Mission Admissions – Details, episodes & analysis

I’m ending Season 3 with a unique and very insightful episode where I’m joined by Mickey Baines who works on the higher ed partner side, and his son Reece who is a high school junior. Their family recently drove up and down the east coast, visiting 12 college campuses. Hear some eye opening feedback and stories about the experiences they had, as well as how the college search process is going. 

Guests Names:
Mickey Baines, Partner and Technology Services Practice Leader, Kennedy & Company
Reece Baines, Junior, Wilson High School, PA

Guests Social:
Mickey Baines - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickeyb/

Guests Bios:
Mickey Baines - As a consultant and former practitioner in higher education, Mickey has over 25 years of experience building, implementing, and leading enrollment and student success systems and teams. In his current consulting role he leads the technology services practice for Kennedy & Company. Under Mickey’s leadership the practice has helped over 225 colleges and universities in their design, implementation, and customization of CRM technologies. 

Reece Baines - Reece is a rising high school junior who has spent this summer visiting many colleges and universities up and down the east coast. He plans to study film and digital arts in college. Reece is an avid drummer, also works part time for a local community organization, and he volunteers as an orientation counselor at his high school. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is the second of two where I’m joined by a rising star in Higher Ed. From a very young age Bertita Barrientos enjoyed helping others and being a leader. We talk about her path to the United States, how opportunities in college influenced her leadership style, how she ended up in college admissions, and the role that mentors have played in her growth. We also discuss the concept of work-life balance, and Bertita offers advice on recruiting Hispanic/Latinx students and families. 

Guest Name: Bertita Barrientos, Assistant Director of Admission, Butler University

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertitabarrientos/

Guest Bio: Bertita Barrientos, originally from El Salvador, found a career in higher education after moving to Arkansas to attend college in 2013. With a passion for college access, Bertita’s professional journey began in 2020 as a Regional Admissions Counselor with the University of Central Arkansas, where she spent two impactful years working directly with students in Northwest Arkansas and North Texas. In 2022, she transitioned to Butler University and continued her passion for regional recruitment. Also a proud member of TACAC, Bertita prioritizes building meaningful connections with other Texas counseling professionals to strategize and promote student access to higher education opportunities.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Drew Carr joins Jeremy for a conversation about Slate, the popular CRM that can be a game changing tool for Higher Ed admissions and enrollment marketing teams. Things you’ll hear about:

04:53 - Advice when you implement a new CRM 

07:31 - Skills you need if you want to become more proficient in Slate 

14:28 - How configurable joins and snippets can make your life easier 

23:54 - Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to queries

29:13 - When to build a report instead of creating a query 

33:50 - The value of using Slate community forums

Guest Name: Drew Carr, Director of Enrollment Operations, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-carr/

Guest Bio: Drew currently serves as the Director of Enrollment Operations at Nebraska Wesleyan University as well as the Technology Chair at Great Plains Association for College Admissions Counseling (GPACAC). He has been at Nebraska Wesleyan  since January 2013 after graduating as a student. Drew initially served as an admissions counselor for two and a half years before moving to the operations side. Since then, he’s worked his way up to the Director level managing all aspects of their CRM, Slate.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this “quick take” episode, Jeremy discusses a communication bad habit that may seem harmless, but has a detrimental effect in the long run, and he replaces it with a good one.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Jeremy sits down with talented Higher Ed leader, Anne Johnson. You’ll hear about:

7:00 - How failing as a 23 year old leader helped Anne develop some great tools

17:46 - The Importance of consistently doing 1-on-1’s, and how to navigate them

22:49 - Embracing vulnerability during 1-on-1’s

26:37 - Something Anne has noticed about doing 1-on-1’s with her younger staff 

32:47 - Giving tough feedback 

Guest Name: Anne Johnson, Associate Director of Admission, North Dakota State University

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-johnson-9008512b/

Guest Bio: Anne Johnson, an Alabama native, found a career in higher education after moving to Fargo, ND in 2013. As a first-generation college student, her educational journey was non-traditional, and she found purpose in supporting students and leading a team. She has spent the last ten years serving in various leadership roles in college admission and has spent the last several years overseeing recruitment staff as the Associate Director of Admission at North Dakota State University.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is a candid and much needed conversation about mental health with Ross Szabo, an award-winning speaker, author, and the Wellness Director for students in grades 6-12 at Geffen Academy at UCLA. Things you’ll hear about include:

05:20 - Being proactive, not reactive with your own mental health 

13:50 - The importance of having a sense of purpose

16:42 - Do’s and don’ts when approaching a colleague or a team member about mental health

27:48 - A big misconception about Gen Z and Gen Alpha 

32:30 - How to effectively approach the topic of fear with high school students

Guest Name: Ross Szabo, Wellness Director at Geffen Academy at UCLA

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-szabo/

Guest Bio: Ross Szabo is an award-winning mental health speaker, author, and the Wellness Director at Geffen Academy at UCLA. Ross created a program at Geffen for students to learn about mental health once a week throughout their education from grades 6-12. Before coming to Geffen Academy, Ross was the Director of Outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign. The Campaign was the country’s first public health approach to mental health. Ross has spoken to more than 2 million people about the importance of mental health and authored two books; Behind Happy Faces; Taking Charge of Your Mental Health and A Kids Book About Anxiety.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spring travel season has begun for most admission counselors and recruiters. John McGreal joins Jeremy and they discuss how to plan, implement, and grow as a territory manager. Things you will hear about:

02:10 - What it means to be a territory manager in 2024

8:22 - How to figure out what your “best fit” students look like, and where to find more of them

13:04 - What to do when zero students show up to a high school visit

20:25 - Big do’s and don’ts when you speak to students

24:02 - Travel tips to help you be at your best

27:22 - Challenges of being a regional recruiter and how colleagues/leaders can support them 

Guest Name: John McGreal, Dean of Enrollment at Waukesha County Technical College 

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfmcgreal/

Guest Bio: John McGreal currently serves as the inaugural Dean of Enrollment Services at Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee, WI.  Previously, he worked for Rockford University, the University of Alabama, and Bellin College. John has also served as the President of the Wisconsin ACAC, chair of the WACAC government relations committee, and numerous other roles related to conference planning and professional development. John's passion is using data to make informed decisions, process improvement, and college access.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Jeremy talks with senior admissions leader Sacha Thieme of Indiana University. You’ll hear about:

02:04 - Why admission offices are struggling to keep staff motivated and engaged

08:14 - The importance of mindset when it comes to change

13:00 - Ways to effectively deal with burnout 

17:58 - Building blocks for creating a positive office culture

21:52 - Providing professional development and helping your staff overcome their fears

30:14 - Dealing with isolation as a senior leader 

Guest Name: Sacha Thieme, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Admissions, Indiana University

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sacha-thieme-b9a8265/

Guest Bio: Sacha serves as the Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Admissions for Indiana University Bloomington, the flagship campus of the IU system, bringing over 20 years of undergraduate admissions experience to the role. In her current capacity, she serves as a member of the senior leadership team within the Office of Enrollment Management and is directly responsible for the leadership and advancement of strategy, policy, and operations for all domestic undergraduate admissions and first year experience programs. She has also been an active leader in the admissions community through her service on multiple boards and committees, including serving as President of the Association of Chief Admission Officers of Public Universities.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today’s episode is a conversation between Jeremy and Jon-Stephen Stansel, an expert on content marketing and social media who says things louder for the people in the back. You’ll hear about:

2:00 - When imposter syndrome tends to show up, and how to manage it

7:14 - The biggest thing enrollment and social media marketers need to spend more time doing

17:01 - Why colleges aren’t utilizing more content from the current student point of view

20:30 - Lessons Higher Ed can learn from the entertainment industry

25:01 - Metrics to focus on when evaluating content 

Guest Name: Jon-Stephen Stansel, Social Media Strategist, Speaker, and Consultant

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsstansel/

Guest Bio: Jon-Stephen Stansel is an award winning social media professional with over a decade of experience managing, building, and creating content for brand social media accounts. He has run social media accounts for Amazon Prime's Invincible animated series, Hyper RPG, Better Place Forests, the University of Central Arkansas, Texas State University, the Texas Department of Transportation, as well as consulting for many television series, films, and small businesses. In addition, Jon-Stephen has taught courses in social media management and presented at many national and international higher ed conferences.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you currently have a leadership title, or even if you don’t but you want to lead in other ways, don’t miss Jeremy’s in-depth conversation with well-known Higher Ed administrator, Rick Clark. You’ll hear about:

7:03 - The most important quality for any leader to possess

13:12 - Fostering leadership with rising stars

17:10 - Staff retention issues facing Higher Ed (and what needs to change)

23:14 - How senior leaders can advocate to their Provost or President

26:24 - Career progression to the senior levels

32:22 - Something most leaders struggle with, and something they need to do more of

Guest Name/Title: Rick Clark, Executive Director for Strategic Student Access, Georgia Tech 

Guest LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raclarkatl/

Guest Bio: For the past 15 years, Rick Clark led Georgia Tech’s undergraduate admission team serving as AVP and Executive Director. He recently transitioned to becoming Tech’s inaugural Executive Director for Strategic Student Access. Rick has also served on regional and national councils and boards, is currently a member of NACAC’s Committee on Leadership in College Admission, is co-author of the book and workbook “The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together”, and co-hosts his own podcast under the same name.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.