The Signal

Jeff Dillon
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

With more than 570,000 downloads, The Signal is the podcast for higher education’s innovative leaders. Hosted by Jeff Dillon, The Signal cuts through the noise to bring you the strategic insights needed to reshape how institutions recruit, support, and retain students. Every Friday, I talk to the practitioners and technology builders who are actively defining the next decade of campus life. Why Higher Ed Leaders Listen: In one of the most consequential periods for academia, we move past the hype to focus on Human-Centered Innovation. Our episodes feature deep-dive interviews with guest experts focusing on the "real work" of institutional evolution. Core Topics & AI Strategy: * Artificial Intelligence: Practical AI adoption, governance, and the "Human in the Loop" mindset. * Enrollment Marketing: Modern recruitment strategies and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). * Student Success: Data-driven retention, mental health, and digital engagement. * Institutional Transformation: Navigating digital transformation with a focus on workforce readiness and AVPs reimagining student care. Whether you are a C-suite leader, IT Director, or Faculty member, join our community of 110,000+ professionals and subscribe to The Signal Newsletter at EdTechConnect.com to stay ahead of the curve.

  1. 6h ago

    Ep. 109 - Melanie Moran: AI Can Learn Your Voice, It Can't Manufacture It

    In this episode, host Jeff Dillon welcomes Melanie Moran, Vice President and Senior Strategist at Mackey Strategies, who spent nearly two decades at Vanderbilt University—rising to Associate Vice Chancellor for University Relations—and recently completed an 18‑month stint as interim head of athletic communications. She's seen campus and athletics communications from every angle: as a writer, a strategist, a leader, and an outsider brought in to bridge two worlds. Melanie shares what surprised her most about athletics communications: the sheer volume, the round‑the‑clock pace, the 17 sports, the live broadcasts, and the massive, always‑on audience. She explains why operational separation makes sense—athletics needs to move fast—but why brand and strategy can never be siloed. The university's name is on the jerseys, and the best operations work hand in glove. She also offers advice for crisis leadership. The best leaders don't panic. They create space to understand what really happened. They're willing to hear information they don't like. And they understand that trust is the currency of a crisis—the goal isn't to survive tomorrow's news cycle, it's to protect the institution's reputation for the next decade. For anyone in communications, athletics, or institutional leadership trying to navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, this episode is essential listening.  Key Takeaways  Relationships Must Be Built Before the Crisis Hits: You don't want to be meeting your campus communications colleagues for the first time in the middle of a reputational fire. Establish regular check‑ins, track issues together, and know in advance who handles what.  The Crisis Playbook: What Happened, What Will We Do, What Will We Say: In that order. Don't skip ahead to messaging before you understand the facts and have decided on a course of action grounded in your values.  The Best Leaders Don't Panic: The leader's behavior sets the tone for the entire team. Calm creates space to understand what really happened and gives staff confidence that they'll be supported.  The Best Leaders Ask "What Do I Need to Know?" Not "How Do I Make This Go Away?" They're willing to hear tough news, even if it reveals a staff failure or a mistake that could have been avoided. You can't make good decisions without complete information.  Trust Is the Currency of a Crisis: Getting through tomorrow's news cycle is not the goal. Protecting the institution's reputation for the next five to ten years is. Trust and values are foundational—and they can be lost in the midst of a crisis if you're not careful.  AI Is Great for Getting Past the Blank Page—Not for Judgment: AI can synthesize information, test ideas, and handle repetitive work. But outsourcing judgment, leadership voice, or relationships to AI is risky. The question isn't "Is AI replacing communicators?" It's "How can AI free up communicators to think more strategically?"  The Transition from Individual Contributor to Leader Requires a Mindset Shift: Being the best writer or social media person won't prepare you to lead. You need to shift from "What can I produce?" to "What is the strategy behind it?" Learn the business of the institution. Understand what the president, provost, and athletic director are trying to accomplish. Invest in relationships before you need them.  The Signal Newsletter: https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter ... Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro and guest background(00:01:51) - A career story: chasing down a school bus(00:03:20) - How communications leadership evolved at Vanderbilt(00:04:47) - Athletics vs. university communications: scale and pace(00:07:16) - Where separation between athletics and university works or fails(00:08:43) - Crisis speed, authority, and shared language(00:10:32) - NIL, revenue sharing, and deeper integration needs(00:12:45) - Value of outside strategic counsel and interim leadership(00:15:10) - Common traits of leaders handling crisis well(00:16:30) - AI's role in communications work(00:18:09) - Mentoring communicators into leadership roles(00:20:37) - Optimism, burnout, and the future of athletics-campus branding(00:22:50) - Closing and sign-off

    Ep. 109 - Melanie Moran: AI Can Learn Your Voice, It Can't Manufacture It

  2. Oct 9

    Ep. 108 - Austin Blair: Buy-In Is Too Small of a Goal

    What if the reason your enrollment strategy keeps stalling has nothing to do with the plan—and everything to do with the culture? In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Austin Blair, Dean of Admissions and Marketing for both St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing and St. Anthony College of Nursing, part of OSF Healthcare. Austin also coaches high school football, and that experience shapes everything about how he leads. He draws a direct line between coaching a team and building an enrollment operation: both are about creating belief, creating the experience before results, and understanding that talent rarely overcomes a bad culture. Austin shares the story of uniting two distinct nursing college cultures—one in Rockford, one in Peoria, two and a half hours apart—with different histories, different demographics, and different ways of doing things. He explains why "buy‑in" is too small of a goal and why shared ownership is the real objective. He walks through his CULTURE framework: clarify the why, understand the terrain, listen before launching, turn committees into coalitions, use data as a mirror, reinforce through relationships, and empower shared ownership. He also makes a provocative case against buying prospect names—a strategy he abandoned not out of philosophy, but out of necessity when his marketing budget was only $40,000. What he discovered was that relevance beats volume, and relationships beat lists. For any enrollment leader, president, or marketing team trying to move a stalled strategy forward, this episode offers a practical, football‑tested framework for putting culture first. Key Takeaways Culture Before Strategy: Strategy tells people what you're going to do. Culture determines whether they'll actually get there. Enrollment problems rarely stem from enrollment challenges—they're usually cultural, communication, or trust issues. Buy In Is Too Small a Goal—Build Shared Ownership: Buy in means the decision has already been made and you're trying to get people to agree. Shared ownership means shaping the decision together. People support what they build. Talent Rarely Overcomes a Bad Culture: Austin has seen great enrollment plans fail because the culture wasn't ready to support them. He's seen talented teams underperform because they weren't aligned. Culture is the foundation. Don't Skip the Listening Phase: The listening phase often gets compressed when leaders are under pressure to move fast. That's where you find who your arrogant leaders are—they think they've already solved it. Good Ideas Don't Spread Just Because They're Good: They spread because people trust who's behind them, understand the idea, and see themselves in it. A good idea without adoption is just a recommendation. Small Colleges Win by Being Human: Don't imitate scale—maximize intimacy. Own your traditions, own your identity, and don't try to be something you're not. The world will try to hate on you if you're inauthentic. The First Question to Ask When Enrollment Stalls: What's your culture? Who's your biggest leader? Are you embracing who you are? Culture determines whether you'll actually get where you're trying to go.   The Signal Newsletter: https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter Find Austin Blair: LinkedIn                               https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-w-b-63a306a6/ OSF HealthCare http://osfhealthcare.org/   And find EdTech Connect here: Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Guest Background(00:02:03) - Coaching Football vs. Enrollment Leadership(00:04:27) - Culture Before Strategy: Merging Two Colleges(00:08:17) - Buy-In vs. Shared Ownership(00:11:39) - The CULTURE Framework Explained(00:16:47) - Moving Away from Buying Prospect Names(00:19:59) - Nursing Enrollment Challenges and Workforce Development(00:23:07) - From Counselor to Director: Getting Ideas Adopted(00:25:36) - Small Colleges vs. Large Universities(00:28:48) - Final Advice and Wrap-Up

    Ep. 108 - Austin Blair: Buy-In Is Too Small of a Goal

  3. Oct 2

    Ep. 107 - Si Elliott: Change Your Shoes, Not Your Software

    What if the biggest problem in higher ed marketing isn't technology, budget, or even strategy—but the fact that we assume students make rational decisions when they're actually driven by emotion, bias, and the simple need to feel like they belong? In this episode, host Jeff Dillon welcomes Si Elliott, founder of Fabrics, a customer experience consultancy that applies behavioral science to how organizations design experiences and relationships. Si also runs Diversity, a creative agency in Nottingham, England, and guest lectures at three universities—including the Communication University of China. He brings a rare outside perspective to higher ed, challenging institutions to stop designing around the needs of the organization and start designing around the experience of the person. He explains why the technology amplifies whatever process is already there—good or bad—and why "marketing is better with psychology." He also breaks down three behavioral biases that could change how enrollment teams communicate: the curse of knowledge, social proof, and peak-end rule. And he offers a simple but powerful challenge to any president or CIO: put on a pair of trainers and a hoodie, walk around campus anonymously, and just observe. Change your shoes.   Key Takeaways   Psychology Is Better Marketing: Marketing isn't just persuasion—it's understanding people so you can serve them better. The goal isn't to trick people into converting; it's to make it easier for them to make the best decision for themselves.   Assume Emotional Decisions, Not Rational Ones: A 17-year-old choosing a university isn't just weighing league tables and employment outcomes. They're asking: "Can I see myself fitting in here? Does this feel like a place for me?" That's hard to track in a CRM, but it's the real question.   Three Biases That Matter Most: The curse of knowledge (you know your institution too well to explain it clearly to others), social proof (students need evidence they'll belong), and peak-end rule (people judge an experience by its emotional peak and its final moment). Use these to redesign open days, communications, and touchpoints.   Technology Amplifies What's Already There: If the underlying process is broken, technology will make it broken faster. Before buying a new platform, ask: are we fixing a process problem, an ownership problem, or a human understanding problem?   Don't Confuse Efficiency with Experience: AI and automation can streamline operations, but they can also strip the warmth out of a relationship. If an airline's automated messages leave a stranded passenger with no human contact for 72 hours, the technology is working against the brand.   The Value of Toil: Learning happens when you work through a problem yourself. AI shortcuts can rob students of the struggle that leads to true understanding. The future of education isn't competing with AI on processing—it's competing on context, nuance, creativity, and the human touch.   Map the Journey, Find the Friction: A customer experience audit starts with mapping the full journey—exploration, open days, offers, registration, student life—and identifying moments of high emotion or high friction. That's where you focus your attention.   Change Your Shoes: If you're a president, CIO, or marketing leader, put on a pair of trainers, jeans, and a hoodie. Walk around campus anonymously. Attend an open day. Buy a student a coffee and just listen. Observe body... Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction to Cy Elliott(00:01:57) - A frustrating airline experience(00:04:47) - Why psychology, not just marketing(00:07:39) - Comparing higher ed and corporate customer experience(00:10:50) - How students actually make decisions(00:13:40) - Key behavioral biases for enrollment teams(00:16:06) - Technology as amplifier, not solution(00:19:39) - Auditing the student experience for friction(00:22:00) - Rethinking the application process(00:23:15) - AI's impact on what students expect from lecturers(00:25:39) - Comparing UK and Chinese student experiences(00:27:47) - Practical steps for resource-limited teams(00:28:42) - Final advice: walk in the student's shoes(00:30:24) - Closing and sign-off

    Ep. 107 - Si Elliott: Change Your Shoes, Not Your Software

  4. Sep 25

    Ep. 106 - Jeffrey Stepakoff: Content Is What You Put in a Sofa

    What happens when a veteran TV writer—whose credits include The Wonder Years, Dawson's Creek, and Disney's Tarzan—decides to build a film school inside North America's largest soundstage complex? You get a model that challenges nearly every assumption higher ed has about where learning happens, who should teach it, and what students actually need to succeed. In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Jeffrey Stepakoff, founder of the Georgia Film Academy and now President and co-founder of the Trilith Institute. Jeffrey has spent 40 years in entertainment, has over 1 million books in print, and has built two groundbreaking programs that bridge the gap between academia and industry. The Georgia Film Academy grew to serve 2,500 students a year across 30 institutions, helping grow Georgia's film production spending from $2 billion to $4.4 billion during his tenure. Now at Trilith, Jeffrey is taking the model further—launching "Semester at Trilith," a 15-week, 15-credit immersive program that drops students into a working studio environment. He argues that in an era of AI abundance, the most valuable thing we can teach isn't craft—it's taste, critical thinking, and the ability to discern what stories actually deserve to be told. For anyone in higher ed wrestling with questions of workforce relevance, industry partnerships, or the future of experiential learning, this episode offers a bold, practical, and deeply human vision.  Key Takeaways  Partnership Is the Engine of Success: The Georgia Film Academy succeeded because it brought together labor unions, state leadership, production studios, and 30 higher education institutions—including universities, technical colleges, and private schools—all aligned around a shared goal.  Credit Portability Is a Political Problem, Not a Technical One: The mechanics of transferring credits are doable. The challenge is institutional anxiety about losing students and resources. The solution is a consortium model with an R1 institution (like Clemson) serving as the accrediting body—similar to a semester-at-sea model.  Own Less, Access More: Institutions shouldn't be building their own soundstages or buying equipment that will be obsolete in 18 months. The future is about buying access to industry infrastructure, not owning it. Trilith partners with a 34-soundstage complex so students train on professional equipment in a professional environment.  In an Age of Abundance, Taste and Curation Are the Valuable Skills: AI can generate endless content. The scarce skill is knowing what deserves to be made—developing taste, critical thinking, and the ability to discern what stories matter and why.  What Do You Have to Say? Craft can be taught in a weekend. The deeper question is: who are you as a person? What stories are only you equipped to tell? That's what educators should be spending their time on.  The Goal Is to Build a New Creative Hub, Not Just a Factory: Georgia grew its production infrastructure to serve Hollywood. But the real opportunity is to build a self-sustaining industry based on original intellectual property—where writers, directors, and creators live, work, and tell stories that originate in the region.  Economic Impact Requires Measurable Metrics: To convince legislators and policymakers, programs must track outcomes—credit hours, job placements, industry spend. Accountability builds credibility and long-term investment.  The Future of Higher Ed Is About Partnership, Not Replacement... Chapters (00:00:00) - What is content?(00:00:44) - Jeffrey Stepakov on the Georgia Film Academy(00:02:07) - The Hardest Place In The World(00:02:51) - In the Elevator With Georgia Film Academy's Founder(00:06:23) - Getting the institutions to join the film and television consortium(00:08:42) - Clemson on Campus and Credit Portability(00:14:38) - Film Programs and the Equipment Problem(00:16:28) - Higher Ed: The Need for AI Skills(00:18:07) - What is content in a world of abundance?(00:20:17) - The role of the university(00:21:24) - What should we be teaching students?(00:25:04) - Georgia's film and television industry(00:29:56) - The Signal: Where Learning happens

    Ep. 106 - Jeffrey Stepakoff: Content Is What You Put in a Sofa

  5. Sep 18

    Ep. 105 -Michael Leggs: The Essay Was Never Evidence of Thinking

    What if the real crisis AI has exposed in higher education isn't student dishonesty, but the fact that we've been treating final papers as evidence of thinking—when AI can now simulate that thinking in seconds? In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Michael Leggs, who has taught English at St. Paul College for 21 years and is the founder of Smartlby, an AI‑powered revision tutor designed to help students strengthen their writing through guided reflection—without writing for them. Michael brings a rare perspective: he's not a technologist or an administrator talking about AI in the abstract. He's the person reading the papers, watching students struggle, and redesigning assignments in real time. Michael argues that detection software is a triage response, not a long‑term solution. The deeper problem is that our curriculum and assessment models were already fragile—AI just made it visible. He explains why surveillance tools create environments of mistrust, why revision should be treated as evidence of thinking, and how tools like Smartlby can guide students through a Socratic dialogue about their own writing without ever rewriting a single sentence. For any faculty member, department chair, or academic leader trying to figure out what actually works in the AI era, this episode offers a grounded, practical, and deeply human perspective.  Key Takeaways  The Real Problem Isn't Cheating—It's Assessment Design: AI didn't create the problem; it exposed a weakness that was already there. We've been treating final papers as evidence of thinking, but AI can now simulate that product. The solution isn't more surveillance—it's redesigning how we assess learning.  Detection Software Is a Triage Response, Not a Solution: Institutions rushed to buy detection tools because it was something they could control. But surveillance creates environments of mistrust—students know we don't trust them, and that damages the learning relationship.  Revision Is Evidence of Thinking: The shift needs to be from product assessment to process assessment. When a student revises, they are thinking. Tools that track revision give instructors visible evidence of that thinking process.  Process Assessment Is Instructionally Scalable—Not Just Technically Scalable: Many tools are technically scalable (they work at scale) but not instructionally scalable (they don't actually help teachers teach better). Smartlby was designed by a teacher with 21 years of classroom experience, so it solves problems faculty actually face.  AI Closes the Production Gap—But the Learning Gap Is Still Open: Students can produce more effectively with AI assistance. But producing more isn't the same as learning more. The goal should be to close the learning gap, not just the production gap.  Redesign Starts at the Grassroots Level: Faculty sharing ideas about how they're redesigning assignments is where real change begins. It doesn't have to be a top‑down mandate. Department‑level collaboration on assignment types can create scalable, shared solutions.  Surveillance Tools Should Be Abolished in Five Years: Michael's hope is that within five years, institutions will stop policing student writing and instead focus on ethical AI use, assistive tools, and redesigning assignments that actually teach students how to think—not just how to produce.   The Signal Newsletter: https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter  ... Chapters (00:00:00) - The Real Problem with AI in Higher Education(00:02:11) - The Name of Smartlby(00:03:02) - What Pulled You Back into the Classroom?(00:04:47) - The Tipping Point for Academic Writing(00:06:44) - SmartAlby on How to Prevent Student Cheating(00:15:41) - Does generative AI Close the Production Gap?(00:21:33) - How to Keep AI Out of the Composition Classroom

    Ep. 105 -Michael Leggs: The Essay Was Never Evidence of Thinking

  6. Sep 11

    Ep. 104 - Raffi DerSimonian: Ikigai and purpose driven paths

    Jeff talks to Raffi DerSimonian, VP and Chief Strategy Officer at ERI, a digital agency that has been building for colleges and universities since 2005. Raffi came up on the institutional side—alumni relations at Becker College, then marketing and communications at Maine College of Art—before moving to the agency side. He brings a rare combination: deep empathy for campus dynamics and a strategist's eye for what actually moves the needle. Raffi shares the story behind ikiGuide.ai, a tool that takes the Japanese concept of Ikigai—the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for—and turns it into a guided college search experience. Instead of handing a student a list of programs, ikiGuide gives them a path and the reasoning behind it, pulling in not just curricular offerings but also clubs, activities, study abroad, and stories of students and alumni who have walked similar paths. The conversation also tackles the shifting role of the college website in an AI-driven discovery landscape. Raffi argues that with nearly half of prospective students now consulting AI before visiting a website, the site's purpose is no longer to provide facts—it's to provide a "vibe check," a sense of connection, and evidence that a student can see themselves there. He also offers a sobering challenge to institutions: if your differentiators sound like they could apply to any school in America, it's time to go back to the drawing board.   Key Takeaways  Start with Purpose, Not a Major: The traditional college search process begins with "what do you want to study?"—a question many 17‑year‑olds can't answer. ikiguide flips that by asking who you are, what brings you joy, and what you're good at, then connecting those answers to a full ecosystem of opportunities.  Only 30% of Gen Z Students Feel Prepared for Life After High School: According to Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation, the majority of students enter higher education without a clear sense of direction. Colleges have a responsibility to help them explore, not just funnel them into a predetermined path.  The College Website's Role Has Shifted from Facts to Vibe: With nearly half of prospective students now consulting AI before ever visiting a site, the website is no longer the primary source of information. Its job is to provide a sense of connection, evidence of differentiation, and a clear path forward—all within the first three seconds.  AI Is Moving the Discovery Upstream—But Websites Still Matter: Students are coming to websites already briefed by AI, with comparisons and assumptions already formed. The site needs to validate that they can see themselves there, not just repeat the facts they already know.  Personalization Requires Judiciousness: Over‑personalization can backfire if the institution can't fulfill the expectations it creates. The safer approach is to let users opt in to sharing their interests and then use that data to surface relevant opportunities—not to make assumptions about them.  Write for Both Humans and the Machines That Read for Them: AI is now summarizing institutions on behalf of students. Content needs to be findable for AI while still resonating with the human who will eventually read it. The line between the two is blurring rapidly.  Differentiation Is the Only Defense Against Sameness: Most higher ed websites look and feel identical. Institutions that clearly articulate what sets them apart—with evidence, not just claims—are the ones that win attention in... Chapters (00:00:00) - The Signal: The Future of Higher Ed Websites(00:01:51) - In the Elevator With a Consultant(00:04:31) - Exploring Ikigai: The College Search(00:14:36) - The Future of the University Website(00:20:21) - Will Higher Ed Content Be Personalized by AI?(00:24:25) - Higher Ed: The Need for Personalization(00:28:42) - The Future of Higher Ed: Reimagining the Signal

    Ep. 104 - Raffi DerSimonian: Ikigai and purpose driven paths

  7. Sep 4

    Ep. 103 - Jenny Petty: The Alignment Gap That's Bankrupting Higher Ed Marketing

    Jeff Dillon talks to Jenny Petty, Vice President of Industry Relations and Advisory Services at Simpson Scarborough, who has spent over a decade inside higher ed—most recently as VP of Marketing Communications at the University of Montana, where she helped reverse a decade‑long enrollment decline. Jenny brings a rare combination of private‑sector marketing experience (including growing a Facebook community from under 200 to over 1 million at IGT, working with brands like Dolly Parton and Family Guy) and deep institutional knowledge. Jenny doesn't hold back. She argues that many CMOs are operating from fear disguised as prudence—dressing up inaction as "getting more buy‑in" or "the campus isn't ready." She challenges the instinct to centralize everything when things feel chaotic, warning that org chart changes often mask deeper alignment problems. She introduces the concept of "alignment debt"—the organizational equivalent of technical debt—that compounds quietly until it becomes one of the most expensive problems an institution faces. For anyone leading marketing, enrollment, or institutional strategy, this episode offers both a diagnosis of what's broken and a framework—assess, align, activate—for actually fixing it.   Key Takeaways Fear Disguised as Prudence Is Holding Marketing Back: Many CMOs are afraid—afraid of exposure, afraid of making a public mistake. That fear gets dressed up as "getting more buy‑in" or "socializing the idea more." The result is inaction. The institutions that need to change most are the ones that can least afford to wait. Alignment Debt Is the New Technical Debt: Just like technical debt, unresolved misalignment in people, processes, and decision rights compounds quietly until it becomes one of the most expensive problems an institution faces. It shows up in missed enrollment goals, budget crises, and systems that break at the worst possible moment. The Scope of the CMO Role Has Become Unmanageable: Job descriptions for higher ed CMOs read like seven jobs in one—crisis communicator, media relations, digital transformation lead, enrollment partner, and more. Marketing can't fix problems with the academic portfolio, pricing, or leadership misalignment. That's not a marketing problem—it's an institutional problem. Political Savvy Is Necessary—But It Can Become Self‑Protection: You have to be political in these jobs. But the moment political maneuvering starts protecting your own position instead of serving the mission, it stops being leadership. Know your warning signs. Ask yourself: "Am I building healthy coalition, or am I being manipulative?" Assess, Align, Activate Is a Flywheel, Not a One‑Time Process: The activation stage exposes false agreement. It reveals even more misalignment that you would have missed if you skipped from assessment straight to activation. Continuous improvement requires cycling through all three stages repeatedly. AI Is Moving Production Work Upstream—Design Around That: AI is making production cheaper and faster. The question isn't whether to use AI tools—it's what humans should be doing when production is no longer the constraint. Judgment, synthesis, creativity, institutional knowledge, and relationship‑building are all moving upstream. Managing Decline Is Not Stability: Growth, stasis, and managed decline are all strategies. But many campuses act like they're in a growth strategy while actually managing decline—and the misalignment shows up in budget, resources, and morale. Marketing leaders need to be at the table helping to resolve institutional contradictions, not just communicating outcomes after decisions are made. The Signal New... Chapters (00:00:00) - What do you want your marketing leaders to do in the future?(00:00:45) - Jenny Petty on The Higher Ed Marketer(00:02:25) - CMOs: From Coal Miner to Rodeo Cowgirl(00:04:09) - What Did Working in Higher Ed Teach Me About Marketing?(00:10:48) - The Alignment Gap in Higher Ed(00:19:11) - The 3 Stages of organizational change(00:21:46) - What does an AI Ready Marketing Structure look like?(00:25:19) - In the Elevator With Consultants(00:27:03) - What can you say now about the CMO role(00:28:48) - What Higher Ed Marketing Needs

    Ep. 103 - Jenny Petty: The Alignment Gap That's Bankrupting Higher Ed Marketing

  8. Aug 28

    Ep. 102 - John Fees: The Insurance Founder Who Says His Own Company Shouldn't Have to Exist

    What if the best measure of an insurance company's success isn't how many claims it denies, but how many it pays—and how many of those students re-enroll? In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with John Fees, co-founder and CEO of GradGuard, a fintech company that has protected more than two million students across 750 colleges and universities. John brings a rare perspective: he's a founder who built his first company in higher ed in 1999, sold companies to Viacom and JP Morgan Chase, and has spent three decades at the intersection of education, finance, and technology. But here's the thing: John believes GradGuard shouldn't have to exist. He argues that the cost of college has become unsustainable, and that the student loan default crisis isn't about over-borrowing—it's about students leaving school without graduating. Health issues, mental health crises, and other disruptions are the primary drivers, and most schools don't even track how many students leave for legitimate medical reasons. John shares how GradGuard flipped the insurance industry's scoreboard—measuring success by claims paid rather than claims denied, and tracking re-enrollment rates (currently around 75%). He also introduces the concept of "decision design," explaining how universities shape student outcomes through choices families don't even realize they're making. For any enrollment leader, CFO, or student affairs professional thinking about retention, student risk, and the financial realities families face, this episode offers a deeply human perspective on a problem hiding in plain sight. Key Takeaways GradGuard Shouldn't Have to Exist: John believes the cost of college is the root problem. If education were more affordable and schools were more generous with refunds, tuition insurance wouldn't be necessary. But the reality is that most families can't afford the financial loss of a disrupted semester. Student Loan Default Is About Dropouts, Not Over-Borrowing: The real crisis isn't that students borrow too much—it's that they leave school without graduating. If you don't finish, you don't get the ROI. That's the problem GradGuard was built to address. Health Issues Are the Premier Reason Students Leave: According to Lumina and Gallup studies, health issues—including mental health—are at the top of the list of reasons students don't persist. Mental health isn't a "disorder" to be treated differently than physical health; it's a legitimate reason for withdrawal. GradGuard Measures Success by Claims Paid, Not Claims Denied: The insurance industry traditionally tracks profitability by denying claims. GradGuard flipped that model. The real measure of success is: did the student re-enroll? Currently, about 75% of students who file a claim return to the same school. Decision Design Is Hiding in Plain Sight: Universities shape student outcomes through forced decisions—living on campus, meal plans, health insurance—that families don't always realize are choices. CFOs and enrollment leaders are decision architects. Helping families make informed decisions benefits everyone. Trust Has to Come Before the Transaction: In higher ed, trust is everything. The objection GradGuard hears most is: "We don't want families to think about bad outcomes." But ignoring the risk doesn't make it go away. Transparency builds trust. Tuition Insurance Is Affordable at Scale: When schools partner with GradGuard, the cost is around 1.2% of tuition—about $120 for $10,000 of coverage. Without a school partnership, it's twice as expensive. The spread of risk across a large pool makes it affordable. Don't Go to School Without Protection: John's advice to families: know the school's refund policy. Don't assume a nonprofit... Chapters (00:00:00) - Not every degree is worth the same(00:00:44) - John Fees on Higher Education and the Future(00:02:12) - Bill Sonneson: The Crossroads of Higher Ed(00:06:53) - Grad Guard: Why It Shouldn't Be Expensive(00:11:06) - Gradguard: The College Enrollment Process(00:17:00) - Markel on Higher Ed Decision Design(00:21:17) - Enrollment Cliff: The College Professions(00:24:29) - Benefits of Brightguard for College Students(00:27:07) - Have We Reached a Mission in Higher Ed?(00:29:02) - Grad Guard: The One Risk Students Should Know

    Ep. 102 - John Fees: The Insurance Founder Who Says His Own Company Shouldn't Have to Exist
See All (109)

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

With more than 570,000 downloads, The Signal is the podcast for higher education’s innovative leaders. Hosted by Jeff Dillon, The Signal cuts through the noise to bring you the strategic insights needed to reshape how institutions recruit, support, and retain students. Every Friday, I talk to the practitioners and technology builders who are actively defining the next decade of campus life. Why Higher Ed Leaders Listen: In one of the most consequential periods for academia, we move past the hype to focus on Human-Centered Innovation. Our episodes feature deep-dive interviews with guest experts focusing on the "real work" of institutional evolution. Core Topics & AI Strategy: * Artificial Intelligence: Practical AI adoption, governance, and the "Human in the Loop" mindset. * Enrollment Marketing: Modern recruitment strategies and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). * Student Success: Data-driven retention, mental health, and digital engagement. * Institutional Transformation: Navigating digital transformation with a focus on workforce readiness and AVPs reimagining student care. Whether you are a C-suite leader, IT Director, or Faculty member, join our community of 110,000+ professionals and subscribe to The Signal Newsletter at EdTechConnect.com to stay ahead of the curve.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Dillon
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © EdTech Connect Inc 2024 - 2026
  • Show Website
    The Signal

You Might Also Like