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About the Episode
This week, fellow podcasters Robert Li and Dustin have a fun jam session about working in the industry. Robert shares his journey into podcasting, creating University FM and how he works to support institutions using content creation to better connect with their various stakeholders.
Key Takeaways
- Podcasting Drives Authentic Engagement: Podcasts create intimate, authentic connections with listeners through storytelling and genuine conversations, something hard to achieve through other mediums like video or print.
- Higher Ed Podcasts Serve Multiple Purposes: From alumni engagement and student recruitment to showcasing research and presidential messaging, podcasts can achieve diverse goals for universities.
- Consistency is Critical: Successful podcasts require a clear strategy, strong hosts, and regular production schedules to build trust and an engaged audience.
- The Power of Storytelling: Podcasts allow for deeper, more personal conversations that humanize institutional leaders, highlight student experiences, and showcase the cultural impact of universities.
- Align Goals with Strategy: Universities should identify key performance indicators (KPIs) based on their podcast’s purpose, such as alumni engagement, donor cultivation, or recruitment metrics.
Episode Summary
Why are podcasts uniquely powerful for higher education institutions?
Podcasts offer an unmatched level of authenticity. Unlike written content or highly produced videos, the podcast format provides space for deeper, more personal conversations. As Robert highlights, podcasts can capture stories that would be difficult to convey otherwise, such as emotional, life-changing experiences or behind-the-scenes perspectives on campus life.
How can universities use podcasts to engage alumni and prospective students?
Robert discusses how alumni podcasts create opportunities for community engagement and donor cultivation. For instance, the One Haas podcast at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business connects alumni across class years, geographies, and industries while highlighting the school’s impact. Similarly, podcasts in student life or admissions departments can showcase the real student experience, providing an authentic perspective that resonates with prospective students.
What makes podcasts a cost-effective and strategic content tool?
Unlike video production, podcasts require minimal resources to produce while maintaining a high degree of storytelling impact. This “sweet spot” between video and written content allows institutions to produce consistent, high-quality stories that breathe life into their messaging. Moreover, podcasts can be maintained, updated, and iterated on efficiently, ensuring long-term success.
How can podcasts humanize institutional leadership?
Robert shares examples of podcasts hosted by university presidents, such as those at Oberlin College and Middlebury College. These shows provide a unique opportunity for leaders to share their values, priorities, and perspectives in an approachable, conversational format. Such initiatives help foster trust and connection within the university community.
How do you measure the success of university podcasts?
Podcast success is not always about download numbers. Robert explains that the primary KPI depends on the podcast’s goals. For alumni-focused podcasts, the priority might be donor engagement, while admissions podcasts might measure success based on application submissions referencing the podcast. Aligning goals with strategy ensures the podcast achieves meaningful outcomes.
Notable Examples of Higher Ed Podcast Innovation
- HU2U by Howard University
This soon-to-launch podcast highlights not only the Howard community but also broader Black culture across the U.S. and globally. The series will showcase the cultural significance of HBCUs and provide engaging, impactful stories. - Purdue University – This Is Purdue
With a strong video strategy, Purdue’s podcast excels at blending high production values with storytelling that appeals to both current and prospective audiences. - University of Chicago Podcast Network
The University of Chicago centralizes its many siloed podcasts under a single network, creating a unified brand experience while fostering collaboration and growth among individual shows. - Think Fast, Talk Smart by Stanford University
Focused on communication skills, this podcast has found international appeal, particularly in India, where listeners use it to improve their English comprehension. Stanford has even developed supplemental resources to meet this demand.
The Bottom Line
University podcasts are powerful tools for driving authentic storytelling, community engagement, and strategic growth. Whether it’s connecting alumni, humanizing leadership, or providing a student perspective, podcasts allow higher education institutions to amplify their impact in ways that resonate deeply with their audiences.
This Episode is Sponsored by Pathify
Meet Pathify — an innovative higher ed engagement hub that puts students at the center of their college journey. Pathify sits at the center of your school’s digital ecosystem, becoming the single, user experience interface tying together all systems, content, and communications.Their engagement hub elevates the information that matters most and pushes systems like the SIS behind the scenes where they belong, making it simpler for students to discover and engage with the opportunities your institution provides at every step of their higher ed journey, from prospect to alumni. What’s even better, Pathify has a mobile experience that provides 100% parity with the responsive web app, so your campus app is always in sync. Pathify is a platform that EVERY stakeholder on campus — from marketing, to admissions, to student affairs, to IT, etc., — can get equally excited about. Learn more about how Pathify is uniting strategic units across campus and bettering the entire student experience by visiting Pathify.com
About the Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Our podcast network is growing by the month and we’ve got a plethora of marketing, admissions, and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks all designed to empower you to be a better higher ed professional. Our shows feature a selection of the industry’s best as your hosts. Learn from Jeremy Tiers, Zach Busekrus, Jaime Hunt, Allison Turcio, Jamie Gleason and many more.
Learn more about The Enrollify Podcast Network at podcasts.enrollify.org. Our shows help higher ed marketers and admissions professionals find their next big idea — come and find yours.
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