Community College Marketing Master Class
48 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★ - 8 ratingsMarketing for community colleges is tough! But after 25 years of working solely with two-year, technical, and community colleges, we’ve learned a few things. Now, we want to share them with you! Join the Interact team as we discuss and share actionable, time-tested strategies on topics directly related to community college marketing, such as branding, leadership, career education, public relations, graphic design, enrollment pipelines, targeted campaigns, media buying, demographic research, student media preferences, social media, viral videos, and more! If you’re looking for expert insights from industry experts, you’ve come to the right place.
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Episodes
Spilling the Secrets on Media Prefs
July 18, 2023 14:00 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBIn this episode, our content specialist, Rachel Rosen-Carroll and Executive Director of Media Prefs, Jamie Wagner share what exactly has been going on with the new and improved Media Prefs survey and how it will make it easier to hear from your students to make necessary changes in marketing, customer service and enrollment. Media Prefs has been around for 17 years and Jamie has been working alongside a development team to not only improve the survey experience for colleges, but to also i...
Unifying Multi-College Communication Efforts for Community Impact with Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College
June 20, 2023 23:00 - 33 minutes - 45.5 MBFrom COVID crisis communications to sharing Facebook logins to campaigns for free college, there is nothing we can't do as a team and the San Mateo Community College District colleges show us how it's done on this episode of the Community College Marketing Masterclass. This episode was recorded in Universal City, CA at the April 2022 CCPRO conference and features: Megan Rodriguez Antone, Cañada College Director of Community Relations and Marketing Dave Mclain, College of San Mateo Direct...
Madera Community College's Million Dollar Vision
September 19, 2022 14:00 - 32 minutes - 45 MBIn this episode, Dr. Pam Cox-Otto of Interact Communications hosts a conversation with Dr. Angel Reyna, president of Madera Community College, which recently won the Lumina Foundation's Million Dollar Community College Challenge. They are joined by Lumina Foundation's Shauna Davis, Mary Lapen Pope, and Tracy Chen. Dr. Reyna shares Madera's vision of the impact they aim to have on their community and students through delivering a message that elevates Madera's students' incredible resilience ...
Pride Month Special: Why Supporting LGBTQ+ Students is Absolutely Critical
June 14, 2022 18:00 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MBWhile colleges celebrate Pride Month in June, supporting LGBTQ+ students year-round is crucial for enrollment and retention efforts. In this episode of the Community College Marketing Master Class, equity expert Dr. Paula Di Dio, Interact’s senior director of communication and research strategist, explains why it’s more important than ever to support this student population 365 days of the year. Dr. Di Dio will reveal the unique challenges LGBTQ+ students face, how those pressures have incre...
How to Film Large College Events: Creative Tips and Tricks
May 24, 2022 18:00 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBIn this episode, you’ll learn pro video tips with Sara Sampey, our director of video services, and Jake Ammann, our lead videographer. The team offers insightful suggestions on how to capture video for various formats; how to be stealthy and get the perfect shots; and how to plan your shoot so you get exactly what you need—and more. Get ready to make memorable videos for those big college events students won’t want to forget.
How Many Students Have You Lost Through Onboarding?
May 02, 2022 19:00 - 52 minutes - 72.5 MBLearn how Victor Valley Community College Created a Culture of Care to Keep New Students Your marketing and media campaign numbers exceeded expectations—inquiries and applications are way up! But enrollments are lagging way behind. Prospective students are complaining they can’t navigate the onboarding process and that the college staff is rude and uncaring. What can you do? Learn how Victor Valley Community College built a Connect2Success Center that supports onboarding new students. Not...
How to Reach Potential Students Through Database Marketing
March 04, 2022 21:00 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBWe all know there's plenty of adults in our communities looking to continue their educations, but how do you find them? On this episode of the Community College Marketing Master Class Podcast, Interact CEO Dr. Pam Cox-Otto is joined by CollegeAPP CEO Jack MacKenzie and Kate Kirkpatick, Director of Marketing and Communications at Truckee Meadows Community College. Jack and Kate break down how they used the CollegeAPP database to discover their audiences and better inform their marketing plan.
The Million Dollar Community College Challenge
February 18, 2022 16:00 - 25 minutes - 35.4 MBHow would winning a million dollars transform your community college brand? On this episode of the Community College Marketing Masterclass Podcast, Dr. Pam Cox-Otto, CEO of Interact, is joined by Shauna Davis and Mary Laphen of the Lumina Foundation to discuss the $1 Million Community College Challenge. Find out more: https://www.luminafoundation.org/challenge/
A View From the Top: Applying Media Prefs Data From a State and Advocacy Perspective
January 18, 2022 01:00 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MBGuests: Carolyn Simpson, Director of Communications for the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges & Mark D’Alessio, Executive Director of Communications for the Technical College System of Georgia Host: Jamie Wagner, Executive Director of Media Prefs Jamie Wagner connects with Carolyn Simpson and Mark D’Alessio, two high-level communication professionals advocating for and representing 15 community colleges in Pennsylvania and 22 community colleges in Georgia. The versatility and ...
Data Making a Difference: Justifying Your Efforts With Student Voices Through Media Prefs
January 03, 2022 17:00 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBJoined by Allison Hayes and Dane Dewbre, Jamie Wagner dives into what the Media Prefs survey means for these leaders with over 35 years of combined community college experience. While highlighting that the data received was a way to disprove long-held anecdotes, increase cross-functional supportive messaging to students, and guide post-COVID decision making, Allison and Dane additionally echoed that Media Prefs helped them justify new tactics and areas to spend (or quit spending) money and i...
Esports at Community Colleges
December 13, 2021 16:00 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBIn this episode of the Community College Marketing MasterClass Podcast, Adam Lopez, the Esports Coordinator and coach at Irvine Valley College, joins Interact CEO Dr. Pam Cox-Otto and Student Social Media Manager at IVC, Emaline Gayhart, to discuss the invaluable contribution that video games bring to education and attracting students to community college.
Noncredit Where Credit is Due: Why Supporting your Noncredit Programs can Help with Enrollment
April 29, 2021 13:00 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MBThe impact of growing noncredit programs can help community colleges get a foot in the door towards enrolling those students into credit programs and boosting enrollment. Join Interact CEO Dr. Pam Cox-Otto, Ph.D. and Maggie Wolf, director of adult and community education at Kankakee Community College, as they discuss how noncredit classes are critical to your enrollment numbers, as well as strategies on how best to maintain these students.
Everything Your College Needs to Know About TikTok
March 25, 2021 15:00 - 46 minutes - 53.5 MBOn this episode of the Community College Marketing MasterClass, Interact Content Manager Wyatt Otto and friends discuss TikTok, the newest social media platform sweeping the nation. They discuss how TikTok works, best practices, and how community colleges can best be using it. This week’s guests are Sara Sampey, lead videographer at Interact; Jamie Wagner, executive director of Media Prefs; Amy Hazelhurst, senior internet marketing consultant at ReachLocal; and the fabulous marketing and pu...
Creating New Opportunities: How Offering Bachelor’s Degrees Can Transform Students’ Lives
January 28, 2021 03:00 - 22 minutes - 31.3 MBIn this episode of the Community College Marketing MasterClass Podcast, Dr. Pam Cox-Otto, Ph.D. is joined by Dr. Angela Kersenbrock, president of the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA), to discuss the benefits of creating baccalaureate programs not only for community colleges, but for students too.
Preparing for the New Normal: How to plan for the fall semester post pandemic
January 11, 2021 21:00 - 18 minutes - 25.9 MBOn this episode of the Community College Marketing MasterClass podcast, Interact CEO Dr. Pam Cox-Otto is joined by the senior vice president of public relations for the American Association of Community Colleges, Dr. Martha Parham. Dr. Cox-Otto and Dr. Parham talk about how community colleges have been supporting student needs during this pandemic, and how they will continue to support students into the future. Even as the nation begins to distribute vaccines, it will be a while before th...
We hear you: Redesigning the community college with the student voice
October 27, 2020 21:00 - 32 minutes - 44.2 MBStudent-centered innovation has been mission-centric to community colleges, but redesigning the college experience with the student voice in the middle is critical post-pandemic. Join Dr. Pam Cox-Otto and Dr. Karen Stout, president and CEO, Achieving the Dream (ATD), as they discuss the insights ATD’s network of nearly 280 colleges have gained in their work to champion student success. This includes accelerating strategies that were moving the needle pre-COVID 19 on such issues as equity and...
Meeting Students Halfway: How to help Prospective Students Make it to the First Day of Classes
October 15, 2020 16:00 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBEnrollment is always important, but even more so now, in the middle of a pandemic. Face-to-face recruiting is no longer possible, on-campus orientations are not a good idea, and yet more than ever our students need support from application, to day-one of classes. Dr. Diane Walleser, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Borough of Manhatten Community College joins Interacts’ Dr. Pam Cox-Otto to talk about how to increase applications in an urban environment and ways to create a student...
Funding Foundations: How to Develop Resources to Support Students during a Pandemic
September 30, 2020 16:00 - 20 minutes - 27.8 MBJust like our students, our community colleges are struggling to maintain the resources they need during this critical time. State budgets are uncertain, and many colleges are facing budget cuts, layoffs, and furlough, all while trying to support our students—many of whom are facing food and housing insecurity. Join Dr. Pam Cox-Otto and Oakland Community College’s Vice Chancellor for Advancement Dan Jenuwine as they discuss the important role of your college foundation in helping students st...
The Student Retention Problem: What Colleges Need to do Now to Address It.
September 04, 2020 18:00 - 23 minutes - 32 MBCreating an environment at your college that will retain students and developing communications that will inspire and build their resilience are both part of the mission-critical jobs at community colleges. In this episode, Interact's CEO Dr. Pamela Cox-Otto and her good friend Dr. Susan Hatfield, who is a 30-year veteran of researching student motivations around retention and is currently a senior consultant with the Higher Learning Commission, discuss retention and where colleges need to f...
Be a Better Listener: How to Welcome Students of All Backgrounds, Share Their Stories, and Support Them in Their Educational Journeys
July 16, 2020 04:00 - 57 minutes - 79.3 MBMiraCosta College Academic Counseling Department Co-Chair Dr. Adrean Askerneese works face-to-face with students every day. He has a doctorate degree and Master of Arts in marriage and family counseling from USC, a Master of Science from SDSU, and a bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene. He was also recently honored for his work with student athletes and is a driving force for equity and social justice at his college. In this episode, Dr. Askerneese shares his personal story about star...
Flexing Your Personal Brand: How to Manage and Own “It” in Your Daily Life
June 08, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBGuisselle Nuñez, director of public relations, marketing, and governmental relations at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and author of Take Charge of Your Brand, is a dynamic, hands-on, and insightful personal brand expert who provides participants with bite-sized, quick and easy techniques to help them weave personal branding into their daily professional and personal actions. In this episode, Guisselle and Cheryl Broom discuss why your personal brand is important as well as ...
Flexing Your Personal Brand: How to Manage and Own “It” in Your Daily Life
June 08, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBGuisselle Nuñez, director of public relations, marketing, and governmental relations at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and author of Take Charge of Your Brand, is a dynamic, hands-on, and insightful personal brand expert who provides participants with bite-sized, quick and easy techniques to help them weave personal branding into their daily professional and personal actions. In this episode, Guisselle and Cheryl Broom discuss why your personal brand is important as well as ...
Cultivating a Curious Culture: The Role of Research in Institutional Effectiveness and Equity
June 05, 2020 21:00 - 59 minutes - 81.4 MBDr. Bridget Herrin is the acting dean of institutional effectiveness at San Diego Mesa College and the executive director for the Center of Organizational Responsibility and Advancement (CORA). In this episode, Dr. Herrin and Cheryl talk all things data—from conducting literature reviews to get a better understanding of issues colleges are facing, to conducting original research at the college to improve institutional effectiveness, support marketing and communications efforts, and assist in...
The Power of Authentic Storytelling: How to Connect with Prospective Students and Build Pride
May 26, 2020 19:00 - 46 minutes - 63.5 MBKaua’i Community College Marketing Director Gary Ellwood has over 25 years of experience in all facets of media production. Prior to joining community colleges, Gary traveled all over the world to film events like the Super Bowl and Olympics and tell stories through video. Now, in his current role, Gary is in charge of building pride around the college through marketing and outreach. In this episode, Gary and Cheryl Broom of Interact discuss the challenges of marketing a community colleg...
Demystifying Financial Aid to Better Serve Students
May 14, 2020 20:00 - 50 minutes - 70 MBFinancial aid is complicated, even for those who work at colleges and are familiar with it. So, how exactly can colleges better communicate with students to make sure they are getting the support they need to be successful? In this episode, financial aid expert Mike Dear breaks down the complexities of financial aid and provides tips on what colleges can do to better serve students. Mike and Interact President Cheryl Broom also discuss how interesting financial aid actually is, and how it im...
Demystifying Financial Aid to Better Serve Students
May 14, 2020 20:00 - 50 minutes - 70 MBFinancial aid is complicated, even for those who work at colleges and are familiar with it. So, how exactly can colleges better communicate with students to make sure they are getting the support they need to be successful? In this episode, financial aid expert Mike Dear breaks down the complexities of financial aid and provides tips on what colleges can do to better serve students. Mike and Interact President Cheryl Broom also discuss how interesting financial aid actually is, and how it im...
Okay, Google - How Do We Get More Students? Webinar
April 27, 2020 14:00 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBInteract teamed up with Google and digital marketing partner ReachLocal to provide a webinar on the shifts that are taking place in digital behavior so colleges can reach students in the right space and at the right time. The webinar was recorded on April 16th, 2020 and covered a range of topics, including: Google's education insights the student journey how to better understand and connect with students today how putting this in practice can lead to a successful campaign Because Goo...
Advice from the Front Line: What We Can Learn about COVID-19 from Colleges in Washington
March 30, 2020 16:00 - 54 minutes - 75.6 MBWith COVID-19 impacting community colleges, Interact CEO Dr. Pamela Cox-Otto brought together two marketing and public relations specialists who are on the leading edge of community colleges affected by the current situation in the state of Washington. Kelly Green, chief community relations officer at South Puget Sound Community College and Katherine Schiffner, director of public relations at Everett Community College shared their experiences of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and discu...
COVID-19 Crisis Communications for Colleges Webinar
March 20, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 145 MBWith COVID-19 impacting community colleges, Interact Communications decided to put together a live webinar with crisis communications expert Scott Summerfield with SAE Communications, Interact CEO Dr. Pam Cox-Otto, and Interact president Cheryl Broom. The presentation covered: Higher education and local agency communications response trends Crisis communications best practices that ensure the community stays informed Media relations tips to communicate ongoing challenges Internal commun...
Taking a Deep Dive into Digital Marketing
March 08, 2020 21:00 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBChris Walker, vice president of Interact Communications, is an award-winning marketer and digital leader who has nearly 20 years of agency experience with a focus on web development, digital strategy, and media. In this episode, Chris and Cheryl discuss the evolving world of digital marketing and how colleges can utilize the latest tools to maximize results.
What Marbles (and Data) Can Tell Us About Forming Connections in the Digital Space
February 07, 2020 10:00 - 52 minutes - 71.9 MBErin Green, director of digital marketing strategy (DMS) enablement at LOCALiQ, is an expert in marketing in the digital space and is fluent in speaking “nerd.” She is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning marketer and sales leader, and has worked with a number of leading organizations including Nike, FedEx, and Susan G. Komen. She’s also been a featured speaker for organizations like Google and Facebook. In this episode, Erin and Cheryl discuss influenceable moments and how colle...
What Marbles (and Data) Can Tell Us About Forming Connections in the Digital Space
February 07, 2020 10:00 - 52 minutes - 71.9 MBErin Green, director of digital marketing strategy (DMS) enablement at LOCALiQ, is an expert in marketing in the digital space and is fluent in speaking “nerd.” She is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning marketer and sales leader, and has worked with a number of leading organizations including Nike, FedEx, and Susan G. Komen. She’s also been a featured speaker for organizations like Google and Facebook. In this episode, Erin and Cheryl discuss influenceable moments and how colle...
Top Trends of 2019 and What to Expect in 2020
December 19, 2019 09:00 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBIt's been a productive year, and as we reflect on it, we can see so much has changed in the world of community colleges in such a short period of time. Looking ahead to 2020, we are expecting even more big things to come, and there are several clues from this year that help us formulate those predictions. In this episode, Dr. Pamela Cox-Otto, CEO of Interact, and Cheryl Broom, president of Interact, share the top community college trends of 2019 and tell you what should be on your radar in...
That Was Unexpected! How to Prepare for a Crisis and How to Respond
November 20, 2019 08:00 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBScott Summerfield is a principal of SAE Communications, an organization that has provided communications counsel, media relations, and Joint Information Center management for many of California's most challenging recent crises, including the 2019 Conception dive boat tragedy, 2017 Thomas fire, and 2014 Isla Vista shootings. In this episode, Scott and Cheryl discuss the challenges of dealing with crisis situations as well as the best practices for handling crisis communications. Show Notes:...
Shopping for Classes: How California’s Online Education Initiative is Redefining Access to Higher Ed
November 18, 2019 18:00 - 38 minutes - 53 MBThere are many obstacles that can come between a student and their education, including the ability to drive to class. And even when students aren’t challenged with making the commute to campus, they still have to worry about other things, like whether or not the class they need to graduate is even available. Having an online resource that would connect all of California’s 115 colleges would not only address these challenges specifically, it would improve the overall access to high-quality o...
Getting to "Newsworthy": How to Get Your Stories Covered by Media
October 07, 2019 14:00 - 18 minutes - 25.3 MBYour college community has great stories, but having those stories go beyond your website audience and social network following can be a challenge. So, how exactly do you get your story to make headlines in other publications? In this episode, Anne Krueger, communications and public information director of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, and Cheryl Broom, president of Interact, discuss the best ways to market your stories to the media. Show Notes: Link to Annual Report...
Translating Complex Subjects into Compelling Stories
September 30, 2019 16:00 - 34 minutes - 48.1 MBWhen people become very specialized in their field of study, they can suffer from the curse of knowledge and find it difficult to explain complex subjects. In order to make these subjects more digestible to readers, it's critical that communicators ask the right questions and find the stories within the story. The next step is making those stories understandable and relatable to a larger audience. In this episode, Tiffany Fox, director of communications at UC San Diego, and Cheryl Broom, p...
Next-Level Conferencing
September 12, 2019 08:00 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MBNew to the conferencing game? No sweat! In this episode, Jeff Ebbing, director of marketing and communications for Southeastern Community College in Iowa, joins Pam Cox-Otto, founder and CEO of Interact Communications, for a discussion on how to make the most of your experience while at conferences.
The Business of Building Community Relationships
September 10, 2019 19:00 - 21 minutes - 30.1 MBCommunity colleges are structured to respond to community needs, and in order to meet those needs and train students for good-paying careers in the community, colleges must understand the types of industries in their service areas and how likely those industries and local businesses are to hire their students. In addition to this, we also know local business leaders sit on college advisory and foundation boards, donate to scholarships, and lend their expertise in classrooms. So, building str...
What to Do When Your World Is on Fire: A Lesson in Crisis Management
July 29, 2019 13:00 - 26 minutes - 37.1 MBIn 2018, Shasta College became one of the emergency shelters during the devastating Carr Fire. The Carr Fire burned more than 225,000 acres and became the sixth-most destructive fire in California, as well as the seventh-largest wildfire recorded in modern California history. In this discussion, president of Interact Communications, Cheryl Broom, and director of marketing and outreach at Shasta College, Peter Griggs, reflect on the disaster and lessons learned in crisis management.
Building Marketing Plans with Data and Heart
July 12, 2019 04:00 - 19 minutes - 27 MBDirector of Public Relations and Marketing at South Texas College, Daniel A. Ramirez, joins Interact Communications Founder and CEO, Pam Cox-Otto for a discussion on using data to build marketing plans and other marketing survival tips.
Media Prefs: What We've Learned from Nearly 30,000 Students This Year
June 12, 2019 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBDo you ever feel like you’re guessing when it comes to placing your media? Or better yet, does your boss ever tell you to place ads in a channel you know isn’t working? Well, we have good news... each year since 2007, Interact has conducted a national survey on communication preferences and media consumption habits of community college students. We’ve watched how students’ preferences have evolved with the introduction of new media (and we’ve watched some media die off completely). In this d...
3 Easy-to-Implement Strategies for Stopping Summer Melt
June 05, 2019 15:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBDid you know that 40% of all community college-intending students fail to enroll after applying?! This phenomena, which is called "summer melt," is well-documented but it doesn't have to get you and your college in hot water. Join Interact President Cheryl Broom as she digs into the research and offers three easy-to-implement strategies for reducing your "applied-not-enrolled" numbers and putting summer melt on ice!
7 Persuasion Tips for Generating Stakeholder Buy-In
May 16, 2019 10:00 - 12 minutes - 17.4 MBInteract President Cheryl Broom shares seven time-tested techniques for selling your ideas and persuading campus stakeholders to say “yes.” You’ve got great ideas! But convincing reluctant faculty and administrators can be tough. Here are a few strategies to make it easier to go from “No,” to “Go!”
Key Marketing Tips and Takeaways from Interact Google Day
May 01, 2019 08:00 - 17 minutes - 16 MBKathleen Cabral, Marketing Director at Leeward Community College, and Susan Lee, Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of Hawaii, Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, join Interact Communications Founder and CEO, Pam Cox-Otto for a discussion of the future of digital marketing, micro-moments, and other key insights from Interact’s recent partner event at Google’s Mountain View headquarters.
How to Calculate ROI to Drive Stakeholder Buy In
April 21, 2019 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBAshley Etchison, Director of Strong Workforce Strategic Communications and Marketing for the Inland Empire Desert Region Consortium, joins Interact President Cheryl Broom for an in-depth discussion about the development of their highly-successful “Ready” brand and viewbook, and how Etchison calculates ROI to drive stakeholder buy-in across the Inland Empire’s 12 different community colleges.
Micro-Moments and What They Mean for Marketing
April 02, 2019 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBWhat was the best part of #InteractGoogleDay? The crazy-amazing stuff they told us about how community college students choose a college, their decision-making process, and what their buyer’s journey looks like. But the most important reveal? Micro-moments. Don’t know what a micro-moment is? Then you better listen, because according to Google, they’re the future of digital marketing.
How & Why You Should be Using YouTube
April 02, 2019 04:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBReachLocal’s Amy Hazlehurst joins Interact President Cheryl Broom to discuss how community college marketers can leverage the unrivaled power of YouTube to reach student prospects, extend their college brands, and get the most out of their ad dollars in this inaugural episode of the “Community College Marketing Masterclass” podcast!