Higher Voltage

In this episode of Higher Voltage, Tony Proudfoot, Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communications at Western Michigan University, joins Kevin Tyler to explain why marketers must stop just designing the packaging and start shaping what is inside the box. From breaking out of the "sea of sameness" to achieving "ubiquitous excellence" through experience-driven learning, Proudfoot makes the case for campus CMOs to step out of the basement and claim their seat as the institution's chief strategist.

In this episode of Higher Voltage, Justin Bell, Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Fordham University, joins Kevin to break down the strategy behind the Fordham Pizza Shop activation at NACAC. What looked like a creative stunt was actually a calculated move to build brand awareness, drive engagement, and create lasting impressions in a crowded space.

In this episode of Higher Voltage, Seth Odell joins Volt to discuss how AI is transforming search and what it means for higher education marketers. As zero-click search results, AI-generated answers, and new discovery platforms change how prospective students find information, institutions must rethink traditional enrollment strategies. Odell shares insights on branding, digital visibility, and why colleges can no longer rely on conventional SEO alone to reach future students.

On this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler sits down with higher ed strategist and author Elliot Felix to explore the concept of the connected college. From silo-busting strategy to integrating career development into the academic experience, Felix shares an evidence-based playbook for aligning teams, redesigning systems, and improving outcomes for all students.

HBCU enrollment is gaining momentum—and strategy is driving the surge. In this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler speaks with Tanya Clark of 3 Enrollment about record-breaking male enrollment, intentional digital marketing, and how data, capacity planning, and student-centered systems are shaping the future of HBCUs.

In this episode, Kevin Tyler interviews Marina Cooper, the Senior Associate Vice President for Integrated Marketing and Brand at Johns Hopkins University. They discuss the ‘Research Saves Lives’ campaign, which aims to communicate the value of research in higher education amidst federal funding cuts. The conversation covers the campaign's inclusive approach, its impact on the community, and the metrics for success, highlighting the importance of collaboration and effective communication in the current climate of higher education.

Kevin Tyler talks with researcher David Lazer about new national polling that reveals a more nuanced picture of how Americans view colleges and universities. They unpack long-term trust trends, the role of partisanship, and what higher ed leaders should take away from the data.

Colorado Mesa University’s Featherstone campaign flipped the script on higher ed marketing with humor and honesty. Kevin Tyler talks with Katlin Birdsall, AVP for Marketing and Brand Strategy, about challenging elitism, connecting with first-gen students, and taking creative risks that reflect institutional values.

What does it mean for colleges to be “student ready”? In this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler talks with RAND researcher Lindsay Daugherty about meeting students’ basic needs — food, housing, mental health — and how institutions can reimagine support services, shift their messaging, and build trust that keeps students enrolled.

In this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler talks with journalist Erica Levi Zelinger about the sharp decline in male enrollment across higher education. They explore how outdated messaging, retention challenges, and cultural disconnects are fueling the crisis, and what colleges can do to reverse the trend.

Higher ed veteran and author Jaime Hunt breaks down how real, layered and strategic empathy can transform not just marketing messages, but student outcomes. From jargon traps to missed opportunities for connection, this conversation with host Kevin Tyler unpacks the urgent shift higher ed must make to survive and serve today’s students.

Student debt is crushing. Financial aid is outdated. And higher ed still expects students to figure it out solo. Kevin Tyler talks with Lisa Hennessy and Alex Boylan—co-founders of The College Tour and the new platform The Student Registry—about rethinking how students fund their college experience. The Student Registry is part crowdfunding tool, part budgeting resource, and entirely focused on helping students stay in school without drowning in loans

Kevin Tyler speaks with Tam Powell and Gary Mueller of BVK and Serve Marketing about the Proud Sponsor Campaign, a bold national initiative to reframe the public conversation around higher education. They explore why the value of college extends far beyond degrees, how the campaign uses research-backed messaging to spark curiosity and pride, and why collective action, not individual heroism, is the path forward. If you care about the future of higher ed, this one’s for you.  

Higher ed must evolve from delivering education to fostering quality learning—a continuous, experiential process that benefits both students and faculty. In this episode of Higher Voltage, Scott Marshall, CEO of Semester at Sea, joins Kevin Tyler to discuss the future of learning, the role of collaboration, and why it’s time to rethink traditional models.

New leaders in higher education face big challenges, but Melissa Farmer Richards has a roadmap. She joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss her book The 30-60-90-Day Handbook: Checklist for Communications and Marketing Leaders in Higher Education and the power of checklists in leadership. They explore the keys to earning trust, demonstrating commitment and adapting to the evolving landscape of higher ed marketing. Plus, Melissa offers listeners an exclusive gift to help kickstart their leadership journeys—an interactive component of the handbook!

How will recent ADA updates impact digital accessibility in higher education? Kevin Tyler and Jamie Axelrod discuss the shift from reactive to proactive compliance, the legal stakes of non-conformance, and why universal design is the key to a more inclusive digital future.

Can Performance TV revolutionize higher ed marketing? In this episode of Higher Voltage, Kevin Tyler talks with Jennifer Lonchar of AmbioEDU about how data-driven digital advertising is changing the game for student recruitment and retention. They tackle marketing myths, explore the impact of CTV, and share real-world success stories that prove why higher ed must innovate—or risk falling behind.

The search cliff is changing the game for higher ed recruitment, making it harder to reach prospective students through traditional methods. Kevin Tyler, Jenny Petty, and Emily Smith explain what this means for colleges and universities—and how AI recruiters, authentic storytelling, and smarter marketing strategies can help institutions stay competitive. From the rise of adult learners to the impact of privacy laws, this conversation dives into the future of enrollment and what schools need to do now to adapt.

What makes community colleges America’s best-kept secret? Kevin Tyler and Devin Purgason explore the future of higher education, from AI’s role in student engagement to the growing impact of micro-credentials. Institutions such as Forsyth Tech are shaping the future of learning through innovation and personalization.

Kevin Tyler and guest Carri Twigg examine higher ed’s future in light of potential political disruptions, a dismantled Department of Education and shifts in institutional identity and collaboration.

Inclusive marketing and shifting demographics are reshaping the future of international education, as Kelly Holland of the American Institute for Foreign Study explains.

Kevin Tyler is joined by Lauren Griswold of Boise State University and Chris Nelson of the University of Utah to discuss the collaborative efforts of institutions to reshape the public perception of higher education’s value. Hear strategies for unified messaging, building partnerships and engaging communities to drive enrollment and combat declining trust in higher education.

Ready to level up your content game? Host Kevin Tyler welcomes guest Brian Piper to discuss how universities can build trust, connect with audiences and thrive in a digital-first world.

Host Kevin Tyler welcomes Eddie Francis, principal and brand consultant with Edify Ventures, to discuss the importance of employer branding in higher education. Colleges and universities must focus on talent attraction, talent experience and talent retention while emphasizing the role of leadership in creating a positive workplace culture and the impact of psychological safety on employee satisfaction.

Host Kevin Tyler interviews branding expert Allen Adamson to discuss the importance of focusing on a clear and distinct mission, rather than diluting the institutional identity with multiple conflicting messages.

Kevin Tyler welcomes Catherine Friday, Ernst & Young Oceania’s managing partner for government and health sciences, as they delve into EY’s global findings of student dissatisfaction and how universities must deliver on the value proposition to remain competitive.

Higher Voltage’s Kevin Tyler welcomes Jenny Li Fowler, MIT's director of social media strategy and recently published author, to discuss her book, “Organic Social Media: How to Build Flourishing Online Communities.” Fowler emphasizes the importance of elevating the role of social media managers and treating social media as a sophisticated industry.

In the first episode of 2024, host Kevin Tyler sits down with Bennie F. Johnson, the CEO of the American Marketing Association (AMA). As a self-proclaimed "marketing kid," Bennie understands the vulnerability of the marketing industry, especially in higher education. During the discussion, Kevin and Bennie address common misconceptions and emphasize the crucial role of expertise in the field.

Dr. William 'Brit' Kirwan, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland, joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss university presidents' precarious position when they make or abstain from statements on emotionally charged issues.

Dr. Marcus Collins, author, professor and devoted cheeseburger lover, joins host Kevin Tyler to discuss the importance of understanding the cultural characteristics of a community and finding congruence between the values of the institution and the values of potential students.

Natasha Warikoo, Lenore Stern Professor in the Social Sciences Department of Sociology at Tufts University, rejoins host Kevin Tyler to discuss the recent SCOTUS decision and how institutions may move forward in the post-affirmative action era.

David Levy, head of data for Degree Choices, joins Kevin Tyler to discuss how higher ed rankings are doing a disservice to Black applicants, the importance of comprehensive data collection to highlight topics such as underfunding, and why challenging U.S. News' dominance in the industry will help students make informed decisions.

Jonathan B. Williams, AVP for undergraduate admissions, access and pipeline programs at NYU joins host Kevin Tyler to talk about ways institutions can partner more with communities in their quest to recruit more diverse and first-gen students to their campuses.

The Supreme Court is weeks away from handing down a decision that will impact the future of affirmative action in higher education, with many court observers speculating the conservative-leaning court will rule that colleges can no longer consider race a factor when admitting students. Natasha Warikoo, the Lenore Stern Professor in the Social Sciences Department of Sociology at Tufts University, joins Higher Voltage host Kevin Tyler to discuss the potential implications of such a ruling.

An estimated 40 percent of Americans with student debt have not completed a four-year college degree. Hank Green, vlogger, entrepreneur, cofounded Study Hall to change that. The online learning platform will offer individual college courses, accredited through Arizona State University, allowing students to earn transferrable college credits without enrolling in college or setting foot on campus. In the latest Higher Voltage, Green explains why this is essential to tackling the student debt crisis and making college more accessible.

As the furor around the college ranking system grows, Colin Diver, joins Higher Voltage. The author of "Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do about It" discusses what's wrong with the system and how to fix it. Specifically, he argues that colleges and universities should be judged by how well they prepare their graduates to lead fulfilling lives, not by how they fit into a highly exclusionary admissions process.

The increasing politicization of both K-12 and higher education across the country shows no signs of slowing. And so, today, we have a very special crossover episode of Volt podcasts Higher Voltage and Trusted Voices, with hosts Kevin Tyler, Teresa Valerio Parrot, and Erin Hennessy, to discuss the implications of all of this.

Matt Reed of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges explains why community colleges and other non-selective institutions are the key to expanding college access and increasing social mobility.

Venture capitalist Ryan Craig discusses why he thinks that, in order to save higher ed, selective institutions must increase access by opening satellite campuses.

College and university presidents often have an aversion to conflict and unwanted attention, especially when it comes to politics. But as higher ed, itself, is increasingly politicized, political neutrality in higher ed is a myth. So say the two guests on this week's Higher Voltage, Patricia McGuire, the president of Trinity Washington University, and Holden Thorp, the editor-in-chief of Science Family of Journals and the former chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Should colleges and universities hire a CMO or a CCO? Or both? And how are those two roles distinct from one another? On the latest Voltage, Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy of TVP Communications join host Kevin Tyler to discuss.

Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy of TVP Communications join host Kevin Tyler to analyze the latest headlines, including the growth of micro colleges, the decline in Black enrollment, why more high school students are rejecting higher ed.

Discussing burnout, demoralization, and how to fix work in higher ed with Kevin McClure, associate professor of higher education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

After she was targeted by state politicians for teaching about the legacy of racism, Dyanis Conrad ultimately left her position at the University of South Dakota. On the latest Higher Voltage she discusses the politicization of teaching in higher ed.

Adam Harris, a staff writer for The Atlantic, joins the show to discuss the long history of imbalanced support for institutions that enroll high numbers of Black students, the unique legacy of HBCUs, and the role that school rankings play in all of this.

Denise Runge of the University of Alaska-Anchorage joins the show to discuss real ways colleges and universities can help students overcome barriers to access.

The University of Lynchburg’s Aaron Basko discusses his article in The Chronicle about the perils of the generic college.

Jayson Boyers, the president of Rosemont College, joins host Kevin Tyler to talk about the challenges and nuances of leading and marketing a religiously affiliated institution of higher education.

Jaime Hunt, vice president and chief communications and marketing officer at Miami University, and Ayana Hernandez, associate vice chancellor for university relations at North Carolina Central, join host Kevin Tyler to discuss DEI marketing at colleges and universities.

Jon McBride of BYU and Teresa Valerio Parrot join host Kevin Tyler to discuss the radical new landscape of name, image & likeness marketing opportunities that is transforming college athletics, and what it means for higher ed institutions of all sizes.