Higher education is facing enormous pressure to change. Zack Perkins believes that is reason for optimism.

In this episode of Audacious Ideas, Tiffin University President Dr. Lillian Schumacher talks with Perkins, co-founder and CEO of CollegeVine, about how artificial intelligence is creating an opportunity for colleges and universities to rethink not only how they educate students, but how their institutions operate.

Their conversation explores the difference between using AI in the classroom and using it to transform university operations; why leaders should focus on enduring problems rather than today's solutions; and what it takes to build institutions that are more agile, sustainable and responsive to students. Perkins also shares why he believes higher education's future will be far more diverse—and far less dire—than many predictions suggest.

Dr. Schumacher and Perkins also discuss Tiffin University's Dragon Pathways model and its work with CollegeVine to explore how AI can strengthen the student journey and institutional decision-making.

Listen for a conversation about leadership, innovation and why this moment could be an opportunity to build a stronger future for higher education.

Connect with Dr. Schumacher on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lillian-schumacher/

What does it take for higher education to remain relevant in a world changing faster than many institutions can adapt?

In the first episode of Audacious Ideas, Tiffin University President Dr. Lillian Schumacher sits down with Joe Sallustio, chief of industry engagement at Ellucian and co-founder and host of The EdUp Experience, who has interviewed more than 475 college and university presidents.

Drawing on that unique perspective, Joe shares what separates leaders who are successfully driving change from those struggling to keep pace. The conversation explores the changing role of the college president, the danger of chasing “silver bullets,” the growing gap between AI literacy and the AI competency employers expect, and why relationships may become even more valuable as technology reshapes how we work.

Dr. Schumacher also takes listeners inside Tiffin University’s AI Forward strategy and asks Joe to weigh in on how institutions can better connect innovation, employer expectations, and the student experience.

The conversation ultimately comes back to one word: relevance. For Joe, the challenge facing higher education is clear: “Regain it, restore it, own it.”

In this episode:

• What today’s most effective college presidents have in common
• Why leaders sometimes need to “fire themselves” and see their organizations with fresh eyes
• The difference between AI literacy and AI competency
• How employers and universities can better align
• Why technology adoption starts with institutional readiness
• How relationships become currency in an increasingly AI-enabled world
• The career decision that changed Joe’s trajectory

Connect with Dr. Schumacher on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lillian-schumacher/