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In Your Element

Where leadership meets real talk, this podcast is packed with practical tips, best practices, and real-world use cases from Element451 users. We bring in leading voices from the field – from savvy higher ed IT leaders to visionary college presidents – to share their experiences and insights.
Live at AMA: Outcomes Over Enrollments: A New Approach to Student Retention and Success

Live at AMA: Outcomes Over Enrollments: A New Approach to Student Retention and Success

Brendan reconnects with Michael Bettersworth, CMO at Texas State Technical College (TSTC), to delve into critical trends and challenges impacting higher education.

listen now

November 20, 2024

Live at AMA: Aligning Missions to Empower Student Success

Live at AMA: Aligning Missions to Empower Student Success

Recorded live at AMA in Las Vegas, Brendan sits down with Mike Margolies, CEO of NextGrad, and Ryan Barbauld, VP of College Partnerships, to explore the innovative ways they’re transforming out-of-home advertising in higher education.

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November 15, 2024

Episode 18: Smarter Student Support: How USI’s AI-Powered ArchieBot Fills the Gaps

Episode 18: Smarter Student Support: How USI’s AI-Powered ArchieBot Fills the Gaps

Brandi Hess from USI shares how their AI chatbot, Archie, powered by Element451, revolutionized student support by answering questions, freeing up staff, and highlighting areas for process improvement.

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November 14, 2024

Episode 17: Breaking Records: Villa Maria’s Enrollment Boom

Episode 17: Breaking Records: Villa Maria’s Enrollment Boom

Brian Emerson, Executive VP of Enrollment Management at Villa Maria College, shares how the small, Buffalo-based college achieved record-breaking enrollment growth (15% in 2023 and 14% in 2024).

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October 31, 2024

Live from NCCCS Conference: How Wayne Community College Boosted Enrollment by 11% with Smart Integration

Live from NCCCS Conference: How Wayne Community College Boosted Enrollment by 11% with Smart Integration

Daniella interviews Kelly Sinicola and Jennifer Mayo about the benefits of integrating the CFNC application with Element451, highlighting streamlined admissions, reduced data duplication, and increased efficiency for Wayne Community College.

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October 24, 2024

Episode 16: From Idea to Impact: How Direct Admissions is Shaping Student Success at Southeast Missouri State

Episode 16: From Idea to Impact: How Direct Admissions is Shaping Student Success at Southeast Missouri State

In this episode of In Your Element, co-hosts Daniella Nordin and Brendan Henkel sit down with Lenell Hahn, Director of Admissions at Southeast Missouri State University, to explore the transformative power of direct admissions.

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October 17, 2024

Live from NCCCS Conference: Creating a Culture of Student Readiness at the College of the Albemarle

Live from NCCCS Conference: Creating a Culture of Student Readiness at the College of the Albemarle

In this special live episode from the North Carolina Community College System Conference, Daniella sits down with Kris Burris, Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management at College of the Albemarle.

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October 15, 2024

Episode 15: Leveraging Technology for Student-Centric Leadership

Episode 15: Leveraging Technology for Student-Centric Leadership

In this episode of In Your Element, Brendan Henkel talks with Luis Caloca, Dean of Student Access at the College of Western Idaho (CWI) and winner of the 2024 Student Centric Institution Award.

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October 3, 2024

Episode 14: Transformative Leadership: Guiding Your Campus Through Tech Change

Episode 14: Transformative Leadership: Guiding Your Campus Through Tech Change

In this episode of In Your Element, Cherron R. Hoppes, EdD, shares her extensive experience in higher education leadership, focusing on change management and technology adoption.

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September 19, 2024

Episode 13: From Rodeos to ROI: ABAC's Unique Approach to Student Engagement

Episode 13: From Rodeos to ROI: ABAC's Unique Approach to Student Engagement

In this episode of In Your Element, Daniella and Brendan sit down with Ryan Hogan, VP of Enrollment Management, Marketing, and Communication at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).

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September 5, 2024

Episode 12: How Wake Tech Revolutionized Student Engagement

Episode 12: How Wake Tech Revolutionized Student Engagement

In this episode of "In Your Element," hosts Daniella Nordin and Brendan Henkel sit down with Kathy Taylor, the 2024 Element451 Captain of the Year from Wake Tech.

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August 22, 2024

Episode 11: How Personalization Drove a 20% Enrollment Increase at Hesston College

Episode 11: How Personalization Drove a 20% Enrollment Increase at Hesston College

In this episode of In Your Element, Amber Hett from Hesston College shares the strategies and tools that led to an impressive 20% increase in student enrollment.

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August 8, 2024

Live from eduWeb: How Cypress College Marries Data with Creativity

Live from eduWeb: How Cypress College Marries Data with Creativity

Join Brendan Henkel live from eduWeb 2024 as he chats with Marcie, a communications specialist from Cypress College, about their implementation of Element451

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August 1, 2024

Episode 10: Retention Revolution: How GTCC Keeps Students Coming Back

Episode 10: Retention Revolution: How GTCC Keeps Students Coming Back

In this episode of "In Your Element," we welcome Orna Shearin, CRM Specialist, from Guilford Tech Community College to discuss innovative strategies for student retention and engagement using Element451.

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July 25, 2024

Episode 9: RIT Certified's Breakthrough in Non-Traditional Student Success

Episode 9: RIT Certified's Breakthrough in Non-Traditional Student Success

In this episode of "In Your Element," host Brendan Henkel welcomes Kristina Faller, Director of Marketing and Brand Experience, and Nick Ciccarone, Manager of Data and Systems from RIT Certified.

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July 11, 2024

Episode 8: Shaping the Future of EdTech with Element451

Episode 8: Shaping the Future of EdTech with Element451

In this episode of "In Your Element," the spotlight is on Element451 and its groundbreaking advancements in digital transformation for higher education.

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June 27, 2024

Episode 7: Redefining Recruitment: How Texas State Technical College Boosts Application Success

Episode 7: Redefining Recruitment: How Texas State Technical College Boosts Application Success

About the Episode:In this episode of "In Your Element," we sit down with Michael Bettersworth, Chief Marketing Officer at Texas State Technical College, to explore their pioneering Element451 integration. Michael shares how strategic tech implementation has transformed student enrollment

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June 13, 2024

From RFI to AI: How Salem Community College Implemented a Modern CRM

From RFI to AI: How Salem Community College Implemented a Modern CRM

About the Episode:In this episode of "In Your Element," we welcomed Kelly Schimpf, the Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Services at Salem Community College, to discuss the transformative journey of implementing a new CRM system at her institution.

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May 30, 2024

Episode 5: Streamlined Success: Kellogg Community College’s Journey To User Empowerment With Element451

Episode 5: Streamlined Success: Kellogg Community College’s Journey To User Empowerment With Element451

About the Episode: Jenni Katowski, Director of Admissions at Kellogg Community College, discusses her experiences with Element451 and how it has empowered the team and improved processes. Jenny shares examples of how Element451 has improved Kellogg’s application process, increased student applications, and personalized communication. Jenni highlights Element451’s adaptability and user-friendliness

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May 16, 2024

Episode 4: From No CRM to 1st in Class: Johnston Community College’s Story

Episode 4: From No CRM to 1st in Class: Johnston Community College’s Story

About the Episode: In this episode, Carrie Pitts-Densmore, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Johnston Community College shares how JCC significantly increased student enrollment through innovative strategies and technology adoption. Carrie delves into the role of centralized

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May 2, 2024

Bonus: AI and the Future of Higher Ed Marketing: A Live Conversation from NAGAP

Bonus: AI and the Future of Higher Ed Marketing: A Live Conversation from NAGAP

About the Episode: In this special live episode from the NAGAP GEM Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, Shane Baglini, the Senior Director of Marketing at Muhlenberg College, joins us to discuss the integration of AI tools in higher education marketing and admissions. Shane shares his experiences

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May 1, 2024

People in this episode

Ryan Barbauld

Ryan Barbauld brings a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of the profession and proven track record of driving successful student enrollment strategies.

Amber Hett

Amber Hett, a native of Hesston, KS, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Wichita State University and a Grant Proposal Writing certification from Fort Hays State University

Interviewee

Andrew Flagel

Andrew Flagel is President and CEO of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Consortium member George Washington University, where he served as a regional director of admissions before being appointed as director of admissions for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. He later received his PhD from Michigan State University’s prestigious program in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education while serving as a director in Flint for the University of Michigan, focusing his research on access and inclusion.

Brandi Hess

Brandi Hess is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in graphic and web design.

The Host

Brendan Henkel

Brendan Henkel is the Manager of Solutions Engineering at Element451 and host of In Your Element.

Brian Emerson

Brian Emerson has over 20 years of experience in higher education.

Interviewee

Carrie Pitts-Densmore

Carrie Pitts-Densmore has 25 years of communications experience. She began her career as a television news journalist, where she won a national award for a documentary on domestic violence and covered major news stories in Myrtle Beach, Buffalo, and Raleigh.

Interviewee

Charity Schneeberger

Charity Schneeberger is in her fourth year as Director of Admissions at the University of Valley Forge. During her time in Admissions, enrollment at UVF has grown or held steady each year. In the last year, she has overseen expansion of travel and implementation of a new CRM (Element451). Prior to working in Admissions, Charity’s background was in Institutional Effectiveness.

Cherron R. Hoppes

Cherron Hoppes is a seasoned higher education professional specializing in academic administration.

Interviewee

Christina Ferrari

Christina Ferrari is a student affairs professional currently working at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. She oversees student engagement opportunities including student leadership programs, 25 student organizations, service-learning initiatives, and interprofessional education opportunities for over 1,500 graduate students. Christina is also in the Executive

Interviewee

Cliff Holekamp

Cliff Holekamp is the Cofounder & Managing Director of Cultivation Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm. Cliff was the Founder and President of Foot Healers (sold to private equity in 2007). He was also the Professor of Practice and Academic Director for Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis where he was named one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurship Professors in the World and where he led the entrepreneurship program from its infancy to being ranked #1 in the world (Inc. Magazine, 2019 & 2020).

Interviewee

Colum Cronin

Colum is a co-host of the award winning Adventures in Advising podcast, and also the Irish NFL Show. Currently the Senior International Officer at Dublin City University, Colum has been working in the Higher Education sector for over 15 years. With experience and expertise across academic advising, student support, recruitment, international affairs, and program development. Colum is passionate about elevating student voices and empowering cross cultural collaboration.

The Host

Daniella Nordin

Daniella Nordin is the Director of Customer Success and Engagement at Element451 and the host of In Your Element.

Eric Range

Eric Range brings nearly 20 years of higher education and EdTech experience to his role as Element451’s VP of Product.

Interviewee

Gretchen LeVan

Gretchen LeVan is entering her sixth year as the Director of Athletics at the University of Valley Forge, and eleventh year as Head Women’s Basketball Coach. Prior to becoming the helm of the department, LeVan served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for five years. During her time at UVF, LeVan re-branded the department with creating a new mission statement, vision statement, and pillars of stability, as well as developing the Patriot Way, a student-athlete handbook. She piloted the Patriots in becoming a core member of the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) and established UVF’s athletic recruitment strategy, the Patriot All-Academic Team, and the addition of Men’s Volleyball as a varsity sport.

Interviewee

Jenni Kotowski

Jenni currently serves as the Director of Admissions at Kellogg Community College which is located in Battle Creek, MI. A Michigan native, Jenni has also worked in Illinois and Florida as a Residence Hall Director, Academic Advisor, and Director of Enrollment Management. Additionally, Jenni is working on her doctorate in Community College Leadership at Northern Illinois University. In her free time, Jenni enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and watching football.

Jennifer Mayo

Jennifer Mayo is the Director of Admissions and Records at Wayne Community College.

Interviewee

John Carrere

John Carrere is the Element 451 Administrator and Director for the Office of Recruitment & First-Year Experience at Pitt Community College in Winterville, North Carolina. John has worked in higher education for over 15 years and has served as Coordinator of New Student Orientation, is a member of the Pitt Community College Foundation Board of Directors, is a member of the Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County Board of Directors and is co-advisor to the PCC Student

Interviewee

Josh Moody

Josh Moody has covered college admissions and international education for U.S. News since 2018. Prior to joining U.S. News, he blogged about higher ed trends for Forbes.com and covered education at The News & Advance in Lynchburg, Virginia at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels.

Kathy Taylor

Kathy Taylor has had the pleasure of working at Wake Technical Community College for the past 19 years.

Interviewee

Kelly Schimpf

Kelly Schimpf is an established student-centered higher education professional with experience in areas including recruitment, enrollment management, student services, compliance, Title IX, student conduct, strategic communications and college teaching. She currently serves as Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Services and Title IX Coordinator at Salem Community College in New Jersey. She is also a Senior Adjunct Professor in Business/Economics at Rowan College of Burlington County. A passionate community college advocate, Schimpf was recognized by the Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) as one of their “Women Under 40” recipients in 2022. Prior to her current role, Schimpf served in various leadership roles in admissions, recruitment and retention at Salem Community College, Wilmington University and Drexel University. She earned her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Stockton University.

Kelly Sinicola

Kelly brings over 15 years of experience in the higher education industry.

Kris Burris

Burris has a significant background in the South Carolina Technical College System.

Kristina Faller

Kristina has over 20 years experience in marketing, working on both the agency and client sides, and most recently in higher education.

Interviewee

Lenell Hahn

Joining Southeast Missouri State University’s Office of Admissions in July 2003, Lenell has served as Director of Admissions since January 2013. Lenell started her college career at Three Rivers Community College where she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree.

Luis Caloca

Luis Caloca grew up in the agricultural heart of Treasure Valley, where he worked in the fields before pursuing higher education at Boise State University.

Marcie Kagawa

Marcie Kagawa is a higher education marketing and communication professional with nearly 15 years of marketing and mass communication experience.

Interviewee

Marcus Langford

Marcus Langford serves as the Dean of Students at the University of Oregon. In this role, Marcus provides oversight and leadership for the Office of the Dean of Students (DoS). The programs and units of DoS strive to support an inclusive student journey that facilitates self-authorship by promoting resiliency rooted in care fostering connections with the campus and surrounding community and provide high-impact practices. The myriad of programs units that constitute DoS are represented by the primary functional areas of Leadership and Engagement

Matt Bodenschatz

Matt Bodenschatz is a 17-year college admissions recruiter.

Interviewee

Melanie Gottlieb

Melanie Gottlieb assumed the role of Interim Executive Director in May of 2021, after nearly six years as the Deputy Director. She came to the national office with 18 years as an AACRAO member, with experience in Records & Registration, Enrollment Management and International Recruitment and Credential Evaluation. She has served the association in a variety of leadership roles throughout her career, most recently as Vice President for International Education on the AACRAO Board of Directors. Melanie earned an MA in Information Science from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a BA in History /American Studies from Marlboro College in Vermont.

Michael Margolies

Michael Margolies is the co-founder and CEO of NextGrad.

Interviewee

Mordecai Brownlee

On July 15, 2021, Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee became the sixth president of the Community College of Aurora in Colorado. With campuses in Aurora and Denver, CCA is a Hispanic-Serving institution providing instruction to nearly 12,000 students throughout its 350- square mile service area. Prior to his presidential appointment, President Brownlee served as the vice president for student success at St. Philip's College, the only college in the nation federally designated as both a historically Black college (HBCU) and a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), located in San Antonio, Texas.

Nick Ciccarone

Nick Ciccarone is the Manager of Data & Systems at RIT Certified, the professional education and workforce development division of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Interviewee

Nik Higgins

Nik Higgins is business founder and executive with a background education and technology. He is a regular public speaker and commentator. Nik is currently Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at The Ambassador Platform, a technology company which helps education providers more effectively communicate the unique experience they offer to prospective students.

Orna Shearin

Orna Shearin is a dynamic Customer Relationship Management Specialist at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC), known for her strategic prowess and creative approach to enhancing student engagement and communication.

Ryan Hogan

Ryan Hogan is the Vice President for Enrollment Management, Marketing, and Communication for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).

Interviewee

Vanessa Didyk

Vanessa is a serial entrepreneur with over 16 years’ experience building and leading edtech companies to support the academic journey and increase access to quality education. After college Vanessa started her first company, Scholar’s Station, a full service academic support company serving students throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in person and across the US remotely for tutoring, test prep, and college advising.

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