Enrollment Edge by enrollmentFUEL

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge I talk to William Monts, Associate Vice President, Dean of Traditional Admission at Anderson University, in South Carolina. In a recent Octane article, William describes how coaching basketball was a perfect lead in to his life in Admissions and Enrollment. We'll talk about the valuable lessons he's taken from the court to the office over the past several years. As a professional that is considered a rising star, his insights into developing a bonded team while building a competitive winning attitude will be worth adopting for your admissions teams as well.About Our GuestWilliam serves as the associate vice president, dean of traditional admission at Anderson University in South Carolina.  Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, he earned his bachelors at Clemson University and his masters from Anderson University, SC.  He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Liberty University.  Prior to working in enrollment management, he coached collegiate men's basketball at Anderson University (SC) for 5 years as an assistant coach, Georgia Southwestern State University (GA) for 1 year as an assistant coach, Warren Wilson College (NC) for 2 years as the head coach, and Western Kentucky University (KY) for 2 years in administrative roles.Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge I talk to Dr. Dustin York, Associate Professor, Strategic Communication and Leadership at Maryville University in St Louis MO. Dustin is a Marketing Strategist and Marketing Big Thinker! We talk through some of the challenges college marketers face today in the era of extreme competition, the race to capture brand loyalty, and an environment that sees a college degree as a luxury item. And yet, through all of the challenges colleges still have options and opportunities to actually live up to their core essence of being a public service to communities. So, if you're a college marketer or are an enrollment leader, this is a game changing conversation you'll want to pay attention to. Get out a pen and notebook, here we go! About Our GuestDr. Dustin York is an Associate Professor at Maryville University in St. Louis. Prior to entering academia, Dr. York worked in public relations for the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign,  and clients like Pepsi Co., and Nike. Dr. York's specialties are two sided: interpersonal leadership communication and digital transformation in social media, which he now brings to life in the classroom. Beyond his primary passion for teaching, Dr. York is a subject matter expert for CNN, Entrepreneur.com, and Forbes, a contributor for Harvard Business Review, and serves as a national keynote speaker. Dr. York was awarded the St. Louis Business Journal 30 Under 30 Award, President's Award for Strategic Leadership and Transformation Innovation, American Marketing Association 4 Under 40, and an Apple Distinguished Educator.Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge I talk to Kimberley Buster-Williams,  Vice President for Enrollment Management at Northeastern Illinois University. Kimberley is conducting research exploring the state of retention and succession within higher education. Her findings are shocking but not all that surprising. Professionals throughout the industry have become more aware of the fragile nature of careers within higher ed. Whether it's career burnout, greener pastures, the stress and anxiety tied to the nature of the business, or the “you only live once” mentality – higher ed professionals are leaving their careers without a succession plan for their position.For those of you who are making plans for your retirement or are thinking about moving out of the business of higher education, I hope this episode is encouraging and motivating to you.If you're interested in participating in Kimberley's doctoral dissertation research on succession planning, see the links we provided in the show notes. I know she would be happy to answer any questions you may have.Below is a survey link with some information. If you think I should create something different let me know. Succession Planning Research Survey Information:Click HereKimberley Buster-Williams contact information:semmiddlemanagers@gmail.comHave any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge, I talk to Mike Wesner, the Founder, Owner, and Chief Imagination Office at enrollmentFUEL. Mike calls himself an Inversely Paranoid person. In other words, he's always seen opportunity in the face of adversity. And if there is one word that describes college enrollment during these days, it's adversity. Maybe Mike found his positive attitude as a Navy Officer. Or maybe it's because he's a born entrepreneur – where a glass half-full mindset is crucial for startup companies to survive.I ask Mike to think about what he's seeing on the higher ed horizon and apply his contagious opportunistic mindset to what he's seeing. If you need a shot in the arm or a one of Mike's famous “goose honks”, you'll want to listen in to this special episode of the Enrollment EDGE – and ask yourself – Who's got my back?About Our GuestMike is the company's founder and the creator of the big ideas that FUEL our company. He brings his entrepreneurial energy to every project and has led growth in fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and more than 100 higher education campuses. He has crafted the solutions strategy for more than 1,000 Student Search campaigns and has reengineered the communications ecosystem on several college campuses.Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge, I talk to Zana Berisha, Digital Marketing Specialist at enrollmentFUEL. Zana is a self-proclaimed Social Media-Guru – meaning she's a consistent content user and coach for all things Social Media and her specialty is Tik Tok! College marketers need to communicate with their prospects through multiple channels including these envelope pushing platforms. If you want to successfully reach your prospective students – you need to be where their attention is – and it's on Tik Tok.About Our GuestZana is a graduate from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor's degree in marketing. She enjoys using her skills to improve our client-partners' digital marketing experience. She specializes in TikTok and has a passion to learn all things social media. That specialization has led to helping clients amount to 2.3 million followers! During her time in college, Zana gained a lot of experience and had great success in sales that led to marketing. Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge, Jay is joined be Robert Gould, Vice President for Enrollment Management & Stephanie Ruckel, Director of Admissions Operations at Augsburg University. For decades many colleges have taken on the challenge of real college access. More recently, Direct Admissions has moved from a regionalized experimental policy to a policy movement. Every student is “college material.” This core belief is the driving idea behind the Office of Higher Education's new program called Direct Admissions. This pilot program will notify graduating high school seniors from selected Minnesota high schools that there are multiple partner colleges and universities that are eager to admit them based on their academic records and their projected Spring 2023 graduation date. This program will allow students to apply with confidence, knowing that the "will I get in?" question has already been answered with a "YES!"For Enrollment Leaders across the country who are interested in breaking down college access barriers and supporting students to achieve the dream of a college education, this is an Edge Episode you can't miss!!  About Our GuestsStephanie has been part of the Augsburg University community since 2010.  She began her career at Augsburg helping students pay for college, holding various roles within financial aid and student account teams. There she embraced the framework of design thinking to transform numerous aspects of student service. Robert currently serves as vice president for strategic enrollment management at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has a proven record of consistent enrollment leadership success. He has led four years of progressive results at Augsburg, welcoming the largest and most diverse entering classes in its 153-year history.  Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

By popular demand we're re-airing this highly downloaded episode! Enrollment Edge is digging into yet another digital strategy that Enrollment Leaders must be paying attention to—E.A.T. or Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. In this episode, Jay will unpack the E.A.T. concept and why it's so important to SEO development. The concept comes from Google's search quality rater guidelines, and it became well known after the infamous Medic Update in August 2018. E.A.T. is an important, and often overlooked, evaluation that Google uses to evaluate the overall quality of a web page. While enrollment marketing and enrollment professionals are focusing on the mechanics of SEO, what they should be developing is broader and significantly more important. About Our GuestOur Guest today is a lead and web development specialist and consultant, Rory Green. Rory has more than 20 years of design and strategic web development experience. Along the way he has seen the rules of effective web site  development and search engine optimization change dramatically and without notice to the public. We will talk through quality raters, black and white hatters, Google algorithms, and provide listeners with six key takeaways that will make an immediate impact on their web site effectiveness. Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge, Jay talks to enrollmentFUEL's President, Dr. Jacqui Elliott. One of many things Jacqui is known for is her intense travel schedule. Her passport is as thick as a Sears catalog! And along her journeys, Jacqui seems to find herself in continuous and ongoing conversations with Enrollment Leaders on every continent. During these conversations she's picked up on clear and prominent themes of recruiting challenges, escalating staffing issues, deepening value concerns for a college degree, and student communities under increasing stresses. In this Episode we'll look ahead at the imminent enrollment environment through the lens of these reoccurring themes. If you're an enrollment leader, this is a must listen episode!About Our GuestDr. Jacquelyn D. Elliott is a subject matter expert in recruitment and retention strategies, all things enrollment management, strategic planning, budgeting, organizational histories, women in leadership, and goal mapping. With over thirty years of experience in higher education, she brings expertise in many areas relevant to the challenges of today's Chief Enrollment Officer as President of enrollmentFUEL.Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge, Jay welcomes Tim Fuller back to talk about the big picture of the profession of enrollment management. For most of Tim's 40-year career in higher ed, he's conducted research on every imaginable topic related to enrollment management. In his most recent survey, The State of the Enrollment Profession at NACCAP Institutions, 2022 Edition – Tim uncovers some realities of enrollment professionals career development, organizational structure, reporting lines, longevity, and decision-making authority. After digging into the research, we come away with some hopeful news and some rough news. Enrollment leaders will want to catch this episode with one of the industry's most prominent and practical researchers.About Our GuestTim Fuller is a higher education speaker, strategic planner, enrollment strategist, and data enthusiast. Tim will be the first to tell you that “it takes a campus to recruit a student,” and then give you not only the data you need, but the “so what?” behind it to set successful strategies for your institution's health, stability, and sustainable culture in motion. After thirteen years with Credo as an Owner, Senior Vice President, and Executive Leadership Team member, Tim has returned to the affiliate status he enjoyed with Credo to found his own firm, Fuller Higher Ed Solutions. Tim's heart for higher education took root during the years he spent serving at his alma mater, Houghton College. In 1980, Tim began serving as an admission counselor and spent the final 14 years of his 27-year tenure as the Vice President for Enrollment Management. He has conducted enrollment research on behalf of higher education association for more than 30 years. In 2003, the CCCU named Tim a Senior Research Fellow in appreciation for his ongoing commitment to enrollment research, and in 2015, the ABHE named him a Senior Fellow for his contributions to their professional development curriculum and conferences.Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay talks to Dr. John Borum, Head of Engagement at Degree Sight. John has spent much of his career in Student Services and has built a specialty in building predictive models to predict student retention at his university. While Predictive Modeling looks at who among prospective student's is most and least likely to apply and enroll, John's model goes beyond that and into the student's college career – predicting year to year retention. And he believes schools can also do this kind of retention modeling at the prospective student's application stage. As Enrollment Managers search for effective enrollment strategies to support their colleges and universities, this is one strategy that is worth the time to investigate! About Our GuestDr. John Borum serves as Head of Engagement for DegreeSight, an Educational Technology company that offers online solutions for transcript evaluations and degree planning. Dr. Borum has 20 years of Higher Education experience in Enrollment and Student Affairs. He has served in leadership positions in admissions, student life, and retention/student success. John Borum's Infojohn.borum@degreesight.comhttps://www.degreesight.com Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay talks to Jeremy Tiers, Senior Director of Admissions Services at Tudor Collegiate Strategies. Campus-wide recruitment is often a big challenge for enrollment managers and we're going to talk through some strategies to help faculty recruit like coaches and coaches to recruit fans! Jeremy brings a unique perspective to his consulting having been on several college campuses (including one of my favorites – Bemidji State University). We think you'll gather some great idea to keep your campus engaged in your recruitment efforts.About Our GuestJeremy Tiers has become a familiar name and speaker in college admission, enrollment management, and marketing circles. He is the Senior Director of Admissions Services for Tudor Collegiate Strategies (TCS) and teaches proven strategies to improve communication, personal and organizational performance, strengthen relationships, create effective leadership, and increase collaboration.Jeremy's goal anytime he speaks is to have the audience leave with information, tips, and strategies that can immediately be put into action.Coach Tiers, as he's known on Twitter and #EMchat, is also the host of the 'Mission Admissions' podcast, and the editor of a well-known, weekly college admissions and marketing email newsletter. Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this episode of the Enrollment Edge I talk to Dr. Scott Shoemaker, Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Retention at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. During Scott's 30+ years in enrollment, he's seen high and lows of recruitment that are often tied to the ebb and flow of demographics. However, the current environment of shrinking college going populations has his attention. For years, PLNU has focused attention on gender balance in their student body - called shaping the class. Yet, each year, recruiting male students is getting more and more challenging. In this Enrollment Edge episode we'll talk about the realities that colleges are facing and work through some strategies that you will want to take note of if you're going to recapture this diminishing area of the college student population. For most colleges, it's not about shaping a class, it's about filling an incoming class. Scott shares some of his successes and failures and provides the listeners with some realistic tactics that will help recruit men back to college!About Our GuestScott is in his 36th year of serving in Christian higher education, all at his alma mater Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California.  After completing a bachelors degree in psychology, he began his professional career in admissions and served for 5 years as a counselor and assistant director.  In 1992 he moved to Student Development and served as associate dean for community life for 6 years.  During his time in student life he completed a masters in counseling at the University of San Diego.   In 1998, he assumed the role of director of admissions and chief enrollment officer, a role he has continued in various iterations for nearly 25 years.  PLNU saw marked growth in the student body both in numbers and in profile during this season and PLNU now demonstrates some of the highest retention and graduation rates in the CCCU, while also one of the most academically competitive and ethnically diverse campuses.  Scott enjoys the day to day management opportunities with a large team, as well as strategic planning and forecasting aspects of enrollment management. As a part of this leadership journey, he earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Azusa Pacific University in 2012. He has served on the NACCAP board of directors and as a member of the CCCU Chief Enrollment Officer's commission.  Scott is a southern California native and enjoys backcountry hiking, skiing and of course, the beach.  He and his wife Michelle live near the campus in Point Loma and have 3 adult children.   Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this Episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay talks to Dr. Cié Gee, Associate Vice Provost of Career Engaged Learning, Director of the QEP, and clinical faculty member at The University of Texas San Antonio. Cié was recently introduced to Jay during a staff retreat that she led for enrollmentFUEL. The entire team was struck by her insights, empathy and creativity as she virtually led our large team through exercises and discussions.Jay was left wondering about how Cié could speak to enrollment and higher ed leaders on how to best lead and, hopefully, keep their team intact! It's been well documented, as a society, we are in a season of great employment transition. So, the question Jay has for Cié was: How do leaders develop great teams? Especially during this season of staffing upheaval. Whether you're in a college environment or not, the insights Cié provides will be worth putting into practice ! About Our GuestDr. Cié Gee is a torchbearer for innovative approaches in higher education leadership development.Her specific topics of interest are interpersonal/intrapersonal communication, self-doubt, failing forward, and empathetic leadership.  She has worked in higher education for over 15 years and currently serves as the Associate Vice Provost of Career Engaged Learning, Director of the QEP, and clinical faculty member at The University of Texas San Antonio. In her career, Cié has held leadership roles in Strategic Planning, Enrollment Management, and Leadership Development facilitation.  She is active in state, regional and national organizations and was the 2019 SACRAO President. She has been published in SEM Quarterly, the SACRAO Journal, and is a regular contributor to AACRAO's Field Notes.  Cié is an active presenter and speaker and has received awards for her presentations.Cié holds a BA and MA in Communication, an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and the AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management Endorsement. Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On this episode of the Enrollment Edge I talk to a very special guest - Alison Walls. In June of this year Alison passed away. She was one of the founding members of enrollmentFUEL and the first producer of the Enrollment EDGE Podcast. The one thing all of those of us who knew Alison have in common - we deeply miss her. In tribute to her role on the Enrollment EDGE, we want to broadcast Alison's episode that we initially used as a test session for Alison and Jay. They had to figure out how to produce a podcast after all. Alison had a heart for students - her background and training were in college student life. So when we brainstormed about topics - caring for students during the pandemic became the focus she felt most passionate about. About Our GuestAlison began her career in youth ministry and found that her skills at junior high ministry could be translated to residence life at the college level. Alison earned her Master's in Student Development Counseling and Administration and took on the role of Director of Student Life at a small private school in Oklahoma City.  Throughout her time in Student Life, Alison began to discover the unique relationship between retention and recruitment and worked closely with Admissions to create a smooth entry for incoming students.  In doing so, Alison has become passionate about the impact that student processes, communication, and relationships have to the overall student experience.We hope you hear the heart of a dear soul in this special episode. Have any questions or comments? Let's chat here!

On today's episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay, once again, talks to Dave Quick, executive coach, speaker, and corporate consultant to over 300 companies. Dave was a guest on the Edge more than a year ago (which we dropped as a repeat bonus episode earlier this week) about the topic of hiring and retaining the right team. We thought we should continue that theme and talk about ways higher ed leaders can successfully build a productive, effective, and innovative team. Dave brings the model of “Tribal Leadership” into his consulting with corporation executives. The New York Times Best Selling Book, “Tribal Leadership” is at the core of our conversation – you can find it on your favorite book selling sites. There has never been a more important moment in higher education to embrace new models of providing degree attainment that are affordable and meaningful. In other words, the most rigid and formatted industry in our society, higher education, must innovate to survive!  About Our GuestDavid Quick is committed to “helping bulls thrive in china shops” by helping leaders transition their lives to becoming more significant. He is also an executive coach, speaker and change agent that can help your admissions department run more effectively. David also helps schools with VP and Dean of Enrollment placement services.After receiving his BS in mathematics from the United States Naval Academy, David served eight years active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer, including a tour as an Instructor at the United States Naval Academy. Mike and David were shipmates as young Naval Officers on their first ship out of college.With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience, he has broad experience in both small and large organizations. David also holds a MA in Education from Loyola University Maryland and attended the London Business School Executive Leadership Program.He has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children and as math/GED tutor, including work in the prison system.Dave lives in Bloomington, IN with his wife and family.

Across industries, hiring great people is the goal of managers. Yet, finding the right people to hire isn't easy. Hiring often comes down to who we "like" instead of who best fits the role. We talk with David Quick, Founder and Consultant of Helping Bulls Thrive, an agency that helps organizations make the right hiring decisions and keep those "right fit people" on the team roster. We will discuss a data driven approach to hiring and strategies to motivate and keep the right people.About Our GuestDavid Quick is committed to “helping bulls thrive in china shops” by helping leaders transition their lives to becoming more significant. He is also an executive coach, speaker and change agent that can help your admissions department run more effectively. David also helps schools with VP and Dean of Enrollment placement services.After receiving his BS in mathematics from the United States Naval Academy, David served eight years active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer, including a tour as an Instructor at the United States Naval Academy. Mike and David were shipmates as young Naval Officers on their first ship out of college.With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience, he has broad experience in both small and large organizations. David also holds a MA in Education from Loyola University Maryland and attended the London Business School Executive Leadership Program.He has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children and as math/GED tutor, including work in the prison system.Dave lives in Bloomington, IN with his wife and family

On this episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay talks to Dr. Terry Flannery, author, speaker, professor, college marketing consultant and newly appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Terry brings over 30 years of college marketing experience to today's conversation. Jay and Terry walk through the history of college marketing and how siloes developed, and are often maintained, in today's college structure. The episode discusses brand "power users" on a college campuses and how schools should be using a set of tools to develop "message maps", while building their institutional brand architecture. Through her years of consulting with colleges, Terry describes five big missed opportunities made all too often in college marketing, and provides suggestions on ways to bridge those gaps while looking ahead to the future of college marketing! If you're a college marketer, or an enrollment manager with oversight of or influence on your school's marketing office, you'll want to get Terry's book How to Market a University: Building Value in a Competitive Environment and make sure you set aside some time to listen to this episode of the Enrollment Edge—we're confident it will be a game changer for you. If you would like to register for Dr. Flannery's Master Course, How to Market a University, you can do so at the link HERE and use the code EDGEPOD for a 10% discount.About Our GuestTeresa (Terry) Flannery is a strategic, innovative, and collaborative higher education leader with more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of functions, including advancement, admissions and enrollment management, and student affairs.  She has worked at large, medium, and small institutions, both public and private.One of the leading university marketing professionals in the world and recognized in 2018 as “International Brand Master,” Flannery has led some of the most successful brand campaigns in all of higher education. She is also a consultant, speaker and author of How to Market A University: Building Value in a Competitive Environment, a new book published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in their series for higher education. In cooperation with several leading higher education marketing agencies, Flannery launched an asynchronous master course based on the book.Flannery was recently appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CASE, one of the largest global education associations in the world and the professional development home for advancement professionals, who build relationships, revenue, and reputation in support of their institutions.  She begins this new role on July 1, 2022.Before coming to CASE, Flannery held the chief marketing officer role at three institutions, as Interim Vice President for Marketing and Communication at Stony Brook University, as Vice President of Communication at American University, and as Assistant Vice President at the University of Maryland. Flannery maintains an appointment as a Policy Fellow at American University's Center for University Excellence. She has been a fellow in the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership and served for a decade on the CASE Board of Trustees, including as Chair.  Flannery holds a BA in English (American Lit

On this episode of the Enrollment Edge Jay talks with Dr. Gavin Hamms, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Grambling State University. On most college campuses, current student retention is often seen as everyone's job, yet no one's responsibility. As enrollment challenges increase in the coming years, keeping students enrolled, satisfied and progressing toward graduation is an imperative to the health of any college. Dr. Hamms shares many of the most basic, yet often overlooked practices that will help enrollment managers build and maintain a state-of-the-art retention model.About Our GuestGavin R. Hamms, Ph.D., says, “I see the future of strategic enrollment management requiring more collaboration and innovative thinking than ever before. Today's ‘crazy idea' can be tomorrow's Netflix. Higher education will be accessible and in demand for the global citizenry as opposed to a segmented population.” Dr. Hamms earned his Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University. He also holds an MBA from the University of Louisiana, Monroe, and a bachelor's degree in business, management, marketing, and related services from Grambling State University. His higher education career began as the Manager of Default Prevention at his alma mater, Grambling State University. Later, he served as Director of Financial Aid for six years, during which time he was chair of the Strategic Enrollment Management Council and saw enrollment growth each year. Today, Dr. Hamms is the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Grambling State University. 

On this episode of Enrollment Edge, I talk to Jae Denson, college advisor and coach, as well as founder of JD Educates—a company that helps students find the right college, the right program, and the right fit. We'll talk about the challenges that college-bound students face, especially first generation students. Jae points out the need for colleges to better communicate the real costs and value versus indebtedness to students who do not have the background to fully understand the investment of a college degree. Listen to how Jae describes his advising philosophy that there are multiple pathways to a career and there are multiple careers that student should be considering. For enrollment managers, his insights into student needs and concerns should lead to real changes to recruitment messages given prospective students and their families. About Our GuestThe quote “education plus character, that is the goal of true education.” from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, is what motivates Jae Denson, Founder of Jae D. Educates, to provide studentswith a personalized coaching experience. These coaching experiences prompt self-awareness and finding the students' true “academic fit” when identifying institutions and financial resources for the college admissions process or career promotion.A native of Columbus, OH, Jae grew his passion for higher education at his undergraduate alma mater, Clark Atlanta University, where he became a student office assistant in the Office of the President, under the leadership of then University President, Dr. Walter Broadnax. From this experience, Jae was able to make important connections to his love of public speaking and relationship management with education. He later started his career at Clark Atlanta as an admissions counselor and tour coordinator, shortly after receiving his Bachelor's in Public Relations. Jae has proven time and again that he is a lifelong learner. In addition to his Bachelor's from Clark Atlanta, Jae received his Master's in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from Strayer University, along with a graduate certification from Franklin University for Instructional Design & Performance Technology. While working as the Associate Director of Admissions at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Jae was instrumental in developing the Commitment to Access Resources through Education (C.A.R.E.) Program that recruited dental applicants from underserved communities in Ohio to train there and help the healthcare disparities in their communities after graduation. Most recently, Jae was the Director of Student Recruitment, Admissions & Diversity at OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. In this role, Jae provided direction and oversight to the development of recruitment activities and student diversity initiatives, including both K-12 and college aged students.Jae's vision for Jae D. Educates is to ensure a quality application to an undergraduate, professional institution or scholarship organization. He hopes one day that he and his company will work with foster care organizations and other non-profits that guide the underserved and often overlooked youth.

On today's Enrollment Edge Jay has a conversation with Don Philabaum, President/CEO of TalentMarks and author of 6 books including the "Unemployed Grad: What Parents Can Do About It." In this Episode, Jay and Don focus on what enrollment managers, college Marketers and career center professionals can do to set their services apart from other colleges, actively engage first-year students through innovative career services and assessments, and manage the tricky task of drawing parents of students into the process of student success and career placement. The colleges that successfully place their graduates in careers are at a distinct advantage in this challenging environment. Marketing that success will significantly help draw new students to their campus. About Our GuestDon Philabaum is CEO of TalentMarks, an online provider of career and professional development programming to career centers and alumni associations.  TalentMarks' Career Speaker Series provides alumni associations with a branded career solutions that feature 31 scheduled career lectures per year. Recently published authors provide tips on managing careers, changing jobs, dealing with workplace issues, soft skills needed for advancement, and even retirement strategies. The firms' Grad CareerFestival is a four-day online career conference that introduces grads to 72 of the world's top career authors who share tips, skills, and strategies grads need to launch their careers.Philabaum has built two other education businesses. He founded his first business while in college and by the time he sold it in 2000, his firm photographed 200,000 grads receiving their diplomas at 500 colleges and high schools each year.  His other firm founded in 1997, built alumni online communities/directories for over 300 alumni associations before he sold it in 2007.  Philabaum has authored ½ a dozen books, including Alumni Online Engagement, Change It! Create a Net-Centered College Culture, The Unemployed Grad, And What Parents Can Do About It, as well as a dozen whitepapers including, The Alumni Career Shop, Moving Athletes from the Playing Field to the Corporate Team, Engaging Boomers with Virtual Content.Philabaum believes parents would be willing to pay for a good, better, and best career services model.  He has written extensively that the career center should be a profit center and advocates the concept to college presidents and administrators. don@talentmarks.com.

On today's Enrollment Edge Jay has a conversation with Wendy Keough, Executive Director of Undergraduate Recruitment & Admissions at Andrews University in Michigan. The episode is dedicated to the new reality of hiring, motivating, and retaining an admission staff. In the past two years, hiring and retaining staff has become a drastically bigger challenge. Remote work expectations, salary constraints, thin loyalties among applicants, and a lack of vision where jobs in admissions and enrollment can lead, have driven decisions to change admission roles. While the hiring climate in higher education is shifting, this episode provides some helpful tools for hiring managers to find, hire and retain talent on their teams. About our GuestWendy Keough serves as the Executive Director of Undergraduate Recruitment & Admissions at Andrews University. Born and raised in rural Michigan, she received a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Andrews University, a private Seventh-day Adventist university near the shores of Lake Michigan.Wendy's professional accomplishments have included automotive engineering, educational marketing, entrepreneurship, and educational administration both in the US and abroad. She enjoys academic research, systems efficiency, and empowering others to be their very best. While serving in Thailand, Keough served as the Program Director for the English Language program at Asia-Pacific International University, started an industry offering English language courses to local professionals in software and chemical engineering, and co-presented international research in the area of Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) in both Thailand and the Philippines. Wendy has been working in higher education for over 8 years.Outside of work, she is inspired by her husband Ryan, and their three sons, their pets, being outdoors, domestic and international travel, and cooking.

On today's Enrollment Edge, Jay has a conversation with Dr. John Downey, President of Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia. As the President of a community college, Dr. Downey has a deep interest in the evolution of higher education to meet the growing needs of today's workforce. As you will hear in the episode, there are stark realities facing all of all of us in the coming decades. Much of our conversation connects with a recent article by Emsi called the Demographic Drought – the coming sans-demic. We'll talk about the immediate labor force needs and how higher education must find a response to the widening gap between those needs and traditional degrees, in order to avoid a "Hunger Games" recruitment environment. About Our GuestDr. John A. Downey became the fifth President of Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia, in 2009. Prior to being named president, he served as the Vice President for Instruction and Student Services and in various other roles at the College since 1992. Before arriving at Blue Ridge, Dr. Downey worked in student services offices at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachusetts. Downey received his Bachelor of Arts degree from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. He completed his doctoral program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Virginia, where he was awarded the Annette Gibbs Research Publication Award. Downey served on three of the most recent Virginia Community College System (VCCS) strategic planning development committees and chaired the 2021 Strategic Initiatives Task Force. He has served as the chairperson, or as a member, of numerous community boards, including the Shenandoah Valley Partnership for Economic Development, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board, the Harrisonburg City Rotary Club, On The Road Collaborative, and the GenEdge Alliance Board of Trustees (formerly the A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership).Under his leadership, BRCC has garnered recognition from around the state for its progressive workforce initiatives and partnerships. In 2010, he was recognized as the most supportive president of the year at the Enactus (formerly SIFE) National Exposition. Blue Ridge Community College has consistently been recognized throughout the past decade by the Chronicle of Higher Education's “Great Colleges to Work For” program. John lives with his wife, Sandy in Harrisonburg, VA. Together they raised three daughters who all currently work in public service professions. 

Today on the Enrollment Edge we revisit the test-optional discussion. Pre-Pandemic, only a handful of colleges had adopted an admissions policy that didn't consider standardized tests like the ACT or SAT. Today there are nearly 2000 colleges that have moved in this direction, many of them in response to canceled test dates, and the complications of requiring something from an applicant that they could no longer reasonably provide the college. In this Edge episode Jay talks to Joe Montgomery, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Success at Tuskegee University, about Tuskegee's decision to no longer require standardized tests from applicants, as well as the ongoing decision to maintain that policy even after testing options have normalized. Jay and Joe talk through the purpose of standardized tests and what could replace them if the college's goal is successful placement and college success. About Our GuestFor over 20-years, Mr. Joseph Montgomery has been a noteworthy leader in the college admissions/enrollment space. He has experience with admission work at HBCUs and Private Selective Colleges throughout the United States' southeastern region. Before joining Tuskegee University, he spent 6-years at the College Board as Director, Higher Education Services advising chief enrollment officers at universities throughout the south on matters relating to admissions, financial aid, registration, and student success indicators. Beyond servicing as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Tuskegee University, he serves on the Education Finance Institute Advisory Board that focuses on strengthen mission-focused colleges and universities that primarily serve low-income, first-generation, and minority students. Lastly, he was selected to serve on the National Association College Admissions Counseling – Commission on Redesigning the College Admission and Financial Aid Through a Racial Equity Lens. The panel will examine the college entrance pipeline, postsecondary financial aid requirements, and the role of racial equity in postsecondary enrollment. He holds Bachelor's Degree from Voorhees College (HBCU) and a Master's Degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (HBCU) and currently resides in Blacksburg, VA and Tuskegee, AL.   

In episode 27, Jay talks with Andy Woodall, Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions at Shenandoah University about successfully bringing faculty into the recruitment process. None of us doubt the high impact of members of a college community engaging prospective students. Most enrollment leaders will build relationships with coaches, staff, and faculty in order to fully connect with prospects, and set their college ahead of other options a student may be considering. Yet, getting faculty to commit to recruiting isn't as simple as it might sound. We talk about the importance of drawing faculty into the recruiting business, the key to bringing university leadership into the conversation, showing results and appreciation to faculty at the end of the recruitment cycle, and how to help the faculty to see that they are, in fact, caring for and shaping their future classrooms. As the old saying goes, if it takes a whole village to raise a child, it takes a whole university to recruit a one.  About our GuestAndy Woodall is the Assistant Vice-President for Recruitment and Admissions and Shenandoah University where he manages the coordination of all the University's recruitment efforts for First-Year, Transfer, and Graduate students. Andy stresses the importance of authenticity in how University's represent themselves to prospective students so that prospective students and their families can make the most informed college choice. This philosophy, along with centering the recruitment work around putting the needs of the student first has resulted in several record-breaking incoming classes at Shenandoah University. Outside of his work with students, you can usually find Andy close to or on a soccer field (either watching or coaching his two daughters) or in his kitchen at home, likely making too big of a mess (much to his wife's chagrin), but having a lot of fun doing it.

For many colleges transfer enrollment is desirable but elusive. For other colleges, transfers are expensive, complicated, and offered the leftover resources. However, the impending demographic cliff will force the hand of many enrollment leaders to make some priority decisions. Among those decisions will be, being intentional about attracting non-traditional students to the college, how does my college actually serve the needs of transfers, and what can be done to retain those students enrolled through graduation. In this Enrollment Edge episode, Jay will talk to David Cook, Founder of DegreeSight, a company dedicated to providing transfer focused support that helps colleges and universities provide services to enroll, retain, and graduate more transfer students. Jay will dive into current transfer strategies with David and look into future trends that enrollment leaders will have to embrace if they want be dedicated to this underserved and often overlooked student group.  Want to discuss this episode or have questions? You can email us at edge@enrollmentfuel.com and you can contact David at david.cook@degreesight.com.About our GuestDavid is a general innovation-centric product and data geek with a passion for efficiency and improving people's lives.  As a graduate of Baylor University, he went on to become a lead engineer overseeing Hewlett Packard's billing and credit systems by 23, became a product lead and patent author by 25, and for the past 10 years has been creating solutions for governmental agencies and fortune 50 businesses while focused on ease of use, high adoption, and genuinely improved business KPIs. However, David always saw a desperate need in higher education for this same level of support and investment around student success, and so he took the plunge 7 years ago to start building what has now become DegreeSight - the world's first affordable SAAS solution that gives institutions the ability to support their non-traditional students with smart workflows, automation, analytics, and live chat.

 Enrollment Edge is digging into yet another digital strategy that Enrollment Leaders must be paying attention to—E.A.T. or Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. In this episode, Jay will unpack the E.A.T. concept and why it's so important to SEO development. The concept comes from Google's search quality rater guidelines, and it became well known after the infamous Medic Update in August 2018. E.A.T. is an important, and often overlooked, evaluation that Google uses to evaluate the overall quality of a web page. While enrollment marketing and enrollment professionals are focusing on the mechanics of SEO, what they should be developing is broader and significantly more important.Our Guest today is a lead and web development specialist and consultant, Rory Green. Rory has more than 20 years of design and strategic web development experience. Along the way he has seen the rules of effective web site  development and search engine optimization change dramatically and without notice to the public. We will talk through quality raters, black and white hatters, Google algorithms, and provide listeners with six key takeaways that will make an immediate impact on their web site effectiveness. 

The topic of test-optional admissions brings a wide variety of responses from enrollment leaders. On today's episode of Enrollment Edge, Jay will talk to Martin Aucoin, Vice Provost & Dean of Admissions at Belmont Abbey College. Belmont Abbey was one of the very first test-optional policy adopters in the country. Just two years ago, there were a few hundred colleges and universities that were considered test-optional. As many testing dates were canceled or delayed in the name of public health during the pandemic, thousands of colleges have adopted, both temporarily and permanently, a test-optional policy to help admit students even without available test scores.  Jay will discuss with Martin the benefits and challenges of a test-optional admissions policy from the perspective of an early adopter and what lessons he has learned after more than a decade of practicing this controversial policy. About Our GuestMartin, a native of River Ridge, Louisiana, holds a Master's in Higher Education from Appalachian State University and a Bachelor's in Government & Political Philosophy from Belmont Abbey College. Similar to many students, he was not the first in his family to attend the Abbey and followed in the footsteps of his oldest brother. He began his career in college admissions his freshman year as an Abbey Ambassador and has since served the Admissions Office as an Admissions Counselor, Operations Manager, and Director of Admissions. Martin lives near campus with his wife and children and is passionate about welcoming new students to share in this unique tradition of Catholic higher education. Martin has over 10 years of progressive enrollment management experience at both 2-year public and 4-year private institutions. His expertise in unleashing the potential of systems and processes to make informed decisions, empower staff, and meet students' needs.

Enrollment Edge is celebrating our first anniversary! In December 2020, we recorded our first  episode. And for the past year, we've been given the opportunity and responsibility to produce our podcast for you—enrollment leaders. Our goal has been to engage in meaningful higher education topics with thought leaders in order to help our listeners be better informed, more productive, and on the cutting edge of "next practices".enrollmentFUEL's CEO, Mike Wesner, joins me to review what we saw and learned this past strange and unfamiliar year. Mike is a big thinker, always looking to uncover the next practice and the next big technology that will help colleges recruit and enroll students. In this year-in-review episode, we'll examine our most listened to and shared episodes and begin to look ahead at 2022. About Our GuestMike is the company's founder and the creator of the big ideas that FUEL our company. He brings his entrepreneurial energy to every project and has led growth in fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and more than 100 higher education campuses. He has crafted the solutions strategy for more than 1,000 Student Search campaigns and has reengineered the communications ecosystem on several college campuses.“Coach Mike” as he's affectionately called by many is a retired United States Navy Commander whose last Navy tour was at the Center for Naval Leadership. He spent his undergraduate days at UNC Chapel Hill and later received a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the University of New Orleans.

Enrollment leaders have choices and decisions to make that will impact not only their college or university, but also the future lives of students. Today, on the Enrollment Edge, I dig into the topic of financial aid and college access with Megan Hartless, Coordinator of Financial Aid and Scholarships at Blue Ridge Community College. Megan is a veteran of building unique and effective financial aid policies that target providing access to higher education. As the landscape of college enrollment changes in the coming years, it is estimated that access to financial resources for first generation and high-need students will increase. College financial aid and enrollment leaders will have to be intentional about providing the limited available financial resources if they hope to enroll and graduate those students. Bottom line? Many colleges will have to shift their aid model from providing what students want, to providing what they need. About our GuestMegan Hartless accidentally began her career in financial aid in 2003 as a graduate assistant doing Federal Work Study at Virginia Commonwealth University while pursuing her MFA in Theatre Pedagogy. After graduating in 2006, she continued her gluttony for punishment and decided to pursue a long-term career in financial aid. She worked in the financial aid office at Mary Baldwin College (now University) for eight years, ending her tenure there as Associate Director in 2014. She has also taught Public Speaking and Communications courses at VCU, John Tyler Community College, and Blue Ridge Community College. She presently serves as the Coordinator of Financial Aid at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia. 

Enrollment leaders have choices and decisions to make that will impact not only their college or university, but also the future lives of students. Today, on the Enrollment Edge, I dig into the topic of financial aid and college access with Megan Hartless, Coordinator of Financial Aid and Scholarships at Blue Ridge Community College. Megan is a veteran of building unique and effective financial aid policies that target providing access to higher education. As the landscape of college enrollment changes in the coming years, it is estimated that access to financial resources for first generation and high-need students will increase. College financial aid and enrollment leaders will have to be intentional about providing the limited available financial resources if they hope to enroll and graduate those students. Bottom line? Many colleges will have to shift their aid model from providing what students want, to providing what they need. About our GuestMegan Hartless accidentally began her career in financial aid in 2003 as a graduate assistant doing Federal Work Study at Virginia Commonwealth University while pursuing her MFA in Theatre Pedagogy. After graduating in 2006, she continued her gluttony for punishment and decided to pursue a long-term career in financial aid. She worked in the financial aid office at Mary Baldwin College (now University) for eight years, ending her tenure there as Associate Director in 2014. She has also taught Public Speaking and Communications courses at VCU, John Tyler Community College, and Blue Ridge Community College. She presently serves as the Coordinator of Financial Aid at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia. 

For many colleges transfers enrollment is desirable but elusive. For other colleges, transfers are expensive, complicated, and offered the leftover resources. However, the impending demographic cliff will force the hand of many enrollment leaders to make some priority decisions. Among those decisions will be, being intentional about attracting non-traditional students to the college, how does my college actually serve the needs of transfers, and what can be done to retain those students enrolled through graduation. In this Enrollment Edge episode, Jay will talk to David Cook, Founder of DegreeSight, a company dedicated to providing transfer focused support that helps colleges and universities provide services to enroll, retain, and graduate more transfer students. Jay will dive into current transfer strategies with David and look into future trends that enrollment leaders will have to embrace if they want be dedicated to this underserved and often overlooked student group. About our GuestDavid is a general innovation-centric product and data geek with a passion for efficiency and improving people's lives.  As a graduate of Baylor University, he went on to become a lead engineer overseeing Hewlett Packard's billing and credit systems by 23, became a product lead and patent author by 25, and for the past 10 years has been creating solutions for governmental agencies and fortune 50 businesses while focused on ease of use, high adoption, and genuinely improved business KPIs. However, David always saw a desperate need in higher education for this same level of support and investment around student success, and so he took the plunge 7 years ago to start building what has now become DegreeSight - the world's first affordable SAAS solution that gives institutions the ability to support their non-traditional students with smart workflows, automation, analytics, and live chat.

In the coming years, it will be imperative that colleges become proficient at not just recruiting students, but also retaining them until completion of their desired degree. Savvy enrollment managers are looking ahead at the shrinking number of high school graduates, often called the demographic cliff, and are making strategic plans to ensure their institution is set up to provide every student the opportunity to matriculate and succeed. On today's Enrollment Edge, Jay talks with Alex Leader, Founder and CEO of Aviso Retention, about how colleges can collect the right data, translate that data into actionable plans, and implement a Student Success model across the campus. Jay and Alex also delve into the subject of the use of standardized testing, and other tools that are used to predict student success in college. About Our GuestAlex Leader is the CEO and Founder of Aviso Retention, a software and AI student success solution that helps colleges and universities keep students engaged, optimize the chances of student success and avoid attrition. After seeing a need for a solution that assists students to succeed beyond the traditional education path, Alex dedicated his focus to higher education where his passion for student engagement, retention, and advocacy, combined with his experience in institutional consulting with technology integration helped mold the Aviso Retention platform into a tool that addresses the timely needs of advisors and success coaches.At Aviso Retention, Alex works with partner institutions to understand their challenges, using these interactions to guide Aviso's product and services offerings. With an additional focus on traditionally underserved institutions, he believes that every institution and their students deserve solutions that ensure equity, increase social mobility, and ultimately create positive outcomes for all of society.

Today, Jay continues a conversation with Tori Canonge, Director of Social and Influencer Strategies at enrollmentFUEL. Tori is a veteran in social media marketing and in particular, creating, managing and delivering effective social media campaigns. This episode is the third in our Game-Changing Digital Marketing series, where we talk more in-depth about the use of social media in strategic recruitment plans.Tori and Jay talk through the use of various social media platforms, content management, social media calendars and the use of different channels to reach very different and highly elusive audiences like Gen Z. We'll also address the newest policy change that will impact Facebook and Instagram advertisers. The rules and best practices for marketing on Social Media platforms are always changing – and that's why insights from experts like Tori are in such high demand.About our GuestTori began her digital marketing career in 2014 when she started her first blog, which she built with the sole purpose of inspiring students to reach their higher education goals. After achieving success through content creation and digital marketing, she joined a full-service influencer marketing agency where she executed campaigns for some of the world's largest brands, including Georgia-Pacific, NFL, Unilever, Hasbro, Kraft Heinz, and many more. Today, Tori serves as the Director of Social and Influencer Strategies at FUEL, assisting with digital strategy and campaign optimization.

Over the past half decade, the United States has increasingly shown the world that international students may have a difficult time enrolling in a US college or university. From increased Federal regulations, eroding international diplomatic relations, elevated social/cultural tensions, an increase in an isolationist narrative, and the ongoing global COVID 19 Pandemic, international students are seeing US higher education as a less and less attractive option for their college degree. I will discuss the ongoing challenges of the "Perfect Storm" with Melanie Gottlieb, Interim Executive Director of AACRAO, and explore the possibility of a light at the end of the tunnel for colleges to once again attract and enroll international students. About our GuestMelanie Gottlieb assumed the role of Interim Executive Director of AACRAO in May of 2021, after nearly six years as the Deputy Director. She came to the national office with 18 years as an AACRAO member, with experience in Records & Registration, Enrollment Management and International Recruitment and Credential Evaluation.  She has served the association in a variety of leadership roles throughout her career, most recently as Vice President for International Education on the AACRAO Board of Directors.  Melanie earned an MA in Information Science from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a BA in History /American Studies from Marlboro College in Vermont.

Enrollment leaders are charged, first and foremost, with bringing in the new incoming student class. Many also add retention services to their responsibility. But few are given the task of managing the student journey from prospect to alumni like our two guests, Mr. Joe Montgomery and Dr. Juan Alexander. In this two-part series we will discuss the challenges and the advantages of enrollment carrying the responsibility for the student experience from the moment a student inquires into the college, through the student years, and into the ongoing relationship an alum has with their alma mater. About Dr. Juan AlexanderDr. Juan Alexander is the currently serves as the Associate Vice-President of Enrollment Management at Norfolk State University. In this role he oversees all of the university's enrollment management offices to include: Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment, Transfer Admission and Services, Financial Aid, Registrar, New Student Orientation and Graduate Recruitment. Prior to coming to NSU, Dr. Alexander has had the pleasure of overseeing admissions and recruitment at Savannah State University, Kentucky State University, Wilberforce University and Alabama A&M University. Also, at Old Dominion University he served as a Site Director for the university's distance education program. His more than 15 years of higher education experience includes enrollment management, distance education, academic advising, and alumni affairs. He has also worked in K12. As an enrollment management leader, he has spent his career applying his expertise and innovation to streamline admissions processing, increasing enrollment, creating marketing strategies, and implementing technology to support and enhance admissions and recruitment initiatives.He earned his doctorate from Creighton University in Educational Leadership and holds two degrees from Norfolk State University: a Bachelor's in Mass Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations, and a Masters of Arts in Teaching.About Mr. Joseph MontgomeryFor over 20-years, Mr. Joseph Montgomery has been a noteworthy leader in the college admissions/enrollment space. He has experience with admission work at HBCUs and Private Selective Colleges throughout the United States' southeastern region. Before joining Tuskegee University, he spent 6-years at the College Board as Director, Higher Education Services advising chief enrollment officers at universities throughout the south on matters relating to admissions, financial aid, registration, and student success indicators. Beyond servicing as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Tuskegee University, he serves on the Education Finance Institute Advisory Board that focuses on strengthen mission-focused colleges and universities that primarily serve low-income, first-generation, and minority students. Lastly, he was selected to serve on the National Association College Admissions Counseling – Commission on Redesigning the College Admission and Financial Aid Through a Racial Equity Lens. The panel will examine the college entrance pipeline, postsecondary financial aid requirements, and the role of racial equity in postsecondary enrollment. He holds Bachelor's Degree from Voorhees College (HBCU) and a Master's Degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (HBCU) and currently resides in Blacksburg, VA and Tuskegee, AL.   

Enrollment leaders are charged, first and foremost, with bringing in the new incoming student class. Many also add retention services to their responsibility. But few are given the task of managing the student journey from prospect to alumni like our two guests, Mr. Joe Montgomery and Dr. Juan Alexander. In this two-part series we will discuss the challenges and the advantages of enrollment carrying the responsibility for the student experience from the moment a student inquires into the college, through the student years, and into the ongoing relationship an alum has with their alma mater. In part one of this series, Jay talks with Joe and Juan about the inception years with a prospective student, and what can be learned about building a strong and intentional relationship with these young incoming students.About Dr. Juan AlexanderDr. Juan Alexander is the currently serves as the Associate Vice-President of Enrollment Management at Norfolk State University. In this role he oversees all of the university's enrollment management offices to include: Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment, Transfer Admission and Services, Financial Aid, Registrar, New Student Orientation and Graduate Recruitment. Prior to coming to NSU, Dr. Alexander has had the pleasure of overseeing admissions and recruitment at Savannah State University, Kentucky State University, Wilberforce University and Alabama A&M University. Also, at Old Dominion University he served as a Site Director for the university's distance education program. His more than 15 years of higher education experience includes enrollment management, distance education, academic advising, and alumni affairs. He has also worked in K12. As an enrollment management leader, he has spent his career applying his expertise and innovation to streamline admissions processing, increasing enrollment, creating marketing strategies, and implementing technology to support and enhance admissions and recruitment initiatives.He earned his doctorate from Creighton University in Educational Leadership and holds two degrees from Norfolk State University: a Bachelor's in Mass Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations, and a Masters of Arts in Teaching.About Mr. Joseph MontgomeryFor over 20-years, Mr. Joseph Montgomery has been a noteworthy leader in the college admissions/enrollment space. He has experience with admission work at HBCUs and Private Selective Colleges throughout the United States' southeastern region. Before joining Tuskegee University, he spent 6-years at the College Board as Director, Higher Education Services advising chief enrollment officers at universities throughout the south on matters relating to admissions, financial aid, registration, and student success indicators. Beyond servicing as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Tuskegee University, he serves on the Education Finance Institute Advisory Board that focuses on strengthen mission-focused colleges and universities that primarily serve low-income, first-generation, and minority students. Lastly, he was selected to serve on the National Association College Admissions Counseling – Commission on Redesigning the College Admission and Financial Aid Through a Racial Equity Lens. The panel will examine the college entrance pipeline, postsecondary financial aid requirements, and the role of racial equity in postsecondary enrollment. He holds Bachelor's Degree from Voorhees College (HBCU) and a Master's Degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (HBCU) and currently resides in Blacksburg, VA and Tuskegee, AL.   

One constant need that most enrollment managers face every recruitment cycle is building a quality pool of prospective student leads. As the availability of profiled prospect names on test-based lists are becoming less reliable, colleges are forced to be more creative in their search for qualified prospective student names. Which is why influencer marketing is more important now than ever. Tori Canonge, a social media and influencer marketing expert, and Jay talk about how using influencers as part of your digital marketing strategy can help raise awareness and build an organic lead pool for all educational levels—traditional, adult, and graduate. ABOUT OUR GUESTTori began her digital marketing career in 2014 when she started her first blog, which she built with the sole purpose of inspiring students to reach their higher education goals. After achieving success through content creation and digital marketing, she joined a full-service influencer marketing agency where she executed campaigns for some of the world's largest brands, including Georgia-Pacific, NFL, Unilever, Hasbro, Kraft Heinz, and many more. Today, Tori serves as the Director of Social and Influencer Strategies at FUEL, assisting with digital strategy and campaign optimization.

For colleges and universities Athletic Recruiting is often viewed as the solution to various challenges - gender balance, increasing revenue, brand development, increasing enrollment to name just a few. However, balancing those solutions with the issues that often come with athletics can be daunting and persistent. Out of control discounting through athletic scholarships, over-recruiting to limited rosters, poor retention, and the ethics of recruiting athletes with little or no chance of graduating seem to be overlooked by too many college administrators when making athletic related decisions. We'll talk about the pros and cons of college athletics with one of the country's leading voices on the subject. About Our Guest:Jim Abbott is in his 19th year as Athletic Director at Oklahoma City University.  During Abbott's tenure the university has added 11 sports teams, won the Learfield Sports Director's Cup on 3 occasions, maintained a 3.0 cumulative gpa or higher each year, and won an astonishing 48 Team National Championships.Abbott is the founder of the Business of Small College Athletics, an annual professional development workshop designed for athletic administrators at non Division I institutions.  Abbott also provides campus consulting in a variety of areas including leadership development, departmental reviews, strategic planning, external revenue generation, and other areas.Abbott has been recognized as the National NAIA Athletic Director of the Year on two occasions, as the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year on three occasions, and as the Sooner Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year on six occasions.

In the first of our Digital Marketing Series, Jay talks to Zosya Popik, a digital marketing expert and consultant to Fortune 500 companies. We discuss the use of digital marketing tactics, how digital is continually changing, the digital eco-system that colleges have to pay attention to, and how colleges must be brand-authentic and channel-appropriate on different digital platforms. Digital marketing is often misunderstood and generally undefined. We'll touch on some of the basics that all enrollment and marketing managers should know.ABOUT OUR GUESTZosya has over 12 years of professional marketing experience, specifically in building and scaling digital capabilities for global companies and brands. Zosya has a dynamic and unique experience, starting her career in New York City in experiential marketing at one of the world's largest hospitality groups, Tao Group. From there she progressed to the healthcare and financial sector, building out the social and digital touchpoints at ALM Media. Zosya then headed down south to build out the global social media offering for the pharmaceutical industry at PRA Health Sciences in Raleigh, NC, pioneering digital clinical trial recruitment through social media and digital channels. Before starting at Reynolds, Zosya helped a boutique agency standup and expand their revenue by launching their first social advertising platform and team. At Reynolds, Zosya launched the first consumer-facing social channels and built and expanded the in-house social media & digital capabilities. Nothing excites Zosya more than bringing ambitious ideas to life through innovative marketing technologies.

Across industries, hiring great people is the goal of managers. Yet, finding the right people to hire isn't easy. Hiring often comes down to who we "like" instead of who best fits the role. We talk with David Quick, Founder and Consultant of Helping Bulls Thrive, an agency that helps organizations make the right hiring decisions and keep those "right fit people" on the team roster. We will discuss a data driven approach to hiring and strategies to motivate and keep the right people. About Our GuestDavid Quick is committed to “helping bulls thrive in china shops” by helping leaders transition their lives to becoming more significant. He is also an executive coach, speaker and change agent that can help your admissions department run more effectively. David also helps schools with VP and Dean of Enrollment placement services.After receiving his BS in mathematics from the United States Naval Academy, David served eight years active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer, including a tour as an Instructor at the United States Naval Academy. Mike and David were shipmates as young Naval Officers on their first ship out of college.With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience, he has broad experience in both small and large organizations. David also holds a MA in Education from Loyola University Maryland and attended the London Business School Executive Leadership Program.He has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children and as math/GED tutor, including work in the prison system.Dave lives in Bloomington, IN with his wife and family

Enrollment Managers have to be skilled in so many areas—data analysis, technology, marketing strategy, staff development, and predicting the future. One skillset that is often overlooked, but is so important to an enrollment manager's success is the ability to Build Institutional Buy-In. We'll talk with Dr. Chris Romano, an enrollment veteran of 14 years about how he builds buy-in with constituent groups on and off campus, the most and least important metrics to present to those groups, and how to educate the campus constituent groups in order to build and maintain a strong understanding of enrollment at a college. About Our GuestDr. Christopher Romano, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, joined Ramapo College in 2007. His portfolio includes leadership of the College's Strategic Enrollment Management Plan and the recruitment and retention initiatives therein. Dr. Romano oversees College Admissions, the Center for Student Success (which is inclusive of career and academic advisement, first-year experience, the Educational Opportunity Fund, the Center for Reading and Writing and placement testing), marketing and communications, Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation, degree completion, specialized services, financial aid, student activities, student conduct, health and counseling services, public safety, and residence life operations. Prior to serving as Vice President, Dr. Romano enjoyed roles with Ramapo as Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and as Special Assistant to the College President. Dr. Romano's research has focused on strategic enrollment management, the College presidency, and executive leadership. He has presented nationally on strategic enrollment management, student engagement, marketing/branding in the context of enrollment management, and developing institutional models for student success as well as presenting to both new and advanced chiefs of staff on the role within the context of higher education and leadership development. He earned his Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, his Ed.M. in Higher Education Administration from Harvard University and his B.A. in International Relations from Saint Joseph's University. Dr. Romano's high energy level is routinely noted by his colleagues– to this end, he is no longer permitted to consume caffeinated beverages during the work day.

Community colleges have traditionally focused resources to support student success and completion by providing services and delivery models that are responsive to the needs of their student body. As universities look to the future of their delivery design, community colleges can provide best practice and strategic models that could be adaptable to other educational sectors. Our community colleges can provide valuable lessons for the rest of the industry. About Our GuestEvan Ray is currently the Director of Student Success for two campuses associated with Ozarks Technical Community College located in southwest Missouri. Serving in public and private Higher Ed for over 14 years in various enrollment management and student services positions, Evan's professional interests include exploring the boundaries of data in knowledge-creation enterprises and analyzing the cultural markers of teams that successfully galvanize change.

Susanna Mayo has spent the past 15 years of her career dabbling in almost every aspect of admission at Capital University. She found her passion for building Capital's CRM when she started her current role as Director of Admissions Operations and Technology. In her own words, Susanna has served as an IT adjunct within her own university as well as other who have tapped her on the shoulder for her CRM expertise. She is the first one to remind her database partners to think outside of the "status quo" or the "way we've always done it" mentality. Susanna clearly articulates the critical attributes that a great CRM must have so that your CRM will work for you and not you working for it. For questions, suggestions, or comments, please email us at edge@enrollmentfuel.com

Trust in higher education, trust in the systems, trust in the value of degree outcomes and trust in the return on the investment in a college degree is in question. Consequently, a pandemic and a beleaguered economy have accelerated these concerns. David Horsager is an author and speaker on the subject of the importance of building and maintaining trust throughout the organization in order to remain healthy and vibrant. We will discuss how essential it is to build trust among the wide span of constituent groups surrounding a university and the cost of losing that trust among those groups.If you have feedback, questions, or insights, we'd love to hear from you at edge@enrollmentfuel.com.About DavidDavid Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE is CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute and a global authority on helping leaders and organizations become the most trusted in their industry.He is inventor of The Enterprise Trust Index™, director of the annual study—The Trust Outlook™, and national bestselling author of The Trust Edge.With clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to professional sports teams and global governments, David has taken the platform across the United States and on 6 continents.

Trust in higher education, trust in the systems, trust in the value of degree outcomes and trust in the return on the investment in a college degree is in question. Consequently, a pandemic and a beleaguered economy have accelerated these concerns. David Horsager is an author and speaker on the subject of the importance of building and maintaining trust throughout the organization in order to remain healthy and vibrant. We will discuss how essential it is to build trust among the wide span of constituent groups surrounding a university and the cost of losing that trust among those groups.About DavidDavid Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE is CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute and a global authority on helping leaders and organizations become the most trusted in their industry.He is inventor of The Enterprise Trust Index™, director of the annual study—The Trust Outlook™, and national bestselling author of The Trust Edge.With clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to professional sports teams and global governments, David has taken the platform across the United States and on 6 continents.

Under normal circumstances, Strategic Enrollment Planning can be challenging. Effective planning relies on predictable elements, like graduation rates, demographics, stable discount rates, brand strength, academic distinctives, and so on. Yet, with so many factors impacting the college search process, enrollment planning can be even more difficult. In our conversation, Tim Fuller will point out what enrollment leaders should focus attention and resources on to make the biggest impact at their school.  We hope that you enjoy our two part series with Tim and walk away with actionable insight to help you along the way. If you have questions or comments about this episode, please contact us at edge@enrollmentfuel.com or visit our website.About Our Guest:Tim Fuller is a higher education speaker, strategic planner, enrollment strategist, and data enthusiast. Tim will be the first to tell you that “it takes a campus to recruit a student,” and then give you not only the data you need, but the “so what?” behind it to set successful strategies for your institution's health, stability, and sustainable culture in motion. After thirteen years with Credo as an Owner, Senior Vice President, and Executive Leadership Team member, Tim has returned to the affiliate status he enjoyed with Credo to found his own firm, Fuller Higher Ed Solutions. Tim's heart for higher education took root during the years he spent serving at his alma mater, Houghton College. In 1980, Tim began serving as an admission counselor and spent the final 14 years of his 27-year tenure as the Vice President for Enrollment Management. He has conducted enrollment research on behalf of higher education association for more than 30 years. In 2003, the CCCU named Tim a Senior Research Fellow in appreciation for his ongoing commitment to enrollment research, and in 2015, the ABHE named him a Senior Fellow for his contributions to their professional development curriculum and conferences.

Under normal circumstances, Strategic Enrollment Planning can be challenging. Effective planning relies on predictable elements, like graduation rates, demographics, stable discount rates, brand strength, academic distinctives, and so on. Yet, with so many factors impacting the college search process, enrollment planning can be even more difficult. In our conversation, Tim Fuller will point out what enrollment leaders should focus attention and resources on to make the biggest impact at their school.  We hope that you enjoy our two part series with Tim and walk away with actionable insight to help you along the way. If you have questions or comments about this episode, please contact us at edge@enrollmentfuel.com or visit our website.About Our Guest:Tim Fuller is a higher education speaker, strategic planner, enrollment strategist, and data enthusiast. Tim will be the first to tell you that “it takes a campus to recruit a student,” and then give you not only the data you need, but the “so what?” behind it to set successful strategies for your institution's health, stability, and sustainable culture in motion. After thirteen years with Credo as an Owner, Senior Vice President, and Executive Leadership Team member, Tim has returned to the affiliate status he enjoyed with Credo to found his own firm, Fuller Higher Ed Solutions. Tim's heart for higher education took root during the years he spent serving at his alma mater, Houghton College. In 1980, Tim began serving as an admission counselor and spent the final 14 years of his 27-year tenure as the Vice President for Enrollment Management. He has conducted enrollment research on behalf of higher education association for more than 30 years. In 2003, the CCCU named Tim a Senior Research Fellow in appreciation for his ongoing commitment to enrollment research, and in 2015, the ABHE named him a Senior Fellow for his contributions to their professional development curriculum and conferences.

Lisa Branson joins our podcast today to discuss her expertise on all things name buying and prospect mining. She pulls no punches, and provides insight on just what it takes to succeed in this space.Lisa has over 22 years of experience in the higher education space, and has gained valuable insight along the way.In this episode Lisa and Jay have a very engaging conversation on cross platform marketing, predictive modeling, the need for acquiring attributable data to make the right marketing decisions, and much more! Be sure to tune in and check out the entire episode. About enrollmentFUELenrollmentFUEL is on a mission to create more effective and efficient Student Search communications and cutting-edge digital strategies. The company has extensive expertise in geo-demographic research, predictive modeling, creative design and messaging, CRM implementations, and all aspects of digital advertising (IP targeting, retargeting, geotargeting, geo-framing, matchBACK™, etc.). With proprietary technology and innovative thinking, enrollmentFUEL provides successful outcomes and actionable insight to the people who recruit people. For more information, please visit enrollmentfuel.com.

Dr. Jim Fereira, Senior Vice President for Student Development at Anderson University in South Carolina discusses the changing college climate and effective strategies to retain students by building community and strong relationships across the campus. In this podcast we'll address how essential it is for universities to dedicate staff and resources to serve and retain as many students as possible. Dr. Jim Fereira has worked in college and university student development roles for over 36 years.  He currently serves as senior vice president for student development at Anderson University, SC beginning there in 2013.  Previously he served as dean of students at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN for 14 years, dean of students at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN for 8 years, and as a residence director at Evangel University in Springfield, MO for 7 years.  Dr. Fereira earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Organizational Leadership and Policy Development in Higher Education where he studied the spiritual engagement of college students.  He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Counseling from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary/Evangel University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Taylor University in Indiana.During his student development career, Dr. Fereira has provided leadership to areas of student affairs including residence life, counseling and health services centers, career services, campus ministries, student leadership development programs, new student orientation and freshman programs, student engagement, student success programs, accessibility services, diversity and international student programs, athletics and intramurals, student retention, and student affairs program development and assessment.

Dr. Jacquelyn Elliott, President of enrollmentFUEL talks about building a healthy culture on your admissions team. Our podcast will provide enrollment managers with practical strategies to nurture a healthy team culture during a time of remote workers, stress about job security and overall anxiety about living in the realities of a pandemic. Dr. Jacquelyn D. Elliott is a subject matter expert in recruitment and retention strategies, all things enrollment management, strategic planning, budgeting, organizational histories, women in leadership, and goal mapping. With over thirty years of experience in higher education, she brings expertise in many areas relevant to the challenges of today's Chief Enrollment Officer as President of enrollmentFUEL.Visit our website to contact enrollmentFUEL and keep an eye out for new episodes.