How to Get the Most Out of the Engage Summit (Even If You Can’t Make It in Person)

The Engage Summit is one of the most important higher education conferences of the year—and this guide is your ticket to getting maximum ROI from every session, speaker, and social post. 

Whether attending in person or tuning in online, we’ll help you navigate the agenda, prioritize keynotes, and turn insights into institutional impact. From the rise of AI in higher ed to redefining digital engagement, here’s how to walk away from Engage Summit with actionable next steps (and a notebook full of ideas).

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Key Takeaways

• Must-watch sessions for enrollment marketers and admissions professionals
  
  
• Top trends in digital engagement and AI in higher education
  
  
• How to extract meaningful takeaways from virtual attendance on LinkedIn
  
  
• Tactical tips to turn conference insights into internal team strategy
  
  

Must-Watch Sessions at Engage Summit 2025

The AI Revolution: How Generative AI is Reshaping Work, Society, and Higher Ed

Speaker: Kosmas Karadimitriou

Let’s call this one the mind-blower. This keynote sets the tone for the entire conference by zooming way out, to the cultural, economic, and ethical impact of AI, and then zeroing in on what that all means for colleges and universities. If your institution is still approaching AI with a “wait and see” mindset, this session will serve as a wake-up call.

Kosmas explores how generative AI is doing more than just automating tasks—it’s reshaping how we work, what we value, and how education fits into a world powered by algorithms. Expect big questions around digital ethics, the future of labor, and the changing nature of human learning.

For marketers and admissions professionals, this session is a must because it will force you to think not just about how your team can use AI, but how your institution needs to respond to the societal shifts AI is accelerating. It’s not just a tech trend; it’s a cultural reset.

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Redefining Digital Engagement in Higher Ed: Meeting Students Where They Are

Speaker: Amanda Gulley

This one’s for anyone tired of hearing “meet students where they are” without ever hearing how. Amanda Gulley from ASU delivers a clear-eyed, actionable roadmap for building digital experiences that don’t just reach students but resonate with them.

Today’s prospective students are navigating hyper-personalized, on-demand digital worlds—and they expect your institution to do the same. Gulley dives into emerging platform strategies, real-world campaign examples, and how to integrate support, marketing, and communications across every digital touchpoint.

If you’re working on your digital engagement strategy for recruitment or retention, this session will give you language, tactics, and tools to level up fast. Think omnichannel messaging, real-time personalization, and brand voice consistency across platforms.

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How to Turn Summit Insights Into Internal Strategy

Whether You're Attending IRL or Watching via Online

You don’t have to be on-site to get value from the Engage Summit. Following the #EngageSummit hashtag on LinkedIn and keeping an eye on session recaps can be just as powerful, if you know what to look for. Pro tip: Assign a few team members to monitor social commentary in real time and summarize learnings in a shared doc.

Another smart move? Set up a 30-minute debrief session after the conference with your marketing, admissions, and communications teams. Pick 3-5 sessions (like the ones above!) and ask: What resonated? What can we test or implement immediately? What requires longer-term planning? Frame this as a brainstorm, not just a recap.

Finally, turn insights into influence by sharing what you learned with campus leadership. A short email or slide deck summarizing AI trends, student engagement shifts, and digital strategy takeaways can spark bigger conversations—and position you as a thought leader on your campus.

Craving more insights like these? Don't just skim the highlights—tune in or attend the full Engage Summit sessions and join the conversation on LinkedIn. You’ll find a treasure trove of fresh ideas, success stories, and emerging trends in higher education marketing and digital engagement.