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David Gibson is vice president for communications and marketing at Middlebury, where he oversees public affairs, marketing, internal and crisis communications, branding, web strategy, social media, creative services, and print and mail operations. He has three decades of experience advancing the interests of mission-driven institutions and has built programs clarifying their value in the world and bringing deeper engagement with stakeholders. He has held staff positions at Hampshire, MIT, and Dartmouth and was a vice president of strategic communications for the international consulting firm Grenzebach Glier and Associates. At Cornell, he and his team won two Sibley “magazine of the year” awards. As its managing editor, he helped Yankee earn its first National Magazine Award nomination for reporting. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How David's career led to higher education marketing, and how his background in magazines has helped inform his career and given him a unique marketing perspective Why articulating who your institution truly is in a conversational way lies at the heart of higher education marketing's impact Why David sees his role as “curating and collating” an institution’s messaging as much as “creating” content Why getting stakeholder buy-in is really just about having conversations with people and listening to their thoughts How David defines "engagement", based on enabling an audience to emotionally feel something that can motivate them to do something in partnership with the institution Why identifying and repurposing content is a powerful way for especially small higher ed marketing teams to expand their reach How David learned "the business of philanthropy" through a new career change, and what key lessons about giving and communication he learned in that role What wisdom David has to share with higher education marketing professionals seeking to master their communications skills Resources: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/david-gibson-6552644/  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/school/middlebury-college/  Additional resources:  Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com  Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why mastering your brand platform and getting your messaging and strategy right offers many benefits for higher education institutions What ten key benefits you’ll receive from a great brand strategy: Greater clarity Strengthens trust Influencing of beliefs Instilling confidence Inspiring your employees Rallying the community Boosting recognition Maintaining loyalty Protecting your pricing Creating value Why knowing the benefits of getting your brand strategy can help you get buy-in from leadership How to get access to a downloadable PDF of these ten key benefits in greater detail from Allison and the team at Up&Up Resources Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upandupagency Twitter: https://twitter.com/upandupagency

Laralee Ferrell Harkleroad partners with organizations seeking to grow and transform their culture, with an emphasis on branding, communications, and marketing. She currently serves enrollmentFUEL as a professional consultant and manager & curriculum strategist for their REV: Fuel Training Series. Dr. Harkleroad also enjoys working with tomorrow’s leaders in the classroom by serving as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer. Previously, as the Director of Marketing and Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Co-Director for Tusculum University, the first University in the state of Tennessee, she built the institution’s first Marketing department, establishing processes and policies, creating brand awareness, and building relationships across the organization to help achieve challenging goals. Joining TU in 2014, her role covered a wide range of responsibilities including strategic planning and developing integrated marketing campaigns in support of student recruitment and retention, as well as alumni engagement and fundraising support. Dr. Harkleroad recently spearheaded the University’s transition from College to University and its efforts to unify and realign the institution's brand. Dr. Harkleroad led the team responsible for all aspects and execution of the institution’s brand strategy including communication flows, social media management, and the phased redesign of the University’s website using only existing internal resources. Dr. Harkleroad continues to serve as an adjunct professor for the University’s College of Business and College of Civic & Liberal Arts. A career change in 2012 led Dr. Harkleroad to discover her passion for higher education. Prior to 2012, she spent eight years managing the marketing and recruiting efforts for the TriCities, TN/VA office of Baker Donelson Law Firm. She obtained an EdD in leadership and learning in organizations from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, an MBA with a concentration in human resources from King University, and a Bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in legal studies from East Tennessee State University. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Laralee found her way to #HigherEd marketing and discovered that it was her true "calling" How Tusculum University is actually the second institution Laralee has worked at during a transition from college to university What steps Laralee and her team took to ease the transition and reframe their marketing around the university transition How changing lamppost banners to feature Tusculum University was the single biggest community impact that excited people for the transition What tools and resources Laralee's team used that made the biggest difference throughout the process How a clear, aspirational mission statement helped unify everyone and served as a focal point to get all parties involved on the same page Why Tusculum University chose the "pioneer" as their mascot, and how it reflects the many ways the institution has served as a pioneer in Tennessee How the outbreak of the global pandemic shaped the direction of some of the rebrand marketing How all the hard work, strategic thinking, careful planning and implementation paid off in a hugely successful transition and rebrand Resources: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laralee-harkleroad/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/laralee.f.harkleroad Instagram: www.instagram.com/laraleeharkleroad/ Twitter: @lfharkleroad

What you’ll learn about in this episode: What a “brand strategy” is, and how it is comprised of three key parts: the “why”, the “what” and the “how” How your “why”, your brand platform, includes the 4-5 key points that make up your brand pillars, brand proof, persona, brand story and brand promise How research, focus groups and other insight generators can help you develop your brand platform How your “what”, the visual indicators of your brand such as your logo and colors, don’t have to change unless they need to be refreshed Why your “how”, your brand awareness, is divided into four key buckets: distinction, relevance, consistency, and frequency Why your messaging needs to reach your target audience where they are and needs to be consistent across all the ways your audience engages with you Why your message should be relevant to your target audience and spark intrigue and interest Resources Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upandupagency Twitter: https://twitter.com/upandupagency

Laura H. Jack is vice president for communications and acting chief diversity officer at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. At Colgate, Jack leads all internal and external communications efforts to steward Colgate’s reputation and identity; build awareness of the University, the excellence of its faculty, and its strong academic programs; and support the University’s core mission, goals, and priorities. Prior to arriving at Colgate, Jack was vice president at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she oversaw all fundraising, alumni relations, communications, and university events operations. Outside of higher education, Jack spent nearly 10 years managing marketing and advertising initiatives and multimillion-dollar campaigns with international marketing and advertising firms, such as JCDecaux and Ogilvy & Mather. Beyond Jack’s professional responsibilities, she is an active member in the community and serves on the board of directors for Community Memorial Hospital and A Better Chance Clinton. Jack earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pace University, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Education from Baruch College. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Higher Education at Syracuse University. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Laura found her way to the world of #HigherEd marketing, and why she chose to take a “backward step” from her job in the corporate world to follow her passion How the field of higher education communications has evolved over the decades, and how Laura bridges the gap between her two roles at Colgate University How the outbreak of the global pandemic accelerated Colgate’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) plan Why DEI work touches everything the institution does, and how disparities in access to vaccines has impacted the institution’s students How Colgate University addressed the challenge of bringing students back to campus in a safe and conscientious way Why clear, strong and frequent communication has been crucial for navigating the challenges of the global pandemic What key lessons Laura and her team at Colgate learned through the challenges and experiences of the pandemic and lockdown How Colgate’s marketing during the pandemic highlighted the institution’s COVID response and shifted toward more digital, remote marketing What positives Laura has been able to take away from her team’s experiences through the pandemic thanks to the addition of new technologies Why how you engage with your team and colleagues matters, and why it is important to acknowledge differences in how people function and communicate

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why it’s important to ask the question “what is your process?”, and how it can save you from headaches down the road Why a predictable, consistent, stable, uniform, repeatable and reliable process is crucial Why the processes your agency partners have in place are critical for your success in achieving your end goal Why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and seek greater clarity from your agency partners Why asking “what is your process?” is the key to minimizing risk and ensuring that you’re happy with your relationship with your agency partner   Resources Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Keith Warburg is the Director of Communications for the Florida State University Alumni Association. With more than 10 years of experience in higher ed marketing and communications, he has served as a CMO, graphic designer, and basically every role in between. Keith is focused on building partnerships across campuses through shared problem solving and treating people well. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Keith was a first-generation college student who fell in love with the college experience, and how he transitioned into a career in higher education How Keith’s varied career and skillset have served him in his role as the FSU Alumni Association’s Director of Communications How Keith has worked to improve their video marketing game and to bring in current students to help drive the work Why collaboration between Admissions and Marketing has created powerful results for Keith, and what advice he has for building a relationship between teams What pivotal aha! moments Keith has experienced through his cross-team collaboration efforts What differences Keith has experienced moving over to the Alumni Association, and how his focus has shifted to different priorities and methods of engagement How Keith works to keep alumni engaged all year long, and how the global pandemic has changed his work How the realities of the global pandemic have created new opportunities to collaborate with other institutions and create new, innovative solutions Why the many challenges of 2020, from the global pandemic to economic recession to student protests and racial unrest, need a strong sense of community and commitment How to address any challenges and obstacles to collaboration you might be facing, and how going outside your campus for partnerships can help Resources: Echoes: The FSU Alumni Podcast: https://alumni.fsu.edu/echoes LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fsu-alumni-association

Andy has worked in education for about 30 years, serving at various times as an admission counselor, admission director, charter school head of school and adjunct college faculty member. He began his career working at his alma mater, Oglethorpe University, before becoming director of admission at LaGrange College. He then left higher education for 11 years to run a K-8 charter school in Newnan, GA. Since July of 2015, Andy has had the privilege of serving as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Andrew College. Andy and his wife Karen have been married for 31 years. They have two sons who are recent college graduates, and a daughter who is a high school freshman. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Andy’s career has given him a broad perspective, having worked in many aspects of education including K-12, national and regional liberal arts institutions How Andy made the transition from secondary education to higher education, and what makes Andrew College, a two-year private residential institution, unique How the small 300-student institution serves students throughout Georgia, and what programs and opportunities they offer their student body How Andrew College has a high rate of graduates going on to four-year institutions, and how they prepare their students for the transition with a solid foundational education What sort of prospective student outreach efforts Andrew College makes, who their ideal right-fit students are, and how their outreach has changed in the pandemic How Andrew College sets about offering a different type of college experience than the institutions they are competing with How the institution stays highly price-competitive while offering the added layer of the residential experience How as a father, Andy helped his own sons make important choices about their college career and about which school to attend How the outbreak of the global pandemic has created a notable education gap, and why Andrew College may be the ideal stepping stone for struggling students  Resources: Andrew College Facebook: www.facebook.com/AndrewCollegeTigers LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/school/andrew-college/

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Allison shares key statistics that have helped shape the Millennial generation, its habits and challenges How Generation Z is exceptionally tech-savvy and financially conservative, and how 2020 has pushed Gen Z into a different path from generations before them Why tuition price, student loan debt, mental health services and diversity and inclusion are key factors Gen Z is using to determine where to pursue their higher education Why “standing out in a sea of sameness” is crucial for connecting with Gen Z, and why you have to support your messaging with action How “Generation Alpha”, born between 2010 and 2024, are set to become the largest generation in the history of the world How Gen Alpha will likely be defined by their adaptability, their need for visual and hands-on education, and their need for leadership skills development What Millennial parents of Gen Alpha will look for in a higher education institution and its program offerings and support systems Why a shift in higher education marketing efforts toward emerging social media and influencer marketing platforms needs to happen sooner rather than later Why you should begin thinking about your institution’s current programs and offerings and how they reflect the needs of future Gen Alpha students Resources Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Christen Engel’s Bio: Christen Engel is an award-winning communications and marketing executive with more than 10 years’ experience in healthcare and higher education. In her role as interim vice president of communications and marketing for Augusta University and Augusta University Health, she works to drive strategic enrollment and health system revenue growth through brand and public positioning, issues and crisis management, earned and owned media. In addition, she oversees mass internal communications and executive communication for an institution with more than 10,000 employees; the university and health system websites; the employee intranet; and institutional photography, videography and graphic design. Fun fact, Christen and Allison actually went to college together! Aubrey Hinkson’s Bio: Aubrey Hinkson prides herself on bringing the work efficiencies of an agency model to the health care and higher education marketing space. During her time at Augusta University, she has been challenged with multiple brand transitions and unique opportunities for process improvement and team transformation. As the AVP for Marketing, she is responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies, plans and initiatives for the university. Aubrey is an instructor in the Hull College of Business at Augusta University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Master of Science in Marketing from Clemson University. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Christen shares why her collaboration with Aubrey has been powerful, especially during the process of navigating the institution’s huge rebranding to Augusta University What challenges and opportunities arose from the consolidation between Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University to become Georgia Regents University Why not including the community in the decision on the new name created lots of brand buy-in challenges, and why the institution renamed and rebranded again as Augusta University How, in spite of feeling disheartened by having two years of rebranding work abandoned, Aubrey and her team rose to the challenge of doing another rebrand so quickly How the right partnerships made a huge difference in the success of the second rebranding, and how intentionality and collaboration were crucial resources for getting buy-in Why pushing people to be brand advocates rather than serving as the “brand police” has been an important lesson and mindset shift Why Christen feels the rebrand was a monumental success, and how the rebrand created a unique opportunity to highlight Augusta University’s unique offerings How Augusta University is navigating the challenge of tailoring messaging to different groups of students and alumni Why Augusta University isn’t for everyone and doesn’t try to speak to everyone but instead focuses on students who are looking to break the mold Why authenticity is absolutely critical for addressing today’s students, and what advice Christen and Aubrey would share for anyone going through a major brand change   Resources: Christen’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/christen.carter.engel Christen’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christen-engel-25102a26/ Christen’s Twitter:  @CARTERC5 Aubrey’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aubrey-hinkson-2a497316/  Additional resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why the first step isn’t reaching out to agencies for quotes but to truly take the time to understand your higher ed institution’s buying process How the process tends to differ between private and public institutions, and why it’s crucial to build the right internal relationships as early as possible Why the next step is to understand your purchasing rules and limits and the proper channels to go through before you start writing your RFP Why it is important to be flexible and clear with your purchasing power, and why being communicative with all of your partners is key Why understanding your limitations and budgetary constraints early can save you a lot of hassle later in the process Why the earlier you begin the research process the easier and more successful your projects and campaigns will be   Resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Elizabeth Orehovec has worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of South Carolina for 15 years. She is currently the Senior Associate Director and serves as a core member of the enrollment leadership team responsible for leading more than 100 recruitment and enrollment marketing employees and collaborating on strategic enrollment initiatives with students, faculty and staff across campus. After earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami, Elizabeth moved to South Carolina to earn her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration. She has also earned her MBA and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. Elizabeth frequently presents on college admissions topics and loves talking with high school students and their parents about things to keep in mind during this critical time. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Elizabeth’s experiences as a student and her love of strategy and problem solving inspired her to follow her career path into higher education admissions How CRM tools have caused a massive landscape shift in enrollment and admissions in higher education, and why it is important to decide on a list of “must haves” first How tools to manage virtual events and the ability to text message became key tools for Elizabeth and her team, especially during the pandemic Why the University of South Carolina chose Slate as their CRM platform, and why the level of customizability in your chosen CRM software is an important consideration Why tracking and understanding student interactions offers key information that Elizabeth is able to use to continually refine U of SC’s communication strategy What early challenges and pitfalls Elizabeth and her team had to navigate, and who was involved in selecting their CRM platform What a typical prospect journey looks like for U of SC, and how CRM tracking begins as early as 9th grade, and how communication ramps up starting in spring of their junior year How CRM implementation has been transformative for U of SC’s ability to navigate the realities of pandemic Why making the investment in CRM and spending the time to set everything up pays off in the end whenever you are able to power up your communication and efficiency Why Elizabeth recommends you turn to the higher education community who have already been through the CRM implementation process to learn from their experiences      

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why there are often many overlooked opportunities to optimize your digital marketing campaign even prior to its launch Why you should always consider how your audience interprets and experiences your campaigns, both on an intuitive and emotional level and more analytically Why the first strategy is to design for distinctiveness and to ensure that your design elements stay consistent, distinct, and easily connected to your brand Why the second strategy is to consider the emotions, benefits, and associations you want your audience to make when engaging with your campaign Why the third strategy is to create an intuitive link between your ad and your landing page to reinforce the narrative you want to share Why the fourth strategy is to use a benefits-driven headline and an action-oriented sub-headline to complete your narrative Why the fifth strategy is to provide social proof that helps establish who your typical end-user is and reinforce behaviors and beliefs Why it can be very easy to view the individual elements of a marketing campaign in a silo, and why thinking about the integrated whole can be much more effective   Resources: Read Chris Huebner’s blog post, Leading the Elephant: 5 Higher Education Marketing Strategies for More Impactful Digital Campaigns Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foglemanscott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Nick Selby grew up in Phoenix, AZ and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. He now works and studies as a graduate student studying robotics at MIT. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Nick signed up for an opportunity presented to Georgia Tech sophomores to give a speech to the incoming freshman class, and how the speech went viral online How Nick’s background in highschool debate and speech and hundreds of practice attempts helped him perfect his speech What kind of positive reception Nick received from the Georgia Tech faculty and staff after his speech, and where he got his inspiration What exciting experiences and big things Nick was able to do over the course of his time at Georgia Tech How Nick worked closely with the marketing team at Georgia tech to amplify the reach of his viral speech through various media outlets How the explosive success of Nick’s speech opened the door to new opportunities for him, including getting to participate in YouTube Rewind How the key line from Nick’s speech, “You’re at Georgia Tech, you can do that!” was used by the marketing team Why Nick chose to go to Georgia Tech, and what important qualities at the school influenced his decision What exciting projects Nick is working on today at MIT in the robotics program, and what goals he has set for himself in the future   Resources: Nick’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-selby-5278b334/ Watch Nick’s Epic Welcome Speech at Georgia Tech: https://youtu.be/7Bfr__WhGJg   Additional resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency

What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Allison transitioned from a corporate background into her current role as Business Development Manager at Up&Up How Allison has integrated her own experiences in higher education into her work at Up&Up, and what similarities and differences she has seen from her previous career How 2020 impacted the world of higher education, and how the lessons learned during the difficult year have created positive changes Why Allison suggests that any institution wanting to begin a new marketing project start with their brand first What advice Allison would give to a higher ed institution considering working with a marketing agency for the first time Why it is important to understand how you want to get a project done and then tailor your decision based on those needs and the results you want How Allison had originally planned to become a nurse before discovering her passion for sales and helping others Why Allison hasn’t set firm new year’s goals and instead works toward goals all year long, and why she has chosen “grace” as her word for the year Resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Adam Landrum founded Up&Up and has led it since 2002. He graduated cum laude from Clemson University and was recruited by Arthur Andersen, but his entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and he set out to create a digital agency with an incredible culture & business model. Adam’s passion is impacting people’s lives through life-changing educational experiences. He oversees the agency’s strategic direction, guides the leadership team & finds amazing ways to help our clients impact students worldwide. He’s worked with a wide range of clients, from helping Clemson build the nation’s #1 alumni network to teaming with Erskine College to drive their highest enrollment in 50 years. Outside of Up&Up, Adam serves the church and its mission and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs. But the lives he hopes to impact the most are his lovely wife Shely and their four children. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why Adam followed his instincts and founded Up&Up, and why he believes the challenges we are facing today create an opportunity to rethink how we do things What key challenges Adam and the team at Up&Up have overcome, and how Adam learns from mistakes and uses them as an opportunity to improve Why Adam chose to take a risk and change Up&Up’s delivery model to focus on nurturing long-term relationships with clients How Adam uses a Strategic Coach tool called an “impact filter” to help him make more sound decisions and take the right risks What advice Adam has to share for anyone struggling to communicate difficult situations to leadership How Adam developed his leadership skills and strengthened his ability to strategize, lead and implement Why Up&Up’s values are so core to the team’s work, and how “conscious leadership” is a key component of their values How to identify the unique abilities your team members bring to the table, and how an “activity inventory” can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses Why the “Entrepreneurial Operating System” (EOS) can be an invaluable resource for ensuring that the right people are in the right seats How to build a real, compelling vision and make a big impact on the success of your team’s efforts Resources: Website: www.strategiccoach.com Website: www.eosworldwide.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/adamlandrum/ Additional Resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why getting stakeholder buy-in for your big projects and initiatives should be widespread and should happen as early as possible Why approaching everyone who will be interacting with your new project early in the process is the key to minimizing pushback How an early working session can help you achieve stakeholder buy-in, and how to conduct an effective working session Why stakeholder buy-in can offer a sense of empowerment and be a powerful and effective tool for change management How to avoid the perils of "death by committee", and how to identify the core and key groups of decision makers and stakeholders Why effective communication is crucial for success, and how a project "micro-site" can help you offer your stakeholders a broader overview of your progress Resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foglemanscott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Jamila Walker’s Bio: Jamila Walker is the University Social Media Manager and an Adjunct Professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with over ten years of experience in digital, public relations and marketing. Jamila leads the institution’s social media program and works with different colleges, departments, faculty and students to identify the most effective way to disseminate key messages across digital platforms and tracks the success of those messages across multiple channels. TaQuinda Johnson’s Bio: TaQuinda Johnson believes the field of public relations and social media is more than just an occupation, it’s a calling. With over 15 years of experience within the communications and public relations sector, TaQuinda Johnson is the Social Media Strategist at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mi. TaQuinda is responsible for leading the charge for all social media efforts, while displaying the University’s culture online. She also serves as liaison between the Division of Communications and various colleges and departments ensuring key messaging and best practices are utilized across the various social media platforms. When she is not at EMU, the sought after speaker is assisting faith-based organizations in displaying their ministry’s cultures online. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Jamila and TaQuinda connected and then together created a Facebook group for Black higher ed communication professionals Why the Blacks in Higher Ed Communications Facebook group provides a much-needed sense of community and a mutual support system for participants How Jamila came to working in higher ed from a background in performing arts and non-profit work How TaQuinda shifted from working in the automotive industry when she was contacted by a university about an open position How TaQuinda and Jamila find balance in their messaging strategy, especially during difficult times and crisis situations Why teamwork, delegation, and separation between work and home life have been critical support tools to help TaQuinda and Jamila manage the challenges of 2020 How Jamila and TaQuinda have had to address very different situations and challenges at their respective institutions when addressing social injustice events How the discussion about racial issues is an ongoing and evolving conversation at Eastern State University, and how TaQuinda has seen an extraordinary response from her efforts Why institutions who say that diversity is a part of their culture need to back those words up with action Resources: Blacks in Higher Ed Communications Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/blacksinhigheredcomm/ Jamila Walker’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jamilatwalker/ Additional resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency

What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why any project, refresh or update you begin should always start with a strong, clear focus on your brand Why your messaging is the key to your brand, and why your visual identity assets need to be solid and focused on your message Why telling your story through your brand is the secret to differentiating yourself from your competitors Why your website is one of the most important components of your messaging and a key opportunity to tell your story to prospective students Why part of the story you tell should go beyond what happens in the classroom and should include the many other ways joining your institution can impact students’ lives Why the timeline of a brand and website refresh typically requires around a year to eighteen months Why you should allocate a budget of at minimum $250,000 to as much as half a million dollars for a brand and website refresh project Resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foglemanscott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier

Mary Beth Oakey brings strategic thinking combined with creative spark to the client team at Up&Up. Her background is in retail marketing for a national clothing chain where she served as the director of social media and marketing and in the agency space where she served as an account executive on digital and brand strategy projects. Interacting with clients is still one of her favorite things, but these days you’ll find her behind the scenes resourcing the team and keeping projects on time and on budget. Mary Beth and her husband, John, live in downtown Greenville with their four fur-children, Moose (a German Shepherd, Collie mix), Daisy (a Treeing Walker Coonhound, Husky mix), Roo (a Chocolate Lab, Weimaraner mix) and Ellie (an orange tabby). They can often be found on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, enjoying a local brewery, or working with the animal rescue community. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Mary Beth’s background in retail marketing and in the agency space has offered her a unique perspective she employs in her position at Up&Up How Mary Beth juggles multiple projects and roles, and why compartmentalizing and focusing on one big project at a time is very important What key systems, tools, and resources Mary Beth uses to communicate with the team and keep the work flowing efficiently Why Mary Beth suggests you start your project planning by first laying out major milestones or deliverables for the project, then building out from there Why you should set realistic expectations and allow enough time to go through multiple revisions, and why people often underestimate the time a project will take How to best manage parallel projects in tandem, and why appropriate planning and staffing is critical for success How to deal with budgeting challenges and unexpected expenses, and what points to remember when developing a launch plan Why Mary Beth tries to involve clients and external stakeholders in the process as much as possible to demonstrate steady progress over time What Mary Beth seeks to learn from reviewing the closing of a project and then how she integrates that knowledge into the next project   Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foglemanscott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lanier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upandupagency Twitter: https://twitter.com/upandupagency   Additional resources: Website: www.theundeclaredpodcast.com Website: www.upandup.agency Email: contact@upandup.agency