The Higher Ed Marketer

Higher education is filled with meaningful work, but too often the stories that bring it to life stay hidden behind silos, safe messaging, and internal complexity. Kristen Eaton, Interim Vice President of External Relations at the University of Maine at Augusta, joins the podcast to share what she has learned transitioning from nonprofit fundraising into higher ed leadership. Drawing on her background in development and communications, Kristen explains why belief, trust, and authentic storytelling are essential across enrollment, advancement, and alumni relations. She offers a candid look at how institutions can connect people, teams, and messages across the full student lifecycle and tell stories that truly resonate.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘What higher ed can learn from nonprofit storytelling and relationship building

🔘Why belief and trust matter more than tactics in enrollment marketing

🔘How silos form across marketing, advancement, and alumni relations

🔘Practical ways to start working cross-functionally without overhauling everything

🔘Why authentic, human-centered storytelling resonates more than polished messaging

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Episode Highlights

01:41 – Parallels between nonprofit fundraising and higher ed marketing

03:48 – Key differences, scale, stakeholders, and complex audiences

07:38 – Using impact storytelling across enrollment, alumni, and donors

10:12 – Practical and relational strategies for breaking down silos

14:32 – The risk of disconnected messaging across the student lifecycle

18:45 – Starting small with cross-functional collaboration

22:26 – Marketing with humanity and rejecting safe, generic imagery

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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.

Terry Munday, former vice president for advancement at Indiana Wesleyan University, brings a candid and experience-driven perspective to the realities of fundraising and advancement leadership. Drawing from more than 35 years in higher education, Terry shares what he learned by sitting knee to knee with donors, navigating early career uncertainty, and building systems that sustained generosity over time. This conversation focuses on the discipline of relationship-building, the leadership habits that matter most in advancement, and why patience, consistency, and trust are essential to long-term fundraising success.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘How Terry transitioned into advancement leadership without formal fundraising training

🔘What decades of donor relationships reveal about trust & timing

🔘Why effective fundraising depends more on consistency than charisma

🔘Leadership habits that separate sustainable advancement programs

🔘How to navigate early-career pressure, uncertainty, and credibility gaps

🔘The strategic role of the annual fund in building future major and planned gifts

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Episode Highlights

02:02 Learning fundraising by doing it and why early discomfort matters

07:34 The discipline of relationship-building and why assumptions derail trust

10:17 What donor behavior teaches leaders about patience and stewardship

15:27 Why successful fundraising careers are built over decades, not cycles

27:37 Managing ego, rejection, and momentum in early fundraising years

32:15 How the annual fund supports institutional flexibility and growth

36:53 Turning routine donor outreach into long-term institutional impact

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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.

Recorded live at the CCCU International Forum 2026

In this special episode, Zach Coffin sits down with Bart Caylor to dive into the heart of Bart’s brand-new book, Know What You Don't Know. They discuss why marketing literacy is no longer optional for the C-suite and how leaders can stop outsourcing judgment and start leading with curiosity. From the cautionary tale of a $1,200 keyword to reframing AI as "institutional electricity," Bart provides a wake-up call for leaders navigating the enrollment cliff and a rapidly shifting landscape.

Order Your Copy: Get the insights you need to lead with confidence. Purchase Know What You Don't Know on Amazon here:http://knowwhatyoudont.com/
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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘Closing the literacy gap between leadership and marketing teams.

🔘Strategic AI adoption that accelerates human judgment rather than replacing it.

🔘Courageous decision-making rooted in data rather than tradition or ego.

🔘Optimizing the enrollment funnel to move beyond "static" recruitment tools

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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.

Big News: Bart’s new book “Know What You Don’t Know: What Every Higher Ed Leaders Needs to Understand About Marketing” releases Jan 30th. 

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On today’s episode we are joined by Keith Ramsdell, the new president of the North American Coalition for Christian Admission Professionals (NACCAP).  From mounting pressure and constant change to the growing importance of mission clarity and storytelling, Keith shares what he’s hearing from campuses across the country and what he believes will matter most in the years ahead. This episode explores how colleges can navigate uncertainty, support their teams well, and stay rooted in purpose while adapting to a rapidly shifting enrollment landscape.

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What We Cover in This Episode

🔘The current state of admissions and why the pressure feels different now

🔘Why mission clarity is outperforming mission dilution at Christian institutions

🔘What admissions teams are carrying emotionally, spiritually and professionally

🔘How graduate and adult enrollment is reshaping admissions structures

🔘The evolving role of NACCAP in supporting enrollment leaders.

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Episode Highlights

02:24 - A new level of pressure in admissions and why this season feels different

05:18 - Why leaning into mission is outperforming trying to be everything to everyone

09:02 - The emotional and spiritual weight admissions teams are carrying right now

11:45 - Why real student stories matter more than buildings, amenities, and facts

16:29 - How graduate and adult enrollment is reshaping admissions leadership

22:51 - Building trust with faculty and turning silos into partnerships

24:39 - What NACCAP is becoming and how it plans to serve leaders better

32:48 - The skills and mindsets admissions leaders need for what’s next

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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.

Your website is not just a marketing asset, it is the front door to your institution. In this Season 8 premiere, Meaghan Milliorn shares how the University of Arkansas at Little Rock approached a massive website redesign with strategy, accessibility, and governance at the center. From reducing thousands of pages to aligning the site with institutional goals, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for higher ed marketers navigating complex digital ecosystems.

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🎧 What We Cover in This Episode

🔘Why your website is the most important marketing tool in higher education.

🔘How to align website redesigns with institutional strategic plans

🔘Managing content chaos across thousands of pages

🔘Building accessibility and governance into web strategy

🔘Measuring post-launch success beyond aesthetics

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Episode Highlights

02:13 – When the website stops working and the redesign becomes unavoidable

04:01 – The website as the digital front door with prospective students

06:49 – Letting institutional strategy, not trends, shape the redesign

10:04 – Convincing campus that this change actually matters

17:54 – Facing content chaos and deciding what truly belongs

21:12 – Building rules that protect the site after launch

25:29 – Proving the redesign worked through real student behavior

31:45 –Starting small when a full redesign feels out of reach

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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.

Season 8 of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast opens with encouragement for higher ed leaders entering a new year with both opportunity and uncertainty ahead. This season is grounded in the belief that progress does not require a perfect plan, only clarity, trust, and the willingness to move forward one step at a time. Through thoughtful conversations shaped by real leadership experience across higher education, Season 8 helps leaders ask better questions, avoid costly missteps, and stay aligned with mission as they work to reach the students they are called to serve.

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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.

As the year comes to a close, this short Christmas reflection offers a moment to slow down and take stock. Drawing from a familiar scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas, Zach Coffin reflects on fear, gratitude, and the tendency to hold tightly to control during demanding seasons of work and life. On behalf of Bart, Troy and the entire team at Caylor Solutions and The Higher Ed Marketer, we wish you a very merry Christmas. 

The Higher Ed Marketer will be back in January with another fantastic season.

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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.

A nimble, strategy-driven marketing team is no longer a luxury in higher ed, it is a necessity. Dave Gladson shares how Point Loma Nazarene University transformed from a fragmented, decentralized model into a unified marketing structure that has dramatically increased enrollment impact, strengthened team culture, and empowered staff to work with greater autonomy. From shifting budget structures to adopting hybrid work and embracing generative AI, Dave reveals how institutions can build systems that scale and teams that thrive.

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Join us as we discuss:

🔘How Point Loma moved from decentralized chaos to a centralized, strategic marketing model

🔘Why restructuring budgets unlocked a 3.5x increase in enrollment conversion

🔘The realities and rewards of hybrid work in higher ed

🔘Practical ways teams can experiment with AI to accelerate creativity and efficiency

🔘How to build a culture that embraces autonomy, trust, and continuous improvement

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Inside the Episode

01:31 - What pushed Point Loma to centralize marketing

04:18 - How structural and budget changes reshaped the team

10:18 - Navigating misconceptions about centralized marketing

10:48 - Building a hybrid culture that actually works

19:21 - Why AI excites Dave and how it boosts creativity and efficiency

25:42 - Top advice for leaders restructuring marketing teams

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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.

Higher education is heading into one of the most pivotal seasons in decades, and the signals for 2026 are already here. In this special conversation, Bart Caylor steps into the guest seat as Troy Singer and Zach Coffin (VP, The Higher Ed Marketer) guide a candid, energetic deep dive into the headwinds reshaping higher ed. From cultural shifts and AI acceleration to leadership courage and marketing agility, this episode opens the door to the real conversations happening behind the scenes in campus strategy rooms.

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Join us as we discuss:

🔘The cultural and enrollment shifts accelerating change on campuses

🔘The Trades Cliff

🔘How AI can serve as a strategic tool rather than a novelty

🔘The rise of curiosity content, peer to peer influence, and authenticity

🔘Why generalists will define the next generation of marketing teams

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Inside the Episode

03:02 - What the strongest and weakest campuses are revealing about 2026

05:02 - Why friction, tradition, and fear create slow change in higher ed

11:23 - Three cultural and marketing trends shaping the 2026 landscape

15:32 - Why peer to peer storytelling and authenticity now outperform polished marketing

17:33 - The rise of the marketing generalist and what teams must look like moving forward

21:27 - Data informed vs. data driven, and why over analysis is costing schools momentum

23:41 - How trust, consistency, and lived brand experience fuel long term enrollment health

26:19 - The biggest underutilized opportunity in AI for 2026

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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.

What does it look like to lead marketing and strategy at an institution that spans education, media, and publishing? Sam Choy of Moody Bible Institute shares how he’s navigating brand evolution, cross-departmental leadership, and institutional clarity in the context of a nearly century-old Christian brand.

With experience in corporate marketing and international business, Sam brings a strategic lens to higher ed communications that resonates far beyond faith-based institutions. Whether you're guiding a team of five or 50, this conversation explores what it takes to align internal culture with external brand trust.

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Join us as we discuss:

🔘Leading cross-functional teams across media, publishing, and education

🔘What makes an institution "brand mature"

🔘Tips for structuring clear strategic priorities

🔘How to evolve a legacy brand without losing trust

🔘Applying corporate marketing strategy to faith-based higher ed

🔘Aligning internal teams while building external reputation

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Inside the Episode

06:12 – Aligning legacy with strategy in a 100-year-old brand

10:09 – Why internal clarity precedes external trust

15:48 – How to shift from a reactive to proactive communications culture

20:05 – Cross-functional leadership tips from the corporate world

26:37 – What “brand maturity” really means in a higher ed context

38:15 – Advice for leaders navigating change inside legacy institutions

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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.