Higher Ed Marketing Lab Podcast

People, Process & Technology with UCF’s Dr. Jennifer Sumner

Apr 22, 2026May 30, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Episode Cover Art: People, Process, and Technology with UCF's Dr. Jennifer Sumner

We’ll be talking with Dr. Jennifer Sumner about people, process, and technology, within the University of Central Florida‘s online program. In this wide ranging conversation, we hear about UCF Connect, the university’s success coaching program for online students. We hear how the university is leveraging SalesForce and other technologies to improve the student experience. We …

A Public Relations Primer with Barbara Pierce

Apr 22, 2026May 3, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

If you’ve ever felt that public relations was a mysterious black box, then this episode is for you. We discuss public relations for higher ed with Barbara Pierce, president of Tipping Point Communications. Barbara has over 25 years experience leading global, national, and regional public relations initiatives, and she’s worked extensively in higher education.

We start by hearing Barbara’s favorite definition of public relations, and then we jump into the major shifts that have drastically changed how PR is practiced in recent years. Barbara shares her insights into how marketing and PR teams can become better aligned, and she gives actionable advice on how schools can increase the odds of getting their stories picked up by media outlets. Towards the end of our discussion, we talk about how schools can better prepare for crisis communication scenarios before they happen.

Growing Enrollment at University of the Ozarks (Part 2)

Apr 22, 2026Apr 15, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Growing Enrollment at the University of the Ozarks

This is part two of a two-part episode in which we explore how the University of the Ozarks, a small, private, liberal arts university in rural Arkansas, has managed to consistently grow enrollment despite the challenges facing small private schools. In this episode, Reggie Hill, Vice President of Marketing and enrollment at the University of …

Growing Enrollment at University of the Ozarks (Part 1)

Apr 22, 2026Mar 22, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Small, private liberal arts colleges face significant headwinds as they try to grow enrollment. Despite these challenges, University of the Ozarks, Arkansas’ oldest private liberal arts university, has managed to buck this trend. In part one of this two-part episode, we talk with Reggie Hill, Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment at Ozarks, and Amy …

Making Data Meaningful at Southeastern University

Apr 22, 2026Feb 27, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Marketers and enrollment managers are swimming in data, but making it digestible and actionable is easier said than done. In this episode, we talk with Ken Reaves, Director of Research and Strategic Projects at Southeastern University. Ken is an expert when it comes to combining hardcore data and research with creative storytelling, and he’s got …

CRM-Powered Digital Marketing at Messiah College / ep. 6

Apr 22, 2026Jan 24, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Historically, CRMs have been seen as a tool for Admissions, but today’s CRMs are capable of so much more. In this episode, Kris Hardy, Director of Web and Digital Marketing at Messiah College, stops by to share how the school’s CRM has transformed their digital marketing efforts. We discuss: How the CRM has changed the way …

Engineering Word of Mouth with Daniel Lemin

Apr 22, 2026Jan 7, 2019 by Jarrett Smith

Research suggests roughly 75% of students use word of mouth to help determine what school to attend, yet few schools have an intentional strategy for generating positive word of mouth. In this episode, we talk with Daniel Lemin, co-author along with Jay Baer of a new book on the topic called Talk Triggers. Daniel lays …

Uncovering Hidden Audience Insights with Susan Baier

Apr 22, 2026Dec 12, 2018 by Echo Delta

Susan Baier’s research focuses on uncovering how groups of people think and feel as they make important decisions, like selecting a college. We discuss specific ways schools have used her research to improve their enrollment and advancement efforts by better understanding critical attitudinal differences in their target audiences. Links in this Episode Audience Audit Website …

Guerrilla Website Governance with Shelley Keith

Apr 22, 2026Oct 22, 2018 by Echo Delta

We talk non-invasive website governance strategies with Shelley Keith, Senior Strategist at Modern Tribe. Links in this Episode Web Governance Facebook group Shelley Keith on Twitter Transcript Jarrett Smith: Hello, everyone and welcome to the Higher Ed Marketing Lab. I’m your host, Jarrett Smith. Each episode, it’s my job to engage with the brightest minds …

The Chief Enrollment Management Officer with Mike Reilly / ep. 2