Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager

Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Christina Garnett—fractional chief customer officer, online community strategist, and author of the upcoming book Transforming Customer Brand Relationships . Together, they dive deep into what it really means to build authentic relationships with your audiences online. From mourning the loss of Twitter to embracing fan-driven engagement, this episode explores the nua...

Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Grant Schol, Associate Director of Communication and Project Management for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Together, they unpack the evolving meaning of authenticity in higher ed social media and why it’s not as simple as just “being real.” Grant shares strategies for humanizing institutional accounts, empowering student voi...

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny Li Fowler chats with Erica Colaianne, Director of Social Media at the University of Michigan, about the critical art of understanding your audience and staying nimble on social. From building out detailed platform-specific personas to crafting crisis-proof content, Erica shares how her newsroom roots and strategic thin...

In this energizing episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Chi Thukral, Content Creator and Social Media Strategist, to unpack the nuances of trust, creative freedom, and the realities of navigating approval processes in social media management. With real-world anecdotes, industry hot takes, and tactical advice, this conversation is a must-l...

In this thought-provoking episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Safaniya Stevenson, a seasoned higher ed social strategist, to challenge one of the industry’s sacred cows: the audience persona. Together, they explore the limitations of personas in higher ed marketing and advocate for a more human, community-driven approach. This episode is...

Jenny welcomes Tara Mikaelian and Hattie Wilkinson from Sprout Social to unpack the powerful role of social media data in higher ed marketing. They dive into why this data matters, how it connects to institutional goals, and how social media managers can use real-time insights to drive strategy, demonstrate ROI, and advocate for their role. With real-world examples and actionable tips, this conver...

Host Jenny Li Fowler is joined by Christina Le, a strategic social media pro currently leading marketing efforts at the social listening startup Plot. Together, they dig deep into what it really takes to launch a successful social media campaign—especially when you’re operating with little to no budget. From identifying the "why" behind a campaign to finding creators on LinkedIn who will amplify y...

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Samuel Harriman and Olivia Finch from Oxford University to unpack the inner workings of their incredibly unique roles as a two-person university-wide campaigns team. Titled “How Oxford University Built a Campaigns Team to Reshape Their Global Brand,” this conversation dives deep into the hows a...

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Soup Campbell, Head of Community Experience at ZeeMee and a former dean of admissions, to explore what it’s like navigating the college admissions process from the other side — as a parent. With decades of experience in enrollment management and ed tech, Soup shares what surprised him most abou...

Jenny sits down with Josh Rangel, a seasoned social media expert, to unpack the evolution of social media marketing. From the early days of Twitter to today’s high-speed, high-volume content landscape, Josh shares insights on what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and why organic social media still matters. He also offers advice for social media managers, emphasizing the importance of building a...

Jenny sits down with Michelle Mc Mahon, Digital Marketing and Content Officer at the University of Limerick (UL), to discuss how her team has mastered authentic social media storytelling. Michelle shares her journey from PR to higher ed marketing, the strategy behind UL’s student-driven content, and how her team collaborates across departments to create compelling campaigns. If you’re looking for...

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , host Jenny sits down with Alexandra Modafferi, Social Media and Content Strategist at Ramapo College, to discuss an innovative social media collaboration with Montclair State University. They dive into how a shared mascot name sparked a fun, engaging campaign, the role of trending audio in boosting engagement, and best practices...

Host Jenny sits down with Mikki Collins, a former higher ed social media manager at the University of Chichester, who shares her transformative journey in leveraging social media as a key recruitment tool. From developing student influencer programs to driving engagement on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Mikki provides actionable insights into creating authentic connections and making the mo...

Related links: Digital Community Cohort Student Affairs Marketing and Communications survey Marcomm Barbie Slack Group ‍In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager , Jenny Li Fowler chats with Josie Ahlquist, a trailblazer in the higher education community. Josie shares her inspiring journey into higher ed, shaped by her family’s roots, her passion for student engagement, an...

Host Jenny engages with Lia Haberman, a creator economy expert, to unpack the role of influencer marketing in higher education. Fresh off a visit to the White House, Lia shares insights into the evolution of the creator economy, how influencers shape audience engagement, and actionable strategies for integrating influencer marketing into university communications. Key Takeaways Influencer Marketin...

Mallory Willsea guest-hosts a candid conversation with Jenny, host of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager and author of a book celebrating its one-year anniversary. Jenny reflects on the evolution of social media in higher education, how her book has resonated with professionals worldwide, and offers insights into the future of the industry. From navigating leadership dynamics to platf...

Jenny welcomes Tony Sheridan, a social media storytelling expert currently working at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Tony shares his inspiring career journey from Ireland to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the transformative power of authentic storytelling in social media. The conversation dives deep into strategies for lifting underrepresented voices and...

Host Jenny sits down with Devin Purgason, a prominent voice in higher ed social media and engagement strategies, and recent winner of the AMA Higher Ed Marketer of the Year Award, to explore the nuances of managing social media for community colleges. Purgason shares invaluable insights on how to foster authentic connections with students across generational divides, leveraging leadership visibili...

In this episode, host Jenny sits down with Jesse Summers, Director of Social Media and Brand at the University of Oregon, to dive into the university’s monumental transition to the Big Ten Athletic Conference. The conversation unfolds at the American Marketing Association Symposium for Higher Education in Las Vegas, where Jenny and Jesse discuss everything from campus campaigns to the power of soc...

In this insightful podcast episode, Jenny chats with Emer Garland, a social media and communications professional at MIT, about creating a cohesive, accessible media library to support the campus community. Emer shares her journey from Dublin to MIT and how she helped build a digital asset library on Flickr, empowering MIT’s departments, labs, and centers to easily access and use campus imagery. D...

In this conversation, Erin Ward discusses the intersection of gamification and higher education marketing. She explains the concept of gamification, differentiates it from gaming implementation, and provides examples of how it can be effectively utilized in higher ed. The discussion highlights the importance of engaging students through innovative marketing strategies, the potential for personaliz...

Chloe Calvert discusses her experience running the flagship social media channels for the University of Georgia. She highlights the challenges of showcasing the university's community apart from athletics and shares examples of how they feature students in their content. Chloe emphasizes the importance of treating students like focus groups and user generated content, content created  by students...

Cameron MacNiven from Dunroe uncovers the latest trends and data-driven insights shaping higher education social media and discusses how distinct higher ed categories, like admissions and university presidents, use social platforms differently to engage their audiences. Cameron also shares valuable tips on how schools can harness the power of trends, collaborations, and platform-specific strategie...

Ever feel overwhelmed by the growing list of tasks for managing social media channels? Jenny sits down with Maya Wesby of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, to discuss time management, the strategic use of platforms, and harnessing user-generated content (UGC). Maya also has a refreshing take that helps reduce audience fatigue and increase engagement. This episode  is a must listen if you’r...

Kate Meyers Emery, Ph. D., joins Jenny Li Fowler to share her journey into social media management and her strategic approach to the field. As Candid’s Senior Digital Communications Manager, Kate frequently leverages experimentation and data-driven storytelling to connect with audiences. She highlights successful campaigns and strategies, offering advice on how to turn failures into valuable lesso...