Are you ready for a strategy call?

Dr. Kevin Thomas joined Will for a Strategy Call to discuss how the University of Central Arkansas integrates student success and enrollment to improve student support and access. If you enjoy this chat, and I know you will, you should absolutely listen to Kevin's podcast The Pickup Meeting with his cohost Brody Broshears.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:40 - Meet Kevin Thomas

5:00 - The importance of an advocate leader

8:04 - The Pickup Meeting

12:22 - Learning from other departments

14:28 - The benefits of incorporating enrollment and student success

21:53 - Increasing access for underserved students and UCA's success with a tuition promise

28:41 - How centralizing services makes UCA stand out and change the cost narrative

32:10 - Cross-functional training and collaboration

35:45 - Kevin's calling

Can you take a social call?

Every other week we have a social call with our guest to get to know the person behind the title. We roll the dice to ask three questions, get to know them better, and then play a personalized game.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:01 - 3 things you should know about Reggie Hill

2:45 - Reggie's interest in books, history, and philosophy

4:25 - 3 Questions for Reggie

18:06 - Reggie's Game: Real History Book/Fake History Book

Are you ready for a strategy call?

Reggie Hill, joined Will for a Strategy Call to discuss the heart and soul of regional colleges, his intentional journey through enrollment management, building a personal board of governors, and multiplying your impact.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:42 - The unique portfolio of Reggie's work at UMSL

3:42 - How regional colleges need to tell their story differently

6:14 - In a digital world, do students view regionality the same way?

8:06 - Differentiating the student experience

10:28 - Reggie's intentional journey to higher ed and St. Louis

12:52 - Mentorship and building your personal board of governors

17:47 - How Reggie views career development for students and how that's curated for students

19:21 - Reframing the role of regional colleges as empowering the region rather than serving

21:32 - Be a multiplier

23:17 - How Reggie keeps up with new technologies, trends, and tactics

24:14 - Reggie's calling

Can you take a social call?

Every other week we have a social call with our guest to get to know the person behind the title. We roll the dice to ask three questions, get to know them better, and then play a personalized game.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:42 - 3 things you should know about RJ

4:51 - What is lucid dreaming and how does RJ use it?

8:14 - RJ's creative outlets and seeding creativity

15:05 - Creative failures and avoiding them by starting with data

20:41 - 3 Questions for RJ

28:52 - RJ's philosophy: "This is life, use it!"

31:46 - RJ's Game: LEGO Through the Years

45:48 - An exclusive announcement from RJ

Are you ready for a strategy call?

RJ Thompson, Teaching Associate Professor of Digital Narrative and Interactive Design in the Department of English at Pitt, joined Will for a Strategy Call to discuss marketing philosophies, usability, and how serving students gives him energy and makes him better at his work.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:16 - What brought RJ to Higher Ed?

5:28 - The design and usability mistakes most common in higher ed

8:01 - The award-winning web design philosophy: tell a complete story on 1 page

18:03 - How the student-marketing relationship has changed since the pandemic and how Pitt builds student-faculty relationships early

24:38 - Keeping in touch with students and how faculty can be an asset to recruitment and retention

28:24 - What gives RJ hope for the future of the profession?

31:49 - RJ's calling

Can you take a social call?

Every other week we have a social call with our guest to get to know the person behind the title. We roll the dice to ask three questions and then play a personalized game.

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

13:10 - 3 questions for Blake

19:24 - A wolverine trivia game

Are you ready for a strategy call?

Blake Mischley, CEO and Cofounder of MeetYourClass, joined Will for a Strategy Call to discuss their recent survey results. Students today are very focused on campus vibe, signals of acceptance, and personal guidance. Can you break the analysis paralysis and help them find their home?

Clarity Calling is a podcast of Clarity EM.

1:26 - 3 things to know about Blake

2:54 - The 2026 College Admissions Playbook

4:21 - How students are viewing acceptance rates

8:35 - The changing value of rankings

12:38 - Campus vibe is critical

14:53 - Beating analysis paralysis to aid student decision-making

19:46 - AI for search and balancing personal guidance

25:02 - Your website vs social media for college search

29:12 - What is Blake's calling?

31:02 - What is MeetYourClass

We're setting the stage for a new podcast launching in March 2026. Subscribe to Clarity Calling for insights into higher ed recruitment and marketing strategies. The show will have a hybrid format of a strategy call followed by a social call, delivering the perfect balance of professional development and personal connection:

• The Strategy Call: Focused conversations on admissions strategy and brand building.
• The Social Call: A casual chat and games where we get to know the humans behind the titles.

Think of it like conference sessions followed by a happy hour, but you won't be flying in the middle seat. Subscribe for biweekly insights that move the needle for your institution.

Clarity Calling is a Clarity EM podcast.