Education Marketing Leader with Chris Rapozo

Today's students aren't searching for the "best" college. They're trying to avoid making the wrong decision. In this episode of Education Marketing Leader, Chris Rapozo sits down with Gjergj Dollani, Principal at ClearCourse Advisory, host of The Enrollment Clinic , and author of Grounds: What a Coffee Shop Taught Me that a Career Never Could , to explore how fear, AI, rising costs, and uncertaint...

Higher education is full of incredible stories. The challenge isn't finding them. It's telling them in a way that people actually care about. In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader, I sit down with my Stamats colleague, Christopher Lott , Senior Digital Writer, to explore the editorial strategy behind content that connects with students, alumni, faculty, and communities. Chris brings de...

What does it take to build and sustain the nation's top online bachelor's program? In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I sat down with Melissa Allen , Director of UF Online , to explore the strategies, systems, and student-centered philosophy that have helped make UF Online one of the most respected online education brands in the country. Drawing from more than a decade of l...

Community college marketing is one of the hardest jobs in higher ed. You’re not marketing to one audience. You’re marketing to everyone. On the latest episode of the Education Marketing Leader podcast, I sat down with Eve Markman to talk about leadership, enrollment, retention, and building a long-term career in community college marketing. A few quick takeaways: • Community colleges market to eve...

What happens when higher education marketers, communicators, and leaders sit down with Joe Pulizzi to discuss Burn the Playbook ? In this special live edition of the Education Marketing Leader Book Club, we explored career pivots, personal branding, AI disruption, entrepreneurship, burnout, fulfillment, financial freedom, and what it means to build a life and career on your own terms. Joe shared c...

“The pace of an organization isn’t about how much work there is. It’s about how quickly decisions get made.” A new episode of the Education Marketing Leader podcast is live with Craig Chanoff, CEO of Modern Campus . This conversation was one of the strongest leadership discussions we’ve had on the show so far. Practical, honest, and directly relevant to higher ed leaders navigating change, enrollm...

Most higher ed teams don’t have a full-time photographer. But they still need content that performs. In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader podcast, I sat down with Matt Stamey , photographer at Santa Fe College , to break down what makes a great photo. A few takeaways from the episode: • A “good” photo isn’t about quality. It’s about reaction. If it makes someone stop scrolling, it’s w...

A student gets a flat tire on the way to class. No savings. No backup plan. That could be the end of their education. This episode with Erica Marye, System Director of Digital Marketing, Kentucky Community and Technical College System, is part of the Education Marketing Leader Community College Month Series . She leads digital strategy across 16 colleges at the Kentucky Community and Technical Col...

Community colleges don’t always get the spotlight. But they change lives every day. To kick off our Community College Month series, I sat down with Wallace Caleb Bates , Director of Marketing and Communications at Hazard Community and Technical College and 2026 NCMPR National Rising Star. Wallace’s story comes full circle. He started as a student at HCTC and returned just a few years later to lead...

In this special edition of the Education Marketing Leader podcast, our book club welcomed a very special guest. Ann Handley joined us live to discuss her bestselling book Everybody Writes and engage directly with higher education marketers from across the country. Ann didn’t just stop by. She stayed, listened, and generously gave her time to react to audience insights, answer questions, and expand...

John Azoni (Founder, Unveild ) breaks down how higher ed teams should be using video during yield season. Not more content. Better placement. What we cover: Where video actually impacts admits → deposits Why most schools fall off after inquiry The “random acts of video” problem How to use 1:1 video from counselors Why student voices outperform leadership Simple ways to reduce friction (FAFSA, apps...

In our latest episode, Jenny Li Fowler , Dir. of Social Media Strategy at MIT, breaks down the difference between strategy and tactics in organic social media. And why confusing the two is exactly how teams end up busy, stressed, and stuck. Her point is simple. When your strategy is clear, everything gets easier: • You know who you’re trying to reach, not “everyone” • You define what success actua...

Direct mail is not dead. Most institutions just stopped using it strategically. I talked with Dylon Jones from Spectrum Marketing Companies about how direct mail actually works in higher ed today. Key takeaways for enrollment and marketing teams • Direct mail fails when strategy fails. Not the channel. • The biggest mistake is sending one piece and expecting results. • A strong baseline is 3 mail...

Short form video “best practices” are mostly fake rules. If you want what works in 2026, you need reps, speed, and real people. In the latest episode of Education Marketing Leader podcast, I sat down with Rob Clark, creator of That Tall Family , Founder of Tall Family Media, and author of Growing Your Influence, 4 Billion Views and Attention Gap, which we co-authored. Here are a few takeaways from...

How does a university triple freshman enrollment while others struggle to break even? In this episode, I talk with James Steen, Ph. D ., VP for Enrollment Management & Marketing at Houston Christian University, about what actually drove HCU’s growth. We get into: Why removing friction mattered more than better messaging How direct admission and guaranteed offers changed behavior The role marke...

Season 4 is here, and we’re kicking it off with a conversation that will reset how you think about urgency, identity, and starting over. In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I’m joined by Erin Mark . TEDx speaker, storyteller, and Director of Partnerships at Merit . Erin was born with cystic fibrosis. She grew up hearing she wouldn’t live past 18. At five years old, she overh...

For our final book club meeting of 2025, we dove into The Go-Giver —and had the incredible opportunity to host co-author Bob Burg for a live Q&A. It was one of our most reflective and practical sessions of the year. What We Discussed Why generosity and value-creation matter more than tactics in leadership and enrollment How “everyone is in sales”—especially in higher ed Communicating value vs...

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Starkey-Wood , VP of Enrollment Strategy at Stamats , about what breaks most prospect journeys—and what to fix first. We cover: RFI roadblocks: Why many teams can’t even find their own inquiry form and how to fix basic CTA and form placement so students don’t stall on step one. Day-zero done right: What a strong confirmation experience looks like (thank-you page,...

What does it really mean to be a small college—and to thrive as one? In this special Book Club Edition of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast , host Chris Rapozo sits down with Dr. Gary Daines , author of How to Be a Small College , along with regular EML Book Club members from across higher ed and the agency world. Together, they unpack the “growth or die” mindset that dominates U.S. higher ed...

The college search process is broken, and two teenagers might be the ones to fix it. 👇 When Evan Goldstein tagged along on college tours with his older brother, Jack Goldstein , something clicked: The tours showed buildings, history, and mascots — but not real life. What’s it actually like to live, study, and eat on campus? What’s the vibe on a Tuesday afternoon when no one’s performing for a bro...

Guest: Dr. Evan Kropp , Executive Director of Distance Education, University of Florida 🐊 Topic: In-House vs. Outsourced Marketing — Finding Your Higher-Ed Sweet Spot When should you keep marketing work in-house — and when does it make sense to outsource? In this episode, Dr. Evan Kropp shares his eight-factor framework to help higher ed marketing teams decide where to invest their time, talent,...

Are your stories driving outcomes—or just filling space? On the latest Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I sat down with Maria Kuntz , Director of Content Marketing Strategy and Communications (Advancement) at CU Boulder. We talked about how to move from “just stories” to content that directly drives advancement and institutional goals. Here are the key takeaways for higher ed marketers: 🔹 Ever...

This month’s Education Marketing Leader Book Club turned into a masterclass on applying business strategy in higher ed, and how to market what you’ve actually got. Whether you work at an institution or support one as a vendor or consultant, you’ll find so much value in this one. Especially if you’ve ever felt stuck in the “short-order cook” trap or siloed from strategy. ✅ Why every marketer needs...

On the latest Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I sat down with Ryan Trout, Director of Admissions at Northeastern Illinois University. We revisited his 2020 Stamats article, “Three Ways Relationship Building Helps Admissions Teams Excel,” and discussed how those lessons look different in 2025. Here are the key takeaways for higher ed marketers and enrollment leaders: 🔹 Admissions is more compe...

How do you create marketing that connects with students, parents, and alumni —all at the same time—without watering down your brand? In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast , Chris Rapozo talks with Jen Brock , VP of Marketing & Communications at Mount Holyoke College , about how to engage intergenerational audiences in higher education. You’ll learn: How Gen Z, parents, and...