The Hidden Gem

By: Maya Demishkevich
  • Summary

  • The Hidden Gem is a podcast dedicated to empowering community college presidents, leaders, marcomms with the knowledge and insights they need to harness the full potential of strategic marketing and communication within their institutions. In today's fast-paced educational landscape, effective marketing and communication strategies are crucial for not only student recruitment but also for fostering a thriving and engaged community. This podcast aims to shed light on the often-overlooked aspects of marketing, emphasizing its vital role in shaping an institution's overall strategy and success. By showcasing real-world examples, case studies, and interviews with experienced community college leaders and higher ed consultants, the podcast will inspire its audience to view marketing and communication as integral components of their leadership toolkit. It aims to elevate the importance of these functions and empower leaders to make more informed and strategic decisions in their roles. The Hidden Gem is hosted by Maya Demishkevich and is a proud member of the Enrollify Podcast Network.
    2024 Enrollify
    Show More Show Less
activate_samplebutton_t1
Episodes
  • Ep. 16: How Waukesha County Tech Simplified Student Registration to Boost Enrollment
    Sep 9 2024

    In this episode of The Hidden Gem, host Maya Demishkevich speaks with Kaylan Gaines, Director of Recruitment and Engagement at Waukesha County Technical College, about the college's innovative approach to in-person registration events. Kaylan shares the story behind the creation of the "Admission Accomplished" event—a one-stop enrollment experience designed to simplify the registration process for students, streamline their journey, and ensure they receive the necessary support to start their college education confidently.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Addressing Challenges in Registration: Hear about how Waukesha County Technical College created a one-stop registration event to simplify the enrollment process and address common student challenges.
    • Design and Execution of the Event: Learn how the event involves collaboration across departments, offering students comprehensive support from application to enrollment, all in one day.
    • Significant Impact on Enrollment: Discover the impact of the "Admission Accomplished" event, which boosted attendance and now contributes to 25% of fall enrollments.
    • Effective Marketing Strategies: Find out about the targeted marketing strategies—like email and text messaging—that successfully attract students to the event.
    • Advice for Other Institutions: Get insights on how other colleges can streamline their registration process, reduce barriers, and create a more student-friendly experience.

    Access the Admission Accomplished Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v3Y-2ZXHyWXEh5ePFSuQS1_eQAvaidM6/view?usp=sharing

    Guest Name: Kaylan Gaines, Director of Recruitment and Engagement, Waukesha County Technical College.

    Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylan-gaines/

    Guest Bio: Kaylan Gaines is a higher education professional with a decade of experience specializing in admissions & student recruitment. He currently is the Director of Recruitment & Engagement at Waukesha County Technical College located in southeastern Wisconsin where he develops and implements the recruitment strategy of the college's Enrollment Services unit and oversees recruitment operations and initiatives.


    - - - -

    Connect With Our Host:
    Maya Demishkevich
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/

    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 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.

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Ep. 15: Crafting Meaningful and Memorable Experiences for Community College Constituents
    Aug 26 2024
    In this enlightening episode, we welcome Rob Zinkan, Vice President for Marketing Leadership at RHB, to discuss the pivotal role of constituent experiences in higher education marketing. Rob provides an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities facing community colleges as they strive to enhance their impact on students and communities. From understanding RHB’s 4Es model to creating meaningful and memorable student journeys, this episode sheds light on how colleges can effectively differentiate themselves in a competitive landscape.Key Takeaways:Strategies for Creating Meaningful Experiences: Learn practical steps to start creating impactful constituent experiences, from conducting experience inventories to journey mapping, ensuring these experiences align with institutional mission and values.Insights into the 4Es Model: Discover RHB’s model of coherence, focusing on the four key areas—experience, expression, expectation, and effectiveness—that marketing departments need to master for greater institutional impact.Real-World Examples of Signature Experiences: Hear about successful initiatives, like the Summit at Agnes Scott College, that have significantly improved engagement and contributed to institutional success.Measuring the Impact of Experiences: Understand how to assess and measure the effectiveness of constituent experiences using various metrics and indicators, ensuring these experiences drive desired outcomes such as admissions, retention, and alumni engagement.Future Trends in Higher Education Marketing: Gain insights into upcoming trends and how colleges can prepare to stay ahead, focusing on digital transformation and integrating human-centered design to enhance overall constituent experiences.How to Structure Your Higher Ed Marketing Department for the Future: An RHB Guidebook.Guest Name: Rob Zinkan, Vice President for Marketing Leadership, RHBGuest Bio: Rob brings 25 years of experience in higher education leadership focused on reputation and resource development and intra-organizational alignment. He joined RHB in 2019 after nearly two decades at Indiana University in a variety of senior roles from campus-level vice chancellor to system-wide associate vice president. Rob holds a doctorate from Creighton University (his dissertation topic was higher education brand coherence), a master’s from Xavier University and a bachelor’s from Wabash College. A popular speaker, writer and advisor on higher education marketing and organization design, Rob is a former CASE commissioner (Commission on Communications and Marketing) and AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education committee member. He is co-author of the 2021 book What Makes a Strategic Plan ‘Strategic’? and is co-editor and contributor to Inside Higher Ed’s “Call to Action” blog. Rob also teaches graduate courses in both strategic communication and higher education leadership. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Maya Demishkevichhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/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 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.Element451 is hosting the AI Engage Summit on Oct 29 and 30Register 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.
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • Ep. 14: Mastering Strategic Enrollment Marketing: Top 10 Focus Areas (Part 2)
    Aug 12 2024
    In this two-part episode of Hidden Gem, Maya Demishkevich interviews Diane Burkett, Executive Director of Marketing and Public Affairs at College of the Mainland. Diane shares her comprehensive approach to strategic enrollment marketing, focusing on ten key areas that have driven significant growth and success for her institution. From optimizing websites and creating seamless student experiences to shaping public perceptions and leveraging innovative technologies, Diane offers valuable insights and practical strategies for higher education marketers. Tune in to learn how to navigate the complexities of enrollment marketing and build a cohesive and impactful brand identity.Audience Insights: Learn how to gather insights about your target audience through data analysis, surveys, and focus groups, and how these insights influence your marketing strategies.Nurturing Existing Leads: Understand techniques for targeting and nurturing existing lead pipelines to boost enrollment, emphasizing follow-up communications and personalized engagement.Innovative Technologies: Explore the latest technological innovations in enrollment marketing, such as AI-powered chatbots and advanced CRM systems, and their impact on marketing efforts.Social Media Strategy: Discover the power of social media in boosting enrollment through a case study and learn best practices for leveraging social media platforms effectively.Data-Driven Marketing: Understand the importance of data in shaping enrollment marketing strategies and see an example of a data-informed decision that significantly impacted enrollment.The IMPACT FrameworkGuest Name: Diane L. Burkett / Executive Director of Marketing and Public Affairs / College of the MainlandGuest Bio: Diane L. Burkett serves as the executive director of marketing and public affairs at College of the Mainland. Her diverse professional career, spanning across the public and private sectors in both higher education and software. She possesses a broad experience in marketing, communications and public relations, including expertise in higher education marketing, omni-channel marketing, digital marketing, brand strategy, public affairs, and crisis communications.During her tenure as executive director of marketing and public affairs at COM, she successfully led efforts to pass a $250 million general obligation bond, which will enable the college to fully complete its 10-year long-range plan to transform its facilities, expand academic offerings and optimize the student experience.Prior to joining COM, Burkett served as a director of marketing for SnapStream, inc. She also spent eight years at the University of Houston, serving in a variety of roles and progressive marketing / recruitment positions for the C.T. Bauer College of Business, School of Continuing and Professional Education and the College of Optometry. She began her professional career in software, with cPanel, Inc.Burkett has a master's degree in Instructional Technology and a bachelor's in communications with an emphasis in public relations from Mississippi State University. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Maya Demishkevichhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/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 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.Element451 is hosting the AI Engage Summit on Oct 29 and 30Register 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.
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins

What listeners say about The Hidden Gem

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.