Hashtag Higher Ed

Higher ed must evolve from delivering education to fostering quality learning—a continuous, experiential process that benefits both students and faculty. In this episode of Higher Voltage, Scott Marshall, CEO of Semester at Sea, joins Kevin Tyler to discuss the future of learning, the role of collaboration, and why it's time to rethink traditional models.

New leaders in higher education face big challenges, but Melissa Farmer Richards has a roadmap. She joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss her book The 30-60-90-Day Handbook: Checklist for Communications and Marketing Leaders in Higher Education and the power of checklists in leadership. They explore the keys to earning trust, demonstrating commitment and adapting to the evolving landscape of higher ed marketing. Plus, Melissa offers listeners an exclusive gift to help kickstart their leadership journeys—an interactive component of the handbook!

How will recent ADA updates impact digital accessibility in higher education? Kevin Tyler and Jamie Axelrod discuss the shift from reactive to proactive compliance, the legal stakes of non-conformance, and why universal design is the key to a more inclusive digital future.

Can Performance TV revolutionize higher ed marketing? In this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler talks with Jennifer Lonchar of AmbioEDU about how data-driven digital advertising is changing the game for student recruitment and retention. They tackle marketing myths, explore the impact of CTV, and share real-world success stories that prove why higher ed must innovate—or risk falling behind.

The search cliff is changing the game for higher ed recruitment, making it harder to reach prospective students through traditional methods. Kevin Tyler, Jenny Petty, and Emily Smith explain what this means for colleges and universities—and how AI recruiters, authentic storytelling, and smarter marketing strategies can help institutions stay competitive. From the rise of adult learners to the impact of privacy laws, this conversation dives into the future of enrollment and what schools need to do now to adapt.

What makes community colleges America's best-kept secret? Kevin Tyler and Devin Purgason explore the future of higher education, from AI's role in student engagement to the growing impact of micro-credentials. Institutions such as Forsyth Tech are shaping the future of learning through innovation and personalization.

Kevin Tyler and guest Carri Twigg examine higher ed's future in light of potential political disruptions, a dismantled Department of Education and shifts in institutional identity and collaboration.

Inclusive marketing and shifting demographics are reshaping the future of international education, as Kelly Holland of the American Institute for Foreign Study explains.

Kevin Tyler is joined by Lauren Griswold of Boise State University and Chris Nelson of the University of Utah to discuss the collaborative efforts of institutions to reshape the public perception of higher education's value. Hear strategies for unified messaging, building partnerships and engaging communities to drive enrollment and combat declining trust in higher education.

Ready to level up your content game? Host Kevin Tyler welcomes guest Brian Piper to discuss how universities can build trust, connect with audiences and thrive in a digital-first world.

Host Kevin Tyler welcomes Eddie Francis, principal and brand consultant with Edify Ventures, to discuss the importance of employer branding in higher education. Colleges and universities must focus on talent attraction, talent experience and talent retention while emphasizing the role of leadership in creating a positive workplace culture and the impact of psychological safety on employee satisfaction.

Host Kevin Tyler interviews branding expert Allen Adamson to discuss the importance of focusing on a clear and distinct mission, rather than diluting the institutional identity with multiple conflicting messages.

Kevin Tyler welcomes Catherine Friday, Ernst & Young Oceania's managing partner for government and health sciences, as they delve into EY's global findings of student dissatisfaction and how universities must deliver on the value proposition to remain competitive.

Higher Voltage's Kevin Tyler welcomes Jenny Li Fowler, MIT's director of social media strategy and recently published author, to discuss her book, “Organic Social Media: How to Build Flourishing Online Communities.” Fowler emphasizes the importance of elevating the role of social media managers and treating social media as a sophisticated industry.

In the first episode of 2024, host Kevin Tyler sits down with Bennie F. Johnson, the CEO of the American Marketing Association (AMA). As a self-proclaimed "marketing kid," Bennie understands the vulnerability of the marketing industry, especially in higher education. During the discussion, Kevin and Bennie address common misconceptions and emphasize the crucial role of expertise in the field.

Dr. William 'Brit' Kirwan, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland, joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss university presidents' precarious position when they make or abstain from statements on emotionally charged issues.

Dr. Marcus Collins, author, professor and devoted cheeseburger lover, joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss the importance of understanding the cultural characteristics of a community and finding congruence between the values of the institution and the values of potential students.

Natasha Warikoo, Lenore Stern Professor in the Social Sciences Department of Sociology at Tufts University, rejoins host Kevin Tyler to discuss the recent SCOTUS decision and how institutions may move forward in the post-affirmative action era.

David Levy, head of data for Degree Choices, joins Kevin Tyler to discuss how higher ed rankings are doing a disservice to Black applicants, the importance of comprehensive data collection to highlight topics such as underfunding, and why challenging U.S. News' dominance in the industry will help students make informed decisions.

Jonathan B. Williams, AVP for undergraduate admissions, access and pipeline programs at NYU joins host Kevin Tyler to talk about ways institutions can partner more with communities in their quest to recruit more diverse and first-gen students to their campuses.

The Supreme Court is weeks away from handing down a decision that will impact the future of affirmative action in higher education, with many court observers speculating the conservative-leaning court will rule that colleges can no longer consider race a factor when admitting students. Natasha Warikoo, the Lenore Stern Professor in the Social Sciences Department of Sociology at Tufts University, joins Higher Voltage host Kevin Tyler to discuss the potential implications of such a ruling.

An estimated 40 percent of Americans with student debt have not completed a four-year college degree. Hank Green, vlogger, entrepreneur, cofounded Study Hall to change that. The online learning platform will offer individual college courses, accredited through Arizona State University, allowing students to earn transferrable college credits without enrolling in college or setting foot on campus. In the latest Higher Voltage, Green explains why this is essential to tackling the student debt crisis and making college more accessible.

As the furor around the college ranking system grows, Colin Diver, joins Higher Voltage. The author of "Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do about It" discusses what's wrong with the system and how to fix it. Specifically, he argues that colleges and universities should be judged by how well they prepare their graduates to lead fulfilling lives, not by how they fit into a highly exclusionary admissions process.

The increasing politicization of both K-12 and higher education across the country shows no signs of slowing. And so, today, we have a very special crossover episode of Volt podcasts Higher Voltage and Trusted Voices, with hosts Kevin Tyler, Teresa Valerio Parrot, and Erin Hennessy, to discuss the implications of all of this.

Matt Reed of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges explains why community colleges and other non-selective institutions are the key to expanding college access and increasing social mobility.

Venture capitalist Ryan Craig discusses why he thinks that, in order to save higher ed, selective institutions must increase access by opening satellite campuses.

College and university presidents often have an aversion to conflict and unwanted attention, especially when it comes to politics. But as higher ed, itself, is increasingly politicized, political neutrality in higher ed is a myth. So say the two guests on this week's Higher Voltage, Patricia McGuire, the president of Trinity Washington University, and Holden Thorp, the editor-in-chief of Science Family of Journals and the former chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Should colleges and universities hire a CMO or a CCO? Or both? And how are those two roles distinct from one another? On the latest Voltage, Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy of TVP Communications join host Kevin Tyler to discuss.

Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy of TVP Communications join host Kevin Tyler to analyze the latest headlines, including the growth of micro colleges, the decline in Black enrollment, why more high school students are rejecting higher ed.

Discussing burnout, demoralization, and how to fix work in higher ed with Kevin McClure, associate professor of higher education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

After she was targeted by state politicians for teaching about the legacy of racism, Dyanis Conrad ultimately left her position at the University of South Dakota. On the latest Higher Voltage she discusses the politicization of teaching in higher ed.

Adam Harris, a staff writer for The Atlantic, joins the show to discuss the long history of imbalanced support for institutions that enroll high numbers of Black students, the unique legacy of HBCUs, and the role that school rankings play in all of this.

Denise Runge of the University of Alaska-Anchorage joins the show to discuss real ways colleges and universities can help students overcome barriers to access.

Lynchburg University's Aaron Basko discusses his article in The Chronicle about the perils of the generic college.

Jayson Boyers, the president of Rosemont College, joins host Kevin Tyler to talk about the challenges and nuances of leading and marketing a religiously affiliated institution of higher education.

Jaime Hunt, vice president and chief communications and marketing officer at Miami University, and Ayana Hernandez, associate vice chancellor for university relations at North Carolina Central, join host Kevin Tyler to discuss DEI marketing at colleges and universities.

Jon McBride of BYU and Teresa Valerio Parrot join host Kevin Tyler to discuss the radical new landscape of name, image & likeness marketing opportunities that is transforming college athletics, and what it means for higher ed institutions of all sizes.

The Great Resignation sweeping the nation has people leaving unsatisfying jobs at unprecedented rates. Higher education is, by many anecdotal accounts, being hit hard by this trend. And that hit is coming at precisely the wrong time, as longer-term dips in enrollment dovetail with a broader cultural questioning of the value of a four-year college degree, all of which is exacerbated by a sharp, pandemic-driven decline in incoming freshmen. Seth Odell and Corynn Myers join host Kevin Tyler to discuss why people are leaving their ins of private enterprise, and what higher ed needs to do to retain top talent; all three have left higher ed for agency roles in the last year and a half.

There was a time when the job of college president was a cushy capstone to an ascendant academic career. These are not those times. The job of leading an institution of higher education has never been more difficult, and today's presidents must be masters of strategic communications and operations. Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy of TVP Communications join host Kevin Tyler to talk about what it takes to successfully communicate for – and to – the many constituencies of a higher ed institution.

It's time to forget about rankings and traditional notions of prestige in higher education, says Otterbein University President John Comerford. Instead, he argues for putting students first with courses and programs and partnerships that provide them the education that they actually need, which may not always align with what higher ed has long been selling. 708611

Mary Osako explains UCLA's storytelling-based approach to marketing, and why they hired a Chief Content Officer and a Chief Brand Officer.

Higher ed social media has never been more critical to marketing efforts than it is now, and that's a good thing.

On this episode of Higher Voltage, we sat down with Bridget Burns, the executive director for the University Innovation Alliance (UIA).  Listen in as Kevin Tyler, Higher Voltage host, and Bridget discussed how the UIA is using data, process mapping, design thinking, and a university alliance to increase the number and diversity of college graduates through a student-focused approach.

Eddie Francis of Dillard University and Chelsea Holley of Spelman College explore how a global pandemic and nationwide calls for racial justice have changed how HBCUs market themselves to prospective students, and ways in which HBCUs were perfectly primed to meet the moment at hand.

On the latest Higher Voltage, we discuss best practices with three experts who live this every day. Liz Gross, the CEO of Campus Sonar, has compiled answers to all the questions she gets online and at conferences and that she has ruminated on for years, and turned it into a free ebook titled “Fundamentals of Social Media Strategy: A Guide for College Campuses.” Joining her are Anice Barbosa, Digital Marketing Specialist of Wheaton College and AJ Lopez III Assistant Director for Digital Marketing and Social Media of Midwestern State University, who share their best practices, their common challenges, and solutions.

Jamila Walker, Taquinda Johnson, Josie Ahlquist, and Christina Garnett discuss how building digital communities can provide a haven for those working in higher ed, and higher ed social media.

How Butler University rose from a small Indiana University to a basketball powerhouse, and how that rise boosted the school's enrollment and endowment. Graham Honaker, co-author (with Jerry Logan) of "The Cinderella Strategy: The Game Plan behind Butler University's Rise to Prominence," joins the podcast to explain.

Drexel University's Craig Kampes and Joseph Master dig into the origins, strategy, and execution of the school's "Ambition Can't Wait" brand awareness campaign, which has been the school's marketing backbone since 2016.

Stony Brook University's Terry Flannery joins the podcast to discuss her new book, "How to Market a University"

As we turn the page on 2020, Jenny Li Fowler of MIT and Gabriel Welsch of Duguesne University look at the marketing trends and tactics that will prevail in 2021.

Angela Polec and Heather Dotchel discuss how marketing strategy and institutional strategy are one and the same, and why CMOs need a seat in the presidential cabinet at higher ed institutions.