About the Episode
About the Episode:
In this episode, the guests from Palm Beach State College discuss community colleges’ essential role in workforce development and economic support. Join Maya and her three guests, Edward Willey, Belinda Mouradian, and Matt Lenihan, as they explore the strategies and challenges of building robust partnerships with local businesses and the community. Learn how to stay connected to your community’s needs and how to promote colleges existing programs and custom training opportunities to support local employers. This episode is a must-listen for educators, community leaders, and anyone interested in the symbiotic relationship between educational institutions and economic growth.
The Vital Role of Community Colleges
Maya kicks off the discussion by highlighting the often-overlooked role of community colleges in supporting local employers and boosting the economy. Community colleges like Palm Beach State play a crucial role in preparing students for the workforce and addressing the evolving needs of local industries.
Introducing the Team
Edward Willey: With 35 years of experience in higher education, Edward has been instrumental in expanding Palm Beach State’s health science programs. He works closely with business partners, clinical affiliates, and local officials to ensure the college’s offerings align with community needs.
Belinda Mouradian: As the Associate Dean for Health Sciences, Belinda oversees health science programs across five campuses. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the diverse needs of the county and maintaining strong relationships with local partners.
Matt Lenihan: Joining the college a year and a half ago, Matt focuses on connecting business partners with internal programs, managing internships, and job placements, and tracking partnerships. His approach involves building trust and understanding the needs of both the college and its partners.
Overcoming Challenges and Expanding Partnerships
Managing Growth and Resources: Edward discusses the challenges of managing growth and resources while maintaining access to programs. He emphasizes the importance of strong partnerships where employers view Palm Beach State students as their own, creating a vested interest in their success.
Addressing Healthcare Needs: Belinda highlights the increasing demand for healthcare graduates and the college’s efforts to expand cohorts and internship programs. She underscores the importance of staying attuned to community needs and leveraging internal and external partnerships to support these initiatives.
A New Approach to Tracking and Managing Partnerships
Surveying Internal Programs: Matt implemented a survey to gather information on existing partnerships and identify gaps. This data-driven approach helped streamline efforts and ensure that the college could effectively respond to community needs without duplicating efforts.
Utilizing CRM Tools: The college leverages a CRM tool, Razor’s Edge, to track and document external engagements. This tool, originally used by the foundation team, has been adapted to include business and community relations, providing a comprehensive view of the college’s partnerships.
Measuring Success and Building Awareness
Advisory Councils: Matt and Belinda agree that active participation in advisory councils is a critical success metric. These councils provide valuable feedback on the curriculum and help ensure that the college’s programs meet industry needs.
Internships and Job Placements: Successful internships and job placements are also key indicators of success. These opportunities allow students to gain practical experience and often lead to full-time employment upon graduation.
Storytelling and Co-branded Initiatives: Matt shares the power of storytelling in building awareness and trust. By creating co-branded landing pages with business partners, the college highlights success stories and makes it easy for employees to return to school and advance their careers.
Advice for Other Community Colleges
Be Active and Persistent: Matt advises colleges to be active in the community, build relationships, and be persistent in outreach efforts. Understanding the needs of businesses and aligning programs accordingly is crucial for success.
Leverage Existing Tools: Edward emphasizes the importance of learning from peers and leveraging existing tools and resources to enhance programs and partnerships.
Celebrate Successes: Belinda underscores the value of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of students and partners. This not only strengthens relationships but also showcases the college’s impact on the community.
Key Takeaways:
- Insight into how community colleges like Palm Beach State College support local economies through strategic partnerships with businesses and community organizations.
- Ideas for adapting and expanding educational offerings based on changing community needs and employment trends to better meet workforce demands.
- Tips for improving coordination across campuses and departments to ensure effective program delivery and partnership management.
- Guidance on using CRM tools to track and document interactions and partnerships for organized and measurable engagement.
- Strategies for integrating regular feedback from community and industry partners to maintain program relevance and strengthen community trust.
About the Show: The Hidden Gem podcast is dedicated to empowering community college presidents, executive team members, enrollment, marketing and communication leaders with the knowledge and insights they need to harness the full potential of strategic marketing and communications within their institutions. This podcast aims to shed light on the often-overlooked aspects of marketing, emphasizing its vital role in shaping an institution's overall strategy and success.
By showcasing real-world examples, case studies, and interviews with experienced community college leaders and industry experts, the podcast will inspire its audience to view marketing and communication as integral components of their leadership toolkit, not an ancillary service. It aims to elevate the importance of these functions and empower leaders to make more informed and strategic decisions in their roles.
Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Hidden Gem: Marketing Community Colleges is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:
Exciting news — Maya will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $99! This early bird pricing lasts until March 31.
Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!
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