In this conversation, Christine Albano discusses her journey in social media management within higher education, particularly at Felician University. She shares insights on the importance of social media as a research tool for prospective students, the creative processes behind successful campaigns, and the challenges of managing a student content team. Christine emphasizes the need for authenticity in content creation and the role of AI as a supportive tool in marketing strategies. The discussion also covers engagement strategies, including giveaways and contests, and the future direction of Felician's content strategy, including a new podcast initiative.

Key Takeaways:

1. Social media is how prospective students research colleges: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok function as search engines, giving students a real look at campus life before they ever visit a website.

2. Strong engagement comes from relevance and creativity: Content performs best when it highlights real experiences, hands-on learning, and student voices rather than polished marketing clichés.

3. Student content teams need structure, trust, and training: Clear guardrails, hands-on coaching, and shared creative processes help students contribute effectively while staying on brand.

4. Giveaways and interactive formats can drive real momentum: Well-designed campaigns (like Felician’s anti-melt giveaway) can sustain interest, boost engagement, and support enrollment goals.

5. Authenticity and smart use of AI strengthen content strategy: Honest storytelling resonates most, while AI works best as a supportive tool for ideation, captions, and efficiency—not a replacement for human creativity.

Relevant links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felician_university/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@felicianuniversity
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FelicianUniversity

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/felician-university/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicianuniversity

In this episode, host John Azoni sits down with Dan Giroux, independent consultant and former senior advancement communications leader at Drexel University, to explore why Advancement Marketing & Communications (MarCom) is one of the most overlooked — yet most critical — functions in higher education today.

Dan shares insights from his three-act career journey (agency, in-house, and independent consulting), discusses the structural challenges holding advancement teams back, and outlines practical, realistic ways institutions can create more authentic, impactful content — even with limited resources. The conversation dives deep into storytelling, leadership alignment, donor engagement, and why higher ed can learn a lot from modern creators like MrBeast when it comes to community-driven philanthropy.

This episode is a must-listen for advancement leaders, MarCom professionals, and anyone navigating fundraising, alumni engagement, or institutional storytelling in a rapidly changing higher-ed landscape.

Key takeaways:

1. Advancement MarCom plays a bigger role than many institutions realize: When it’s treated as tactical support instead of a strategic function, schools miss opportunities to drive engagement, loyalty, and giving.
2. Collaboration starts with leadership alignment: Strong partnerships between Central MarCom and Advancement leaders make cross-team collaboration possible; misalignment at the top creates silos everywhere else.
3. Authentic storytelling comes from specificity, not polish: Donors and alumni connect more deeply with real, detailed stories than with highly produced, generic campaign messaging.
4. Stewardship is a growth strategy, not an afterthought: Post-gift communication and impact storytelling strengthen relationships and increase long-term support.
5. Limited resources don’t have to limit impact: Small teams can scale by prioritizing the right work, using freelancers strategically, and building repeatable content systems.

In this episode, Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation Marketing and Distribution.ai, unpacks why Reddit has become one of the most influential platforms in the student decision-making process—shaping search rankings, AI responses, and campus reputation in ways most institutions aren’t tracking. He explains how universities can strategically participate without sounding promotional, how to build karma and credibility, and why owning your subreddit is now essential brand hygiene. Ross shares practical steps for teams of any size to start distributing content effectively, encourages leveraging student-generated stories, and highlights how repurposing existing assets can drive massive impact. He also discusses his book, Create Once, Distribute Forever, and offers low-lift strategies to help higher ed marketers turn Reddit from a risk into an unmatched opportunity.

Links:

Ross’ book: Create Once, Distribute Forever
Ross’ companies: Foundation Marketing and Distribution.ai

Key takeaways:

1. Reddit now shapes both search results and AI-generated answers used in the college search.
2. Universities must own and actively manage their subreddits to influence student perception.
3. Zero-click storytelling outperforms link-dropping and builds trust on Reddit.
4. Studying subreddit culture and tailoring content to it prevents bans and boosts engagement.
5. Consistency—15 minutes a day of authentic activity—compounds into real visibility and impact.