clear calls to action, this conversation unpacks what actually changes when marketing is held accountable to enrollment outcomes.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘Why brand awareness alone does not drive enrollment growth

🔘The strategic decision to move marketing under enrollment leadership

🔘How to restructure a marketing team for recruitment impact

🔘When to outsource critical marketing functions

🔘Leading institutional change with vulnerability and clarity

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Episode Highlights

02:15 – Recognizing enrollment decline and calling for an outside assessment

08:05 – The limits of brand awareness without a call to action

14:10 – Moving marketing from advancement to enrollment

21:40 – Restructuring the team and adding digital expertise

33:05 – Navigating cabinet politics and leadership vulnerability

46:30 – Building and prioritizing a two-year tactical enrollment plan

57:50 – Advice for presidents and VPs facing marketing misalignment

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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.

46:30 – Building and prioritizing a two-year tactical enrollment plan

57:50 – Advice for presidents and VPs facing marketing misalignment

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

A return home, a thriving enrollment team, and a bold vision for serving the Central Valley.  Amanda Slaughter  joins the podcast live from the CCCU International Forum to share why Fresno Pacific University  is leaning into its identity as its greatest enrollment advantage. At a time when many institutions are scrambling to chase new markets, Fresno Pacific is doubling down on mission, community, and innovation. With 74 percent of students identifying as students of color, the university reflects the region it serves and backs that clarity with strategic use of AI to strengthen outcomes, messaging, and momentum.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘Leading an enrollment team that is already exceeding goals

🔘Why institutional identity creates competitive advantage

🔘Marketing authentically as a Hispanic Serving Institution

🔘Engaging first-generation families with transparent financial conversations

🔘Using AI to multiply productivity and sharpen enrollment strategy

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Episode Highlights

02:15 – Amanda’s return to California and Fresno Pacific

06:40 – Stepping into a strong enrollment operation

11:05 – What 74 percent diversity means for recruitment strategy

18:30 – Reaching families who never thought college was possible

27:45 – AI as a force multiplier for enrollment leaders

35:20 – The future of personalized, data-informed strategy

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

As college search behavior shifts under the weight of AI, generative search, and growing skepticism about traditional signals, one question keeps surfacing for higher ed leaders. Do rankings still matter? In this conversation, Nate Mouttet of U.S. News and World Report unpacks the evolution of college rankings, the methodology behind them, and why they continue to function as a powerful trust signal for students, parents, and institutions. From data journalism roots to today’s AI-informed discovery environment, this episode connects rankings, visibility, and strategy in ways enrollment and marketing leaders cannot afford to ignore.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘How U.S. News college rankings were created and why they still shape decision-making

🔘What has changed in ranking methodology, including social mobility, outcomes, and test optional data

🔘Why trusted third-party platforms matter more in an AI and GEO landscape

🔘How institutions can use U.S. News profiles to amplify visibility and credibility

🔘The intersection of rankings, SEO, GEO, and AI-driven college search behavior

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Episode Highlights

02:39 – The origins of U.S. News rankings and the role of data journalism

06:35 – Methodology shifts, graduation rates, social mobility, and outcomes

09:27 – Why rankings remain a trusted signal for families and students

10:49 – How U.S. News helps institutions gain visibility beyond the rankings list

18:45 – U.S. News as a traffic driver and third-party credibility engine

21:37 – What student research behavior reveals about AI and college search

25:37 – The opportunities and risks AI creates for higher ed marketers

30:23 – Practical advice for aligning rankings, visibility, and AI today

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