The Connected College Podcast with Elliot Felix

Elliot Felix
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The Connected College Podcast provides leadership strategies for student success. Join Elliot Felix for insightful interviews with higher ed innovators along with the stories, stats, and strategies he's learned as a consultant to 100+ institutions. Let's create better connected colleges and universities where students find belonging, feel supported, and connect their courses to rewarding careers.

  1. 54m ago

    Ellucian Live Presentation and Panel Discussion on Workforce Development

    How can institutions bridge the gap between traditional academic programs and dynamic labor market needs? How can you move from one-off internships and class projects to build true partnerships? What role can data, technology, and systems play? What strategies can you use to combat organizational silos and institutional risk-aversion? In this special episode from a session at the Ellucian Live Conference, Elliot Felix presents the whitepaper he partnered with Ellucian on and then facilitates a panel discussion on these questions with Noah Brown from Ellucian, Rupa Saran from Coast Community College District, Antwon Foreman from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Norman Palmer from Complete College America.  Episode Highlights include: [6:10] Elliot Felix shares highlights from the Ellucian whitepaper “Understand, Align, and Partner so that Students Succeed and Employers Excel”  [16:15] Noah Brown talks about how colleges can build the trust with companies to enable workforce development even when proprietary technology is involved, for instance with electric vehicles [18:13] Antwon Foreman reveals the power of using co-curricular activities to build interest, momentum, and trust that sparks curriculum change and in the process reach 6,000+ students annual [27:10 Rupa Saran discusses the development of a common cloud among California Community Colleges so that they can share data and avoid reinventing the wheel at each institution [29:35] Norman Palmer shares the importance of lowering the stakes through pilot projects to make it safe to fail fast, learn, and improve – and doing this not alone but with peers and partners so you can learn together.

    39 min

  2. 4d ago ·  Bonus

    Jeff Doyle, Suzanne Rivera, and James Vasquez on Belonging [Webinar]

    How can institutions define and measure belonging? What are inspirational examples of programs, spaces, and support services that foster it? How is student belonging changing, and how can folks adapt? In a LinkedIn Live Webinar, Elliot Felix talked through these questions with Suzanne Rivera the President at Macalester College, Jeff Doyle the Executive Director of Student Support at UT Austin, and James Vasquez the Associate Dean of Operations and Strategy at the USC Annenberg School. They share different perspectives along with the programs and places they’ve used to foster belonging and drive student success – from environments to athletics to communications and more. Episode Highlights include: [5:47] The Book's Big Ideas - Host Elliot Felix defines student belonging using research proving that connected first-year students are 41% more likely to be retained into year two. [8:18] The Power of One Question - Jeff Doyle shares how asking students if they feel like they belong is five times more predictive of retention than 100 other variables. [15:06] Spaces Built for Synergy - James Vasquez explains how USC Annenberg used cross-collaborative stakeholder workshops to design a highly utilized, multi-departmental campus facility. [19:11] Mapping the Student Journey - President Suzanne Rivera details how Macalester College used student heat maps to transform their main administrative building into a student-facing hub. [44:31] Human Connections Over Bots - The panel analyzes why automated AI chatbots are short-term fixes, advocating instead for peer-to-peer leadership and scaling high-touch human relationships.

    50 min

  3. May 27

    Chrysoula Malogianni on Digital Transformation for Student Success

    How do we define student success holistically across the full end-to-end experience? How can institutions use digital transformation to catalyze improvements rather than just overlaying new technologies? How do leaders effectively manage adoption, operations, and process redesign to continuously adapt? We talk through these with Chrysoula Malogianni, the Chief Digital Experience Officer at Old Dominion University. Together, we explore actionable strategies for dismantling institutional silos and cultivating a highly connected campus ecosystem that drives long-term student retention and achievement. Episode Highlights include: [00:00] Redefining Student Success - Discover why modern student success requires moving beyond lagging metrics like graduation rates toward real-time engagement data, digital literacy, and a holistic student journey. [04:15] Breaking Institutional Silos - Learn how strategic digital transformation removes technical friction and integrates separate campus departments to create a single, seamless digital experience for learners. [09:30] Emerging EdTech Trends - Explore the massive shifts reshaping higher education, including the rise of accelerated asynchronous learning, micro-credentials, and applied artificial intelligence ecosystems. [15:45] Culture Over Technology - Understand why successful change management depends entirely on supporting human talent, clear organizational communication, and intentional cultural alignment rather than just buying software. [22:10] Building Intelligent Ecosystems - Uncover actionable strategies for using systems-thinking to design an interconnected, cross-disciplinary campus environment capable of sustaining long-term institutional innovation.

    29 min

  4. May 13

    Scott Carlson and Ned Laff on Hacking Colleges vs. Connecting Them

    Should we *hack* colleges so students link their courses, clubs, and careers on their own? Or should we *connect* colleges with strategy that breaks down silos so that students succeed? What role do culture, policies, and technology play in how easy or hard they are to navigate? When you want to make progress, where do you start – is it top-down or bottom up? In this special episode, Elliot discusses this with Scott Carlson and Ned Laff, authors of Hacking College. Episode Highlights include: [07:08] Holistic Student Success - Ned Laff explains why success should be measured ethically, intellectually, and marketably rather than just by salary. [15:10] Co-location for Engagement - Elliot Felix shares how moving academic advising into the library significantly increased student traffic and resource usage. [20:41] Policy as Scar Tissue - A look into how excessive bureaucracy and rules can stifle institutional agility and prevent meaningful collaboration. [24:43] The Audit and Map Exercise - A simple strategy for institutional leaders to visualize their services and identify opportunities for consolidation. [33:14] Hacking the Major - A creative "hack" for students to bypass departmental restrictions by declaring and then dropping a major to access specific courses.

    41 min

  5. May 5

    Francesca Schuler on Building EQ Habits for Student Success

    How can you build the skills and habits around empathy and emotional intelligence to elevate students' EQ so that they can be effective, inspiring leaders and people who can just get stuff done and move things forward? What are the habits and norms from phones and social media that we all have to unlearn to do this? How does this help students show up differently in school, work, and life? We talk through these questions with Francesca Schuler, Executive Director of Dialogue Vanderbilt. Episode Highlights include: [04:49] The High IQ vs. High EQ Balance - Francesca explains how leadership is defined by the ability to navigate diverse opinions and why elite students need to balance their intelligence with emotional dialogue habits. [10:14] Unlearning Digital Communication Habits - A look at how technology and social media have trained us to react with "hot takes" and performative emojis instead of engaging in authentic, nuanced conversation. [12:12] Listening to Learn vs. Listening to Win - Schuler breaks down practical daily habits, such as asking with curiosity and assuming goodwill, to overcome the polarization currently seen in society. [14:45] The Power of Tech-Free Spaces - The success of the "Vandy Speakeasy" program illustrates how creating a "third place" without phones can foster deep, two-hour-long multi-generational conversations. [26:58] Rebranding "Soft Skills" as "Essential Skills" - A final call to action to treat emotional intelligence as a critical, non-optional requirement for success in both the classroom and the professional workplace.

    32 min

  6. Apr 28

    Courtney Brown on Perception vs. Reality on the Value of Higher Ed

    How wide is the gap between what the media says about the value of a degree and what students are actually experiencing? In this episode, Elliot talks through this with Courtney Brown, Vice President of Strategic Impact at the Lumina Foundation, to deconstruct their recent "Reality Check" research conducted with Gallup. By comparing hard data against public perception for three pillars of the student experience – belonging, career readiness, and affordability – we explore how institutions better communicate value and increase actual value through high-impact strategies like work-integrated learning. Episode Highlights include: [03:52] Defining Success as Economic Prosperity - Courtney Brown explains why Lumina Foundation views student success through the lens of credentials that lead to good jobs and stronger communities. [05:58] The Attainment Milestone - Discover how the U.S. moved from 38% to 55% degree attainment since 2009 and what the 75% goal for 2040 looks like. [09:56] The Confidence Crisis - Courtney breaks down the alarming drop in public confidence in higher ed and identifies the three primary reasons behind the shift. [11:38] Myth Busting Campus Politics - Despite headlines about polarization, data reveals that over 70% of students feel free to share their opinions regardless of political affiliation. [20:00] Career Readiness & Work-Integrated Learning - A discussion on why 90% of students feel they are learning the right skills and how institutions can better bridge the gap to the workforce.

    29 min

  7. Apr 21

    Susan McCahan on Integrating Experiential Learning Opportunities

    How can you make a variety of experiential learning opportunities accessible to all students? How might student projects make an impact internally with the institution as client and externally for companies and community groups? What barriers might you (and students) encounter and how can you get over, around, or through them? We talk through these with Susan McCahan, Vice Provost for Innovations in Undergraduate Education at the University of Toronto. Episode Highlights include:  [03:54] Defining the Experiential Learning Menu – Susan McCahan defines experiential learning broadly at the University of Toronto, ranging from traditional co-ops and internships to undergraduate research and specialized work-study roles. [05:24] Data-Driven Student Success – The Vice Provost’s office utilizes work-study students to analyze institutional data, identifying key correlations between co-curricular involvement and higher student retention rates. [11:46] Navigating Intellectual Property – To reduce friction for partners and faculty, the university provides clear resources on IP ownership, distinguishing between corporate-owned placement work and student-owned course projects. [18:07] Building Professional Confidence – Engaging with community clients, such as designing solutions for a local women's shelter, shifts student focus from simple grade attainment to understanding the real-world impact of their professional identity. [25:35] Addressing Accessibility Barriers – The university is focused on creating a "smooth handoff" for students with disabilities and financial constraints to ensure experiential opportunities are inclusive and frictionless

    31 min

  8. Apr 13

    Mike Nietzel and Chuck Ambrose on Votes of No Confidence

    What causes the tensions that lead to votes of No Confidence? What are the impacts of these disconnects on student success? What can institutions do to proactively avoid these through orientation, education, communication, org design, and more? We discuss these questions with Mike Nietzel and Chuck Ambrose, authors of No Confidence: When College Faculty Turn Against Their Presidents. Available here on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0iKrGHka

    31 min
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The Connected College Podcast provides leadership strategies for student success. Join Elliot Felix for insightful interviews with higher ed innovators along with the stories, stats, and strategies he's learned as a consultant to 100+ institutions. Let's create better connected colleges and universities where students find belonging, feel supported, and connect their courses to rewarding careers.

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