Talking Tactics

Talking Tactics

Dayana Kibilds, Safaniya Stevenson

Episodes 77
Avg. Duration 28m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.3 (6)
Since May 2023
Latest Episode May 2026

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Open to Sponsors Features Guests

Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
Consistency
83%
Hosting
feeds.simplecast.com

About This Podcast

Every game-changing tactic starts with a spark — that moment when someone notices something others missed, asks a different question, or sees a pattern hiding in plain sight. Talking Tactics celebrates these flashes of genius in higher education wherever they come from: the work-study student yapping in the commons, an admissions counselor pulling a late night, or the frazzled enrollment coordinator juggling a million tasks before noon. We explore both the insight AND the action, how a single observation became a tactic that delivered real results. We’ll even look at tactics that were a flop but led to an even greater comeback.
 Talking Tactics is hosted by Safaniya Stevenson and is a proud member of the Enrollify Podcast Network.

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Recent Episodes

Ep. 74: Breaking Records, Building Belonging: Inside UNC Charlotte’s Advancement Playbook

May 12, 2026 39m

UNC Charlotte is rewriting what modern university advancement can look like—fast, collaborative, and deeply rooted in place. In this episode of Talking Tactics with Safaniya Stevenson, Beth Krigler…

Ep. 73: How Social Intelligence Changes Higher Ed Marketing

Apr 28, 2026 52m

Social media managers have been saying it for years: the comments section knows all. In this episode, Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Brittany Hennessy of Sprout Social to unpack why higher ed…

Ep. 72: Beyond the Tagline: Building Purpose-Driven Systems

Apr 02, 2026 32m

What happens when the brand is not the lead but the work is? In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safy sits down with Deneen Gillespie to unpack a bold shift from traditional branding to…

Ep. 71: How Pretzels Became One of Higher Ed’s Most Memorable Enrollment Marketing Campaigns

Mar 17, 2026 32m

What does a pretzel have to do with enrollment marketing? Turns out… a lot. On this episode of Talking Tactics, host Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Andy Schneider, Dean of Admissions at Marquette…

Ep. 70: Fun, Strategy & Fur: Rethinking Mascot Rebranding in Higher Ed

Mar 03, 2026 30m

What happens when a university mascot gets more than just a costume upgrade? In this episode of Talking Tactics, we unpack how a strategic mascot rebrand can fuel enrollment marketing, drive retail…

Ep. 69: Collaborate, Curate, Consolidate: Fordham’s Approach to Smarter Student Programming

Feb 17, 2026 30m

Are too many emails and events actually hurting student engagement at your university? In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safaniya Stevenson chats with Toni Marie Perilli from Fordham University…

Ep. 68: Is Storytelling Just a Buzzword? How Higher Ed Marketers Can Build Narrative That Actually Works

Feb 03, 2026 25m

Storytelling is having a moment.But most brands are still telling stories that sound exactly the same.On this episode of Talking Tactics, Safy sits down with John Gorman, founder of Saint Orange, to…

Ep. 67: How Friendship Bracelets United a Campus Around Its Strategic Plan

Jan 20, 2026 26m

Forget everything you know about strategic plans being boring. Fort Lewis College just cracked the code when they turned their five strategic pillars into friendship bracelets that faculty, staff,…

Ep. 66: Is Your Campus Ready for Employee Advocacy? The Culture Check Higher Ed Marketers Can’t Skip

Jan 06, 2026 42m

Think your university's perfectly curated Instagram feed is attracting Gen Z students? Think again. Employee advocacy experts Ben Hayes and Maria DeMario reveal why letting professors post typos and…

Ep. 65: How Indigenous Values Can Transform Enrollment Strategies

Dec 23, 2025 22m

In this episode of Talking Tactics, host Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Jana Hanson of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and Kata Traxler from Student Ready Strategies to…

Ep. 64: Going Vertical: When SEO Meets Social Video

Dec 09, 2025 20m

When TikTok bans threatened to upend their social strategy, one university's marketing team discovered an unlikely ally: their SEO colleagues. In this episode, Amanda Ferrill reveals how Temple…

Ep. 63: From Likes to Leads: Finding Your Marketing Sweet Spot on LinkedIn

Nov 25, 2025 33m

This week on Talking Tactics we’re talking social media championships and test kitchens? We’re joined by Michaela Taylor, Senior Social Media Strategist at the University of South Carolina—home of…

Ep. 62: Turning Keynotes Into Curriculum to Create Community Beyond the Stage

Nov 11, 2025 27m

NC State University sold out 700 tickets in just two days when they brought Alton Brown to campus, but that was only the beginning. Nash Dunn and Allie Bloom Whitley share how NC State’s College of…

Ep. 61: New Game, New Rules, and Rewriting Student Philanthropy

Oct 28, 2025 35m

What happens when a fundraiser decides to end one of higher ed’s most sacred traditions—the senior giving campaign? In this episode, Safaniya sits down with Alex Rodríguez from UC Berkeley, who made…

Ep. 60: Building Alumni Affinity Through Curiosity Content

Oct 14, 2025 33m

Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Daniel Freeman, Chief Development Officer at Gaston Community College, to unpack how a “curiosity-first” approach reshaped alumni engagement. Tapping into years of…

Ep. 59: Risky or Rewarding? Bold Design Lessons for Education Marketing

Sep 30, 2025 30m

Most higher ed campaigns play it safe—and end up milk toast. In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Baldwin&’s Ashley Yetman and Emily Watson to unpack why bold…

Ep. 58: Turning a Brand Transformation Into a Party

Sep 16, 2025 40m

What happens when a team of former tourism and events pros are in charge of rolling out a rebrand? You’ll want to hold on your beignets for this one. In this episode, we’ll hear from Anne Falgout,…

Ep. 57: Passing the Baton to Your New Host

Sep 02, 2025 15m

You thought we were done with the show? Think again. The pursuit of top-tier tactics continues! Talking Tactics isn't going anywhere, but we ARE getting a new voice behind the mic. After 56 episodes…

Ep. 56: My Favorite Moments from Two Years of Talking Tactics

Jul 22, 2025 26m

After two years and 55 episodes packed with practical, joyful, and wildly clever ideas, Talking Tactics comes to a close. In this final episode, host Dayana Kibilds reflects on the “why” behind the…

Ep. 55: How Campus Geese Tripled Unrestricted Giving

Jul 08, 2025 31m

On this episode of Talking Tactics, host Day chats with Stormie Harless and Reggie Hayes of Ball State University about one of the quirkiest—and most successful—Giving Day campaigns we've ever seen:…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Talking Tactics have?

Talking Tactics has published 77 episodes since May 2023, covering topics in Business, Education.

Is Talking Tactics still active?

Talking Tactics is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 28m.

How do I contact Talking Tactics for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Talking Tactics, including email and social media links.

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