About the Episode
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About the Episode:
In this episode of The Hidden Gem, Maya Demishkevich sits down with Amy Filardo, Chief Marketing Officer at Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), Maryland’s largest community college. Amy shares her journey of transforming the marketing and communications function at CCBC over the past four years. From integrating continuing education marketing into a centralized team to implementing new technology and strategies, Amy offers practical insights for reimagining marketing structures in higher education. This episode is packed with valuable lessons for college leaders, marketers, and administrators looking to drive enrollment and streamline operations.
Key Takeaways:
- Learn how Amy restructured CCBC’s marketing and communications function, merging continuing education and credit marketing into a unified team to improve collaboration and efficiency.
- Discover the impact of adopting a digital-first strategy, including overhauling the college’s website and reducing reliance on outdated print materials.
- Hear how focusing on enrollment as the central goal helps guide decision-making and align marketing strategies across departments.
- Find out how CCBC created new roles, such as a project coordinator and director of enrollment marketing, to streamline workflows and enhance communication with stakeholders.
- Understand the challenges of managing 300+ programs and how tools like CRM systems and project management platforms can improve efficiency and outcomes.
- Explore the successes achieved through these efforts, including exceeding enrollment goals for nine consecutive cycles and fostering a collaborative team environment.
This episode offers actionable strategies and insights for anyone looking to modernize and strengthen their institution’s marketing and enrollment practices. Don’t miss it!
Why Did CCBC Restructure Its Marketing Department?
When Amy Filardo joined CCBC in 2021, she inherited a marketing structure divided into two distinct teams: College Communications, which focused on branding and PR, and a separate Continuing Education marketing team, which operated independently. Recognizing the inefficiencies of this siloed approach, CCBC’s leadership aimed to create a single, centralized marketing office. The goal? To provide students with a unified "front door" to the college, making it easier to explore all academic and workforce training options without navigating separate departments.
The timing was ideal—Amy’s arrival coincided with this leadership shift, allowing her to spearhead the integration. By consolidating resources, CCBC ensured that marketing efforts were aligned across all programs, reinforcing a singular brand identity while maximizing impact.
How Did CCBC Evaluate and Execute This Marketing Integration?
Amy started by conducting a comprehensive listening tour, meeting with stakeholders across the institution to identify pain points and opportunities. The primary challenge? A deep reliance on print materials, which often contained outdated information and created inconsistencies between marketing materials and the website.
The solution was a digital-first approach, with a complete website overhaul and a shift toward web-based communications. At the same time, Amy restructured the marketing team, eliminating redundancies and introducing new roles like a project coordinator and a director of enrollment marketing to ensure a sharper focus on student recruitment.
What Does CCBC’s New Marketing Structure Look Like?
Following the reorganization, CCBC’s marketing team now consists of four key divisions:
- Creative Services – Oversees graphic design, print materials, and videography.
- Communications – Manages PR, social media, crisis communications, and institutional messaging.
- Digital Strategy – Focuses on website management, SEO, digital marketing, and paid media.
- Enrollment Marketing – Leads recruitment-focused campaigns and oversees marketing coordinators who work closely with academic departments.
This structure allows the marketing team to function more cohesively, ensuring that enrollment goals remain at the center of all initiatives.
How Is CCBC Leveraging Technology to Improve Marketing and Student Engagement?
One of the biggest changes has been the implementation of a new CRM, Element451, which has helped automate and personalize student communications. Previously, CCBC’s marketing efforts were scattered across multiple systems, with different teams managing email outreach independently. Now, the centralized CRM allows for targeted, data-driven campaigns that nurture prospective students more effectively.
In addition to the CRM, CCBC has launched a chatbot to provide real-time answers to student inquiries, reducing the reliance on email as the primary communication channel. This strategic use of technology has made marketing efforts more efficient and impactful.
What Have Been the Biggest Successes of This Marketing Transformation?
Since implementing these changes, CCBC has seen significant improvements in both operational efficiency and enrollment outcomes:
- Enrollment Growth: CCBC has exceeded its credit enrollment goals for nine consecutive enrollment cycles, and continuing education enrollment is currently 15% ahead of its targets.
- Improved Internal Communication: The move to a shared office space has enhanced collaboration, making it easier for marketing staff to coordinate projects and share ideas.
- Enhanced Digital Presence: The website redesign and digital-first strategy have made it easier for prospective students to access accurate, up-to-date information.
- More Strategic Project Management: The introduction of a project coordinator and Trello-based workflow system has streamlined the request process, reducing bottlenecks and ensuring better alignment with institutional goals.
What’s Next for CCBC’s Marketing Team?
While CCBC’s marketing transformation has been a success, Amy acknowledges that the work is never truly "finished." Next steps include further refining email communication workflows, expanding the use of automation, and continuing to promote a culture of collaboration across departments.
One of the ongoing challenges is ensuring that faculty and staff understand how to engage with the marketing team effectively. Amy emphasizes the importance of continuous education—reminding colleagues about request processes and encouraging them to contribute student success stories to enhance marketing campaigns.
Connect With Our Host:
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Hidden Gem: Marketing Community Colleges 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 Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.
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.
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