Stop the Melt: Enrollment Innovation

Welcome to the ZeeMeeSummer Series!

Episode 210

In this episode of The Higher Ed Marketer, Dr. Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont, shares how bold innovation and cross-campus collaboration are transforming the student journey. From launching the Vermont Pitch Challenge to building internal talent through the Emerging Leaders Academy, Dr. Jacobs outlines a vision for enrollment that’s strategic, student-centered, and digitally fluent. He also underscores the critical role of alignment between enrollment and marketing in driving institutional success.

🎧 Listen to Learn:

✅ Why innovation must be embedded in every aspect of enrollment strategy.

✅ How the Vermont Pitch Challenge supports brand-building.

✅ How redesigned orientation and retention programs improve student connection.

✅ Why developing internal talent matters and how to do it. 

✅ Why platforms like ZeeMee enhance student belonging before they step on campus.

Join the Discussion:

02:53 Cultural Shift Towards Innovation

06:01 Change Management in Higher Education

08:44 Redesigning Orientation and Retention Programs

11:56 The Vermont Pitch Challenge

26:07 Aligning Enrollment Leadership and Marketing

31:14 Building Synergy Between Marketing and Enrollment

36:07 Emerging Leaders Academy: Developing Internal Talent

ZeeMee is the student community platform that’s been shaping enrollment for over a decade. After 10 years of creating authentic student engagement, and analyzing student actions, ZeeMee knows exactly what signals lead to enrollment and they’re bringing that data to colleges to help prioritize the right students and drive real results. Students on ZeeMee are 2x more likely to apply, 3.5x more likely to commit, and 50% less likely to melt.

Join the movement at ZeeMee.com.

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