Program

Opening General Session | Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Institutions Big and Small (International Ballroom III-V)

• 

  Nick Westergaard
  Chief Brand Strategist, Brand Driven Digital

A Conversation About Student Services
Pacific II
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Interactive Workshop
Enrollment management has evolved over the last few decades from just a theoretical concept in undergraduate recruitment to a sophisticated framework that covers the whole student lifecycle – marketing/attracting, recruiting, enrolling, retaining, and graduating students. Schools have developed a wide variety of student services that focus on experience, retention, and career success. Our panel/roundtable discussion will highlight the importance of student services in the enrollment funnel and how these success stories could be used in your marketing campaigns.

• Melissa Feuer, George Washington University
  
• Long Hyunh, Kansas State University
• Tanya Vincent, Western Kentucky University

Moderator: Amy Rossi, Northwestern University

A New Way to Identify and Validate the RIGHT Programs: Data-Driven Decisions
Pacific I
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Developing the right program is more important than ever! This session will provide a proven program development process, new data-collection market research tools and secret to success to ensure that your programs are successful in the marketplace, teach skills in-demand, are competitive and create meaningful career outcomes upon completion. The session includes online job data aggregation, reporting, analyzing functionality including unique datasets and taxonomies, and analyses through a new high-performance platform with multiple data sources.

• Kay Zimmerman, North Carolina State University

Moderator: Mike Merriam, Framingham State University

Making Social Media Videos Work For Your Budget
International Ballroom I
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Your best video content is a waste of time and talent without an intelligent distribution plan.  For social media, you don't need broadcast-quality video.  You do, however, need cost-effective distributional channels, and you need solid metrics to measure success.  The marketing team at Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies produced an 8-part video series about career-changing alumni in-house, without spending big.

• Jim Morris, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  
• Beth Salamon, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Moderator: Mike Raynes, Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies

Show, Don't Tell Marketing's Impact
International Ballroom II
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
In a data-driven world that faces budget cuts and pressures for generating results, developing and implementing quality marketing campaigns isn’t enough. Stakeholders and decision makers need to understand the impact. In this session, hear about evaluating key performance indicators, learn tips to make the most of the data you have available and how to refine mass data into simplified overviews and discuss outlets for sharing the information with the people who matter.

• Laura Wiese, University of Nebraska
  
• Elizabeth Thorne, University of Nebraska

Moderator: David Hankins, Texas Tech University

The Trojan Horse of Content
Catalina
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
In the age of limited attention, it is more important than ever to create agile, customer-centric reading experiences. Enter: the digital magazine. The WPI Online & Corporate Marketing Team wanted a way to share more content with their audience. With three successful issues under their belts, the team is excited to share the lessons they’ve learned about creating digital magazines for higher-ed audiences: what makes this discerning demographic tick…and click.

• Kerry Carey, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  
• Kate Vogel, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Moderator: Joshua McCarthy, Johnson & Wales University

How the Right Partnership Can Drive Operational Excellence and Strong Outcomes
Pacific II
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Strategic
Format: Case Study
In this session The Tseng College of California State University Northridge and InsideTrack will discuss their partnership and how the dynamics of a healthy relationship between a university and an external provider can set the stage for continuous improvement broadly. The presenters will share how their partnership has developed, evolved and ultimately driven improved outcomes, from the initial implementation and coordination work through the ongoing rhythms of each recruitment cycle.

• Kai Drekmeier, InsideTrack
  
• Jessie Taxe Revlin, California State University, Northridge
  
• Lisa Thomspon Nguyen, InsideTrack

Moderator: Chris Nicholson, University of Denver

Listen To the Customer!
Pacific I
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Case Study
Listen to your customer! How JWU Online leveraged WEVO’s website conversion optimization platform to increase website visitor to inquiry conversion and enrollment for non-traditional students.

• Nitzan Shaer, WEVO
  
• Joshua McCarthy, Johnson & Wales University
  

Moving To a White Glove Marketing & Recruitment Strategy
Catalina
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Case Study
Discover how George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies was able to strategically leverage new technologies, metrics, and processes in order to improve the prospective student experience using a “white glove” approach. Learn how GW implemented a data-driven shift in marketing and recruitment and improved its ability to gather data, respond to new key metrics, communicate with prospects, and help students feel confident in their decision to apply and enroll at CPS.

• Haydn Kuprevich, George Washington University
  
• Erick Watt-Udogu, George Washington University
  
• Jeff Zitomer, George Washington University

Moderator: Amy Rossi, Northwestern University

New Online Programs – Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right
International Ballroom I
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Case Study
Building your online options? This session will focus on successes and lessons learned from launching three of our new online programs. Marketing, technology, faculty and other units work together to market, hit enrollment targets and assist students in Mississippi State University’s online campus. Agribusiness management (MS), business administration (BBA) and industrial technology (BS) each offered unique opportunities and challenges to launching a new degree.

• Karen Crow, Mississippi State University
  

Moderator: Kara Cummings, Stetson University

Program Review Through Labor Market Data Research
International Ballroom II
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Case Study
To stay competitive and keep up with today’s velocity of change, a process to quickly assess program market demand, align curriculum, and inform marketing efforts is essential. Adam Fein, Assistant Provost for Educational Innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will walk through his process, using Emsi labor market analytics, for evaluating new program offerings and engaging students and prospects with compelling labor market data to inform their enrollment decisions.

• Darci Anderson, Emsi
  
• Adam Fein, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  
• Karen Bollinger, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  
• James Prado, Emsi

Moderator: Bob Tran, Brandman University

Getting Personal: How To Develop Rockstar Purchasing Personas
International Ballroom I
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Knowing your customer is a paramount ingredient for sustainable and successful postsecondary continuing/professional education provision.  This session will guide the audience through the process of developing personas – a representation of School’s learners, and crafting relevant purchasing paths. The main touchpoints will be identified and ways in which HE providers can intervene and lead prospects through the enrollment funnel.

• Marilou Cruz, Ryerson University
  
• Dijana Praskac, Ryerson University

Moderator: Mike Raynes, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

I'll Take Don't Botch That Launch For $1000, Alex
Catalina
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Launching online programs has never been this much fun! Test your higher ed trivia boss status as we explore online program launch tips and tricks by way of group trivia. "His Set List is Long" Ted and "This Ain't Her First Rodeo" Stacy will share insights from their experience launching more than 100 online programs. Play for trivia bragging rights while collecting tips on teamwork, cross-campus collaboration, faculty onboarding, publicity strategy and budget planning.

• Stacy Snow, University of Missouri
  
• Ted Rockwell, University of Colorado Boulder

Moderator: Jeremy Davis, Lansing Community College

Secrets To CRM Success
International Ballroom II
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
A successful CRM implementation requires more than choosing the right technology, the right business strategy and approach are also essential. Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies shares a decade’s worth of CRM experience and a roadmap for continuing education units looking to enhance marketing, enrollment, and services for both staff and non-traditional students. Follow the framework we used to redeploy the Rutgers Continuing Studies Salesforce CRM supporting our mission, promoting “lifelong learning” across more than 20 units with varying business models including credit, non-credit, and services.

• Danielle Henriquez, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Moderator: Skip Darmody, Bridgewater State University

Top 10 Lessons Learned From Growing Online Programs
Pacific I
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Texas Tech University had high expectations for its eLearning program: enrolling 5,000 new students within a five-year period and move up the national rankings. Dr. Justin Louder, Assistant Vice Provost of Worldwide eLearning and Christina Fleming, VP of Blackboard Marketing and Enrollment will share Justin’s Top 10 Lessons Learned over the past 4 years. This session is designed for both leaders embarking on new online or distance education programs or for those with established programs.

• Christina Fleming, Blackboard
  
• Justin Louder, Texas Tech

Moderator: Regina Cohen, University of Pennsylvania

Why Quality Assurance (QA) Should Be a Fundamental Element of Your Marketing and Recruitment Strategy
Pacific II
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Quality assurance has always been an important part of running any organization – but it has become doubly so with the advent of digital technology and increasing competition for students in the adult market. During this session, we will explore why QA should be a fundamental element of your marketing and recruitment strategy.  Find out how a secret shopping program and an ongoing applicant survey informed Regis University of their opportunities and applicant experience.

• Cate Clark, Regis University
  
  

Noon - 1:45 PM

Growing Graduate Enrollment Through LinkedIn: Proven Strategies for Making the Most of Your LinkedIn Budget
International Ballroom I
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Interactive Workshop
If you're marketing graduate and continuing ed programs, LinkedIn should be part of your media mix, especially now that it is fully available as a self-serve platform and no longer has a minimum required budget. Join us for a panel discussion addressing best practices, what kinds of campaigns do and don't work, strategies for effective targeting, budget considerations, and insider tips for making the most of your LinkedIn campaigns.

• Pat Riley, 5HD Agency
  
• Jeremy Davis, Lansing Community College
  
• Laura McKee, LinkedIn  

Moderator: Mike Merriam, Framingham State University

Is Anyone Out There? Using Google Analytics To Understand Your Website Visitors
Catalina
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
The Center for Distance Education (CDE) at Mississippi State University uses Google Analytics to track all website visitors and evaluate our marketing efforts.   This session will take a look at Google Analytics, a free tool, metrics and data to highlight the most useful tools to better understand your website visitors.   Using this data will allow you to better use your marketing dollars and provide more resources for program recruiters.

• Tracy Craven, Mississippi State University

Moderator: Regina Cohen, University of Pennsylvania

Making Smarter Program Decisions Through Data
International Ballroom II
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Ever wonder which programs in your portfolio you should focus your marketing spend on? Struggle with how to explain to stakeholders which programs may not be worth a big push, or just need to be sunsetted? See how K-State Global Campus developed and implemented a data-driven tool to do just that. We’ll share our experiences, insights, and lessons learned while offering suggestions on how others can build a tool for their campus.

• George Widenor, Kansas State University
  

Moderator: Haydn Kuprevich, George Washington University

Telling Your Story, Through Your Students: Building an Authentic Connection Between You and Your Audience
Pacific II
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Most online students never step foot on campus. Connecting them to your university and making them feel like part of the “family” is a challenge. In this session, we will cover creative ways to include your online students in storytelling. From engaging current students to recruiting prospective ones, we will tell the how, where, when and why of building an authentic connection between you and your audience.

• Nikki Harper, Mississippi State University
  
• Sarah Whorton, Mizzou Online

Moderator: Amanda Olivas, California State University

Concept to Conversion: A Video Marketing Crash Course
Pacific I
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Your non-trad prospects like video. A lot. Good news! What used to be a “call the firm” process is now a “grab your phone” project. This foundational seminar will walk through all the basics of video marketing including concept, planning, shooting, editing, publication and promotion. Attendees will leave with a link to a master list of free tools and helpful tips to get the reel rolling. Techies and non-techies welcome. Bring your ideas and questions!

• Sam Wagner, Mount Aloysius College

Moderator: Kara Cummings, Stetson University

• Liz Gross
  Data-Driven Marketer, Social Insights Pro, Higher Education Researcher

Breakfast with Exhibitors (Promenade)

Sponsored by Student Services by Blackboard

School Spirit Breakfast -- Get to know other attendees and show your school spirit by wearing something from your current institution/organization (or your alma mater)! If you prefer, feel free to represent your college or university by wearing school colors. Friday is a casual day.

Focus on Digital Marketing: Scale for Growth By Pioneering New Digital Strategies
Pacific II
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Machine learning, chatbots, audience segmentation: digital marketing continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This session will give you actionable insights on how your institution can practically build upon your existing campaigns and leverage emerging digital marketing approaches to grow your enrollment funnel.  In addition to current industry benchmarks, we will cover a variety of ways to take your campaigns to the next level, including the transformation of digital from a keyword-based medium to audience-based, incorporation of offline conversions into bidding strategies, and bidding and creative powered by machine learning & AI.

• Tracy Kreikemeier, Thruline Marketing
  
• Sayani Dutt, Google, Inc.

Moderator: Joshua McCarthy, Johnson & Wales University

Data-Driven Processes: Improving Cross-Departmental Collaboration and Enrollment
Pacific I
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Format: Case Study
Learn success strategies for moving from enrollment plans based on anecdotal and infrequent information to presenting data regularly to stakeholders through effective use of CRM automation. Attendees can expect to have a better understanding of the importance of: shared long- and short- term and quantifiable goals; establishing common definitions; process automation to trigger specific actions; and providing information in digestible formats.

• Erick Watt-Udogu, George Washington University
  
• Hanna McCathren, George Washington University

Moderator: Michele Long, University of Denver

Making Sense of Big Data To Impact Enrollment Goals
International Ballroom I
Track: Marketing | Level: Strategic
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Prospective students are inundated with content each day, consuming it at an exponential rate. While they travel through their own journey towards enrollment, it’s up to marketers to make sense of their actions. In the age of tracking everything, are we really tracking anything? If you attempt to boil the ocean, you’ll risk learning nothing. We’ll help you discern where to place focus to extract meaningful insights that inform actionable strategies to meet enrollment goals.

• Rosie Walker, Primacy
• Jon Hinderliter, Washington University  

Moderator: Mike Merriam, Framingham State University

Six Social Media Mistakes To Avoid
Catalina
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
We know that social media drives value for higher learning institutions. Unfortunately, if your continuing education unit has limited resources to dedicate to social media management, you may be leaving that value on the table, or worse, damaging your brand. In this session, we’ll discuss six mistakes to avoid in your social media marketing. Join us and gain actionable insights for better managing your social media presence and maximizing the value of social media engagement.

• Ian Barcarse, York University
  
• Johnna Weary, JMH Consulting, a division of EducationDynamics

Moderator: Haydn Kuprevich, George Washington University

2018 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award Showcase: Rutgers DoCS CRM: Shared Platform for Growth
International Ballroom II
Track: Enrollment Management | Level: Applied
Using a CRM to promote lifelong learning across continuing education units with standardization and cross-marketing. Learn how Rutgers Continuing Studies plans to use Salesforce to increase customer loyalty and retention across CE units. Understand a key strategy and our approach for creating pathways among our lifelong learners from youth programs through Osher Lifelong Learning unit for students 55 and older.

• Danielle Henriquez, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Mike Raynes, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Beth Salamon, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Moderator: Tomea Knight, University of Pennsylvania

For Students, By Students: Evolving Social for 2019 (CANCELLED)
Pacific I
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
When a social media user sees a photo from a person rather than from a brand such as a university, they have a 4.5% higher chance of conversion. By creating social media campaigns that leverage user-generated content, universities can showcase authentic experiences that connect current and prospective students to campus and community.

• Sasha Solomonov, Samuel Merritt University

Moderator: Regina Cohen, University of Pennsylvania

Managing Paid Digital Efforts...It's Not All Unicorns and Rainbows!
Catalina
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Case Study
As the paid digital media landscape evolves rapidly, and more budget is being invested in this medium, the need for in-house teams to stay on top of it all can be daunting. This session will provide an overview of how Oregon State Ecampus’ in-house marketing team has evolved paid digital staffing, process and strategy to accommodate the growth in this area.

• Rebecca Badger, Oregon State University

Moderator: Kara Cummings, Stetson University

Not Your Mama's Themed Campaign: Behind the Scenes of a Successful Skills-Based Themed Marketing Campaign
International Ballroom I
Track: Marketing | Level: Foundational
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Ready to explore building a successful skills-based themed campaign? In this session, attendees will discover how UW-Madison used a pedagogical approach to create a cohesive collection of data science and analytics programs across schools and colleges. Attendees will leave with an understanding of why and how a skills-based themed marketing campaign can work for their portfolio as well as tips and tools to help the campaign launch and run smoothly.

• Katie Hoel, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  
• Tori Dexter, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Moderator: Jeremy Davis, Lansing Community College

The Power of Partnership: A Collaborative Enrollment Engine
Pacific I
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Interactive Workshop
Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This is certainly true when campus units band together to recruit online college students. In this workshop, facilitators will share University of Arkansas strategies that combine the expertise of campus recruiters, marketers and academic program coordinators to net 5-year enrollment gains. Participants, recognized for their own experience and expertise, will engage in critical thinking, reflection exercises, planning exercises and an issues/solution wrap-up.

• Patty Milner, University of Arkansas
  
• Kay Murphy, University of Arkansas
  
  

Why Most Social Media Tactics Don’t Work and What To Do About It (CANCELLED)
International Ballroom II
Track: Marketing | Level: Applied
Format: Standard Seminar Presentation
Social media can be an effective tool in getting the word out about your school. Even more importantly than the exposure, it provides you with the opportunity to grow relationships with your target audience. In this session, we’ll help you identify areas where your social media campaigns could be improved.

• Gregg Meiklejohn, Enrollment Resources
  
• Jayson Harper, University of Hawaii

Moderator: Skip Darmody, Bridgewater State University

• Jim Fong, Founding Director
  UPCEA Center for Research and Strategy

Adjourn

See you in 2019!
2019 Marketing and Enrollment Management Seminar
New Orleans, LA
December 4-6, 2019