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The Trust Bank: Why Investing in Communications Now Pays Off When It Matters Most

by Brenda Drake

Crisis events happen in every organization, from a building’s structural concern to a data breach to an employee who says something offensive online. How we handle those things in the moment is a different blog post. I want to focus on preparing for potential crisis events through proactive, cohesive messaging. Not through tabletop exercises or crisis training. I’m talking about preparing for the […]

Understanding The Impacts Of Workforce Development Pell Grants

by Pete Colbert

Expansion Brings Added Opportunity & Increased Competition The U.S. Department of Education is expanding Pell Grant access to include high-need students enrolled in workforce development programs starting July 1, 2026. Advocates for college access are praising this addition, and for good reason. Improving access for low-income adults to pursue career advancement through industry-based studies and credentials is a significant benefit […]

AccessU Earns National Recognition for VCCS Enrollment Campaign

by Brenda Drake

Virginia’s Community College System (VCCS) received a Bronze Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for the “Find Your Answer” campaign, a statewide initiative developed in partnership with The Hodges Partnership and AccessU. The Bronze Anvil recognizes outstanding tactical public relations programs that deliver exceptional return on investment. Among national competitors in […]

AI Is Changing Websites. Earned Media Is Changing Website Results.

by Rachel Spencer

Your marketing strategy needs both. AI is not the first major disruptor to upend the world of marketing. Mobile phones changed how we designed for web. Social media changed how we engage with our audiences. Search changed how those audiences find us. AI adds another shift, but it’s one that’s changing everything all at once. Design, communications, distribution, and search. And we don’t have […]

May Enrollment Strategy To-Do List: 5 Top Priorities to Prepare for the Fall 2027 Recruitment Cycle

by Pete Colbert

That isn’t a typo. Fall 2027 recruitment starts now, and the idea that there are only five things you, as an admissions and enrollment leader, need to focus on in May is laughable. But we don’t have time for the complete list, so I’ve narrowed things down to five top priorities to keep on your […]

Beyond Student Search: Rethinking the 2026–27 Enrollment Strategy

by Pete Colbert

Budget planning is underway, and the same search playbook from last year may not be enough. As institutions begin building the next incoming class, one question deserves serious attention: How broad is your enrollment strategy? For many institutions, the traditional student search road map is showing its limits. The way prospective students discover colleges has changed, and enrollment strategies need […]

Your Digital Home: The Golden Rules of Website Maintenance

by Greg Keene

Imagine building a beautiful home, then never changing the air filters, checking the smoke alarms or locking the front door. Eventually, things will break — or worse, someone might walk right in. Your website works the same way. For business owners, marketers and anyone responsible for keeping a site running, it’s easy to treat maintenance […]

Let AI Create It. What’s the Worst that Can Happen?

by Chris Henson

It’s no secret that generative AI is improving at an alarming rate. In 2024, the easiest way to tell if a portrait was created with artificial intelligence was to look at the subject’s hands. If they looked wrong — too many fingers or bending unnaturally — you could be certain the image was a fake. […]

To Partner or Not to Partner: The Budget Case for Enrollment Marketing Partnerships

by Pete Colbert

“We would love to hire an outside agency to help with enrollment marketing, but we just can’t afford it.” — Nearly every enrollment leader, at some point I hear this often, and I understand it. In truth, I’m probably guilty of making similar comments during my time as an enrollment manager. Budgets are tight. Teams […]

From Pressure to Perspective: Turning Year-End Reflection into 2026 Momentum

by Pete Colbert

“A long December. And there’s reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last.” — Counting Crows The days are short, the deadlines are long and the holiday season has a way of stacking pressures faster than most of us can clear our desks. December is a month of competing demands, wrapping […]

Don’t Wait Until the Runway Clears: Why Sophomore/Junior Search Matters Now

by Pete Colbert

Here’s the truth about fall and winter in enrollment: you’re an air traffic controller managing multiple runways simultaneously. Your seniors are landing, juniors are lining up behind them, and sophomores are just starting to show on your radar. Transfer students are already asking for priority treatment. You can’t shut down operations on one runway to […]

It’s Not Too Late to Reach Seniors

by Pete Colbert

Anytime is a good time to expand your student search Fall travel season is in full swing, applications are rolling in and admissions decisions are landing for rolling admissions schools. But not all seniors are in the same place on their application journeys. Some have already applied and are eagerly awaiting early decision notifications. Others […]