Educators
Businesses
Marketing and Communications Conference
Taking place in Saint Petersburg, Florida, this conference is a collaborative opportunity for communications, marketing, student success, and enrollment professionals in higher education business schools.
Date(s)
March 8 – 10, 2023
Location
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Event Type
Conferences 
Agenda Timezone:
Agenda:
12:30 PM - 1:25 PM ET
Development Professionals Affinity Group Meeting
"Getting the Band Back Together:" Conference attendees who interface with development through the lenses of communications and marketing, engagement, and more, are invited to attend this open session. Participants will be encouraged to share insights and best practices around collaborating with development professionals to help shape the strategic approach to revitalizing the affinity group. For any development professionals attending the Marketing Communications conference we will also be brainstorming on future programs that help advance philanthropy goals for the full range of AACSB member schools.
Elizabeth Mitchell
Assistant Dean
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
1:45 PM - 2:40 PM ET
Marketing & Communications Affinity Group Meeting
"Re-Engaging with Your MarComm Community"
Since we are bringing leaders in marketing and communications together in person again and many people have changed roles, we will take some time to get to know each other before heading into group conference sessions. I hope you will join us.
Sarah Druffel
Director, Strategic Marketing and Communication
Washington State University
Sheri Irwin-Gish
Executive Director for Communications, Marketing and External Relations
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM ET
Developing a Social Media Strategy in a Changing World
Join this brainstorming session to hear how other institutions are evolving their social media campaign strategies to serve their unique needs. In this session attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with one another by sharing real life examples of peaks and pitfalls from their social media strategies. Consider how to pivot in the middle of a strategy as social platforms develop and new needs for the institution arise.
Katya Popova
Assistant Dean of Marketing & Strategy
American University
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Conference Welcome & AACSB Advocacy and Thought Leadership
Join us for a welcome message from Conference Chair Sue Lehrman. Get an overview of what to expect at the conference and how to get the most out of the sessions and networking with your peers.
Following the conference welcome, you’ll gain insight into how AACSB’s advocacy and thought leadership initiatives are advancing the value of business education and AACSB accreditation worldwide. You’ll be the first to hear about the latest market research from AACSB on the six value drivers impacting business education along with feedback from over 4,800 business leaders, lifelong learners, and AACSB member deans and faculty on what business schools need to prioritize for future success. Finally, we’ll share creative ways you can partner with AACSB to amplify your school brand and share your success stories.
Al Renshaw
Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
AACSB International
Hanna McLeod
Director, Thought Leadership
AACSB International
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET
Welcome Reception
Reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and network with the exhibitors before the conference gets underway.
8:15 AM - 12:30 PM ET
Exhibitor Showcase
Interact with our exhibitors to learn more about products and services that can help your organization
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM ET
Coffee Chat: Building Your Budget Friendly Toolbox
Consider budget friendly ways to build your toolbox, whether it be utilizing Google Analytics, expanding your production resources or media strategies. In this open group discussion attendees will have the opportunity to share resources and best practices with one another.
Facilitator
Cynthia Jackson
Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing, Hankamer School of Business
Baylor University
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM ET
Keynote I: The Impact of Neuroscience on Brand Strategy
Sometimes it may feel like a guessing game when as marketers we try to determine what learners selecting their future institution are thinking. But what if we could peek into the brains of those learners and know how their decision was being made? Join pioneering neuroscientist Michael Platt in this unique keynote session. Leave with a better understanding of the prospective learner’s decision-making process to help you build your marketing strategy.
Michael L. Platt
Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative & James S. Riepe University Professor of Marketing, Psychology, and Neuroscie
University of Pennsylvania
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM ET
Meet Them Where They Are: Selling Effectively to Prospects at Every Stage of Their Journey
Every program has its own story to tell yet there are general trends in today’s marketplace that inform us on why students make the choices they make. In this session, presenters will examine the various moments in a prospective learner's journey down a recruitment funnel and highlight ways to get - and keep - them pointed in your direction. From capturing their initial attention via marketing, to piquing their interest to learn more, to getting them to choose you, presenters will provide insights that you can take back to campus and activate immediately.
Rich Funk
Director, Digital Media
Eduvantis, LLC
Steve Shriberg
Associate Vice President, Consulting Services
Eduvantis, LLC
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM ET
Networking Luncheon - Connect & Collaborate
It’s time to connect and collaborate! Grab lunch and join a table with your peers to engage in deeper conversation on a topic that’s important to you or you’d like to learn more about.
1:45 PM - 2:30 PM ET
Synergy for Success: Collaborating Between Internal Engagement Teams
Join this session to hear how schools are successfully collaborating with their internal teams to ensure marketing, communications, admission, alumni engagement and development partners are aligned and benefiting from one another’s efforts. Discover new opportunities for connections and how to best utilize your scarce resources.
Anca Micu
Associate Dean and Professor of Marketing, Dolan School of Business
Fairfield University
Astrid Huisman
Brand Manager, Rotterdam School of Management
Erasmus University Rotterdam
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM ET
Reflecting on DEIB Struggles & Solutions
Join this facilitated discussion to share with your peers the best marketing and communication practices in DEIB, as well as the unique challenges you’re facing. Conversational topics will include the following: how to communicate inclusive messaging that values, recognizes, and speaks to diverse audiences, how to ensure diverse and underprivileged audiences are reached, how to communicate tactfully and successfully with a diverse student base, and how to share your institutions DEI initiatives in a thoughtful manner.
Monica Cooper
Chief Marketing Officer, J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Georgia State University
Ronald Hill
Dean's Professor of Marketing and Public Policy, Kogod School of Business
American University
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM ET
The New Dean: Strategic Approaches to Introduce a New Leader
Many colleges and universities are finding themselves in the business of making new leadership announcements as the Great Resignation has found its way to higher education. Join this session to learn the ins and outs of rolling out new leadership and how to get new leadership first impressions right with good communication. Presenters will pull from their own experiences of rolling out new leadership, specifically Deans of their business schools. Understand how to quickly find the right fit with your dean’s communication style and how to keep the momentum going during leadership transitions.
Cynthia Jackson
Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing, Hankamer School of Business
Baylor University
Heather Richardson
Assistant Dean of Strategic Communication, John Chambers College of Business and Economics
West Virginia University
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM ET
Debrief & Discuss
Debrief your learnings from the day with peers in small groups. Share your favorite learnings of the day and continue the conversations. Understand what key learnings you can take back to your institution and what actions you can implement immediately.
Katya Popova
Assistant Dean of Marketing & Strategy
American University
8:00 AM - 12:15 PM ET
Exhibitor Showcase
Interact with our exhibitors to learn more about products and services that can help your organization.
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM ET
Lightning Talks: Keeping Meaningful Engagement Alive
To put it simply - business schools do a lot! So how can a business school successfully keep their diverse audiences engaged in their efforts in research, community outreach and teaching? Join us for insightful 7-minute TED talk-style presentations that showcase how marketing professionals are tapping into their student stories, faculty research and alumni experiences to engage with their audiences in meaningful ways.
Bo Mello
Marketing Specialist, Hankamer School of Business
Baylor University
Laura Jewell
Director, Marketing, Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Zicklin School of Business
Baruch College-The City University of New York
Lorie Briggs
Director, Communications and Marketing, Muma College of Business
University of South Florida
Susan Lehrman
Dean, Rohrer College of Business
Rowan University
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM ET
Nurture Your Network: Keeping Alumni Engaged Through Communications
How do you engage your recent graduates and those that have been out of the classroom for years? Join this session to hear best practices on how institutions are leveraging their alumni and engaging them through communication efforts and events. Brainstorm ideas with your peers on how you can better connect with your alumni.
Allison Alsup
Assistant Director of Communications, Warrington College of Business
University of Florida
Michelle Helmer
Director of Alumni Engagement, Warrington College of Business
University of Florida
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM ET
Keynote II: The Future of Generational Insights
An ongoing challenge for brands is targeting their audience in a meaningful and memorable way. So how do you successfully do that without breaking the bank when you’re a business school that targets various generations of lifelong learners? Join this panel discussion to learn more about how organizations are utilizing generational insights to draw in consumers as well as what the future of generational insights looks like. As generations begin to rapid-cycle every few years b-schools will need to become more robust and agile in order to resonate with consumers.
Al Renshaw
Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
AACSB International
Amy Wittmayer
Senior Manager, Higher Education Strategy Consulting
Deloitte LLP
Chris Kormis
President
Kormis Strategic Consulting, LLC
Kerry Salerno
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Babson College
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET
Networking Luncheon - The Final Farewell
Grab lunch and join a table with your peers to connect one last time and discuss your key learnings from the conference. Don’t forget to get contact information from one another so you can stay connected!
Seminar