The HigherEd Podcast

Shane Sparks breaks down the growing divide in higher education between schools that understand lead generation and schools still relying on outdated enrollment models. A strong conversation on AI, OPM pressure, and the enrollment cliff.

In this conversation, Dr. Jerry Wallace breaks down why stronger partnerships between schools, colleges, and employers are critical if we want students prepared for the jobs of the future.

Shantay Ann Bolton, president of Columbia College Chicago, joins the Higher Ed Podcast to talk about creative education, leadership, AI, partnerships, and why higher education must rethink how it proves value in today’s world.

Jen Lyles joins the Higher Ed Podcast to explain why so many schools are still using outdated marketing and admissions tactics for a generation that thinks and communicates differently. This episode covers Gen Z behavior, anxiety, TikTok, admissions, and where schools need to change.

Dr. Dale Nesbary has spent decades serving students, leading institutions, and helping colleges navigate change. In this episode, he joins Kamar for a thoughtful conversation on higher ed leadership, AI, strategic planning, and what it means to build a legacy that lasts.

Are colleges still preparing students for the real world? This panel digs into the role of the humanities, the challenge of workforce readiness, the future of accreditation, and why student success may need to be defined in more flexible and meaningful ways.

University President Dr. Lillian Schumacher explains how she sustained enrollment growth during the “enrollment cliff” era, and breaks down the balance every institution has to manage: scholarship strategy, discount rate, and net tuition. If you’re trying to grow without blowing up revenue, this conversation is for you.

AI can speed up writing and research, but it can’t replace real mentorship. Dr. Kreassig explains why the relationship between faculty and students still matters most.

Lisa Avery shares how community colleges support local economies, reduce social costs, and open doors for first-generation students, and why the public underestimates their impact.

Episode 2 of Everything Higher Ed brings together a provost, a higher-ed CEO, and a Penn State leader to unpack what AI is changing right now, inside classrooms, across student services, and throughout accreditation. Topics include: AI fluency as a workforce baseline, why students may trust public tools more than campus systems, and how schools can respond without losing academic rigor. Plus: a provocative take on whether AI could disrupt Title IV and accreditation over the next decade.