The Weekly VineDown with Emily Smith
by CollegeVine
Join Emily Smith on The Weekly VineDown, a weekly video podcast dedicated to professionals in the higher education sector. In this series, Emily engages in candid discussions with leaders and influencers in higher ed, delving into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the academic landscape. She also occasionally offers insights and strategies for professional development, making it an essential listen for anyone working in higher education. Tune in to stay informed, inspired, and human!
Episodes
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How to Build Access Students Can Actually Afford | Matt McGann, Amherst
In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Matt McGann, VP and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Amherst College. He's one of the relatively few leaders at a highly selective college who runs admission and aid at the same time, and his reason is simple: you can't have access...
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How Auburn Tripled Applications Without Hiring | Joffery Gaymon VP Of Enrollment @ Auburn
In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Dr. Joffery Gaymon, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Auburn University. In his seven years there, Auburn has grown from about 20,000 applications to 60,000. The admissions team handling them is down one person. Joffery's...
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→ Georgia Tech Cut the Essay Nobody Was Using | Mary Tipton Woolley
Georgia Tech spent years adding to its application. It took one hallway conversation to subtract from it. Mary Tipton Woolley is executive director for undergraduate admission at Georgia Tech, where the applicant pool has climbed close to 400% across her 17 years. This year her office dropped the...
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How This Tech Journalist Would Actually Use AI on a College Campus | Casey Newton @ Platformer
Casey Newton spends his week talking to the people building AI, and he brought a room full of higher education leaders an uncomfortable message. Inside those companies, student safety and mental health are treated as unfortunate edge cases, staffed so the CEO never has to think about them. What...
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Why Retention Is Nobody's Job Until It's Somebody's Job | David B. Johnson @ Indiana University
By next summer, colleges have to prove it. Under the Department of Education's earnings accountability rule, undergraduate programs must show their graduates out-earn a typical high school diploma holder, or risk losing access to federal financial aid. David B. Johnson has done the math on which...
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Why This Harvard Professor Says Admissions Is Selecting for the Wrong Student | Jonathan Teubner @ Harvard
Emily has spent years on this show saying out loud that faculty are the blockers: slow, allergic to innovation, standing in the way of anything operational. This week the other side sent a representative. Jonathan Teubner has taught and researched on three continents (Virginia, Melbourne,...
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How to Redesign a University Around the Students It Was Never Built For | Brian Reed @ University of Montana
Most students who leave college don't fail out. They get worn down, routed through ten offices, chasing five signatures, navigating a financial aid maze a parent once called "harder than getting a bank loan." Brian Reed's uncomfortable claim: that friction isn't an accident. It's designed. Reed…
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How to Make Enrollment Management Cool Again | Reggie Hill @ UMSL
Higher ed has never been this scared. Fewer students, political pressure, budgets under a microscope, and Reggie Hill thinks it's the most exciting moment of his career. For the first-ever live episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith brings back her favorite repeat guest in front of a room full of...
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The Enrollment VP Who Made "No" Her Best Strategy with Rachel Beech @ Miami University
Most enrollment leaders own the front door. Rachel Beech owns the whole house (admissions, financial aid, the registrar, the career center, student success) "from first postcard to first job offer." From that rare full-funnel seat, she argues something the industry rarely says out loud: the best...
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How to Expand the Definition of Student Success with the Admissions Leader @ UT Austin
Everyone in higher ed agrees the ground is shifting. The disagreement is about what to do while it's moving. Dr. Ramon Blakley, who leads admissions at one of the most-watched public institutions in the country, has a deceptively simple answer: stay in your lane, keep moving, and check on your...
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How Brutal Honesty Built Five Straight Years of Enrollment Records | Jenny Sawyer @ Louisville
Jenny Sawyer has been telling families no for over a decade. She'll open ChatGPT mid-call, run the math in real time, and tell a student their second-choice school is a better financial decision than the one she runs admissions for. Then she'll wish them well. She's the Associate Provost and...
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How UCLA's Head of Admissions Processes 170,000 Applications a Year | Gary Clark
Gary Clark has 175,000 applications landing on his desk every year as Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at UCLA. He's also one of the loudest voices in higher ed arguing that selectivity is not a proxy for quality. In this episode of The VineDown, Emily sits down with Gary to…
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The Transcript Is Broken: Kevin Mathes on Why Admissions Is Running on Outdated Infrastructure
Kevin Mathes is the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Dean of Admissions at Bucknell University. It’s a full circle moment as Bucknell is his alma mater, where he started as a first-year tour guide before spending nearly two decades working his way back to lead the whole operation.…
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From Basketball Coach to NACAC President: Todd Rinehart on Recruiting With Your Soul Intact
Todd Rinehart arrived at the University of Denver in 1997 as an assistant men's basketball coach. When the coaching staff was fired in 2001, he made a pivot that changed everything: he stayed, moved into admissions, and discovered that recruiting athletes had quietly trained him for a career in...
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Why Most Enrollment Leaders Are Optimizing for the Wrong Number with Dr. John G. Haller
In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with John Haller, one of the most consequential enrollment leaders of the past two decades. John served for 10 years as Vice President of Enrollment Management and New Student Strategies at the University of Miami, where he didn't just fill...
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The CFO Playbook for Enrollment Leaders with Kevin Dyerly at University of Redlands
Most boards and CFOs track one number obsessively in enrollment conversations: The discount rate. But Kevin Dyerly argues that focusing on that number can lead institutions to make the wrong decisions. Kevin has a unique perspective on this problem. After eight years leading enrollment at the...
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The Subprime Student Loan Crisis No One Is Talking About with New America’s Stephen Burd
What if the financial aid letter your students' families are opening right now is designed, not to help them, but to steer them toward a loan they almost certainly can't repay? That's the argument Stephen Burd is making. And he has 41 universities worth of data to back it up. Stephen is a Senior...
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What It Really Means to Serve First-Gen Students at Scale with Rhonda Longworth at EMU
What if higher education stopped obsessing over where students start and focused instead on where they’re actually supposed to finish? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily sits down with Rhonda Longworth, Provost and Executive Vice President at Eastern Michigan University, for one of the most...
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Why “Access” Isn’t the Win We Think It Is, with James Miller @ Seattle University
College admissions is built on human connection. So why does it feel like technology (especially AI) is pulling us in the opposite direction? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with James Miller, Associate Vice President & Dean of Admission at Seattle University, to explore…
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The Case Against “Growth at All Costs” in Higher Ed with Costas Solomou
For decades, higher education has treated enrollment like an arms race. More applications. More admits. More students in the door. But what happens after they arrive? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Costas Solomou, Vice President for Enrollment Management at SUNY...
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The Fastest Tech Shift Higher Ed Has Ever Seen, with Ithaca’s CIO David Weil
This week on The VineDown, I sat down with David Weil, the longtime CIO and Senior VP of Strategic Services & Initiatives at Ithaca College. He’s a man who has survived every major tech wave higher ed has ever thrown at him. Mainframes. Early PCs. The dawn of the internet. Mobile. SaaS. Y2K…
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What Higher Ed CIOs Get Wrong About AI: An Honest Talk with CollegeVine’s CTO
Most people in higher ed hear “AI in admissions” and think: “Ah, so… another chatbot.” In this episode of The VineDown, I sit down with CollegeVine’s own CTO, Chris Coffey, to pull back the curtain on what we’re actually building: autonomous AI agents that act more like teammates than tools with...
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From First-Gen Student to Enrollment Leader: Shawana Singletary’s Playbook
What happens when a first-generation college student grows up to lead enrollment at a major university? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Shawana Singletary, Assistant Vice President and Chief Enrollment Officer at Adelphi University. Drawing from her own journey (from...
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The Truth About Independent Counselors: Yvonne Espinoza on Ethics, Access, and Student Success
What does it really mean to put students first in the college admissions process? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Yvonne Espinoza, CEP, nationally recognized counselor, City of Austin Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, and founder of YESpi College Counseling. After 19…
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What Families Get Wrong About College Admissions with Jeff Selingo
Families obsess over “dream schools.” Colleges obsess over rankings and yield. Somewhere in between, the real truth about admissions gets lost. In this episode of The VineDown, I sit down (again!) with bestselling author and higher ed strategist Jeff Selingo to cut through the myths and talk...
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Paid Internships for All: Provost Joe Hartman on How UMass Lowell Redefined Student Success
What happens when universities stop thinking of “student experience” as a buzzword and start treating it like an outcome-driven mission? In this episode of The Vinedown, host Emily Smith sits down with Joe Hartman, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at UMass Lowell, to...
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Enrollment Funnels Are Bloated. Here’s How Wayne State Keeps It Personal, with VP of Enrollment Management Kevin Halle
What if the secret to enrollment success isn’t about bigger funnels, but about smaller friction? In this episode of the Vine Down, I chat with Kevin Halle, VP of Enrollment Management at Wayne State College: a public institution serving a student body that’s nearly 50% first-gen. Kevin breaks…
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Why Your AI Strategy Matters More Than Ever – Dan Garcia @ UNM on Staying Ahead in Enrollment
In this episode, Emily Smith sits down with Dan Garcia, VP of Enrollment Management at the University of New Mexico, to unpack the realities and anxieties around adopting AI in enrollment and retention strategies. Dan gets candid about shifting from if to how to use AI, the outdated tactics to...
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Why Colleges Get Retention Wrong: A Radical Rethink with Katie Condon, VP of Enrollment at Eastern Michigan
If your institution treats student recruitment separately from retention, you’re missing a critical connection. On this episode of The Vinedown, Emily Smith speaks with Katie Condon, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Eastern Michigan University. Katie draws from her own experiences as a...
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The Hidden Cost of AI Ambiguity: How Colleges are Failing Students, with Emily Pacheco, Associate Director @ Case Western Reserve University
Colleges are stuck sending mixed messages about AI—and students are paying the price. Emily Pacheco, Associate Director at Case Western Reserve and founder of the AI in College Admissions (AICA) group, joins Emily Smith on The Vinedown to break down how the absence of clear AI policies in college...
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Enrollment’s Data Reckoning: Why Most Colleges Are Unprepared (And How to Fix It) with David Burge
Enrollment leaders, listen up—it’s time to confront an uncomfortable truth: colleges stuck in old models of recruitment and data management risk falling dangerously behind. In this eye-opening episode, Emily Smith sits down with David Burge, VP of Enrollment Management at George Mason University,...
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How Regional Publics Can Thrive by Breaking the Rules, with Reggie Hill
In this episode, Emily Smith sits down with Reggie Hill, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. They discuss innovative approaches to recruitment at regional public universities, building community partnerships, and adapting to changing enrollment...
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Enrollment on a Hunger Strike: Heath Einstein on Navigating Higher Ed’s Existential Moment
In the latest episode of The VineDown, Heath Einstein, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Texas Christian University, reflects on the evolving challenges and responsibilities we face in higher education today.
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How To Be Zen When Everything Goes Up In Flames, with Sean Whitten, Director of Strategic Partnerships at SMU in Dallas
In this episode, Emily sits down with Sean Whitten, Director of Strategic Partnerships at SMU in Dallas, to explore workplace psychology, emotional wellbeing, and managing stress in higher education. They dive into the neuroscience behind our stress responses, tactics for maintaining emotional...
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Where the Future of Higher Ed is Going, with Jeff Selingo
Higher Ed expert Jeff Selingo (former Chronicle of Higher Education editor) joins The Vinedown to discuss the future of colleges in 2025 and beyond. Will two dozen colleges close this year? What separates surviving institutions from truly thriving ones? In this episode, we dive deep into: - Which...
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Letting Go of the Edge: Why Colleges Fear (But Need) Tech Transformation, with Adam Park
For years, colleges have been navigating technological change. Many institutions today KNOW they need to embrace new technology, but they remain tightly gripped to familiar processes. In this conversation, Adam Park, the CEO of Softdoc, gives candid insight into why this happens. It's not just...
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The Art and Science of Swag in Enrollment Marketing, with PJ Woolston
Enrollment marketing may not seem like the most glamorous aspect of higher education, but for PJ Woolston, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at IU Indianapolis, it’s an art form. During our recent conversation on The Vinedown, PJ shared insights into the role of swag (yes, swag!) in...
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The Art and Science of Swag in Enrollment Marketing
Enrollment marketing may not seem like the most glamorous aspect of higher education, but for PJ Woolston, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at IU Indianapolis, it’s an art form. During our recent conversation on The Vinedown, PJ shared insights into the role of swag (yes, swag!) in...
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Human-Centered AI: Key Insights From Gene Chao
In this week’s episode of VineDown, I am joined by Gene Chao, a leader in digital transformation and the founder of GenReventures. Our discussion spans AI's evolving role, the importance of human-machine collaboration, and how organizations can embrace technology without losing the human touch.
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Back to Basics: What One Enrollment Leader Learned From the Recruitment Trail, with Brent Gage
Sometimes, leadership means stepping into your team’s shoes to see how you can improve your team from the bottom-up. Dr. Brent Gage, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Strategy at the University of Iowa, recently returned to the recruitment trail after a decade-long break. When...
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Rethinking College Admissions: Rick Clark on AI, Storytelling, and Human Connection
Modern admissions offices are facing a paradox. As processes become more automated, how do they hold onto authentic human connection? Rick Clark, Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech, isn’t just asking that question—he’s answering it. With over two decades of experience…
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The Digital Counselor Next Door: AI's Urgent Role in Democratizing College Access, with Jeff Neill
Traditional college counseling isn’t keeping up with today’s digital-first students. Jeff Neill, Director of College Counseling at Graded - The American School in São Paulo, is using AI to make counseling more effective. By handling routine tasks, AI frees up Jeff’s time to connect more deeply…
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The Connection Crisis: How AI Is Reshaping Student Engagement with Jenny Petty
Higher education marketing has reached a crossroads, and Jenny Petty knows it well. In her second appearance on *The VineDown*, Jenny, VP of Marketing Communications at the University of Montana, dives into the “perfect storm” facing higher ed—a series of shifts reshaping how colleges recruit,...
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Work smarter, not harder: Unlocking efficiency through innovation
You’ve heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder,” but what are the actual steps to make this happen? This week I was joined by Jay Jacobs, Ed.D., Vice Provost of Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont. We chatted about how to measure work in innovative ways to truly “work smarter”,...
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Merging AI and leadership: The tech-minded coach
This week, I was joined by Erika Pepmeyer, MCIS, Director of Admissions at the University of Northern Colorado to chat about leading in a tech-driven world, balancing automation with human touch, and ensuring personalization and equity in AI systems. Erika, drawing from her experience as a…
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Using AI to solve the "Admissions Counselor Malaise"
This week, I invited Teege Mettille, Director of Enrollment Success at enroll ml and author of "The Admissions Counselor Malaise", to share insights from his book and discuss how AI is transforming the admissions process. We were able to chat about the challenges faced by admissions…
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AI Ethics for Enrollment
This week I was joined by David Hatami, CEO and Founder of EduPolicy.ai, where we chatted about how AI is reshaping enrollment and institutional decisions. We covered the vital role of rules and ethics in AI and explored strategic preparations institutions must consider as the need for…
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Building SEM Plans in a Shifting Landscape
This week I was joined by Rakin “Rock” Hall, M.Ed., Vice President for Enrollment Management at Ithaca College, where he shared his expertise on how to succeed in the current state of higher ed enrollment. From pivoting strategies to being an excellent goal setter for your team, Rock offered a...
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Recruiting LatinX and First-Generation Students
This week, I was joined by Carlos O. Cano where we discussed the importance of recruiting LatinX and first-gen students and the cultural nuances that influence their educational journeys. Carlos was able to share expert insights on why it's increasingly crucial to excel in recruiting LatinX and...
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(Re)claiming Your Backyard: Strategies For Your Local Market
This week, I was joined by Cindy Haney, Ed.D. of Lehigh Carbon Community College where we unpacked winning strategies for mastering enrollment, brand, and recruitment in your local market. This episode is all about the magic of making meaningful local connections and how partnerships with high...
About this show
Join Emily Smith on The Weekly VineDown, a weekly video podcast dedicated to professionals in the higher education sector. In this series, Emily engages in candid discussions with leaders and influencers in higher ed, delving into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the academic landscape. She also occasionally offers insights and strategies for professional development, making it an essential listen for anyone working in higher education. Tune in to stay informed, inspired, and human!
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