About the Episode
Exciting news! Your beloved Enrollify Podcast has evolved into something even more fantastic. New name, new format, and new hosts!
Introducing Higher Ed Pulse — your weekly spotlight on the latest in higher education marketing and enrollment management.
Join Mallory Willsea, VP of Marketing at Element451, and Seth Odell, Founder and CEO of Kanahoma, as they co-host this 15-minute, weekly news show every Monday morning.
From headline news to social posts, insider insights to industry observations, you can expect every episode to be packed with value, wit, and a hot take (or two!).
Subscribe to receive email updates every Monday morning after the episode goes live, and be sure to follow Enrollify on LinkedIn so you can join in on the conversation post-episode drop!
Key Takeaways
- Demolition for Innovation: Kansas universities are demolishing old buildings to avoid costly maintenance, signaling a shift from physical campus expansion to strategic downsizing and resource allocation.
- Technology’s New Frontier: The competition for students has moved from campus amenities to tech-forward solutions, making AI, AR, and VR essential tools for recruitment and learning.
- Challenges of Equity: Smaller, resource-strapped institutions risk falling behind as larger universities dominate with innovative tech investments.
- Balancing Purpose and Productivity: Jamie Hunt’s viral LinkedIn post emphasizes focusing on higher ed’s transformative impact over transactional goals, resonating deeply with marketers seeking meaning in their work.
- The Future of Marketing: Graduate program marketing, AI integration, and shifting student preferences are critical topics shaping higher ed’s future.
Episode Summary
What Is Driving Kansas Universities to Demolish Buildings?
Kansas universities are tearing down outdated buildings, prioritizing financial sustainability over maintaining underutilized spaces. This approach highlights how institutions are grappling with the demographic cliff and shifting enrollment patterns. While this strategy avoids significant deferred maintenance costs, it raises questions about the changing identity of campuses and their ability to adapt to shrinking student populations.
Why Is Technology the New Arms Race in Higher Education?
As discussed in a Chronicle of Higher Education article by Jeff Selingo, the new battleground for universities is technological innovation, not physical amenities. Institutions are investing in tools like AI, AR, and VR to enhance learning outcomes and student engagement. While this evolution is exciting, it also risks widening the gap between well-funded universities and smaller, less-resourced schools.
What Is the “Lazy River of AI”?
Seth Odell humorously coins the phrase “Lazy River of AI” to caution against tech gimmicks. The focus must be on meaningful, student-centric technology integration rather than superficial applications designed solely to impress. Listeners are invited to join the conversation about how institutions can balance innovation with authenticity.
How Can Higher Ed Marketers Reconnect With Their ‘Why’?
Jamie Hunt’s viral LinkedIn post serves as a powerful reminder for marketers to focus on their transformative role in students’ lives. The post resonates with professionals feeling bogged down by day-to-day tasks, encouraging them to embrace storytelling, inspiration, and long-term impact over transactional strategies.
About your new hosts:
Mallory Willsea serves as VP of Marketing at Element451 —the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Her insights on best practices and new trends are informed by her sector research and more than 15 years of experience. Mallory has held executive leadership roles in ed tech and at agencies spanning customer success, marketing, and business development. Her superpower is building media brands to reach, educate, and inspire forward-thinking higher education leaders.
Seth Odell is widely considered one of the industry's leading enrollment marketing experts. Seth brings over 15 years of education marketing experience at some of our sector's top organizations, including Southern New Hampshire University, UCLA, National University System, and more. Today, he is the Founder and CEO of Kanahoma, the fastest-growing digital marketing agency in higher education.
.svg)
.svg)
