The Hidden Gem

This eye-opening episode dives into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of higher education success - employer branding and employee satisfaction within community colleges. Joined by Eddie Francis, the voice behind the 'I Wanna Work There' podcast, Maya and Eddie explore innovative strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, despite the challenges posed by limited budgets and high competition. This conversation sheds light on the significant impact that a positive work culture, strategic benefits, and a robust employer brand can have on the success of community colleges and their broader communities.

Key Takeaways:

• The Importance of Employer Branding: Explore the crucial role of employer branding in attracting quality faculty and staff, vital for student satisfaction and institutional success.
• Strategies for Talent Attraction: Learn innovative ways community colleges can enhance their appeal to potential employees, including showcasing unique benefits and leveraging the institution's mission.
• Employee Satisfaction: Hear the significance of creating a supportive and engaging work environment to ensure employee satisfaction and retention.
• Impact of Digital Presence: Explore how a strong digital presence and leadership visibility on social media can influence job applicants' perceptions and decisions.
• Practical Tips: Gain actionable insights for community colleges to implement immediately to boost their employer brand.

The IMPACT Framework

Guest Name: Eddie Francis / Brand strategy consultant, speaker, leadership enthusiast, and award-winning broadcaster

Guest Social:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiefrancis/
https://www.youtube.com/user/augustus06
https://www.instagram.com/eddiefrancis06/
https://www.tiktok.com/@eddiefrancis06

Guest Bio: Eddie Francis is a brand strategy consultant, speaker, leadership enthusiast, and award-winning broadcaster. He hosts “I Wanna Work There!,” one of Hannon Hill’s best higher ed podcasts of 2024 and “For Our Edification,” and he is a frequent contributor to WBOK radio.
He has been quoted and featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Huffington Post, Inside Higher Ed, Careers in Government, Watch the Yard, on “The Higher Ed Marketer,” “Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO,” and more. Among Eddie’s honors are New Orleans Magazine’s “30 People to Watch,” the Press Club of New Orleans’ Best Radio Entertainment Feature, and two nominations for AMA’s Higher Education Marketer of the Year.
Eddie earned his master’s degree in strategic leadership from Tennessee State University and his bachelor’s from Loyola University New Orleans. He is a member of the American Marketing Association, the International Leadership Association, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

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Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/

This episode tackles the essential unity of marketing and communications, advocating for a seamless Marcomm strategy that encompasses all channels, both digital and traditional, under a singular, well-defined brand identity. The dialogue underscores that marketing and communications are not separate entities, but rather complementary facets of a holistic approach that ensures consistent and impactful messaging. The episode brings to light the power of storytelling, authenticity, and strategic uniformity and serves as an insightful guide for professionals aiming to synchronize communication tools and promotional strategies to build a robust educational brand.

Guest 1 Name: Lisa Slappy, Chief Communications Officer, Carroll Community College

Guest 1 Social: https://www.carrollcc.edu/

Guest 1 Bio: Lisa Slappy is the Chief Communications Officer at Carroll Community College and began working at Carroll in 2022. In this capacity, she is responsible for building internal and external support, conducting public and community relations activities, and enhancing the visibility, image, and reputation of the College. She is the Public Information Officer and the spokesperson for the college. She serves as a member of the President’s Executive Team and represents the initiatives, needs, and activities of the College to all audiences.
Prior to this position she was the Chief Communications Officer at a federal contracting company. She was responsible for planning, executing, reporting, and managing internal and external communications that increased brand visibility for a federal contracting staffing company. This included branding, industry relations, media relations, community engagement, marketing, social media, public affairs, strategic and corporate communications.
She provided strategic communication counsel and oversight on all business facets and prepared plans for highly successful marketing campaigns and monitored ongoing campaign performance to ensure proper execution while maintaining effective strategic relationships. She prepared the executive team for all communication engagement and was the company’s principal spokesperson and communication adviser.
She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Management and Public Relations from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She also holds a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from UMGC.

Guest 2 Name: Peter Toran / Lead Strategist, idfive

Guest 2 Social: www.idfive.com

Guest 2 Bio: As idfive’s Lead Strategist, Peter applies his extensive experience in education marketing, nonprofit positioning and development, and institutional branding to various client projects.
Before joining idfive, Peter served as the Vice President of Communications and Planning at the University of Baltimore for 13 years. While at the university, Peter supervised the university’s marketing, advertising, web relations, social media, public and media relations, crisis management, and special events. He was also a member of the President’s executive office and helped the university achieve its highest student population in history.
Peter is the former Co-Founder and Principal of TBD+, an agency that specializes in education branding and recruitment, nonprofit positioning, and the development and implementation of strategic plans. While with TBD+, Peter worked with clients such as the Clinical Legal Education Association, the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and Helia Health and Wellness.
Peter is a summa cum laude graduate of Tufts University, has an M.F.A. in Theater from Wayne State University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore and guest artist at Northwestern University.

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Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/

In this insightful episode, host Maya Demishkevich engages in a deep conversation with branding expert Nancie McDonnell Ruder. They delve into the unique challenges and opportunities of branding for community colleges, emphasizing its crucial role in reshaping perceptions and boosting student recruitment and retention. Nancie shares her extensive experience and provides actionable advice on developing effective branding strategies, highlighting the transformative impact of a well-crafted brand on the public image and operational success of community colleges.

Guest Name: Nancie McDonnell Ruder

Guest Social:
Linkedin
Noetic Consultants LinkedIn
Noetic Consultants Website
Noetic Brand Health Diagnostic

Guest Bio:

Nancie McDonnell Ruder has dedicated her career to strengthening brands and the people who build them.

With over 25 years of experience in marketing strategy, marketing training, branding and consumer research, Nancie has vast experience accelerating growth for companies by helping build their internal marketing strength – so external marketing efforts are focused and most effective.

Nancie began her professional career with the Leo Burnett Company in Chicago, Illinois, where she spearheaded Leo Burnett’s global new business efforts. Since launching Noetic Consulting, a marketing and leadership consultancy in 2002, Nancie has provided strategic guidance to clients large and small, including: AT&T, Discovery Channel, Georgetown University, Nike, Vail Resorts, Samsung Electronics, SC Johnson, Mayo Clinic, the Walt Disney Company and others. Noetic is proudly female owned and WBENC-Certified as a diversity owned business.

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Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/

In the debut episode of The Hidden Gem, "The Marketing-Savvy President," Dr. Anthony Cruz discusses his successful use of marketing strategies and social media to boost enrollment and community engagement at Miami Dade College's Kendall Campus. He highlights the role of strategic marketing and communications in higher education, particularly through the challenges of the pandemic, and shares insights on the impact of his initiatives.

Guest Name: Dr. Anthony Cruz

Guest Social:
Linkedin
Instagram

Guest Bio: Dr. Cruz currently serves as the Campus President of the Miami Dade College - Kendall Campus in Florida. During his twenty-seven years of higher education experience, Dr. Cruz has used his expertise to increase educational opportunities, enhance the student experience and bolster student success.

Dr. Cruz is a native of Chicago, Illinois who grew up in Miami, Florida. Dr. Cruz works collaboratively with community partners to build pathways and remove barriers for students to thrive academically, professionally, and personally. He is committed to creating innovative approaches to reduce the skills gap and increase the number of college graduates.

Dr. Cruz currently serves on the NCCHC Leadership Fellows Program Advisory Board, Healthy West Kendall Advisory Board and as a faculty member with the NASPA Escaleras Institute. He previously served on the NASPA James E. Scott Academy Board, the Missouri Community College Association of Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAO) Council, the St. Louis Graduates Steering Committee, Ohio Council for Two-Year College Chief Student Affairs Officers, on the Board of Directors of the English Language Learning Foundation, Inc., Member of the Welcome Dayton Committee, and Board Trustee of the Miami Valley Child Development Centers Inc.

Dr. Cruz has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University, a Master in Public Administration from Florida State University, and a Doctorate in Higher Education from Florida International University.

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Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/

In this episode of the Hidden Gem Podcast, host Maya Demishkevich interviews Jenny Li Fowler, MIT’s Director of Social Media and host of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager. They explore the evolving role of social media in higher education, addressing common misconceptions and practical strategies for transforming social platforms into powerful tools for engagement, intelligence, and institutional change.

Key Takeaways

• Social media is no longer child’s play—it’s a critical strategic tool with a $250 billion impact, requiring dedicated expertise.
• Higher education institutions aren’t just competing with peers—they’re vying for attention against global brands like Taylor Swift and Nike.
• Platforms like Instagram and TikTok double as search engines for prospective students, emphasizing the need for a strong presence.
• Engagement metrics and community-building efforts elevate institutional visibility and trust, which can drive enrollments and fundraising.
• Social media managers should be seen as intelligence agents, gathering real-time insights that influence leadership decisions.

What does it mean that “social media has grown up”?
Jenny Li Fowler highlights the maturity of social media as an industry, with billions of daily users and a massive economic footprint. However, outdated perceptions—such as treating social media as a task for interns—persist, undervaluing its strategic importance in higher education.

What are some common misconceptions about social media in higher ed?
Institutions often believe they’re only competing with peer organizations, but Jenny emphasizes the broader content landscape. Higher ed content must rival engaging campaigns from global brands. She urges institutions to move beyond thinking about “what works for higher ed” to focus on creating universally compelling content.

Why is a strong social media presence critical for colleges?
Prospective students increasingly use social platforms as search engines, making a robust presence essential. Without it, institutions risk losing control over their narrative and visibility. Social platforms also offer opportunities for relationship-building, turning followers into lifelong supporters.

How can institutions measure success on social media?
Jenny underscores engagement as the key metric, which requires high-quality, relatable content. Even small actions, like engaging with user-generated posts, can significantly boost visibility and connection.

How can institutions transition social media into a leadership tool?
Social media managers can act as institutional intelligence agents, providing real-time insights during critical moments, such as protests or emergencies. By involving social media managers in strategic discussions, leadership can make data-driven decisions that align with audience sentiment and expectations.

What’s the first step in elevating social media strategy?
Jenny suggests starting with a mindset shift—recognizing the strategic value of social media and educating leadership on its potential. When institutions fully embrace social as a leadership tool, they unlock powerful opportunities for community building, enrollment growth, and crisis management.

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Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/