{"podcast":{"title":"The Signal","slug":"the-signal-7024065","podcast_index_feed_id":7024065,"rss_url":"https://feeds.castos.com/4xqr8","website_url":"https://edtechconnect.castos.com","image_url":"https://episodes.castos.com/66cf7b74d67cb0-47099354/images/podcast/covers/c1a-mp079-qd154xrxu74q-t9z0us.jpg","author":"Jeff Dillon","episode_count":96,"summary":"With more than 450,000 downloads, The Signal is the definitive podcast for higher education’s transformation leaders. Hosted by Jeff Dillon, The Signal cuts through the noise of the \"status quo\" to bring you the strategic intelligence needed to reshape how institutions recruit, support, and retain students. Every Friday, we sit down with the practitioners and technology builders who are actively defining the next decade of campus life. Why Higher Ed Leaders Listen: In one of the most consequential periods for academia, we move past the hype to focus on Human-Centered Innovation. Our episodes feature deep-dive interviews with guest experts focusing on the \"real work\" of institutional evolution. Core Topics & AI Strategy: * Artificial Intelligence: Practical AI adoption, governance, and the \"Human in the Loop\" mindset. * Enrollment Marketing: Modern recruitment strategies and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). * Student Success: Data-driven retention, mental health, and digital engagement. * Institutional Transformation: Navigating digital transformation with a focus on workforce readiness and AVPs reimagining student care. Whether you are a C-suite leader, IT Director, or Facult…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-17T20:20:41.808526+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065"},"episode":{"title":"Ep. 79 - Valerie Fox: The New Front Door to Graduate Enrollment","slug":"ep-79-valerie-fox-the-new-front-door-to-graduate-enrollment","published_at":"2026-03-20T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065/ep-79-valerie-fox-the-new-front-door-to-graduate-enrollment","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065","url":"https://edtechconnect.castos.com/episodes/valerie-fox-the-new-front-door-to-graduate-enrollment","audio_url":"https://episodes.castos.com/66cf7b74d67cb0-47099354/2390347/c1e-pq92nhw9kk2fm4m2r-9jwzzv44td5n-p9lo8n.mp3","summary":"In a higher ed landscape crowded with sameness, how can institutions truly stand out and drive enrollment growth, especially for graduate and professional programs? This week on The Signal: On Air, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Val Fox, a strategic advisor at EAB with decades of experience leading marketing at both major universities and consumer brands like Bose. Val argues that the biggest mistake institutions make is trying to scale the undergraduate playbook for their graduate programs, which are often fragmented, under-resourced, and siloed. Val shares critical insights from EAB's latest research on the modern adult learner, revealing a fundamental shift toward stealth shopping, digital-first decision-making, and a surge in AI adoption for program discovery. She explains why \"supportive faculty\" and \"strong outcomes\" are just the category minimum, not differentiators, and offers a practical guide on how to build a genuine brand \"moat\" by getting specific. Tune in to learn how to move from endless debate to disciplined experimentation, align your cross-functional teams, and ensure your institution is visible at the new AI-powered front door of higher ed. Key Takeaways Stop Using the Undergraduate Playbook: Graduate enrollment is fundamentally different. It's often fragmented and under-resourced, requiring a distinct strategy focused on the unique needs of adult, professional, and online learners, not a scaled-down version of the traditional undergraduate model. Data Beats Enthusiasm: Too many programs are launched based on internal enthusiasm rather than market demand. Institutions serious about growth must ground their decisions in public data (like IPEDS and BLS) to validate student demand and employer needs before investing in new programs. Differentiation Req…","meta_description":"In a higher ed landscape crowded with sameness, how can institutions truly stand out and drive enrollment growth, especially for graduate and professional…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1900,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-signal-7024065/episodes/ep-79-valerie-fox-the-new-front-door-to-graduate-enrollment/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065/ep-79-valerie-fox-the-new-front-door-to-graduate-enrollment.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}