Higher Ed Marketing Lab Podcast

Aug 26, 2026

Don’t Send Your Team to a Conference Without a Plan

You spend real money sending your team to conferences every year. Are they coming back with anything? Jarrett, Scott, and Jeff have worked every side of the conference circuit, and in this episode they share how enrollment leaders can prep their staff, what young professionals should ask exhibitors, and why the vendor tables might be the most underused professional development on the schedule.

Listen

Jul 24, 2026

AI and the Fight for the Value of a College Degree

Is AI eroding the value of a college degree? Jarrett, Scott, and Jeff unpack what they're actually hearing on campuses, from AI-skeptical students to enrollment leaders wrestling with ROI questions that predate ChatGPT. They also push back on the AI job loss narrative and share what institutions must do now to prove their degrees still certify something machines can't replicate.

Listen

Jun 12, 2026

Does Your Campus Pass the Vibe Check?

Families are starting to look past the Ivy League toward "vibe schools," campuses that blend academic strength with social energy, lifestyle appeal, and stability. In this episode, Jeff, Scott, and Jarrett unpack the Forbes article behind the trend, what these schools get right, and the practical first steps any campus can take to build a vibe of its own.

Listen

May 27, 2026

AI Search: Higher Ed’s Brutally Honest Brand Mirror

Most conversations about AI search focus on visibility, but AI search tools have become an eerily accurate mirror of what the market actually thinks about your school. The implication? It's harder than ever to market your way out of a weak experience, and authenticity has never been a sharper competitive advantage.

Listen

Apr 24, 2026

When Your Enrollment Problem is Actually an Experience Problem

When enrollment numbers dip, leadership usually looks to marketing and admissions first. But what if the real problem is what's happening on campus?

Listen

Apr 20, 2026

Why Starting Salaries Matter More Than Student Orgs in 2026

Are you selling the residential experience to a generation buying a career investment? Jarrett Smith, Scott Rhodes, and Jeff Kallay break down the shift toward transactional enrollment, why your program pages need an MBA-style overhaul, and how to market ROI without losing the hidden value of campus life.

Listen

Jul 1, 2025

Campus Visit Trends: Insights from the 2025 CIVSA Conference with Jeff Kallay

Just back from this year's Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association (CIVSA) conference, Jeff Kallay joins the show to share what he heard and what campus visit professionals across the country are really struggling with right now.

Listen

Jun 13, 2025

Do You Actually Have a Strategy?

Jarrett Smith explores the essential elements of strategy. Learn how strategy differs from activities like planning, why strategy doesn't begin with goals, the importance of selective over-performance, and how to recognize a true strategy over something that merely sounds strategic.

Listen

May 5, 2025

Empathy-Driven Leadership with Jaime Hunt

Listen to Jaime Hunt, higher ed marketing expert and author of Heart Over Hype, as she explores empathy-driven leadership, psychological safety, and actionable tips to enhance team innovation and performance.

Listen

Apr 9, 2025