Jaime Hunt is the founder of Solve Higher Ed and host of the popular “Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO” podcast. She unpacks the evolving landscape of higher education marketing. Jamie shares decades of experience – from her time as a Chief Marketing Officer at institutions like Old Dominion University, Miami University, and Winston-Salem State – offering brutally honest insights into the challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities today. This is an honest conversation about enrollment strategies, brand building, crisis communications, and the surprising universality of higher ed’s struggles.

Join Jeff as he delves into Jamie’s unique perspective on leadership, risk-taking in education, and how institutions can truly differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Discover why many colleges are facing similar hurdles despite seemingly disparate circumstances – and learn how to break free from short-term thinking.

Key Takeaways:

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Jaime Hunt:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/

Solve Higher Ed

https://www.solvehighered.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Join Jeff Dillon as he sits down with Devin Pergason, AVP for Student Experience, Marketing & Outreach at Forsyth Technical Community College, to dissect the evolving landscape of higher education. This episode tackles a critical question: why are community colleges currently best positioned to drive student success? Pergason argues that their inherent “student-first” mission – unlike research universities attempting to retrofit a student-centric model – gives them a significant advantage.

The conversation centers on the urgency with which institutions must engage with emerging technologies, particularly AI, mirroring the same dedication they bring to the classroom. Pergason emphasizes a shift away from traditional marketing approaches that “market *to* students” towards strategies designed *for* their needs. He highlights how Forsyth Tech built a groundbreaking student care model – integrating support services directly with marketing – creating a unified approach for genuine engagement and lasting impact.

Ultimately, this episode explores whether community colleges are truly ‘getting there’ in embracing the technological conversation, and what it takes to ensure students receive the support they need to thrive.

Key Takeaways:

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Devin Purgason:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinpurgason/

Forsyth Technical Community College

https://www.forsythtech.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

“The Signal” is launching with a vital mission: to cut through the overwhelming noise surrounding technology in higher education and deliver honest conversations about what truly matters. Hosted by Jeff Dillon, this show originates from a thriving community – a decade-long email listserv (now boasting nearly 70,000 members) of web directors, digital marketers, and leaders across higher ed who were grappling with responsive design, mobile technology, and the evolving needs of students.

The show’s core focus is identifying what’s actually moving the needle and understanding how faculty and students are utilizing technology daily. Jeff emphasizes the critical need to avoid making policy decisions “blind,” urging listeners to engage with the conversations shaping higher education.

“The Signal” is committed to uncovering those real-world insights and fostering a community where innovative ideas can thrive.

The show continues every Friday with the same format and commitment to honest conversations about leadership and technology’s impact on higher education.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

In a higher ed landscape crowded with sameness, how can institutions truly stand out and drive enrollment growth, especially for graduate and professional programs?

This week on The Signal: On Air, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Val Fox, a strategic advisor at EAB with decades of experience leading marketing at both major universities and consumer brands like Bose. Val argues that the biggest mistake institutions make is trying to scale the undergraduate playbook for their graduate programs, which are often fragmented, under-resourced, and siloed.

Val shares critical insights from EAB's latest research on the modern adult learner, revealing a fundamental shift toward stealth shopping, digital-first decision-making, and a surge in AI adoption for program discovery. She explains why "supportive faculty" and "strong outcomes" are just the category minimum, not differentiators, and offers a practical guide on how to build a genuine brand "moat" by getting specific.

Tune in to learn how to move from endless debate to disciplined experimentation, align your cross-functional teams, and ensure your institution is visible at the new AI-powered front door of higher ed.

Key Takeaways

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Val Fox:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriekfox/

EAB

http://eab.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Jeff Dillon sits down with Shannon Vander Meulen, Co-Founder and CMO of WaitWell, a tech platform transforming how students access campus services—from advising to financial aid.

A former public service office manager turned tech founder, Shannon brings a rare blend of frontline operational experience and educator empathy to the problem of waiting. She shares how her decade running a busy registry office revealed that what people truly want isn’t popcorn or music—it’s competence, clarity, and their time back. Shannon unpacks how WaitWell eliminates physical lines, empowers staff with AI-driven insights, and gives students the digital-first experience they now expect. From onboarding without tech fatigue to launching their new AI agent “Waillo,” this conversation is a useful guide to building solutions that solve real problems—not just deploying tech for tech’s sake.

Whether you’re in student affairs, IT, or service operations, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas for making service interactions faster, fairer, and more human.

Key Takeaways

Find Emily Vander Meulen:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonvandermeulen/

WaitWell

https://waitwellsoftware.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Stephen Laster is the CEO of Panopto and a veteran leader in digital education whose career spans Harvard Business School, McGraw-Hill, D2L, and Ellucian.

Stephen shares how his own experience as a dyslexic learner—and an early adopter of the Apple II—shaped his lifelong mission to use technology to make learning more accessible and human. He unpacks what it truly means to be a “human-centered AI-first” platform, how Panopto is using AI to extend—not replace—the learning community, and why interoperability and focus are more critical than ever in edtech. From navigating institutional change to fostering a culture of smart risk-taking, Stephen offers a candid look at the patterns, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of teaching and corporate training.

Whether you’re leading digital transformation, building learning tools, or thinking about how to scale knowledge in a rapidly changing world, this conversation is packed with wisdom from the front lines.

Key Takeaways

Find Stephen Laster:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenlaster/

Panopto

https://www.panopto.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Fiona’s journey is anything but conventional: from clinical audiologist and university instructor to scaling a global edtech startup used by over 30,000 students at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley. She serves as the CEO and co-founder of Viewpoint Simulations. She shares how teaching during the pandemic revealed a gap in experiential learning—and how she and her co-founder turned a classroom tool into a thriving platform that transforms lecture content into active role-playing simulations.

Fiona shares her experiences building a fully remote, mission-driven team, why educator-to-educator referrals fuel growth, and how deep LMS integration became a non-negotiable key to adoption.

Whether you’re an educator looking to engage students in new ways, an edtech founder navigating early growth, or a leader curious about the future of experiential learning, this conversation is packed with real-world insights on innovation, empathy, and scaling with purpose.

Key Takeaways

Find Fiona Hayes:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionamhayes/

Viewpoint Simulations

https://viewpointsims.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Tawnya Means, Founding Partner and Principal at Inspire Higher Ed, talks about how institutions can navigate the rapid shifts in technology without losing the human heart of education.

With over two decades of experience guiding colleges through digital transformation—from the early LMS days to today’s AI revolution—Tawnya brings a rare, grounded perspective on what it takes to innovate with purpose. She breaks down why smaller institutions can actually lead the way, how to move beyond "shiny object" tech adoption, and why the future of teaching is a "human plus AI" partnership—not a replacement.

Whether you’re wrestling with change fatigue, misaligned incentives, or the pressure to modernize on a budget, this conversation offers practical frameworks, real-world examples, and a refreshing focus on culture, accessibility, and sustainable impact.

Key Takeaways

Find Tawnya Means:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnya-means/

Inspire Higher Ed

https://inspirehighered.com/

Substack

https://tawnyameans.substack.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Charity Stutzman, Senior Director of Higher Education Strategy at Vector Solutions, unpacks the groundbreaking findings from the latest Campus Prevention Network National Insights Report.

With over 15 years in student affairs—including as Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Texas at Arlington—Charity brings a frontline perspective to a dramatic cultural shift: students are increasingly choosing not to drink, driven by mental health, finances, and a desire for control.

They dive into what this means for prevention work, the rise of cannabis use, and how campuses can move from fear-based messaging to support, belonging, and skill-building. Charity also shares how tools like AlcoholEdu and CannabisEdu provide real-time data to help institutions respond proactively, and why tying student wellbeing directly to career readiness is the future of higher ed strategy.

For anyone in student affairs, prevention, or institutional leadership, this conversation is an essential look at the data reshaping student success.

Key Takeaways

Find Charity Stutzman:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charity-stutzman-9a4a1121/

Vector Solutions

https://www.vectorsolutions.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ben Tasker, an expert in AI, workforce readiness  and skills-based learning, shares his unique journey from higher education to industry, exploring how AI is reshaping learning and work during what he calls the "AI between times"—a transitional era of rapid change and "uh-oh moments."

They dive into why AI amplifies human capability rather than replacing it, how institutions can ethically integrate AI, and the urgent need to shift from time-based degrees to skills-based outcomes.

Whether you're in higher ed, corporate training, or just thinking about the future of learning, this conversation offers actionable insights and a hopeful vision for an AI-enabled, accessible, and human-centered education system.

Key Takeaways

Find Ben Tasker:

LinkedIn                              

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentaskerai/

National Grid

https://www.nationalgrid.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/