About the Episode
About the Episode:
In this episode of In Your Element, Cherron R. Hoppes, EdD, Chief Experience Officer at Notre Dame de Namur University, shares her extensive experience in higher education leadership, focusing on change management and technology adoption. With a background spanning student affairs, enrollment management, and academic program development, Cherron discusses the importance of empathy, strategic thinking, and clear communication in successfully leading change initiatives, particularly when introducing new technology in higher ed. She also highlights the value of understanding the "why" behind decisions and the dangers of over-customization.
Key Takeaways:
- The significance of starting with a clear "why" when implementing change.
- Strategies for maintaining focus on what truly matters during change management.
- The importance of empathy and realistic expectations in tech implementation.
- The risk of over-customization and its impact on technology effectiveness.
- The evolving role of the Chief Experience Officer in creating student-centric environments.
- How cross-departmental experience provides a strategic advantage in higher ed leadership.
Calls to Action:
- Consider how your institution approaches change—are you prioritizing the right "why"?
- Evaluate your current use of technology; is it optimized, or are you over-customizing?
- Reflect on your team’s empathy and communication strategies during transitions.
- Explore the role of a Chief Experience Officer and its potential impact on your campus.
- Stay connected with *In Your Element* for more insights from higher ed leaders like
Episode Summary
Leadership and Change Management in Higher Education
Cherron Hoppes brings a wealth of experience from her various roles across higher education, making her an ideal leader for managing change. As Chief Experience Officer at NDNU, Cherron plays a key role in transforming the institution, especially in integrating new technologies. She stresses that before any change is made, institutions must ask why they need the change. Chasing shiny new tech without understanding its purpose often leads to wasted resources and an overburdened team. Cherron emphasizes the importance of aligning the technology with institutional goals and ensuring it's manageable within the available resources.
Her background, spanning small independent colleges to large professional programs, gives her unique insights into how different institutions function. She discusses how working in environments where she wore many hats taught her to navigate change effectively. This experience has made her skilled at balancing high-level strategic thinking with detailed, operational insights.
Effective Technology Implementation
Cherron provides a practical guide to implementing technology effectively, highlighting the need for empathy and understanding of team dynamics. When teams are stretched thin and simultaneously managing operations and implementation, leaders must help them prioritize what truly matters. For example, during NDNU’s transition to the Element CRM, Cherron worked closely with her team to ensure they focused on what was critical, like data cleanliness and integration, rather than unnecessary details that could be postponed.
She also stresses that if a new technology is being forced to mimic the exact processes of the old system, it's likely not the right fit for the institution. Cherron advocates for embracing the capabilities of new technology instead of bending it into something familiar. This mindset enables teams to leverage tools fully and optimize them for long-term success.
The Role of the Chief Experience Officer
As Chief Experience Officer, Cherron’s role is about much more than managing technology; it’s about enhancing the overall student experience. She draws inspiration from institutions like Southern New Hampshire University, which have pioneered this role to integrate various campus functions to better serve students. At NDNU, Cherron works to break down silos across departments, ensuring that everything from admissions to student success is aligned with delivering the best possible experience for students.
In her role, Cherron gets to engage with every facet of the university, working strategically to improve processes, drive innovation, and ensure that the institution adapts to the changing needs of post-traditional and graduate students.
Connect With Our Co-Hosts:
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: In Your Element is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Higher Ed Pulse.
Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Element451 is hosting the AI Engage Summit on Oct 29 and 30. Register now for this free, virtual event.The future of higher ed is being redefined by the transformative power of AI. The AI Engage Summit brings together higher ed leaders, innovators, and many of your favorite Enrollify creators to explore AI’s impact on student engagement, enrollment marketing, and institutional success.
Experience firsthand how AI is improving content personalization at scale, impacting strategic decision-making, and intuitively automating the mundane tasks that consume our time. The schedule is packed with real examples and case studies, so you leave knowing how to harness AI to drive meaningful change at your institution.
Whether you’re looking to enhance student outcomes, optimize enrollment marketing, or simply stay ahead of the curve, the AI Engage Summit is your gateway to the next level of higher education innovation. Registration is free, save your spot today.
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