Filling Seats: The State of Enrollment Marketing in Higher Ed

AI is rapidly reshaping how students search for, evaluate, and engage with colleges. But what does that actually mean for enrollment teams?

In this episode of Filling Seats, host Jonathan Clues is joined by Mia Charette, Vice President of Marketing at Capture Higher Ed, to unpack insights from a recent study on student engagement and artificial intelligence.

Together, they explore how AI is influencing the earliest stages of the coll...

In a higher ed landscape where many institutions sound and look the same, standing out has never been more important — or more difficult.

In this episode of Filling Seats, host Jonathan Clues sits down with Beth Wolfe, Vice President of Enrollment at the University of Charleston, for a candid conversation about institutional differentiation and what it really takes to cut through the noise.

Beth shares how the University of Charlesto...

Today’s students expect clarity, speed, and seamless experiences — and they’re far less tolerant of friction in the enrollment journey.

In this episode of Filling Seats, Jonathan Clues is joined by Catie Clark from Niche to explore how institutions can modernize student engagement by removing unnecessary complexity and designing more intuitive pathways from discovery to enrollment.

Together, they discuss how student expectations are ...

On this episode of Filling Seats, host and StudentBridge CEO Jonathan Clues sits down with Dr. Luke Schultheis to explore the real reasons why students choose the schools they attend. From the role of gut instinct to the growing influence of AI in the enrollment process, they uncover what truly drives student decisions. The conversation emphasizes one undeniable truth: the most powerful voice for attracting new students is the auth...

On this episode of Filling Seats, StudentBridge CEO Jonathan Clues sits down with Dr. Curt Merlau to unpack how colleges can transform raw data into meaningful student success. From shifting away from “data overload” to building actionable insights, Dr. Merlau highlights strategies that empower institutions to make smarter decisions, improve student outcomes, and drive measurable enrollment growth.

✅ Guest: Dr. Curt Merlau

✅ How to m...

In this episode, we explore the powerful intersection of technology and student success with Mark Barden of CourseKey. Mark shares how real-time data and automation are reshaping the student journey—from classroom engagement to retention strategies. Together, we dig into how Gen Z’s digital expectations are influencing everything from campus communication to academic behavior, and why modern institutions need to rethink their appro...

How do prospective students actually search for colleges online? In this episode of Filling Seats, we explore how students navigate university websites, why many never click on the official .edu page, and how institutions can optimize their digital presence.

Key Topics Covered:

• The role of Google search and brand queries in the college selection process
• Why 8 out of 10 students don’t click on a university’s website first
• The impor...

In this episode of Filling Seats, StudentBridge CEO Jonathan Clues sits down with Paula French, Director at Search Influence, to explore the evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing in higher education.

Paula shares expert insights on how AI-driven search, social media, and evolving student behaviors are reshaping digital marketing strategies for colleges and universities. Key topics include:

• T...

In this special 50th episode, Jonathan Cluse, CEO and founder of StudentBridge, is joined by Mark Forehand, a seasoned higher ed professional and longtime StudentBridge partner, for a lively discussion about the evolving role of video in student recruitment.

📹 Why video matters more than ever:

• How short-form videos are influencing Gen Z’s college decisions.
• Strategies to stand out in a content-saturated world.
• The impact of storyt...

In this episode of Filling Seats, we sit down with John Azoni, a seasoned video production expert with over 15 years of experience. John shares key insights from his journey in creating compelling video content for higher education institutions. Together, we explore the analytics behind video engagement, the importance of aligning content with audience intent, and practical tips for producing short-form and long-form videos. Whethe...

In this episode of Filling Seats, we tackle the growing "staff morale crisis" in college admissions offices. What’s driving burnout and dissatisfaction among admissions professionals?

Joining us is Teege Mettille, author of The Admissions Counselor Malaise and Director of Enrollment Success at EnrollML. Drawing on years of campus leadership experience, Teege shares his unique perspective on the root causes of this crisis a...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Carey Dukes, who brings a wealth of experience from 25 years in supply chain management and a passion for teaching the next generation. After earning his doctorate degree, he joined academia to help students become day-one-ready employees.

Dr. Dukes dives into the critical issues of:

• Student retention within smaller universities
• Challenges presented when freshman don't return to campus
• Cos...

Host Jonathan Clues discusses the impact of international recruitment and study abroad programs on U.S. higher education with guest Dr. John Neiser, Vice President for International Operations at Fairleigh Dickinson University. They delve into how international recruitment has shifted from being a symbolic effort to a critical revenue source, with Dr. Neiser highlighting that international operations contribute to a significant por...

Our latest episode of “Filling Seats” features StudentBridge CEO Jonathan Clues alongside Vanessa Didyk from ZeeMee and Dave Becker from CampusESP to discuss innovative strategies and technologies to boost enrollment, enhance student experiences, and maintain continuity despite staff changes.

Jonathan, Vanessa, and Dave also tackle key questions:

• How can institutions leverage technology to retain knowledge when staff members leav...

In the third installment of our series on the 2023 RNL Trend Report, once again, we peel back layers of data to offer actionable insights on what motivates students to opt in to receive emails, text messages, and telephone calls. From their unique vantage points, Dr. Raquel Bermejo, Associate Vice President of Market Research and Planning for RNL and StudentBridge CEO and founder Jonathan Clues dive into the privilege of receiving ...

In this episode, we explore the busy summer travel season and the opportunity it presents for visitor services teams. Preparing for these crowds can be key, especially if your institution is located in a high-interest city, like Boston.  In 2023, 22% of students visited campuses in a stealth, unannounced visit (Source: Niche). Amber Fitzgerald, director of enrollment visitor services at Suffolk University, shares best practices for...