{"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. 83 - Mitchell Borges: Why Students Trust Strangers More Than Your University","slug":"ep-83-mitchell-borges-why-students-trust-strangers-more-than-your-university","published_at":"2026-04-17T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065/ep-83-mitchell-borges-why-students-trust-strangers-more-than-your-university","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-signal-7024065","url":"https://edtechconnect.castos.com/episodes/mitchell-borges-why-students-trust-strangers-more-than-your-university","audio_url":"https://episodes.castos.com/66cf7b74d67cb0-47099354/2405159/c1e-3wko5fw5989sk6kn1-mkgm9wgkc1or-xx0cbj.mp3","summary":"In an era where students trust a peer on Instagram more than a university's official website, how can enrollment marketers cut through the noise and build genuine connections? This week on The Signal: On Air, Jeff Dillon sits down with Mitchell Borges, Director of Marketing for ASUCD at UC Davis and a researcher who has spent years studying how social media actually influences student enrollment decisions. Mitchell shares eye-opening findings from his doctoral research, revealing that students are heading to Instagram comment sections to ask strangers about tuition because they perceive peer-to-peer information as more authentic than official university communications. He explains why empowering students to create content is the single most effective strategy for building trust, why out-of-state students rely more heavily on digital discovery than their in-state peers, and how his own team grew Instagram followers from 4,000 to 14,000 by letting students take the lead. Mitchell also delivers a critical wake-up call about the April 2026 Title II accessibility compliance deadline, warning that social media—often an afterthought in accessibility conversations—will be one of the hardest areas to bring into compliance. He offers practical advice on rethinking content workflows and explains why the teams that embrace authenticity and move fast on micro-trends will be the ones that win. Tune in for a candid, tactical conversation about what it really takes to connect with today's students in a crowded, fast-moving digital landscape. Key Takeaways Trust Has Shifted to Peers: Students consistently perceive information from peers or alumni on social media as more authentic and trustworthy than official university websites or admissions counselors. This is driving them to seek ou…","meta_description":"In an era where students trust a peer on Instagram more than a university's official website, how can enrollment marketers cut through the noise and build…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1719,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-signal-7024065/episodes/ep-83-mitchell-borges-why-students-trust-strangers-more-than-your-university/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-83-mitchell-borges-why-students-trust-strangers-more-than-your-university.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}