Dr. Brenda Harms, Principal Consultant, Stamats

 

Is an experienced higher education administrator with a diverse marketing and admissions background. Her primary interest is the recruitment and retention of adult students and she leads the Stamats' adult student marketing initiative. Dr. Harms is active in the higher education community, serving as the secretary/treasurer of the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators executive committee. Dr. Harms received a B.S. in allied health and an M.A. in educational psychology and counseling from the University of South Dakota. She received her Ph D. in human services with her dissertation focused specifically on adult student retention.

 

Read the latest review of Dr. Brenda Harms' new book, Up to Speed: Marketing to Today's Adult Student.

 

 

Julie Staggs, Senior Client Consultant, Stamats

 

Has worked in Higher Ed and with Higher Ed for over 15 years. Working in Higher Ed, she served both as an admissions counselor and as the Performing Arts Director of a liberal arts women's college. As a partner with Higher Ed, she spent 10 years at Pearson Education working with faculty and state consortia with a special focus in online and blended learning, helping institutions to build programs that met both market needs and growth goals. Her work with corporate training and consulting with Fortune 100 companies brings an extensive understanding of how to develop tactics to drive strategic plans that result in exceeding growth targets. Julie holds a BMus from Converse College and an Executive MBA with a focus on Leadership from University of Georgia.

 

 

Dr. Robert Sevier, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Stamats

 

Offers more than 25 years of leadership experience in strategic thinking and planning, integrated and brand marketing, market research, and student recruiting. Each year, Bob directs more than 100 research studies and helps more than a dozen colleges with their integrated marketing, brand marketing, and strategic plans. He has also written more than 125 articles for CASE Currents, The Journal of College Admissions, Trusteeship, Communication World, Admission Strategist, College and University Journal, and other publications. Beyond his writing, he has conducted more than 500 seminars, workshops, and presentations for the AAU, CASE, NAICU, NACAC, ACT, AACRAO, CIC, CCCU, NACCAP, AMA, NCMPR, College Board, and others. In addition to his U.S. clients, Sevier also works with clients in Canada, the UK, Mexico, Poland, and Trinidad. His writi ng has been reproduced extensively in ERIC, and he writes a regular column on marketing for University Business magazine. Bob has authored seven books on integrated marketing, brand marketing, innovation, and strategic planning in higher education. His latest, published in Spring 2008, is Building Brand Momentum: Strategies for Achieving Critical Mass. After teaching and working as an administrator at The Ohio State University, Denison University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and Oregon Health & Science University, Robert joined Stamats in 1988. Bob earned a Ph.D. in policy analysis and higher education administration from The Ohio State University. His dissertation, titled, "Freshmen at Competitive Liberal Arts Colleges: A Survey of Factors Influencing Institutional Choice," involved a nationwide study of how college-bound high school students choose a college. He also holds an M.S. degree in Journalism/Public Relations from the University of Oregon.

 

 

Chuck Reed, Senior Vice President, Client Services

In addition to helping to drive the strategy, research, and planning, Chuck will be your main contact and serve as the liaison between your team and Stamats.

Chuck has worked in higher education for more than 25 years, including positions as coordinator of admissions for a regional public college and director of media relations for a selective private university. A journalism major and graduate of the University of Nebraska–Kearney, he also worked as an admission ambassador during his undergraduate years, where he learned firsthand about the roller coaster ride associated with being part of a regional public university.

Chuck was a writer and editor for nearly five years before becoming a client consultant at Stamats. His clients range from selective private colleges to regional public and two-year institutions across the country, and his projects have won several CASE Gold and other awards. He frequently presents at CASE conferences and a variety of other professional workshops.

 

 

Sabra Fiala, Director of Strategic Marketing, Stamats

 

Has extensive experience in interactive and direct marketing; specifically, in developing inquiry generation programs, message segmentation, fulfillment processes, and response tracking. Sabra joined Stamats with nearly a decade of direct marketing experience. Prior to arriving at Stamats, she worked in the advertising industry specializing in integrated direct marketing programs complemented by the web and e-mail marketing. She earned her Bachelor of Liberal Studies and her MBA from The University of Iowa. Sabra was a member of the United States Army for 10 years and appreciates the balance of process and structure in the higher education industry.

 

 

 

Dr. Charles Bird, Vice Provost for University Outreach, Ohio University

 

Dr. Bird came to Ohio University in 1995, as dean of its Lancaster Campus, later serving as Vice President for Regional Higher Education, before assuming his current role. Prior to coming to Ohio University, he spent 18 years at Ohio State University, as a faculty member and administrator. Dr. Bird carries a strong personal and professional commitment to expanding access to opportunities in higher education. His current administrative responsibilities include oversight of distance education programs, the expansion of partnerships with community colleges, growth of off-campus graduate programs, workforce development initiatives, and the exploration of opportunities that take advantage of virtual reality or other computer simulations to deliver courses and programs. Dr. Bird holds a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from Florida State University and obtained his undergraduate education at Virginia Tech. His academic interests are in social and organizational behavior. He has taught courses in industrial psychology, organizational behavior, social psychology, and learning and memory, among others. He has published numerous articles in professional journals, as well as in newspapers and magazines, and he has been a frequent presenter for business and professional organizations, on topics such as managing change and conflict, leadership, work motivation, and stress management.

 

 

Todd Gibby, CEO, Intelliworks

 

Brings a rare combination of business experience and higher education technology expertise to Intelliworks. Under Todd's leadership, Intelliworks has emerged as a player to watch in the relationship management for higher education space. Todd has established Intelliworks as an industry thought leader, to ensuring clients' success with our solutions, and to building a world-class team of cohesive professionals. Prior to Intelliworks, Todd served as executive vice president of operations for another higher education technology company, Blackboard. In seven years at Blackboard, Todd held several key executive roles across the company's operations and sales departments and helped grow the company from $2 million in revenue to over $180 million. Before helping Blackboard become a leader in e-Education, he also worked on business development efforts at Campus Pipeline (now part of SunGard Higher Education). Todd also has held strategic planning and finance positions at Dole Food Company, Lehman Brothers, and Viking Graham, a boutique private equity firm. A frequent presenter at higher education conferences, Todd has also spoken at UCEA West 2008, UCEA New England 2008, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning 2008 and US Distance Learning Association 2009.

 

 

 

Lisa Palacios, Director of Recruitment and Retention - the Graduate School, University of Texas at San Antonio

Lisa has been in graduate recruiting for 10 years. Five of those years she was the recruitment coordinator for the University of North Texas's Graduate School, which encompasses 111 master's programs and 48 doctoral programs. She also organized over 200+ recruitment events per year, as well as UNT's annual graduate fair in which over 100 schools were represented. She currently focuses on recruitment plans and strategies for UTSA's 49 masters and 21doctoral programs, as well as retention goals and student services improvements for the current graduate population. She has a B.A. in psychology from UNT, an M.A. in psychology from San Francisco State University, and is currently working on her doctoral degree in educational leadership with a concentration in higher education. Her research interests have included resiliency studies, as well as empathy development in 5th grade children involved in a cooperative learning environment. Her current research interests are in graduate retention models, especially for non-traditional and part-time enrolled working professionals.

 

 

Michael S. Reilly, Ph.D. Executive Dean, College of Business & Professional Studies, Ashford University Formal

 

Dr. Reilly is the Ashford University College of Business and Professional Studies program director. He is responsible for the online academic management and delivery of over 50 degree programs and specializations in the University’s largest college by student population. Dr. Reilly has the served in higher education for nearly 30 years in various capacities, including university professor, dean, and educational institute director.  He has published numerous scholarly articles, written and edited college textbooks, and served as a peer-reviewed journal editorial board member. He holds a B.A in labor economics and management from The Union Institute, an M.A. in human behavior from National University, and a Ph.D. in administration/management from Walden University.

Brian Savarese, Director of New Media, Bridgepoint Education

 

Has worked for the last 15+ years in the market-driven education industry and has extensive experience in—among other things--business analysis, project management, and strategic planning. He has taught both in the classroom and online. In his current role as associate vice president of new media, Brian is responsible for the implementation of a comprehensive social media strategy as well as performing various types of market research. He is in charge of the new program implementation process and has been working in that capacity for over four years. He has a B.A. in history from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.

 

 

 

 

Judy Wertheim, Vice President, Higher Education Services and Administration

 

Judy oversees the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning’s (CAEL) efforts to reach out to colleges, universities, consortia, and state systems to help remove barriers for adults returning to school.  Since joining CAEL in 2006, she has presented workshops throughout the country on prior learning assessment, the adult learning focused institution, and adult advising.  She has also consulted with higher education colleagues about strategies to help adults continue their education.

From 1980–2006, Judy was affiliated with the School of Continuing Studies at Indiana University.  She most recently served as the interim dean for the university-wide school, where she held the rank of professor.  Her responsibilities included the General Studies associate and baccalaureate degree programs; the master’s degree program in Adult Education; the Indiana University high school diploma program; distance courses at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels; and professional development programs. Judy holds a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and both a master’s degree and a doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

 

 

 

Printable conference brochure with session titles: Download

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

	Pre-Conference Sessions
2-4:30pm	Developing an Adult Student Marketing Plan Dr. Robert A. Sevier, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Stamats This session begins by outlining a basic integrated marketing model that includes brand marketing, direct marketing, and internal communication. We will examine the pitfalls and possibilities of integrated marketing and explore how IM (Instant Messenger) differs from promotion. We will review the basic steps for writing and managing an integrated marketing plan. Information on conducting a situation analysis, setting goals, developing strategy, budgeting, evaluating programs, and options for increasing faculty support of marketing will be presented.
	Whipping Your Adult Student Website into Shape Dr. Brenda K. Harms, Principal Consultant, Stamats; Sabra Fiala, Director of Strategic Marketing, Stamats Your website is your single most important marketing tool for adult students in higher education, and while having changes made to your site can be challenging to accomplish, it is important enough that it is well worth the effort. In this pre-conference session participants will explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of adult student websites and what changes can be made to help answer your prospective students' questions, establish clear calls to action, and create measurable points of conversion. Participants will leave this session with a list of "must-haves" on any site designed to serve adult students as well as a list of priorities of what to tackle first.

 

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

7:45-8:30am	Breakfast/Check-In
8:30-8:45am	Welcome and Introductions Dr. Brenda K. Harms, Principal Consultant, Stamats
8:45-10:30am	Stamats' Adult StudentsTALK™ Research Dr. Brenda K. Harms, Principal Consultant, Stamats For the third consecutive year Stamats has conducted research with your primary audience--the PROSPECTIVE adult and graduate student. Unveiled at this conference for the first time, the results of the 2010 Adult StudentsTALK™ research will help colleges and universities prioritize their services, course delivery modes, and marketing messages based on what is most important to the prospective adult student. With the ongoing push at most institutions serving adult students to increase enrollment, this research will provide a framework of what will influence the decision-making of this student audience.
10:30-10:45am	Break
10:45am-Noon	Visual Feast Chuck Reed, Senior Vice President, Client Services, Stamats A commentary of good, bad and "other" communication vehicles and approaches from the adult higher education marketplace. From print to social media, from visuals to words, we'll applaud the creativity of folks out there attempting to cut through the clutter--and, as important--highlight other efforts that are, well…not born of such compelling thinking. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn a little bit about how you can make your own work better by considering the work of others.
Noon-1:30pm	Lunch on your own
1:30-2:45pm	Numbers Behind the Numbers—Using Metrics to Refine Tactics and Drive Towards Goals Julie Staggs, Senior Client Consultant, Stamats We all have numbers or goals to reach. Getting to those final numbers can be challenging. Using numbers, or metrics, along the way to check progress and make course corrections can make all the difference. Learn how using dashboards can cut through the noise of too much data. Focusing on specific metrics for specific tactics can aid you toward success.	Challenging the Status Quo Dr. Charles Bird, Vice Provost for University Outreach, Professor of Psychology, Ohio University The landscape of higher education has been changed by competition, financial issues, and technology. Yet, the values and processes at most institutions make adjustment difficult and increase the likelihood of even bigger challenges in the future. Design approaches to innovation offer a positive, collaborative option that can engage people in the development of creative solutions. The key is to challenge the status quo in ways that create support, not opposition.
2:45-3pm	Break
3-4:15pm	Go-To Marketing Strategy for One Market Driven-Institution Brian Savarese, Director of New Media, Bridgepoint Education; and Dr. Michael Reilly, Executive Dean, College of Business & Professional Studies, Ashford University Formal This presentation addresses the significant institutional processes in place to initiate, align, develop and implement new degree programs. Institutional best practices will be discussed, including steps to meet stakeholder concerns, resource allocations and market demands. Presenters represent disparate institutional perspectives and can provide significant insight into the entire process, allowing audience members to have significant takeaways on how to bring various parts of the institution "to the table" when discussing new programs.
5-6pm	Networking Reception Poolside (appetizers and drinks)

 

Thursday, February 17, 2011

7:45-8:30am	Breakfast
8:30-9:45am	Putting a Face to Cyberspace Todd Gibby, CEO, Intelliworks Confluences of factors–the economy, the rise of online courses and the aging of the 'typical' college student–have created the perfect storm for increasing demand for adult student programs. Despite the broadening pool of prospects, many colleges and universities are still facing challenges as their budgets are cut. As a result, adult student admissions offices need to run tight ships, ensuring their expenditures are producing the highest possible return on investment. Not only does marketing and recruitment need to have sound strategies and tactics, but execution needs to be solid on all three fronts of the prospective student lifecycle: recruiting, admissions and enrollment. Colleges and universities no longer have the luxury of waiting for students to find them; in the Internet era information needs to find the students.
9:45-10am	Break
10-11:15am	Truly Unique It’s not easy to stand out in the world of adult education anymore. Everyone is marketing the same things. In this session, selected institutions from throughout the country will share the elements of their marketing, programming, structure, or delivery mode that are indeed truly unique: Kimberly Buchholz, communications and marketing specialist for the University of Florida’s Online Master of Science in Pharmacy, will discuss her institution’s employer outreach program. It is designed to expand student services and recruit new students by identifying post-graduation employers with jobs specific to the school’s Online Master of Science in Pharmacy degree program, and to recruit new students from the employers’ existing employee pool. Thomas Biro, admissions counselor of Professional Studies at Evangel University, will share how his university has increased enrollment to record levels, including 25% adult enrollment, through brand awareness, using all forms of social media to maintain visibility in the marketplace. Liz Fitzgerald, coordinator of communications for the University of Louisville Office of Admissions, will share how her school developed a variable-data newsletter that is sent with a student's acceptance packet, customized to his or her interests and needs, providing information about services, resources, and options. Join us for this session to get a fresh perspective on how you can make your programs more unique to better serve adult students.
11:30am-1pm	Poolside Networking Luncheon
1-2:15pm	Marketing Financial Aid to Graduate Students Lisa Palacios, Director of Recruitment and Retention, University of Texas at San Antonio The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large, urban, public institution with over 4000+ graduate students in the South Texas area.  The Graduate School oversees the centralized recruiting and retention for over 60 programs and we recently partnered with our Office of Enrollment Services and Financial Aid to provide outreach efforts to prospective and current graduate students on their financial aid options.  Funding options are cited both nationally and locally as a top concern for adult students considering returning for an advanced degree.  Come find out useful tips and tools to effectively market and promote funding options to your adult population.
	LearningCounts.org:  A New Prior Learning Assessment Initiative Judy Wertheim, Vice President, Higher Education Services and Administration, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) It is increasingly clear that degree attainment for adults is essential for the U.S. to be economically competitive in the 21st century. Long a leader in adult learning initiatives, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has recently launched LearningCounts.org to help adults attain their degrees by earning college credit for skills and knowledge obtained outside the college classroom (prior learning assessment). This session will discuss LearningCounts.org, focusing on the value of prior learning assessment, the components of the initiative, and the goals for the two-year pilot phase.
2:15pm-2:30pm	Break
2:30-3:30pm	What to Do with Your New Knowledge Dr. Brenda K. Harms, Principal Consultant, Stamats With all the outstanding ideas that have developed out of the Adult Student Marketing Conference, sometimes it is difficult to prioritize actionable items to execute upon returning to your campus. While gaining knowledge is what the conference is all about, the key to successful conference participation is in the changes you will implement based on what you have learned. This wrap-up session will highlight key tactics that have developed out of the sessions and provide a clear framework for keeping the momentum of the conference going long after the event concludes.
3:30pm	NOOKcolor Giveaway (Must be present to win)

 

 

 

 

 

The Buttes, a Marriott Resort
2000 Westcourt Way
Tempe, AZ 85282
602-225-9000
888-867-7492

Stamats Conference Room Rate: $179.00

It's easy to relax and be productive at The Buttes, with special touches like high-speed Internet access and ergonomic work chairs. Step out of your room to enjoy a host of outdoor sports activities such as tennis, hiking and jogging under brilliant blue skies. While staying at the resort, you can take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear pools with a waterslide and four hot tubs carved out of the mountainside. Or, enjoy a pampering spa treatment in Narande Spa. When it's time to tempt your taste buds, indulge in world-class cuisine and unforgettable views from the Top of the Rock Restaurant. The Buttes, A Marriott Resort is just minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Scottsdale and Phoenix.

 

To book your hotel room, please click here and under "Special Rates and Rewards" please enter STASTAA as your "Group Code." You may also secure a room by calling 602-225-9000 or 1-888-867-7492 and asking for the Stamats meeting group rate.

Estimated costs for getting from the Airport to the hotel:

The hotel is located 4 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX).
Estimated Taxi Fare: $16 one way
Super Shuttle Fee: $12 one way (www.supershuttle.com)

Other Things to do in Tempe, AZ:

Tempe has a variety of dining destinations to please everyone’s taste buds. An electric mix of food options from around the world have all found their way to Tempe for both locals and visitors to enjoy, and Tempe's nightlife scene is full of great hot spots. Tempe Marketplace, Mill Avenue and the streets surrounding Arizona State University all have late-night dining options along with live music, the Tempe Improv, dueling pianos and interesting street performers on most nights and weekends. The Buttes, A Marriott Resort is also just minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Scottsdale and Phoenix. Tempe has a great selection of community parks to enjoy the great outdoors. Hiking and biking enthusiasts have no shortage of places to explore the Sonoran Desert. The Buttes is also located within a few minutes of Tempe's major shopping destinations. For more information on what to do in Tempe, AZ, click here.

Have questions about the conference? Check out our Event FAQ page or call us at 800.553.8878.

Stamats Integrated Marketing: Adult Student Marketing Conference 2011 Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring this event? Click here to see our sponsorship details or contact brandy.huseman@stamats.com for more information.

Gold Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors:

Intelliworks enables higher education enrollment and admissions professionals to make purposeful connections with students through its web-based relationship management, marketing and recruitment software and services. Leading colleges and universities around the globe leverage Intelliworks’ relationship management solutions to increase enrollment, enhance marketing performance and improve operational efficiency. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Market Mapping plus LLC is a full-service direct marketing consulting firm specializing in developing targeted mailing and e-mail lists for the recruitment of adult students for degree completion and graduate degree programs.  Our clients range from small private schools to large state universities. We have design services for e-mail campaigns as well as copy/design services for direct mail, if needed. Contact us for more information and pricing for all of our direct marketing services.

Ghost Sponsor: