About the Episode
About the Episode:
Live from eduWeb Summit, Mallory interviews Maureen Stokes, the Assistant Vice President of Communications and Marketing at Worcester State University. They discuss the impact of AI on making dense research accessible, the power of visual student-centered storytelling in marketing, and how AI can enhance productivity and creativity.
Key Takeaways
- Student Voices Are Essential: Authentic, student-led content is key to differentiating your institution’s brand and resonating with prospective students.
- AI Is a Strategic Ally: Tools like generative AI can help simplify dense academic content, improve storytelling, and inspire creative marketing strategies.
- Adapt to New Challenges: With the looming demographic cliff, higher ed institutions must innovate, embrace technology, and focus on building authentic connections with students.
- Incorporate Video and Social Media: Reusing video assets and empowering students to create their own content can amplify your institution’s story in an authentic way.
Experiencing EduWeb for the First Time
Maureen Stokes attended EduWeb for the first time this year, drawn by the opportunity to connect with peers and learn from industry leaders. She highlighted how the summit’s sessions opened her eyes to new tools, strategies, and approaches—particularly in leveraging AI and storytelling to elevate marketing efforts.
One standout session for Maureen was focused on how to distill complex academic research into accessible content. Using generative AI, the presenter demonstrated how to quickly summarize dense faculty research into digestible formats for press releases, op-eds, and other public-facing content. For Maureen, it was a revelation in how AI could support marketing teams and amplify faculty achievements.
The Role of Visual Storytelling in Higher Ed
Maureen’s EduWeb session, The Art of Visual Storytelling: Developing a Student-Centered Content Strategy That Differentiates Your Institution’s Brand, focused on the importance of highlighting student voices.
“Every institution has a mission,” Maureen explains. “But it’s the students—through their experiences, stories, and pride in the campus—who truly bring it to life.” Worcester State is leaning into this strategy by showcasing authentic, unscripted student perspectives across platforms like social media and video.
This student-centered approach has paid dividends. By repurposing high-quality video content from Worcester State’s website on platforms like TikTok, Maureen’s team has been able to reach prospective students where they spend the most time. Students themselves are also empowered to create content, adding an authentic and personal touch to the university’s marketing efforts.
Embracing AI at Worcester State
Though Worcester State is just beginning its AI journey, Maureen left EduWeb with a renewed commitment to explore how this technology can help her team work smarter, not harder. From distilling complex content to inspiring new creative approaches, Maureen sees AI as a game-changer for her department.
“AI allows us to think beyond the horizon,” Maureen shares. “It’s not just a tool—it’s an opportunity to see possibilities we might not have imagined.”
As Maureen heads back to Massachusetts, her challenge for her team is simple: to embrace experimentation and not fear the unknown. She believes that AI will play a critical role in helping higher ed institutions navigate challenges like the demographic cliff while also finding innovative ways to tell their stories.
Lessons for Higher Ed Marketers
- Empower Student Voices: Authentic, unscripted content created by students resonates deeply with prospective students. Use their stories to build trust and connection.
- Leverage AI for Content Simplification: Generative AI can help marketing teams quickly transform dense, academic content into compelling stories for public audiences.
- Repurpose and Maximize Content: Reuse high-quality assets like videos across platforms to amplify your reach and engagement.
- Experiment with Technology: Encourage your team to embrace AI and other emerging tools to improve creativity, productivity, and long-term strategy.
Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse 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 Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is made possible 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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