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PODCAST

Talking Tactics

Dayana Kibilds, Safaniya Stevenson

Every game-changing tactic starts with a spark — that moment when someone notices something others missed, asks a different question, or sees a pattern hiding in plain sight. Talking Tactics celebrates these flashes of genius in higher education wherever they come from: the work-study student yapping in the commons, an admissions counselor pulling a late night, or the frazzled enrollment coordinator juggling a million tasks before noon. We explore both the insight AND the action, how a single

business marketing

All Episodes

00:32:04

Ep. 72: Beyond the Tagline: Building Purpose-Driven...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/04/02

What happens when the brand is not the lead but the work is? In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safy sits down with Deneen Gillespie to unpack a bold shift from traditional branding to purpose-driven systems thinking. From navigating system-level marketing to redefining what “brand” actually means, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about building influence. You will hear how focusing on collective impact, not just creative, can unlock real results across institutions. If

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00:32:08

Ep. 71: How Pretzels Became One of Higher Ed’s Most...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/03/17

What does a pretzel have to do with enrollment marketing? Turns out… a lot.On this episode of Talking Tactics, host Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Andy Schneider, Dean of Admissions at Marquette University, to unpack the now-famous admissions pretzel—an unconventional campaign that sends 10,000+ pretzels to admitted students each year. From pandemic experiment to viral marketing moment, Andy shares how a simple idea sparked social buzz, boosted engagement, and helped Marquette stand out in a

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00:30:06

Ep. 70: Fun, Strategy & Fur: Rethinking Mascot...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/03/03

What happens when a university mascot gets more than just a costume upgrade? In this episode of Talking Tactics, we unpack how a strategic mascot rebrand can fuel enrollment marketing, drive retail revenue, and build real campus tradition. From trademark governance to ESPN-level exposure, this isn’t fluff — it’s brand strategy with fur. If you think mascots are just for game day, think again.Guest Names: Megan Nash Milligan, Brand Marketing Strategist, Loyola Marymount University Stephanie

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00:30:39

Ep. 69: Collaborate, Curate, Consolidate: Fordham’s...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/02/17

Are too many emails and events actually hurting student engagement at your university? In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safaniya Stevenson chats with Toni Marie Perilli from Fordham University about how over-programming can overwhelm students and what her team did to fix it. From segmented newsletters to centralized program planning, Toni shares actionable strategies to get students opening, clicking, and showing up.Guest Name: Toni Marie Perilli, Communications & Marketing Specialist, Fordham

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00:25:27

Ep. 68: Is Storytelling Just a Buzzword? How Higher...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/02/03

Storytelling is having a moment.But most brands are still telling stories that sound exactly the same.On this episode of Talking Tactics, Safy sits down with John Gorman, founder of Saint Orange, to unpack why “storytelling” has become marketing’s favorite buzzword and how it lost its edge along the way.They get into what actually separates storytelling from narrative and copywriting, why higher ed marketing has been sanded down to beige, and how playing it safe is quietly killing differentiation

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00:26:51

Ep. 67: How Friendship Bracelets United a Campus...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/01/20

Forget everything you know about strategic plans being boring. Fort Lewis College just cracked the code when they turned their five strategic pillars into friendship bracelets that faculty, staff, and students are actually wearing around campus. Director Anna McBrayer reveals how getting executives to weave bracelets together broke down silos better than any PowerPoint ever could. Listen to learn how having FOMO about a strategic plan accessory might be the best problem your campus could have.Guest

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00:42:08

Ep. 66: Is Your Campus Ready for Employee Advocacy?...

Talking Tactics ·

2026/01/06

Think your university's perfectly curated Instagram feed is attracting Gen Z students? Think again. Employee advocacy experts Ben Hayes and Maria DeMario reveal why letting professors post typos and unpopular opinions on LinkedIn might be your best recruitment strategy yet. But here's the catch: if you're asking faculty to 'stick to brand guidelines,' you're missing the entire point. Discover why the messiest social media presence might be your competitive advantage in the age of AI.Guest

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00:22:33

Ep. 65: How Indigenous Values Can Transform...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of Talking Tactics, host Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Jana Hanson of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and Kata Traxler from Student Ready Strategies to explore how tribal colleges model culturally rooted, community-centered student support. Together, they dive deep into how embracing Indigenous values can reshape how institutions approach family engagement, enrollment communication, and student success. This conversation offers higher ed leaders tactical

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00:20:23

Ep. 64: Going Vertical: When SEO Meets Social Video

Talking Tactics ·

2025/12/09

When TikTok bans threatened to upend their social strategy, one university's marketing team discovered an unlikely ally: their SEO colleagues. In this episode, Amanda Ferrill reveals how Temple University turned platform uncertainty into opportunity by marrying keyword research with vertical video content on YouTube Shorts. Learn why ditching cute captions for searchable titles might be the smartest move your social team makes this year. Plus, find out how a video aimed at parents became their

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00:33:10

Ep. 63: From Likes to Leads: Finding Your Marketing...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/11/25

This week on Talking Tactics we’re talking social media championships and test kitchens? We’re joined by Michaela Taylor, Senior Social Media Strategist at the University of South Carolina—home of Rival IQ’s back-to-back social media champs. She’s breaking down how a “try it on LinkedIn” mindset turned into a growth engine for the university’s digital strategy. Whether you're managing a university account or just trying to figure out if facilities services really needs its own Instagram, this

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00:27:46

Ep. 62: Turning Keynotes Into Curriculum to Create...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/11/11

NC State University sold out 700 tickets in just two days when they brought Alton Brown to campus, but that was only the beginning. Nash Dunn and Allie Bloom Whitley share how NC State’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences transformed a single keynote into a year-long initiative that engages students, alumni, donors, and faculty across multiple touchpoints. Discover the tactical framework behind "The Human Factor" speaker series and why your next keynote should be more than just a one-night

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00:35:38

Ep. 61: New Game, New Rules, and Rewriting Student...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/10/28

What happens when a fundraiser decides to end one of higher ed’s most sacred traditions—the senior giving campaign? In this episode, Safaniya sits down with Alex Rodríguez from UC Berkeley, who made the bold move to shut it down and rebuild student giving from the ground up. From pandemic pivots to Mario-inspired metaphors, Alex shares how he turned a once-obligatory tradition into a culture of authentic student philanthropy. Tune in to hear how rethinking generosity, meeting students where they

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00:33:41

Ep. 60: Building Alumni Affinity Through Curiosity...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/10/14

Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Daniel Freeman, Chief Development Officer at Gaston Community College, to unpack how a “curiosity-first” approach reshaped alumni engagement. Tapping into years of fundraising experience and his knack for building authentic relationships, Dan shares how he turned passive alumni into active supporters using low-cost, high-impact development tactics. If you're in enrollment marketing or advancement and you're wondering how to spark alumni giving at a two-year

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00:30:45

Ep. 59: Risky or Rewarding? Bold Design Lessons for...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/09/30

Most higher ed campaigns play it safe—and end up milk toast. In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Baldwin&’s Ashley Yetman and Emily Watson to unpack why bold ideas beget bold design. Partnering with the North Carolina School Board Association on a hearts & minds campaign, they leaned into disarming nostalgic illustrations and creator collaborations to humanize messaging. They reveal how taking creative risks can unite communities, energize audiences, and spark real

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00:40:33

Ep. 58: Turning a Brand Transformation Into a Party

Talking Tactics ·

2025/09/16

What happens when a team of former tourism and events pros are in charge of rolling out a rebrand? You’ll want to hold on your beignets for this one. In this episode, we’ll hear from Anne Falgout, Director of Strategic Communications for South Louisiana Community College on why they took a festive approach to their brand launch.Guest Name: Anne Falgout, Director of Strategic Communications, South Louisiana Community CollegeGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annefalgout/Guest Bio: Anne

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00:15:21

Ep. 57: Passing the Baton to Your New Host

Talking Tactics ·

2025/09/02

You thought we were done with the show? Think again. The pursuit of top-tier tactics continues! Talking Tactics isn't going anywhere, but we ARE getting a new voice behind the mic. After 56 episodes of Day Kibilds serving up the tactical gold you've come to love, she's officially passing the torch to Safaniya "Safy" Stevenson, a brand strategist and cultural analyst equally obsessed with tactics. Get to know your new host and what she's got in store for the show. Also, find out what Day will be

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00:26:14

Ep. 56: My Favorite Moments from Two Years of Talking...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/07/22

After two years and 55 episodes packed with practical, joyful, and wildly clever ideas, Talking Tactics comes to a close. In this final episode, host Dayana Kibilds reflects on the “why” behind the show, shares her personal favorite tactics from past guests, and celebrates the everyday enrollment pros doing exceptional work in higher ed.From transforming request forms and hacking Reddit to AI-powered emails and fundraising squirrels, this send-off is full of bite-sized brilliance you can still use —

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00:31:10

Ep. 55: How Campus Geese Tripled Unrestricted Giving

Talking Tactics ·

2025/07/08

On this episode of Talking Tactics, host Day chats with Stormie Harless and Reggie Hayes of Ball State University about one of the quirkiest—and most successful—Giving Day campaigns we've ever seen: letting donors name a goose. Yes, you read that right. This creative, low-cost tactic more than tripled gifts to the Ball State Fund, turning a fun gimmick into a strategic fundraising win. Learn how a "goose gang," Canva templates, and clever messaging made all the difference—and why sometimes a little

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00:23:45

Ep. 54: How Iowa Boosted Clicks and Gifts on One Day...

Talking Tactics ·

2025/06/24

What if a few strategic email decisions could boost your click-through rates by 73% and gifts by 26% on your giving day? On this episode of Talking Tactics, Day sits down with Veronica Jones and Zack Schmidt from the University of Iowa Center for Advancement to unpack how they moved from a time-consuming email process to a smart, automated strategy that actually improved the donor experience. If you're looking for better ways to connect with alumni and donors during your next giving day — and drive

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00:23:51

Ep. 53: Driving Alumni Engagement with Digital Downloads

Talking Tactics ·

2025/06/10

What do planners, quizzes, and pumpkin stencils have in common? At Cornell, they’re powering growth in alumni engagement. In this episode of Talking Tactics, Sarina Alexander, lead graphic designer for Cornell’s advancement team, shares how her team grew digital downloads fivefold — sparking a 40% increase in email clicks and doubling alumni engagement in just three years. From ideation to execution, Sarina breaks down what’s working (and what’s not), and how you can steal a page from Cornell’s

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