The Higher Ed Marketer

Season 6 - Episode 204

In this episode, Dr. Gayle D. Beebe, President of Westmont College, joins us for a candid conversation about leading through adversity and staying anchored in mission when everything feels uncertain. Drawing from more than 30 years in higher education — and nearly two decades as a college president — Dr. Beebe shares hard-won insights on how character, emotional intelligence, and moral clarity shape resilient leadership. We dive into his early “crucible moments,” the strategies that helped him lead through crisis, and how institutions can remain both mission-driven and future-ready — even as technologies like AI reshape the landscape.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅What staying true to your mission looks like when budgets are tight and pressure is high.

✅What it means to lead with courage as AI reshapes the higher ed landscape.

✅Why character is foundational to effective leadership — especially in moments of crisis.
✅How emotional intelligence and self-awareness build resilience in high-stakes situations.
✅How moral knowledge helps leaders make tough decisions with clarity and integrity.
✅Why regular reflection isn’t just personal — it’s strategic for institutional leadership.

Join the Discussion:

02:00 - Exploring Leadership Lessons from History

03:06 - A Journey into Higher Education Leadership

06:07 - Navigating BIG Challenges in Leadership

09:50 - How to Stay True to Mission During Crisis

12:57 - Preparing for the Future of Higher Education Leadership

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

Season 6 - Episode 203

In this episode, we sit down with Tina Miller from Arizona State University to explore how ASU is boldly embracing AI—not just as a tool, but as a campus-wide transformation strategy. We also dig into their groundbreaking partnership with OpenAI and the creation of ChatGPT EDU, a major step toward reshaping how students and educators interact with AI. Tina unpacks the difference between AI literacy and fluency, and why both matter for preparing students for the future workforce. From building a “digital twin” of the university to deploying custom GPTs that empower leadership, Tina shares how ASU is weaving AI into the fabric of operations, learning, and faculty engagement.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ Custom GPTs can enhance communication and efficiency for university leadership

✅ How students can benefit from immersive learning experiences with the help of AI

✅ AI literacy is different from AI fluency

✅ Effective AI adoption thrives in a team culture built on shared learning and practice.

✅ A practical, comprehensive plan for your entire university to embrace AI.

✅ The details behind ASU’s groundbreaking collaboration with OpenAI

Join the Discussion:

03:07 AI's Impact on Learning and Operations

04:58 Engaging Faculty and Staff in AI Integration

08:36 Creating a Digital Twin for Enhanced Learning

13:20 Utilizing Custom GPTs for Leadership Support

14:22 Partnership with OpenAI and ChatGPT EDU

19:34 Strategies for Scaling AI Initiatives Across Departments

35:05 Principled Innovation in AI

36:09 Literacy vs. Fluency in AI Usage

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

Season 6 - Episode 202

Is your university truly prepared for a crisis—and is that plan ready to activate when it matters most? In this conversation, Mike Thomas, Vice President for Integrated Marketing Communications at Pepperdine University, explores the vital role of gratitude, crisis communication, and the Emergency Operations Committee in navigating crises like wildfires. He underscores the power of authentic brand messaging and the university’s deep commitment to caring for its students in times of crisis. The discussion also highlights the importance of a EOC team, active community engagement, and the hopeful role a well-defined crisis communication plan can play in keeping people informed and connected during emergencies.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ Why crisis communication is essential for community safety and reassurance.

✅ How the Emergency Operations Committee plays a crucial role in crisis preparedness.

✅ Effective communication should address both physical and emotional safety.

✅ Social media can be a powerful tool for community engagement during crises.

✅Transparency in communication fosters trust within the community.

Join the Discussion:

03:02 Crisis Communication and Community Response

06:04 Emergency Operations Committee: Preparedness and Execution

09:05 The Importance of Communication in Crisis

12:04 Building a Culture of Safety and Transparency

14:58 Leveraging Social Media for Community Engagement

23:52 Authenticity in Brand Messaging

26:56 Metrics for Measuring Brand Effectiveness

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

Season 6 - Episode 201

In this episode, Carol Keese, VP and CMP at University of Oregon, challenges traditional higher ed marketing norms and invites institutions to let go of exclusivity and lean into authenticity. Drawing on her extensive experience, she unpacks how colleges and universities can better communicate their value by focusing on accessibility, data-informed strategy, and real-world relevance. Carol also explores the power of student influencers, the role of pop culture in brand storytelling, and the lessons higher ed marketers can borrow from top consumer brands.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ Why elitism no longer resonates with today’s students

✅ How to redefine the value of higher ed around social mobility
✅ Ways to use data to shape more effective marketing strategies
✅ The benefits of engaging with pop culture and student influencers
✅ How consumer brand tactics can be adapted for higher ed
✅ Why now is the perfect time to rethink your institution’s brand story

Join the Discussion:

03:04 - The Changing Landscape of Higher Ed Marketing

06:13 - Understanding the Value Proposition of Higher Education

08:58 - The Role of Data in Higher Ed Marketing

11:51 - Marketing that Matters: Breaking the Mold

15:10 - Engaging with Popular Culture

18:03 - Leveraging Student Voices and Influencers

20:59 - Lessons from Consumer Brands

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

Season 6 - Episode 200

What happens when one of the most respected voices in higher ed marketing takes on one of the country’s largest and most tradition-rich institutions? In our 200th episode, Ethan Braden shares his bold vision for Texas A&M University—why he said yes to the role, how he’s reimagining its brand on a national scale, and what it takes to lead marketing at a university with 600,000 alumni and 80,000 students.

Ethan reveals how A&M is shifting from an internal story to a national narrative, how they turned a failed campaign into a 16-million-view success, and why the university’s core strength might just be its sense of belonging in an age of loneliness. From storytelling to strategy, this episode is packed with insights for any marketer looking to make a lasting impact.

Texan A&M Marketing and Engagement Impact Report 

Impact Report: https://marcomm.tamu.edu/2024-impact-report/

New Stories Website https://stories.tamu.edu/

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🎧 Listen to Learn

✅Why Texas A&M.

✅How to shift a university brand from regional pride to national relevance

✅The secret behind a marketing video that jumped from 29K to 16M views

✅Why traditions aren’t barriers to innovation—they're assets for belonging
✅The role higher ed marketers must play in solving generational loneliness

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Join the Discussion

00:00 – Welcome + Reflecting on Episode 1 with Ethan
03:10 – Why Ethan took the Texas A&M role and what drew him in
06:45 – From internal storytelling to a national brand strategy
11:30 – What a failed $700K commercial taught the A&M marketing team
15:40 – Turning traditions into tools for connection and belonging
20:15 – How General Mark Welsh is shaping leadership and communication at A&M
25:50 – Why “great citizens” matter more than great branding
30:20 – Ethan’s take on higher ed marketing in a time of societal detachment
35:40 – One bold prediction for the future of university branding

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

Season 6 - Episode 199

Is higher ed marketing building real connections, or just making a lot of noise? We sit down with Jaime Hunt, Founder & President of Solve Higher Ed Marketing and author of the newly released Heart Over Hype, to explore how empathy-driven marketing can revolutionize the way universities engage with their audiences.

Jaime unpacks how schools can move beyond transactional messaging to create authentic, student-first marketing that truly resonates. We dive into the power of storytelling, the role of AI in personalization, and how to spot the disconnects in your marketing efforts. Plus, Jaime shares practical steps for building an audience-centered strategy that puts heart over hype.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ Empathy-driven marketing focuses on student needs and feelings first.

✅ Storytelling creates stronger connections than facts and data.

✅ Marketing should be clear, accessible, and student-friendly.

✅ AI can enhance, not replace, human-centered marketing.

✅ Fix disconnects to create stronger, student-first strategies.

Join us as we discuss:

02:53 - Empathy Driven Marketing: The Missing Element

05:52 - Transforming Transactional Communications

09:10 - The Importance of Timing and Context

11:49 - Recognizing Disconnects in Marketing

14:57 - From Features to Feelings: The Empathy Shift

21:07 - Storytelling: The Heart of Marketing

27:03 - AI and Empathy in Marketing

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

Season 6 - Episode 198

Why does no one read your university emails? Ashley Budd and Dayana Kibilds, co-authors of Mailed It!, join us to break down the biggest mistakes higher ed marketers make—and how to fix them.

In this episode, we get tactical about what actually works in email marketing for enrollment, advancement, and alumni engagement. From crafting subject lines that get clicks to making emails feel more personal (without being creepy), Ashley and Dayana share practical, real-world strategies to improve open rates, engagement, and conversions.

We also explore the evolving role of AI in email marketing, how to balance transactional emails with meaningful content, and what the future of email looks like for universities. 

📩 If you're sending emails in higher ed, you don’t want to miss this one!

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ The biggest mistake: universities sending overly transactional emails.

✅ How email marketing is shifting back to relationship building.

✅ How to make email personalization feel like a one-on-one conversation.

✅ Why AI should support—not replace—human touch in email marketing.

✅ Why segmentation is essential for higher ed email success.

Join us as we discuss:

02:33 - Personalization Matters

06:01 - Email Segmentation Strategies

09:57 - Leveraging AI for Email Personalization

14:57 - Revamping Email so They Get Read

20:45 - Mastering Subject Lines (2 Second Rule)

26:09 - The Importance of Conciseness in Email Communication

37:33 - Practical Tips for Immediate Email Marketing Improvement

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

Season 6, Episode 197

Too often in higher ed, finance, marketing, and enrollment teams operate in silos, creating roadblocks to sustainable growth. Steven Rutt, Chief Revenue Officer at Abilene Christian University, joins us to break down why alignment between these teams is crucial—and how to make it happen.

In this conversation, Steven shares why more universities should rethink the CRO role, how to bridge the gap between finance and marketing, and what it takes to build a true growth culture in higher ed. He unpacks the myths around marketing ROI, the power of data-driven decision-making, and why universities need to stop viewing marketing as a cost center—and start treating it as a revenue driver. Plus, we explore the impact of AI and emerging technologies on enrollment strategy and how higher ed leaders can future-proof their investments in an evolving landscape.

🎧 Listen Now to Learn:

✅ Why a growth mindset is essential for overcoming scarcity.

✅ Why collaboration between finance, marketing, and enrollment is crucial.

✅ How data-driven decisions can reveal unexpected insights.

✅ Rethinking ROI for strategic growth.

✅ Explore how holistic view of marketing spend is necessary for success.

Join us as we discuss:

03:10 - Rethink the Role of the Chief Revenue Officer

06:07 - Balancing Enrollment Growth and Financial Sustainability

08:57 - Data-Driven Decision Making in Higher Education

11:54 - Explore a New Way to Understand Marketing ROI

15:04 - Navigating Marketing Investments

18:03 - Emerging Technologies and Their Impact on Your Team. 

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

Session 6 - Episode 196

In this episode of The Higher Ed Marketer, Bryce Hoffman, VP and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), shares insights from his transition into the CMO role and the evolving landscape of higher ed marketing. He reflects on generational shifts in communication, the challenges of leadership, and the role of trust and creativity in making a real impact.

Let’s dive into the importance of building relationships with campus leadership, taking calculated creative risks, and navigating pushback while staying true to institutional culture. We will explore how courageous leadership is essential to break free from the status quo, implement bold marketing strategies, and create messaging that genuinely connects with audiences.

🎧 Listen Now to Learn:

✅ How to navigate the first 90 days as a new CMO 

✅ Why higher ed marketing struggles with risk-taking

✅ How to balance bold innovation with respect for institutional culture and history.

✅ Strategies for handling pushback while driving meaningful marketing change.

✅ Why pilot testing is the secret weapon for introducing bold new marketing ideas.

✅ How transparency, humility, and strategic creativity build long-term trust.

Join us as we discuss:
2:22 – Navigating the First Days as a CMO
8:43 – Building Trust and Assessing Change
18:10 – Courageous Leadership in Higher Education Marketing
29:34 – Navigating Pushback and Gaining Trust
32:13 – Driving Change While Respecting Culture

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

Season 6 - 195

How can colleges adapt to shifting demographics and enrollment challenges? In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Taylor, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Defiance College, to explore innovative strategies for attracting and retaining students. Jeremy shares how understanding market dynamics, leveraging data, and aligning recruitment efforts with institutional mission can drive enrollment success. He also highlights key initiatives like tuition reduction and community engagement, while offering insights on balancing traditional and modern approaches to recruitment. Plus, we dive into the importance of team cohesion, self-evaluation, and strategies to prevent staff burnout in the ever-evolving world of higher ed enrollment.

Listen now to learn:

✅ Demographic trends present opportunities for growth. 

✅ Community engagement is crucial for sustainable enrollment.

✅ Data-driven decisions are essential in enrollment management.

✅ Using technology like ChatGPT can simplify data analysis.

✅ Aligning recruitment strategies with institutional mission is crucial.

✅ Building a supportive team culture is essential for success.

✅ Preventing burnout involves celebrating successes and having fun.

Join us as we discuss:

01:30 - Challenges in Enrollment Management

04:01 - Strategies for Enrollment Growth

16:06 - Demographic Trends and Opportunities

22:11 - Innovative Recruitment Strategies

28:14 - Building a Unified Team

31:30 - Preventing Burnout in High-Pressure Environments

36:23 - Self-Evaluation for Institutional Success

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