The Higher Ed Creative

The Higher Ed Marketer

The Higher Ed Creative is a podcast for the designers, writers, photographers, videographers, storytellers, and creative professionals bringing higher education to life. Hosted by Paul Bross, Director of Creative Operations at Oklahoma Baptist University, each episode goes behind the work with creatives from colleges and universities across the country. You’ll hear honest conversations about the ideas, processes, challenges, and lessons behind the work, from building a brand and telling better stories to navigating small teams, limited resources, creative burnout, and the constant pressure to make something that connects. Come for the ideas. Stay for the people who make the work. The Higher Ed Creative is part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network and is powered by Caylor Solutions. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Small Team, Big Work: Building Systems That Scale a Lean Creative Operation

    The launch season of The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proudly sponsored by Spokenote. Spokenote - Videos that actually convert students. Learn more at spokenote.com. ___ Great creative work doesn’t require a big team or a big budget. Jett Turner, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for the Oklahoma State University College of Arts and Sciences, shares how a small team can choose what matters, build repeatable systems, and protect the quality of its work. Drawing on his years on the public relations team at Langston University, where he was named the 2025 Randy Talley Rising Star by the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association, Jett talks about using the university mission as a filter, setting clear timelines with campus partners, and making limited gear work. If you’re on a lean campus team, this conversation is a reminder that team size doesn’t have to determine the ambition or impact of your work. ___ Creative Takeaways ➡️ Using your university’s mission as the filter for what gets your time. ➡️ Setting clear lead times and deadlines so requests don’t become emergencies. ➡️ Building trust with campus partners by underpromising and overdelivering. ➡️ Repurposing one story into social, web, and video content. ➡️ Making limited gear work, and why limitations shouldn’t become excuses. ___Key Moments 02:10 – What’s on Your Desk? Strategic planning at OSU 02:54 – Doing a little of everything on a small PR team 05:27 – Letting the university mission decide what gets attention 07:37 – Planning ahead, project request forms, and hard deadlines 10:13 – Building trust with your team and campus partners 12:06 – Underpromise, overdeliver 14:19 – Educating campus partners beyond the “service factory” 15:59 – Podcasts as content farms and telling news stories on social 18:55 – “Good and published” vs. exceptional 21:00 – Keeping limitations from defining your creative identity 21:55 – One camera, ring lights, and an orange tablecloth 23:17 – Where a two- or three-person team should focus first 23:49 – The Kit & The Keeper: connect with Jett and advice for fellow creatives ___ The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    Small Team, Big Work: Building Systems That Scale a Lean Creative Operation
  2. Oct 21

    Turning Your Whole Campus Into a Social Team

    The launch season of The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proudly sponsored by Spokenote. Spokenote - Videos that actually convert students. Learn more at spokenote.com. Some of the best content about a university is already being made by the people who love it. Perry Rockwood, Social Media Manager at Brigham Young University–Idaho, talks with Paul Bross about building a social presence bigger than his own team. Perry explains how he partners with alumni creators without a budget, hires students who are already posting about campus, and runs a weekly media council that gets video, photo, and social working from the same plan. From Spirit Week coverage to earning leadership's trust with data and real stories, this conversation offers practical ways to turn your whole campus into a social team. Creative Takeaways ➡️ Partnering with alumni creators when there's no influencer budget. ➡️ Hiring students who are already creating content about your campus. ➡️ Breaking down campus silos with a weekly media council. ➡️ Pairing analytics with real comments and messages to show leadership what social is doing. ➡️ Building content pillars from your university's mission. Key Moments 03:20 – Finding creator partners when there's no budget 10:10 – Building a team of student employees around one full-time role 13:50 – Starting a media council to break down campus silos 17:24 – Showing leadership what social media is accomplishing 25:15 – Protecting your team from the always-on side of social The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    Turning Your Whole Campus Into a Social Team
  3. Oct 14

    Can Students See Themselves On Your Campus?

    The launch season of The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proudly sponsored by Spokenote. Spokenote - Videos that actually convert students. Learn more at spokenote.com. ___ A student story, a familiar face, or a playful campus tradition can help people feel connected to their college. Kaitlyn Weldon, Coordinator for Social Media and Internal Marketing at Rose State College, shares how she creates content that helps students see themselves on campus. Drawing on her experience as a Rose State student, student worker, adjunct instructor, and staff member, Kaitlyn explains how she plans content, invites campus partners into the process, and keeps student stories at the center. From the Oscar and Rose holiday campaign to a social media training course for faculty and staff, this conversation offers practical ways to make campus social media a shared effort. ___ Creative Takeaways ➡️ Creating student stories that reflect the full campus community.➡️ Planning evergreen content while leaving room for timely ideas.➡️ Giving campus partners the tools and confidence to create content.➡️ Using playful campaigns to build participation and connection.➡️ Protecting creative energy through collaboration and time away from the feed. ___ Key Moments 01:48 – Building a content calendar around campus traditions and student stories 04:08 –Seeing Rose State through the eyes of a student and staff member 08:56 –Creating a social media training course for campus partners 10:41 – Bringing the Oscar and Rose holiday campaign to life 26:40 – Keeping social media fun and knowing when to step away ___ The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    Can Students See Themselves On Your Campus?
  4. Oct 7

    How Louisiana Tech Built a Podcast That Lasts

    The launch season of The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proudly sponsored by Spokenote. Spokenote - Videos that actually convert students. Learn more at spokenote.com. ___ Starting a university podcast means finding stories worth sharing and making room to keep sharing them. Gavin Kelly, Director of Communications at Louisiana Tech University, joins Paul Bross to discuss the work behind Beyond 1894, the university’s podcast. Gavin shares how the show evolved from faculty research conversations into a broader collection of campus stories, and how he handles guest selection, interviewing, editing, and promotion alongside his other responsibilities. From a simple recording setup to a realistic release schedule, this conversation explores how a small team can sustain a podcast while building relationships across campus. ___ Creative Takeaways ➡️ Asking the right questions before launching a university podcast.➡️ Matching the format and release schedule to your team’s capacity.➡️ Building an interview process that helps guests feel heard.➡️ Keeping equipment and production manageable for a small team.➡️ Using campus storytelling to strengthen relationships across the institution. ___Key Moments 02:33 – How Beyond 1894 began and how its focus evolved05:17 – Planning for a podcast that lasts beyond its launch12:02 – Managing the workflow from guest selection to promotion18:55 – Recording with a small team and a simple equipment setup26:36 – Setting a release schedule that protects your capacity ___ The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  ___ To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Creative in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    How Louisiana Tech Built a Podcast That Lasts
  5. Oct 6

    Meet the Host of The Higher Ed Creative - Paul Bross

    Introducing the host of The Higher Ed Creative, Paul Bross. Planning shoots, reviewing edits, building campaigns, and helping a team get everything done by Friday. Paul Bross knows the daily demands of creative work on a college campus. In this introduction to The Higher Ed Creative, Paul shares his journey from higher education to broadcast production and back to campus, where he serves as Director of Creative Operations at Oklahoma Baptist University. He explains how conversations with fellow creatives inspired the show and previews the practical discussions ahead, from managing feedback and choosing gear to finding a smarter way to tackle the next project. ___ Creative Takeaways ➡️ How Paul’s experience as a creator and team leader shapes the show.➡️ Why connecting with fellow campus creatives matters.➡️ What to expect from “What’s on Your Desk?” and “The Kit and the Keeper.”➡️ How each episode will offer a practical idea you can use on your next project. ___ The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  ___ To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    Meet the Host of The Higher Ed Creative - Paul Bross
  6. Season 1 Trailer

    Welcome to The Higher Ed Creative: For the People Who Make the Work

    Introducing – The Higher Ed Creative Podcast The people behind a university’s photos, videos, designs, and social posts know how much work it takes to turn a good strategy into something students actually notice. Bart Caylor introduces The Higher Ed Creative, a new podcast for those creators. Bart started his career as a designer, so he knows what it feels like to be the person who has to make the idea happen. He explains why he wanted a show for campus creatives and introduces its host, Paul Bross, Director of Creative Operations at Oklahoma Baptist University. Paul will talk with creatives across the country about how they do the work and what they’ve learned along the way. ___ Creative Takeaways ➡️Why Bart wanted to create a show for the people making higher ed marketing work.  ➡️Why creative roles can feel isolating, especially on small teams. ➡️What Paul Bross will explore with creative professionals across the country.  ➡️How to follow and share the show ahead of its October 7th launch.  ___ The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and website needs.  ___ To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. The Higher Ed Creative Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.  Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    Welcome to The Higher Ed Creative: For the People Who Make the Work

Trailer

About

The Higher Ed Creative is a podcast for the designers, writers, photographers, videographers, storytellers, and creative professionals bringing higher education to life. Hosted by Paul Bross, Director of Creative Operations at Oklahoma Baptist University, each episode goes behind the work with creatives from colleges and universities across the country. You’ll hear honest conversations about the ideas, processes, challenges, and lessons behind the work, from building a brand and telling better stories to navigating small teams, limited resources, creative burnout, and the constant pressure to make something that connects. Come for the ideas. Stay for the people who make the work. The Higher Ed Creative is part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network and is powered by Caylor Solutions. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.