Behind the Scenes of the Engage Summit: What Makes This Event Different (and Better)

If you've ever left a higher ed conference feeling more exhausted than inspired, more pitched than taught, or more like a spectator than a participant, you’re not alone. We felt that too. And that’s exactly why we built Engage.

Engage wasn’t born in a boardroom or built by a committee. It came from the lived experiences of enrollment marketers, admissions pros, and higher ed leaders who kept asking: Why do these conferences feel so outdated? Why are we paying to sit in lecture halls, listening to surface-level case studies we could have Googled? Why aren’t we building real skills and stronger relationships while we’re here?

We didn’t want to throw another traditional event into the mix. We wanted to build a better one from scratch—a place that actually mirrors the way you work and the world you're working in.

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So, What Makes Engage Different?

Engage is built for—and by—the people doing the work. It’s a hands-on, high-touch experience designed to help enrollment marketers and higher ed pros build actual skills, test ideas in real-time, and make connections that last beyond LinkedIn likes.

Instead of sprawling convention centers, we’re curating intimate, intentional spaces. Instead of forcing you to sit and listen, we invite you to stand up and build.

We're not here to talk at you. We're here to work with you. From data-driven storytelling to student-centered marketing strategies, every moment at Engage is designed to help you do, not just learn about, better marketing.

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Built to Be Ahead of the Curve

Higher ed is changing fast. Whether it’s shifting demographics, new tech like AI in higher education, or the pressure to hit enrollment goals with shrinking budgets, what worked five years ago isn’t cutting it today.

Engage is built to help you stay ahead of that curve. Not just by talking about what’s next, but by giving you the tools to act on it. You’ll walk away with frameworks you can apply immediately, peers you’ll actually keep in touch with, and strategies that challenge the status quo.

Because higher education deserves better. And so do the people who market it.

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We didn’t build Engage because the world needed one more conference. We built it because we believe higher ed marketers deserve a place that treats them like innovators, not attendees. A place that matches the energy, urgency, and creativity this moment demands.

Ready to experience a conference that’s built differently—because you are?

Join us at Engage. Come curious. Leave empowered.

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