On this Higher Ed Conversations episode, I host a conversation with an Al expert and, more impressively, my sister-in-law, Suzi Boynton! Suzi is the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees for the San Marcos Unified School District, where she utilizes the tool of Al in her day-to-day work for the school system. In our conver…

In this episode, Keith Goodman, a direct mail marketing expert, discusses the resurgence of direct mail marketing across various industries, especially in education. Keith highlights direct mail's targeted approach, allowing for personalized messaging to different audiences, a significant advantage over digital ads' broad reach. He explains how dir…

Dave Hammer is a resilient man who has cultivated a deep life in God. Not only has he survived, but he has gone on to thrive after suffering a gunshot wound that paralyzed him when he was 20 years old. Dave is a passionate Christ follower, devoted family man, and owner of Hammer Custom Homes. In this interview from a recent Kingdom Business & Leade…

Today, on Higher Ed Conversations, I embark on my first solo episode! And with a very good reason –I've just released my first ebook, "Why Your Community CollegeMarketing is Failing: Lessons From Online Dating," which has already hit number one in several online categories! So, I'm here to dive into the book's three themes and how they've helped hu…

Brad Miller was serving in an influential role in a prominent ministry for years before he experienced the "dark night of the soul" while navigating a divorce. With nowhere to go or stay, Brad was about to encounter the faithfulness of God in VERY surprising ways.By Gabe Jenkins & Brad Miller

Many students cannot enroll in a two to four-year collegiate program, but they still desire access to professional skills that will allow them to obtain higher-earning jobs. This episode of Higher Ed Conversations features Linda Kurokawa, the Executive Director of Community Education & Workforce Development at MiraCosta College. Linda highlights th…

Dr. Trent Langhofer is a man who has been transformed by the love and grace of Jesus. He shared some of his wild and redemptive story at a recent New Life Men's Conference, and he addressed some of the most important things we can do to renew our minds. (Romans 12)By New Life Church

Pastor Gabe Jenkins shares a message at a recent New Life Men's Conference about cultivating a mind that is governed and led by the Holy Spirit that leads to "life and peace" (Romans 8:6).By New Life Church

As higher education continues to evolve and expand, the presidency of its institutions has become an ever-increasing, ever-taxing role. It's this issue that this month's guest, Jeff Julian, current Chief of Staff at Harper College and President of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, shares his insights on this role. With an exten…

It's undeniable that social media has transformed into an essential platform for both cultivating a presence and nurturing community bonds and connections. With the embrace of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for interaction and staying informed, organizations and businesses are compelled to have a stake in social media platforms to b…

Balancing children and a career may seem unachievable, but Letitia Clark, a seasoned Chief Communications Officer, elected official, and author, unveils the secrets to harmonizing professional life and motherhood. From her dynamic career path to her role on the Tustin City Council, Letitia delves into the intricacies of being a mother while excelli…

In this month's episode, we sit down for a fascinating conversation with Jeff Bunch, a seasoned professional with a diverse background in journalism, marketing, and higher education. From being a storyteller at a young age to his pivotal role in managing the digital presence of Gonzaga University's basketball team, his journey and insights on integ…

Rich Bender is the Executive Director of USA Wrestling and serves on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. He is a man of faith and a seasoned leader whose leadership has had a global impact. In this interview from a recent Kingdom Business & Leadership Gathering, Rich shares wisdom and stories that will sharpen your leadership.…

What's the best way to find a vendor vetted by other higher education organizations? Jeff Dillon, a former higher education professional turned entrepreneur, joins us on Higher Education Conversations to help answer that question. Jeff shares his journey from working in higher ed for over two decades to founding EdTech Connect, a crowd-sourced tech…

"Be a resource, not just a request, and then build a relationship." says our guest, Mark Bayer, on connecting with elected officials and press members. Mark is an international keynote speaker, consultant, former Chief of Staff, and podcast host. His podcast, "When Science Speaks," aims to help scientists, engineers, and executives communicate thei…

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Piper, a digital and content marketing expert who shares his transformative journey and explains how to leverage content marketing effectively. Brian emphasizes that content marketing is a strategy to cultivate lasting relationships with your audience rather than a quick sales pitch. We dive into the pivotal r…

In this episode of Higher Education Coffee and Conversation, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kyle Dalpe, the president of Western Nevada College. With a fascinating background as a journalist, chief of staff, and vice president of instruction at various community colleges, Dr. Dalpe brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. We delve into t…

On this episode of Higher Education Coffee and Conversation, I am thrilled to have a close friend and esteemed colleague as my guest, Dr. Mark Browning. Currently serving as the CEO and President at Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon, Mark brings a wealth of experience to the table. Before taking on his current role, Mark made significant co…

Rob McIntire spent many years as an undercover agent working in law enforcement before the "perfect storm" hit and his life began to crumble. God took Rob on quite a healing journey that eventually led to him becoming a counselor where he has spent the last 20 years helping other men find freedom and healing. In this wide-ranging conversation, Past…

This is the first episode of a new series exploring men and mental health. In this episode, Gabe Jenkins speaks with Dr. Travis Hearne about the power and challenge of male friendships, his healing journey from trauma, walking with Jesus through difficult seasons, and the practice of being known and seen instead of a life of posing and hiding. Trav…

We have an incredibly exciting guest on this episode of the podcast: Alex Wedderburn, a senior leader at Hootsuite, shares his expertise on this indispensable platform for social media management. For those unfamiliar, Hootsuite is our go-to tool at GradComm for efficiently managing and measuring the impact of our clients' social media accounts. Th…

Ed Ragain is a husband, father, grandfather, and seasoned business leader. He is the owner of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, but before he came to own a professional soccer franchise he started an engineering firm while he was only in his 20's. The firm eventually grew to become one of the largest in North America, and then Ed sensed God asking …

It’s an advice-packed episode as Lisa Takami joins me to discuss her new book , Women in the Higher Education C-Suite: Diverse Executive Profiles. Lisa has helped organizations, both private and public, to build brand messaging by leveraging partnerships that foster learner and organizational success. Her book is such a valuable resource for both w…

Damian Marquez is a man who knows the transforming power of God. From being in a gang, to becoming a law enforcement officer, to becoming a man on fire for the Lord, Damian's story reminds us that God is still in the business of transforming lives.By Damian Marquez and Gabe Jenkins

It’s an exciting episode of Higher Ed Coffee and Conversation as we welcome our first-ever College President on the podcast! Dr. Annebelle Nery is the President of Santa Ana College, where her strategic marketing approach has had an extremely impactful result. In our conversation, we’ll learn how Dr. Nery has used a data-based approach to marketing…

This is a conversation between Gabe Jenkins and Chad Jeffreys about the stages and process of spiritual maturity. The conversation is based on Chad's new book, "Full Grown Love", which is a rich resource full of stories and scriptures that paint a compelling picture of five stages of growth that inspire us to greater love and spiritual maturity.…

Sometimes the most exciting opportunities can happen when you least expect them…and my guest today can certainly attest to that notion! Emily Zimmer, Marketing & Events Coordinator for DCTC, was enjoying her Thanksgiving when she found out that the President of the United States would be visiting Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) to promote th…

In today’s world where seemingly everything has gone digital, the concept of a printed class schedule may sound like a relic of the past. However, my guests today are here to debunk this myth through the lens of a project we did right here at GradComm with our partners at North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE). Here to discuss the project is Jenn…

On this special episode of the podcast, I am joined by some of our amazing GradComm team members for a 2022 Year-in-Review. I’ll speak to one of our Client Service Managers, Rocco, to learn what Mechatronics is and how our team utilized it to get impactful results for one of our clients. Then I’ll catch up with our Creative Director, Michael, to he…

Episode 31: Media buying is a scary term for a lot of us, myself included! That’s why we are extremely lucky to be joined by my guest Chuck Fetterly, who is an expert in all things media buying, to help us better understand this very important aspect of many marketing plans. Chuck has spent the last two decades running and growing TEC Direct Media,…

Episode 30: What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we’ve all answered when we were young, but how many of us really knew what all of the options were back then? The department of labor claims there are about 950 jobs that exist, some of them far beyond the imagination of a 5 year old. My guest today, Dr. Kevin Fleming, is on a mis…

By New Life Church

By New Life Church

By New Life Church

Episode 29: David Ogul is my guest on this episode of Higher Education Coffee & Conversation, an extremely talented award-winning writer and editor who I have been lucky enough to work with for the better part of 17 years. David started his career as a freelance reporter working for organizations like the LA Times and Baltimore Sun. Our relationshi…

Episode 28: Award-winning children's author, produced screenwriter, and Graduate Communications' very own Sr. Communications Strategist are just some of the hats that Dr. Michael Mahin wears. On this episode of Higher Education Coffee & Conversation, Dr. Mahin and I address some of the important questions surrounding how we can do a better job as c…

Episode 27: Theft, embezzlement, cyber attacks - oh my! In this episode of Higher Education Coffee & Conversation we’re talking about the many different types of crises that can arise at any school, at any moment. But don’t panic! My guest today, Scott Summerfield, Principal of SAE Communications and crisis communication expert is going to share hi…

Episode 26: We’re going meta this time with a podcast episode all about podcasting! When Lauren Milbourne and Christopher McGuinness were challenged with creating a podcast for the president of Allan Hancock College, they undertook important strategy and planning work before executing their vision. This approach resulted in a lot of success for the…

Episode 25: If your school is thinking about launching an app, or already has one and you want to make sure it is designed to be effective, you won’t want to miss my super informative conversation with Niall Adler, Director of Marketing at Mission College in Santa Clara, California. Niall led a nine-month process to build an app that has proven to …

Episode 24: The volatile mix of alumni pride and shifting cultural sensitivities makes changing mascots a thorny challenge for schools and their communities. My guest on this episode, Jennie McCue, lived through each tricky step of that process recently as Director of Marketing and Communications at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. …

Episode 23: Brad Phillips is a numbers guy, but he’s the first to tell you they won’t help you persuade your audience unless you use them the right way. “In the end human beings don’t remember numbers. They remember how they feel. So, it’s really important that you pick just a couple of key data points and focus on telling a story using the data.” …

Episode 22: If digital marketing is an essential piece of your student recruitment strategy but you aren’t sure what NAP, EAT, PPC or SEM stand for, you’ll want to listen carefully to my guest today who has great tips to make sure you are optimizing the impact of this approach. Chris Barton is the Chief Product Officer at Gannet USA, and has run co…

Episode 21: “Websites which try to be everything to everybody may end up being nothing to nobody.” That’s just one of the many great insights learned in the trenches of higher ed communications by today’s guest Karen Norton, executive director of Integrated Marketing and Communications at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. Karen’s deep experi…

Episode 1: Hundreds of community colleges across the nation have committed to the Guided Pathways approach to boost completion rates and student success, but there are various challenges to building a program and keeping stakeholders on board. In this episode, I’m so happy to bring you a wisdom drop from Renee Craig-Marius, formerly the vice presid…

Episode 19: One of the most valuable projects I’ve done involved hiring “secret shoppers” to pose as students so they could check out colleges known for their marketing prowess and learn what they do so well. On this special episode of Higher Education Coffee & Conversation, you’ll listen-in to a webinar presentation I recently did with Tony Teng, …

Episode 18: Today I talk to actor, producer, writer and director Andres Orozco who has taught Screen Arts and Communications at Pepperdine University for 20 years. Andres is also the co-founder and co-owner of the award-winning production company Novelas Educativas, which creates culturally-relevant digital content across all platforms. We talk abo…

Episode 17: “I was born to do public relations,” says my guest Nancy Marshall, and being an admirer of her work for many years, I’d have to agree. Running her own successful marketing and PR agency for three decades is pretty good proof, too. As you’ll hear in this episode, Nancy is a natural communicator with an infectious positivity, so it’s easy…

Episode 16: To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Graduate Communications becoming an agency, I thought it would be fun to interview some of my team members about their most interesting, challenging and rewarding projects and have them share lessons learned with you. From strategic use of Tik Tok to managing major media buys, there are lots of u…

Episode 15: You have what you think is a great story: a first-generation student dreams of getting a college education, gets into your school, works hard and graduates. But to master storyteller and former Hollywood writer Andy Goodman, the reaction from the audience is likely to be ‘who cares?’ “What makes stories interesting are the things that s…

Episode 14: Want your voice to be heard by senior leadersat your institution? Power Minds CEO Margo Turner says the best approach is to think about the issue from their perspective and learn how what you are advocating fits in with what they need to accomplish for the organization. The self-described serial entrepreneur believes the same shift in p…