As higher education evolves, a greater emphasis is being placed on attracting, serving, and retaining learners across credit-bearing and noncredit programs of study. Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Success (MESS) professionals must continuously strive to better position their institutions and programs to attract and serve diverse and rapidly-changing target audiences.
UPCEA members are constantly innovating by developing strategic enrollment management plans, implementing marketing strategies and communications plans aimed at new and emerging niche markets, creating a more engaging student service experience, and exploring new ways to serve, support and care for adult and online populations in these unprecedented times.
| 2:45 PM |
Concurrent Sessions I |
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Empowering Learners and Institutions in the AI Era
Commonwealth AB | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: AI
Amid the swift rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in all aspects of our lives, including the workplace, adult learners are actively seeking to augment their skill sets. Concurrently, higher education institutions are grappling with the transformative potential and challenges of AI, particularly its ramifications for pedagogical experiences. This session explores strategies employed by educational leaders and faculty to bolster both students and institutions, leveraging AI’s capabilities for enhanced learning, teaching, and overall student success.
- Constance St. Germain, Capella University
- Vistasp Karbhari, University of Texas at Arlington
- Julie Delich, Mainstay
The Foundation Has Been Built: What Happens Next?
Carlton | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
See how one university has reenvisioned student services and built a foundation for students' success. The session will provide a quick overview of the improvements made at one university and highlight the impact of retention strategies such as retention alerts, onboarding support, peer support programs, curriculum improvement, career development, and faculty accountability and technology enhancements. The session will focus specifically on developing strategies to improve student success, impact data of the success strategies, and lessons learned in strategizing for future initiatives. While the session will highlight the best practices of one institution's journey for continuous improvement, attendees will have opportunities to provide their insight to enhance collaborative learning.
- Jasmeial "Jazz" Jackson, Thomas Edison State University
- Cynthia Baum, Thomas Edison State University
Roundtable Sessions
Harbor 1
Roundtables are table-based, small-group, guided discussion about a specific and timely topic, question, or issue. During one, 60-minute concurrent session, multiple Roundtable presenters concurrently share their ideas at one round table each, and promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective table attendees. Roundtables are designed to provide space and time to important but particularly nuanced topics which deserve attention, and as such, attendees are free to move between tables. The Roundtable session will have a moderator who will welcome attendees, invite them to find a topic/table of their choice, and watch the time, inviting presenters to host their discussions twice during the hour, to allow attendees to engage with up to two different topics.
Online Offerings: Differentiate and Thrive
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
In a world of growing online higher education programs, students are looking for programs that not only resonate with them, but that will allow them to stand out amongst their peers. Universities are faced with the challenge of differentiating their programs to attract prospective students or risk getting lost in the online sea of programs.
- Ed Borbely, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Peter Pinckney, Apollidon
Student Retention and Engagement in Part-time, Online Programs: Internal Tensions Surrounding Advising Models
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Professional and online credential enrollment is rapidly growing, and as this student population continues to expand, more institutions are faced with supporting a growing population of non-traditional learners in their programs. This roundtable will delve into the complexity of creating faculty and administrative buy-in for specialized student advising. Advising in this context includes academic, belonging as part of a community, and career support. Through the roundtable format, participants will be prompted to share-out their own lessons learned, in both successful and failed cases. Facilitators will provide one school’s approach as a springboard for a broader group discussion and sharing.
- Sarah Herchel, Tufts University
- Rebecca Petersen, Tufts University
Mobilizing Your Website Personalization Strategy
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Strategic |
Website personalization is a powerful tool we can use to upgrade our onsite experiences, drive conversions, and collect rich data to better understand our student journey How much content is needed to drive personalization? What technology is required? How does marketing collaborate with admissions, IT, and other stakeholders to deliver personalization? What is meaningful personalization for higher education anyway? Join us for a presentation that answers these questions with best practices for mobilizing this powerful strategy. Gain valuable takeaways such as: what technologies to use; how to prioritize your content needs; and who to get involved with the implementation.
- Jaime Oleksik, Carnegie
- Brett DiMarzo, Boston College
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| 4:00 PM |
Concurrent Sessions II |
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A Tale of Two Ventures: Navigating the Landscape of Belonging for Online Students
Commonwealth AB | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Building community and fostering engagement are critical for retaining and graduating online students. This session will explore strategies used by two flagship universities to build community and connections for their online learners. Presenters will discuss initiatives undertaken at the University of Oklahoma and Oregon State University to establish affinity groups, form Online Student Associations and Advisory Boards, launch quarterly newsletters and a podcast, and discuss many other examples of community building strategies. Additional resources to support online student success and belonging will also be highlighted, such as success coaching, mental health counseling, career development, streamlined onboarding, and graduation celebrations. Presenters will also share lessons learned, data collected to measuring belonging, and highlight future plans for strengthening bonds and engagement among online learners. Attendees will gain insights and ideas to bring back to their institutions to enhance community and connectedness for online students.
- Marleigh Perez, Oregon State University Ecampus
- Eddie Rodriguez, Oregon State University Ecampus
- Hannah Rieger, The University of Oklahoma
- Sage Mauldin, The University of Oklahoma
Stop & Share Sessions
Harbor 1
Attendees are invited to stop in, mill about, and engage in these dynamic, demonstration-type conversations hosted by presenters ready to share ideas on a hot topic, best practice, or technological innovation.
A Novel Student-facing Interactive Online Speaker Series
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
A novel student-facing speaker series was developed at Southern New Hampshire University to serve its vast population of Health Professions students. The initiative gives students a direct connection to the speaker, allowing for engagement outside of the classroom, exposure to career opportunities, and live interaction with fellow students. Students report that the speaker series has expanded their understanding of the healthcare field.
- Meredith OHara, Southern New Hampshire University
- Laurie Lewis, Southern New Hampshire University
We Built It, Why Won't They Come: Cultivating Help-Seeking Behaviors
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Have you fought the battles to create efficient and convenient online student success services only to struggle to get those same students to actively engage with the services you created? In this session, presenters will share early findings from research about what our new post-traditional online undergraduate learners tell us is keeping them on the sidelines in accessing support and share the institution’s successes and struggles to destigmatize help-seeking and empower students to engage more effectively with student support services.
- Patricia Milner, University of Arkansas
Welcome to the Team: Building a Strong Foundation for Employee Success to Foster a Positive Workplace Culture
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Get ready to discover the keys to a thriving team culture! In this session, we'll explore the vital importance of employee onboarding that builds a positive and productive work environment. Learn how to create a warm welcome for new team members and set them up for success from day one, so they can help students and themselves succeed! Plus, we'll uncover practical strategies for fostering a workplace that radiates positivity, collaboration, and growth. Prepare to bring new life to your team and transform your workplace into a community of happy, engaged, and motivated employees.
- Kaslynn Westerman, University of Arizona Online
- Alison Doran, University of Arizona Online
- Kristina Giovannucci, University of Arizona Online
The Battle of Email Marketing: Claim Victory Over Spam Filters and Your Busy Students
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational |
Our presentation will share relevant changes we implemented related timing of sending emails, the type of language used, how and why to segment communication and audiences, and high-impact design. Participants of this session will leave with a handout that includes the presenter's favorite and most used email marketing tools. Those tools include an email subject line grader, subject line viewer, deliverability checker, file resizer, and more. Participants will also leave with an email marketing checklist to make sure their emails are ready to be sent.
- Logan Kirkland, University of Mississippi
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| 8:15 AM |
Concurrent Sessions III |
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Supporting the Evolving Needs of Online Learners Through Holistic Success Coaching
Marina IV | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational |
Challenging the accepted definition of what it means to be a traditional or non-traditional learner, more post-secondary students are taking at least a percentage of their courses online. Online programs across the country that have historically served primarily degree completers are now seeing a measurable increase in first-time college students. To meet the needs of these learners, holistic success coaching is becoming increasingly important in supporting retention and completion outcomes. Hear from a panel of coaching experts from the University of Maryland Global Campus, Western Kentucky University, and non-profit coaching organization InsideTrack as they discuss their similar, yet unique, methods of employing coaching.
- Susan Hawkins-Wilding, University of Maryland Global Campus
- Chris Anderson, InsideTrack
- Tammy Dorris, Western Kentucky University
- Tanya Vincent, Western Kentucky Unviversity
Moving at the Speed of Trust: Improving the Prospective Adult-Learner Experience through Intra-University Partnerships
Lewis | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Effective communication and intentional relationship-building were the backbone to building the trust needed to design and execute a high-touch adult-learner recruitment model in partnership with The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs. In this session, you’ll learn from the Ohio State Online team’s experience navigating the importance of nurturing trust and fostering collaborative partnerships across colleges to reach a shared goal of improving experiences for prospective adult learners.
- Heather Kerr, The Ohio State University
- Victoria Zubovich, The Ohio State University
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| 9:30 AM |
Concurrent Sessions IV |
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Not Ready for AI: Business Process Automation May Be the Next Step
Harbor 3 | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
Increasing enrollments is a challenge for regional public institutions. As we consider the promise of AI, we find that we are not yet ready for what AI may deliver and perhaps AI is not yet ready to support the enrollment cycle needs. An exploration of Business Process Automation may provide a pathway for an institution to pave the way toward the future promise of AI in the process management of enrollment management while establishing a competitive edge in a crowded market.
- Vickie Cook, University of Illinois Springfield
- Robert Kerr, University of Illinois Springfield
A Mission to Serve: Data and initiatives that support students and the bottom line.
Commonwealth AB | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Strategic |
Online and PCO units are often judged by enrollment growth and revenue generation but revenue alone cannot be our mission. In this session, learn what student lifecycle data to track and analyze to be student centered and get the full picture of your institution’s overall health in serving learners. We will share and compare data from four four-year public institutions, including data around application-to-enrollment, emerging enrollment trends, and a deeper dive around retention and completion for online learners. Each university will also share how data informed or recentered a specific initiative to better serve or retain students that have impacted the bottom line.
- Carmin Chan, Northern Arizona University
- Caleb Simmons, University of Arizona
- Jessica DuPont, Oregon State University Ecampus
- Stephanie Platteter, University of Minnesota
Roundtable Sessions
Harbor 1
Roundtables are table-based, small-group, guided discussion about a specific and timely topic, question, or issue. During one, 60-minute concurrent session, multiple Roundtable presenters concurrently share their ideas at one round table each, and promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective table attendees. Roundtables are designed to provide space and time to important but particularly nuanced topics which deserve attention, and as such, attendees are free to move between tables. The Roundtable session will have a moderator who will welcome attendees, invite them to find a topic/table of their choice, and watch the time, inviting presenters to host their discussions twice during the hour, to allow attendees to engage with up to two different topics.
Synergizing Marketing and Enrollment Management: Strategies for Successful Student Recruitment and Enrollment Growth
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
Join us for an interactive session to explore the steps IU Online has taken to align on marketing and enrollment goals and strategies that have allowed them to develop the synergy needed to achieve positive outcomes.
- Whitnie Powell, Indiana University
- Darren Klein, Indiana University
Building External Marketing Teams to Engage Freelancers
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Continuing and professional education programs often face the challenge of achieving their marketing goals with limited staff budgets. Our marketing team has developed an approach that builds external teams through the practice of long-term engagement with freelancers that have become partnerships. The benefits for the organization include easier access to specialized skills, diverse perspectives, increased motivation and dedication, and ease of accommodating variable demand. Freelancers benefit from belonging, ownership, and a steady source of work. We hope to share best practices for hiring, engaging, and retaining freelancers with others who can offer their own perspectives.
- Jan Orr, The University of Texas at Austin
- Sunshine Barber, The University of Texas at Austin
Scaling Student Support: WGU Academy's Innovative Approach to Student Support
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
How can institutions balance the need for scalable, cost effective systems with their students’ need for personalize, high touch support? In this session, we will explore how WGU Academy addressed this challenge by harnessing the power of digital communities. After integrating these virtual spaces into their curriculum and support procedures, WGU Academy reduced individual support conversations by 23% while maintaining the just-in-time, individualized support their students desired. Learn about their strategies, outcomes, and plans to scale their success across their growing population of non-traditional learners.
- Chelsea Barnett, Western Governors University
- Katy Kappler, InScribe
Welcoming and Supporting the Adult and Returning Online Learner
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational | Tag: Faculty
In this session, faculty, staff, and administrators from Carson-Newman University will trace the development of introductory course Liberal Arts 167 and discuss its impact as an essential student success tool for new and returning adult online learners. The benefits and challenges of online learning, especially for new and returning adult learners, the intersection of online education and the liberal arts, as well as the enduring relevance of liberal arts as an educational philosophy, practical tips and strategies for helping students develop online learning skills, and the ways Carson-Newman’s transcendental ideals help to shape our mission and values will be discussed.
- Nicole Drewitz-Crockett, Carson-Newman University
- Angie Shaffer, Carson-Newman University
Improving Access and Student Success by Rethinking Billing and Tuition Payment Processes for Adult, Online, and Continuing Education Students: A Follow-Up
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Many institutions built student billing structures to serve an audience of what has been considered “traditional” students which has created a barrier to student success for adult and online students. We will focus on the strategic process of removing this barrier which, for us, has included partnering with TouchNet, collaborating with our student-accounts director, and developing a survey that was sent to student-accounts staff across the country. Using the results from this survey, we will discuss the important role student-accounts offices play in student success, satisfaction, and retention.
- Becky Copper Glenz, Fitchburg State University
- Brian Schremser, Fitchburg State University
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| 12:15 PM |
Boxed Lunch Pickup for Network Meetings |
| 12:30 PM |
Network Lunch Meetings and Awards Presentations |
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- Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Success (Harbor 2)
Awards Presentation | Dorothy Durkin Award for Strategic Innovation in Marketing and Enrollment Management; UPCEA Award for Excellence in Advancing Student Success
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| 2:00 PM |
Concurrent Sessions V |
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Charting New Paths in Higher Education: Balancing Tradition with Progressive Strategies for Student Body Diversification at Liberal Arts Colleges
Commonwealth C| Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, the University of Pennsylvania's College of Liberal and Professional Studies and Columbia College of Missouri, in collaboration with Anthology and Hanover Research, explore the intersection of tradition and innovation in higher education marketing. This session, led by experts Tomea Knight (University of Pennsylvania), Dixie Williams (Columbia College of Missouri), Jason Cohen (Hanover Research), and Kara Eldersveld (Anthology), delves into the transformative strategies employed by liberal arts institutions to diversify their student bodies, including military and adult learners, while maintaining their traditional values. Discover how these institutions have navigated the challenges of shifting from on-campus to online learning environments, particularly for non-traditional learners, and the research that informed these pivotal decisions. Learn about the unique marketing approaches, from the evolution of continuing education at liberal arts colleges to the operationalization of institutional research for effective enrollment coaching. Engage in an interactive discussion about the roles of leadership and third-party partnerships in leveraging external capacities for growth across different recruitment segments. This session will not only offer insights into the successful marketing and operational strategies of these institutions but also encourages an active dialogue with the audience. Participants will have the opportunity to explore various topics, such as enrollment coaching for adult learners, the use of AI in higher education marketing, and the complexities of financial support systems. Join us in this enlightening discussion that promises to provide actionable insights and foster a deeper understanding of the dynamic landscape of higher education today.
- Dixie Williams, Columbia College of Missouri
- Jason Cohen, Hanover Research
- Tomea Knight, University of Pennsylvania
- Robert Boone, Columbia College of Missouri
Secrets of Highly Successful Enrollment Marketing Teams: Proven Strategies to Set & Reach Goals and Maximize Budgets
Marina III | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
Struggling to meet your institution’s graduate and adult learner enrollment goals? You’re not alone: in a recent EAB survey, 50% of graduate enrollment leaders reported missing their targets. To influence and manage to enrollment goals – and overcome key challenges like the rise of stealth shopping, staff shortages and soaring digital media costs – institutions need proven strategies to attract prospective students. Join our session to learn how to build an effective enrollment goal-setting practice with key stakeholders, meet your goals with a hands-on approach to enrollment funnel management, get a breakdown of the top strategies to reduce your cost per inquiry: the #1 KPI to improve your paid ad results, and learn how to maximize your marketing budget while maintaining (or even enhancing) your lead quality with tactics including keyword optimization and bidding strategies.
- Paula French, Search Influence
- Alicia Jasmin, Tulane University
- Val Fox, EAB
- Leo Rice, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Stop & Share Sessions
Harbor 1
Attendees are invited to stop in, mill about, and engage in these dynamic, demonstration-type conversations hosted by presenters ready to share ideas on a hot topic, best practice, or technological innovation.
A 360-Approach to Marketing Higher Education Professional Development
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied |
This session will delve into the best practices for marketing higher education professional development programs by fostering collaboration between marketing and learning teams. Drawing on real-world examples and case studies, attendees will gain insights into how successful institutions leverage the combined expertise of these two teams to drive enrollment, engagement, and student success
- Lisa Kaminski, Harvard University
- Jennifer Cannon, Harvard University
Putting Noncredit Certificates to Work: Professional Internships for Noncredit Adult Learners
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
While internships are the norm for traditional-aged undergraduates, internships for professional learners in the noncredit space are rare, because of time demands and full-time work obligations. Yet, many adult learners pursuing noncredit certificates are career switchers and need practical work experience to augment the learning on their resume to make themselves more marketable to employers. In this interactive session, representatives from Riipen, an experiential learning platform for educators, learners, and employers, and Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies will present a pioneering Professional Internship Program geared towards non-traditional aged learners in data analytics and data science certificate programs.
- Lisa Andrews, Georgetown University
- Josh Mitchell, Riipen
Collaborating to Create New Opportunities for Increased Learner Engagement in Business Courses
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Applied | Tag: Faculty
The Learning Design team at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business and the Client Success team at Yellowdig have worked collaboratively designing vibrant learning communities, using a less-structured framework encouraging student agency and motivation that yields deeper, course-relevant conversations. Moving away from the tired “Post Once, Comment Twice” pedagogy of discussion boards, which tend to constrict student agency and lead to surface-level conversations, these communities add social and teaching presence to courses.
- Jean Starobin, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
- Bob Ertischek, Yellowdig
Graphic Design is My Passion: Tips and Tricks for the Semi-pro
Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational |
Attend this session to learn how to work faster and smarter within Adobe design software, for beginners and experienced users. Learn actionable tips and tricks to level up your graphic design skills.
- Anna Sayre, University of Mississippi
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| 3:30 PM |
Concurrent Sessions VI - Workshops |
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Workshops utlize extended time (70 min) to provide deep dives for participants to be actively, tangibly engaged in their own learning via collaboration and hands-on interaction.
Supporting the Magnificent Seven (Learning Conditions): The Student Experience Project
Lewis | Marketing, Enrollment and Student Success | Foundational | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Workshop participants will learn about findings of the Student Experience Project, explore data related to key learning conditions in the online environment, and learn how to implement specific tools at the faculty and institutional level. Participants will gain hands-on experience in the area of evidence-based Equitable Academic and Social Supports as well at the instructional level through exploring Supportive Instructor and Course Interactions. In line with the notion of local customization and scalability, we will also access and explore freestanding, open-access interventions directed towards both learners and faculty ranging from 30-minute online modules to deeper changes such as syllabus revision.
- Sandra Watts, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
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| 4:45 PM |
Ask Me Anything Lounges |
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Harbor 1
In these optional, small-group conversations, leaders will host informal, table-based, come-and-go discussions around some of the most pressing topics (and conundra!) facing UPCEAns today, such as "Change Management;" "Leading in the Age of AI;” “Launching Micro-credentials;” and more. Come and chat, find your peoples, make plans for dinner, or simply meet new friends. |
