FOCUS

Gen Z expert and author, Hana Ben-Shabat joined the Focus podcast to demystify the expectations and behaviors of Generation Z, who are now in college and entering the workforce. Colleges and university leaders have now been tasked with attempting to understand their values to innovate new ways to appeal to this generation, as they are unlike any generations of the past. Ben-Shabat shares her insig...

It’s no secret that the pandemic altered the way colleges and universities carry out their everyday operations, driving campuses to adopt more innovative technology. In this episode of the Focus podcast, Rico Marea, assistant vice president for Revenue Receivables and Payables at Georgetown University shares how they transformed their payment operations by adapting and implementing more modern sol...

Chris shares all about Starship's autonomous delivery robots that are taking over campuses and creating more convenience for students and visitors. Why higher ed institutions are the perfect fit Although it seems like it might be easy for little robots to get lost in the big world of a higher ed campus, delivery robots have flourished at universities and colleges. Campuses are the perfect combinat...

Dr. Susan Whealler Johnston passed away on August 12, 2022. We admire the leadership she gave to NACUBO and the entire higher education community. She was thoughtful, caring, and passionate. May we all remember her lifetime of contributions to the pursuit of reinforcing the value of higher education. We were honored to have her as a podcast guest and hope you enjoy listening to this episode of FOC...

Today Heather interviews Tom Butler, who heads up the Education and Student Housing department at TransferMate. They discuss the trends and expectations we are seeing with international student enrollment, as well their use of alternative payment methods. Special Guest: Tom Butler.

In this episode, Heather speaks with Wichita State’s Robyn Bongartz, Director of Student & AR Fiscal Operations, and Ryan Lohfink, Student Account Specialist. They walk through how they use TouchNet’s solution SponsorPoint for third party payments and how it’s created efficiencies for students, staff and sponsors alike. TouchNet SponsorPoint is an innovative software solution designed to conne...

Heather hosts Bryan Dickson, director of student financial services and educational programs at NACUBO. He talks about the data from the 2020 Student Financial Services Benchmarking Study and shares his insights on procedures, staffing and payments on higher learning campuses. Special Guest: Bryan Dickson.

In this episode, Heather speaks with Len Moelker, director of information technology at Redeemer University in Hamilton, Ontario. He tells her about the digital transformation initiative that has set Redeemer University well on its way to being a contactless campus. Redeemer University in Hamilton, Ontario is in a digital transformation. Using a six-phased plan called the Reaching Higher Initiativ...

Heather hears from Derrick Shy, Vice President of business development at GradGuard. COVID-19 UPDATE: NEW EPIDEMIC COVERAGE ENDORSEMENT AND SPECIAL PLAN ACCOMMODATION We are pleased to announce that all GradGuard tuition insurance plans purchased on or after February 18, 2022 will now include a new Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, which can provide coverage for when an insured student completely wit...

On this episode Heather is joined by Kim Pfeffer, Director of Emory Card at Emory University. Kim explains how changes and updates with the campus card have affected and improved processes for staff and students alike. Special Guest: Kim Pfeffer.

Heather hosts Adam McDonald, president of TouchNet. They explore the future of TouchNet and the future of higher education. Special Guest: Adam McDonald.

Stacy Hughes, Chief Information Security Officer at Global Payments, Inc. and Heather discuss the changing payment landscape and its impact on security and compliance. Special Guest: Stacy Hughes.

Heather talks with Jason Gross and Michael Fogerty from Adirondak about what housing and residential halls look like in the post-COVID world and how campuses can move forward from here. Special Guests: Jason Gross and Michael Fogarty.

Troy Leach, senior VP and engagement officer at PCI Security Standards Council gives Heather some insights about the new strategic framework that has been put into place for PCI compliance. Special Guest: Troy Leach.

Christine Blakney is the managing director of student business services at Texas Tech University. She walks us through how KPIs, or key performance indicators, have helped the campus business and students on campus as a whole. Special Guest: Christine Blakney.

Lindsay Wayt, NACUBO’s director of analytics. We’ll be discussing the ways higher education institutions can use data to help them pave the way to a successful future. Special Guest: Lindsay Wayt.

Valarie Van Vlack is the Treasurer at Texas State University. She tells Heather about the changes that have happened on campus since the pandemic, like how data has helped her make decisions across campus which will serve the students and the business, as well as how they've created a virtual (instead of physical) one-stop-shop for students, Special Guest: Valarie Van Vlack.

John Fees, Founder of GradGuard, talks with Heather about what his company does and why it's necessary. GradGuard is a sort of insurance program that supports students through unexpected events, which allows schools to protect the students they serve. He helps me understand the growing need for students and schools to be protected should the unthinkable happen. Special Guest: John Fees.

Jennifer McNeill, ONEcard Manager at the University of Alberta in Canada explains to Heather how students and staff in Alberta are working towards a contactless campus this fall and how TouchNet's ONEcard is helping to accomplish this goal. Special Guest: Jennifer McNeill.

Bryan Dickson, director of student financial services and educational programs at NACUBO talks us through the results of the recently published 2019 Student Financial Services Benchmarking Study, as well as the Policies and Procedures report. The report helps gauge trends and challenges colleges and universities are facing today. Special Guest: Bryan Dickson.

Denise Gelina, from Columbia College, describes how having flexible payment plan options benefits the university’s diverse student body and their needs. She outlines how each plan is customized to serve both traditional and non-traditional students, specifically active military students. Special Guest: Denise Gelina.

Meghan Carr, director of the cashier’s office at the University of Missouri, explains how the university combated poor retention due to inconsistent and delayed student fees by implementing Marketplace, a separate real-time payment platform. She highlights the process of implementing the system and the many convenient functionalities of Marketplace and its short-term and long-term benefits. Specia...

Doug Lederman, editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, breaks down the surprising results of the most recent business officer survey. The overview provides national insights as to how higher education business officers are feeling about the current state of higher education. Lederman explains how universities are reacting to common national issues of resource restraint, decreasing traditional s...

Bob Mask, director of campus card services at the Colorado School of Mines, explains how his campus uses credential cards for more than just identification. He outlines how individual electronic cards are used throughout the summer for many on-campus events and camps with a variety of attendees and visitors. Mask highlights the convenient functions of the cards from building access to meal time ch...

Tom Arnold, cofounder of Payment & Security Experts, explains the evolution of payment technology and the potential security risks of having an unprotected network. He dives into recent security trends specific to higher education institutes and methods to avoid being a victim of cyber fraud. He specifically highlights email phishing threats to universities and precautions campuses can take ac...