This week we may have to temporarily rename the podcast "The Parks and Recreations Nerds" as we welcome Matt Johnson, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Roseville. Along with my guest co-host Bryce Shearan, a colleague of mine at Bolton & Menk and former Parks and Recreation Director at the City of Little Canada. Bryce also hosts anot…

EAB’s Linda Marchlewski is joined by Dr. Siri Terjesen from Florida Atlantic University to discuss how to trim bureaucratic impediments that stifle innovation and lead to disengaged faculty and staff. The two talk about how to identify policies and organizational structures that do more harm than good. They also offer tips on making your organizati…

We are back for our 30th episode here at The Public Works Nerds! Here is the AI Generated Description. I have to call it out because I can't take credit for this prose: Unlock the secrets to transforming public perception and securing project funding through masterful communication with our esteemed guest, Sara Renney, Carver County's communication…

EAB’s Jennie Bailey hosts a discussion about performance-based admissions (PBA) with the Assistant Vice President, New Ventures & Business Operations at Northeastern University, Robert Towner. Rob recently helped Northeastern pilot the use of PBA to admit students to the school’s online MBA program. Jennie and Rob share their thoughts on the growin…

Jonah Nigh and Jenna Bastian from The New School in NYC join EAB’s Paul Gunther for a conversation about the state of university fundraising. The three discuss the critical role of technology, particularly CRM tools, as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field of advancement. They also offer tips to other advancement teams…

Join us for Take 2 of the Nerds Unplugged where I sit down with Deb Heiser, Engineering Director for the City of St. Louis Park, MN, and Richard McCoy, Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Robbinsdale, MN. We recap the last four episodes and chat about some random topics like college tours, bridge collapses, and infrastructure fu…

EAB’s Alexa Silverman hosts a conversation with Emily Isaacs and Danielle Insalaco-Egan about how to help students adapt to the rigors of college. Emily and Danielle discuss the “Strong Student” campaign they launched at Montclair State University to help students acquire the skills they need to complete assignments, actively participate in class, …

EAB’s Madeleine Rhyneer and Lorianna Mapps discuss the top concerns shared by admissions leaders as they begin to hear back from accepted applicants. From dealing with the revised FAFSA to navigating their involvement with various direct admissions programs, admissions teams face significant change and uncertainty. Madeleine and Lori discuss the ch…

Episode 8 of Season 2 features Chris Evers, a 2023 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader award winner. That's why I contacted Chris, but I'm so happy I did for many reasons. First of all, I was finally able to nerd out on pavement maintenance. But I was also able to meet a pretty funny, smart, and gracious person in Chris Evers. And since Chris brought …

EAB’s Paul Gunther hosts an extraordinary conversation with University of British Columbia President, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. In a remarkably candid interview, Dr. Bacon shares how his personal struggles and healing journey inform his views on leadership and the elements of a healthy organizational culture. Dr. Bacon also offers advice to other u…

EAB’s Ed Venit hosts a conversation with Nathaan Demers from Mantra Health and Joe Cooper from Montana Technical University regarding ways to meet surging student demand for mental health services. The three acknowledge that colleges can’t hire enough licensed clinicians to meet demand, so the conversation focuses on ways to expand the use of teleh…

This episode took some time to get out there! Blame vacations and some tech issues, but I am finally dropping the 7th episode in Season 2 - and its a good one! Super fan and Tree Nerd Hannibal Hayes from the City of Minnetonka, MN joins me to talk about using technology to better manage the urban forest. We go off on some tangents about Emerald Ash…

EAB’s Linda Marchlewski hosts a conversation with Jason Bentley and Shelly VandePanne from Ferris State University to discuss the “ReFOCUS” program. The program enables Ferris students who are struggling academically, to engage in skill-building, receive academic, social, and financial support, and get back on track instead of falling through the c…

EAB’s Matt Logan interviews his colleague, Jason Browning, about how to improve data integrity, reliability, and accessibility. The two examine what’s driving the increasing complexity of campus data and IT systems and suggest ways that senior leaders can access the information they need without relying on data specialists. They also offer advice t…

EAB’s Heather Darrow hosts a discussion with noted student success pioneer, Donna Linderman. Currently the Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at SUNY, Donna helped launch the ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) and ACE (Accelerate, Complete, and Engage) programs during her time at CUNY. Both programs have been studied widely—and …

This week I'm joined by a Smart Cities team from Raleigh, North Carolina. Jim Alberque is the GIS and Emerging Technology Manager for the City of Raleigh and John Holden is the Smart City Manager for Raleigh. We talk about what does Smart Cities mean for Raleigh and how is the City focusing on different efforts under this umbrella. We cover quite a…

Jo Fretwell from the International Schools Partnership joins EAB’s Adam Wu to talk about how her team uses Global Match to help international students engage with US colleges that fit their interests and aptitudes. The two discuss how students use the platform, ways that students and colleges benefit, and how the matching process yields bona fide o…

EAB’s Alice Shindelar and Amanda Kelly discuss how virtual campus tours are created and why they’re so popular with students and university recruiters. They explain the uses for different interactive elements, share basic dos and don’ts, and talk about what differentiates a truly exceptional virtual tour from one that is average at best. They also …

In this episode I sit down with my hometown Public Works Director, Sean Kershaw. As any public works nerd knows, we are at times over critical of those that serve us where we live, and we most likely have experienced that heightened scrutiny from current and retired public works professionals that live in our communities. It can be good, reaffirmin…

This episode is a condensed version of a recent webinar in which EAB’s John Workman presented findings from EAB’s annual “State of the Sector” research. John summarizes EAB’s research findings, which focused on six key themes that ranged from questions about declining public confidence in the value of higher education to the risks and benefits of a…

EAB’s Jenny Jones and Mark Shreve offer advice to help advancement professionals fine-tune fundraising budgets and strategies for 2024. The two share tips on how to prepare for discussions with your CFO, energize staff, and analyze the right data to stay on track. They also suggest ways to keep your fundraising messages focused on the good work bei…

Matt Nickodemus from Utah Tech University joins EAB’s Devin Jones to talk about how his school uses technology (including EAB’s Edify and Navigate360 software) to gain more efficient access to and insights from their institutional data. Their discussion is focused primarily on better ways to define, track, and report on metrics that matter in asses…

Welcome to the first Nerds Unplugged episode! Deb Heiser, Michael Thompson and Mark Ray join me as a panel of opinionated Public Works professionals talking about random issues related to Public Works. This is planned to be a monthly or so feature where we recap recent podcast episodes, talk about public works issues in the news and give updates to…

EAB’s Tara Zirkel and Grace Anderson discuss a recent EAB survey that highlighted ways that pandemic disruptions continue to influence the college search process, as well as student preferences and academic readiness. The two focus on six key themes that emerged from the survey that are important for community college leaders to understand. They al…

Join us for our first of hopefully many conversations with an APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader. In this episode we are joined by a Public Works Nerds Podcast veteran, Russ Matthys. In 2023, Russ was one of 10 professionals named a Top Ten Public Works Leader by APWA. We talk to Russ about the award and what that means to him. We also talk about a n…

EAB’s Tisleen Singh and Emily Niedermaier discuss the emergence of Appily, a new online resource that streamlines the college exploration process for teens and enables colleges to connect with more prospective applicants. The two examine findings from a new survey of more than 6,000 students that highlights a strong correlation between adolescent m…

EAB’s Paul-Anne Robb and Brian Schueler unpack the data from a new survey of college-aged non-consumers. One of the key findings is that while price matters, perceptions of high cost may be at odds with the actual cost of attendance once you factor in grants, scholarships, and other institutional “discounts.” Paul-Anne and Brian share tips on more …

Discover the transformative power of recycling and how it intertwines with community economics in our latest Public Works Nerds podcast episode. I, Marc Culver, am joined by the insightful Kate Davenport, co-President of Eureka Recycling, who not only shares her personal journey from climate activism to leading a nonprofit recycling enterprise but …

EAB’s Kathy Ruby and Brett Schraeder recap the early days of the newly revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Kathy and Brett discuss the merits of the form itself, review the technical glitches that have plagued the so-called “soft launch,” and share what they’re hearing from front-line admissions and financial aid professionals about t…

EAB’s Michael Fischer and Afia Tasneem discuss ways that institutions are moving beyond their initial resistance to artificial intelligence and are now incorporating AI technologies within academia. They highlight some of the most promising opportunities for leveraging AI to reshape curricula, improve student support, and gain efficiencies across h…

Unlock the secrets of how cities are combatting the pernicious issue of lead in our drinking water, as Chelsea Alger and Dave Malm from Bolton & Menk join us to dissect the monumental task of lead service line replacement. With the Flint water crisis still fresh in our memories, we explore the complexities of updating water service inventories, the…

EAB’s Madeleine Rhyneer and Kathy Ruby pull back the curtain to reveal how admissions professionals sift through thousands of applications and decide who gets admitted. The two differentiate between the approach typically used at highly selective institutions versus those that admit most applicants. They also explore how financial aid optimization …

EAB’s Tom Sugar hosts a conversation with Carthage College President John Swallow. The two look back over their three-year (and counting) collaboration on EAB’s Moon Shot for Equity to share lessons learned in eliminating equity gaps that are having an enormously positive impact on students from more privileged backgrounds as well. They also offer …

EAB experts Dr. Tara Zirkel, Dr. Christina Hubbard, and Allison Peeler discuss the major shifts and trends impacting community colleges over the past year. The three share specific examples of institutions doing innovative work and overcoming post-pandemic challenges. They also offer advice on what community college leaders can do in 2024 to improv…

EAB’s Julianne Turpin and Brendan Mannix explore the many changes that have made modern student success software such a central component of student retention efforts. The two discuss newer features (including CRM capabilities, AI enhancements, and more) that differentiate a truly effective system from those that fail to wrap students at risk in an…

EAB’s Paul Gunther hosts University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis for a wide-ranging chat about how to reach students and families who feel that a college degree is out of reach. They examine UCA’s innovative new program that creates a debt-free pathway to a college degree for all incoming Arkansas freshmen who qualify based on financ…

EAB’s Sian Blake and Val Fox offer growth strategies for institutions that have grown increasingly reliant on their graduate programs to compensate for shrinking undergraduate enrollment. Sian and Val review best practices from schools that are finding success in growing graduate programs and offer tips on the best lead-generation tools you should …

Art Coleman, one of the nation’s foremost legal experts on affirmative action in higher education, joins EAB’s Tom Cakuls to unpack the recent Supreme Court ruling. Art also examines the recent guidance offered by the US Departments of Education and Justice and stresses that it is still permissible to consider facets of students’ experience, backgr…

EAB’s Beth Donaldson is joined by her colleague, Todd Heilman, to review findings from a new EAB survey of nearly 4,000 adult learners. The two review what we learned about the motivations and preferences of adult learners, and about how they research programs and colleges they might attend. The survey findings offer a wealth of information for uni…

EAB’s Kate Manning and Matt Sheldon welcome Chad Steinkamp from Wichita State University for a conversation about ways to make your institution a top transfer destination. The three offer tips on marketing your school to prospective transfer students and making their transition as seamless as possible. They also discuss the merits of the dual-advis…

Lola Mauer from Ball State University and Daniel Burgner from George Washington University join EAB’s Mark Shreve to discuss why they’re glad that US News and World Report no longer includes the alumni giving metric in determining its college rankings. They also examine how their schools are adapting in response to the philanthropic behaviors of Ge…

It's our 20th episode! Which is milestone in and of itself. Considering 90% of podcasts don't make it past 3 episodes, we're in pretty good company. I am joined by our first episode guest, Mark Ray, Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Crystal, MN. Mark, who is one of the most positive people I know, helps me review the season an…

EAB’s Ed Venit is joined by University of Montana President Seth Bodnar who talks about his unorthodox journey to higher education leadership. A West Point graduate and former Green Beret, Seth shares strategies he has used to grow enrollment, improve student retention, and help UM achieve R1 classification as a research university. He and Ed also …

This week we dive into the intricate world of waste management with Rachel Lindholm, the Sustainability Specialist from the City of Richfield, Minnesota. In this episode we talk about how Richfield implemented organized collection, managed recycling services and started both a drop off and curb side organics collection system. Listen in as we nerd …

EAB’s Tara Zirkel is joined by Dr. Tiffany Ray-Patterson, VP of Student Services at Germanna Community College, to discuss her “One Front Door” approach to student onboarding that is breaking down institutional silos and connecting more students to the guidance they need. The two contrast the “One Front Door” method versus traditional bifurcated on…

Join us and we talk with the Officers of the Minnesota Chapter of APWA. We talk about the history of the chapter, the committees, conferences, and their strategic plan. This is a lively and fun discussion with some very dedicated and devoted public works nerds! Our distinguished guests - President Monica Heil, Vice President Jupe Hale, Secretary/Tr…

In our 17th episode we talk to two GIS Nerds, Adam Carnow from ESRI and John Shain from Bolton & Menk. In the spirit of the AI movement, which we talk about in this episode, specifically GeoAI, I'm going to let the AI generated episode description say the rest - I usually consider this too wordy to use for the actual episode descriptions and end up…

EAB’s Vashae Dixon and Brett Schraeder discuss the ways in which financial aid professionals are adapting to the recent SCOTUS ruling barring consideration of race or ethnicity in university admissions. The two share best practices for institutions on how to navigate the intersection between financial aid optimization and diversity. They also talk …

In this episode Deb Heiser and I nerd out about the City Engineers Association of Minnesota, a unique organization of municipal engineers. We talk about CEAM's mission, committees and purpose. We also dive into what role CEAM plays in the distribution of Minnesota's gas tax. We would love to hear from others about how your state's gas tax is distri…

Meet Ross Bittner, Engineering Services Manager from Edina, Minnesota, who has an extraordinary passion for water resources and a knack for innovation. Ross and I nerd out in this episode about a new Adaptive Level Control System that the City of Edina is using to create additional storage in a stormwater pond in advance of rain events. Listen in a…