Rephonic
Artwork for Higher Ed Icons

Higher Ed Icons

Higher Ed Icons
Higher Education Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
Ondeck Marketing
Hospitable Design
Higher Ed Icons
Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education
University Of Washington
Voltaire Santos Miran
Mallory Willsea
Tracy Halvorsen
Web Design
Higher Ed Marketing
Enrollment and Student Care
Fear the Turtle
WONK
Higher Education
Dartmouth College
Sat/testing
Streaming TV
Higher Ed

Celebrating the pioneers, thought leaders, trend setters, and change makers in higher education marketing. With your hosts: Voltaire Santos Miran and Mallory Willsea.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes15Founded6 months ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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Artwork for Higher Ed Icons

Latest Episodes

Myla Edmond got tired of hearing that students don't read. So she put 35 people in a room and counted every general message the university sent an incoming first-year student in one year. The number was 273.

Myla is senior vice president at Educatio... more

In 2009, Ravi Jain pitched a 60-second video series to Boston College and got told you can't tell a story in 60 seconds. He said let's try.

A Boston College Minute ran 8 episodes a year for over a decade and taught a generation of higher ed marketer... more

Everyone in higher ed agrees a website should treat people well. So why do many websites fall so short?

Joel Goodman has spent close to 20 years closing that gap. He ran Bravery Media for 13 years, named a framework — Hospitable Design — and evangel... more

In 2010, Jennifer Lonchar pitched retargeting to higher ed with “janky PowerPoint decks” and a Zappos analogy, and schools called it Big Brother. The schools that said yes rode the digital wave for a decade. The schools that said no spent years catch... more

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Recent Guests

Ravi Jain
Prolific multimedia storyteller and educator
Boston College / Northeastern University / MassArt
Episode: Episode 12 - Brave, Brilliant ... and Broke
Joel Goodman
Higher Ed industry veteran, VP of Growth Strategy at SQUIZ
SQUIZ
Episode: Episode 11 - Getting Loud About Hospitable Experience Design
Jen Lonchar
Co-founder of ambio.edu, higher-ed marketing executive
ambio.edu
Episode: Episode 10 - The Perception Cliff, the Trajectory of Streaming, and the New Creepy Cool
Lee Coffin
Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid at Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Episode: Episode 9 - The J. Crew Dean, the Need for Hip, and the Importance of Vibe
Day Kibilds
AVP of Marketing and Community at Simpson Scarborough; author of Mailed It
Simpson Scarborough
Episode: Bonus Episode - The Hard Things Institutions Don't Do and the Lies That They Tell
Teresa Valerio Parrot
Higher education leadership consultant and president whisperer
Trusted Voices in Higher Education / Higher Ed Icons client
Episode: Episode 8 - I Came in Like a Wrecking Ball
Jack Martin
Vice President for Marketing and Communications, University of Washington
University of Washington
Episode: Episode 7 - The Politics of Storytelling in a Polarized Nation
Terry Flannery
AVP MarCom at University of Maryland, first VP of Communications at American University, first EVP and COO at Case
Universities (Maryland, American University, Case)
Episode: Episode 6 - Why Playing It Safe ... Isn't
Devin Pergason
AVP for Student Experience, Marketing and Outreach at Forsyth Technical Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College
Episode: Episode 5 - The High Cost of Certainty

Hosts

Voltaire Santos Miran
Host of the show; Higher Ed Icons founder; experienced marketing and communications leader
Mallory Willsea
Co-host; co-leader in higher-ed marketing and branding discussions

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 16 ratings
  • Icons hosted by a couple of icons

    Big fan of both Mallory and Voltaire and this podcast is a great look into the people that have been impacting higher education marketing and communications for the past couple of decades. I appreciate the authentic vulnerability guests often bring. Plus it’s always fun to hear my friends talk about their passions.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joel G Goodman
    United States5 months ago
  • Quick Hitting Higher Ed Info

    This podcast is for higher Ed marketers who don’t have a lot of time and could use some inspo between conferences and strategy sessions.

    Access to great minds who have done it already and can produced in a way that you can get the lesson on a drive, over lunch, or on a jog… feels like mentorship in 25 minutes. I think we need this in our industry!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JR Ramsay
    Canada5 months ago
  • Excited for what’s ahead

    Great introduction and excited to hear more perspectives from future guests

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Meaghan Wood
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Short, actionable episodes great for on-the-go learning.
Guests span admissions, branding, and fundraising with real-world stories.
Industry-focused, practical, and mentorship-like guidance for higher-ed marketing teams.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 12 - Brave, Brilliant ... and Broke
Q: What is the best idea you've ever had under the influence of alcohol?
The guest describes a spontaneous, socially inspired moment that sparked a pivot toward creating Higher Ed Icons with his partner, suggesting that personal experiences and convivial settings can seed meaningful professional ventures.
Episode 5 - The High Cost of Certainty
Q: Is seeking forgiveness rather than permission wired into your Enneagram or a learned skill?
It's partly ingrained in how I work; it's about starting with small, achievable changes and expanding as proof accumulates, not waiting for full approval.
Episode 5 - The High Cost of Certainty
Q: Number one, if you don't have the budget to do everything, how do you decide what to do?
Prioritize based on staff capabilities, start small with cost-effective changes, gain quick wins to prove value, then use ROI to justify broader investments and scale.
Episode 9 - The J. Crew Dean, the Need for Hip, and the Importance of Vibe
Q: How do you balance data with narrative in a highly selective environment?
Data shows capability, but voice reveals potential; by asking for stories and non-cognitive factors, we can identify students who will contribute uniquely to the campus community, even when traditional metrics are similar.
Episode 1 - The Fundamentals Are Still The Fundamentals
Q: What would you tell a modern CMO about the AI-inflected landscape without overhyping it?
Stay skeptical, focus on fundamentals, ask what problems the technology solves, and ensure any AI adoption aligns with clear goals and measurable outcomes.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Higher Ed Icons

What is Higher Ed Icons about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show spotlights higher education marketing, branding, and leadership through candid conversations with senior university communications and marketing professionals. Episodes frequently explore admissions storytelling, data-informed branding, crisis communication, fundraising strategy, and the evolving role of digital and AI in higher ed messaging. Listeners gain practical playbooks, real-world case studies, and behind-the-scenes perspectives from veterans and rising leaders shaping how institutions attract students, engage communities, and navigate tough strategic choices. A standout aspect is the mix of deeply practical tactics with personal storytelling and leadership philosophy, making it especially helpful for today's campus market... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Higher Ed Icons?

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Which podcasts are similar to Higher Ed Icons?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Higher Ed Icons:

1. Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO — with Jaime Hunt
2. Higher Ed Pulse
3. Pod Save America
4. Pivot
5. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of Higher Ed Icons are there?

Higher Ed Icons launched 6 months ago and published 15 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Higher Ed Icons?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Higher Ed Icons?

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What guests have appeared on Higher Ed Icons?

Recent guests on Higher Ed Icons include:

1. Ravi Jain
2. Joel Goodman
3. Jen Lonchar
4. Lee Coffin
5. Day Kibilds
6. Teresa Valerio Parrot
7. Jack Martin
8. Terry Flannery

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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