Today’s presidents need more than the latest marketing trends: they need a clear understanding of their institution’s enrollment ecosystem, confidence in where to focus next, and alignment across campus to drive meaningful change.
The Executive Higher Education Insights page is VisionPoint’s resource center for college and university presidents, chancellors, and executive leaders. Here you’ll find practical insights, strategic tools, and executive perspectives designed to help you assess institutional health, identify high-impact opportunities, and lead with clarity. We update this page regularly, so be sure to bookmark the tab and come back to view the latest resources and conversations.
The biggest challenge in bringing even the best of plans to fruition is taking a shared vision and then actually executing on that vision. The old adage is still true: “the devil is in the details.”
This National Student Clearinghouse research examines early college enrollment outcomes for beginning postsecondary students, tracking both first spring and second fall persistence and retention rates.
Chief financial officers may be cautiously optimistic about the near-term financial outlook after a volatile year, but they also want structural change—now. Do they have the tools and buy-in to make it happen?
UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report shows that women now outnumber men in higher education but lag behind at the doctoral level. Serious geographical inequalities remain in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa.
Your first months in leadership shape your presidency. Before launching new initiatives, you need to gain a clear picture of the strengths, gaps, and opportunities across your enrollment operation.
Understand what’s working, where enrollment risk exists, and where investment will have the greatest impact.
Reveal the moments that most influence enrollment decisions, and where institutions unintentionally lose students.
Surface perception gaps, uncover barriers to enrollment, and build institutional alignment around shared priorities.
The higher education landscape is evolving faster than ever. Today’s most successful presidents and executives are leading institutions that can adapt strategically, align campus stakeholders, and make decisions grounded in market realities. Here are five priorities shaping the future of enrollment leadership.
Move beyond setting enrollment targets based solely on budget needs. Sustainable growth starts with understanding your institution’s market opportunity, competitive position, capacity, and long-term revenue potential.
Strategic plans still matter, but today’s environment requires institutions to adapt more frequently. Successful presidents champion change management, empower campus leaders, and create annual playbooks that respond to shifting market conditions.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Enrollment remains critical, but resilient institutions are evaluating new academic offerings, online expansion, workforce partnerships, and other mission-aligned revenue opportunities that strengthen long-term financial health.
How do you best measure the prospect of a new campus revenue stream?
Today’s students expect personalized engagement from first inquiry through graduation. AI, CRM optimization, financial literacy, proactive advising, and individualized communications are becoming foundational to recruitment, retention, and student success.
Enrollment success is no longer the responsibility of admissions alone. Align marketing, academics, student services, finance, and technology around a shared enrollment strategy with clear goals, measurable outcomes, and accountability across campus.
The biggest challenge in bringing even the best of plans to fruition is taking a shared vision and then actually executing on that vision. The old adage is still true: “the devil is in the details.”
The student journey is changing, and enrollment strategies need to change with it. In the inaugural VisionPoint Marketing Higher Education Outlook, we explore the trends reshaping how prospective students discover, evaluate, and engage with colleges and universities. From the growing influence of social media, video, and AI-driven search to the
Faced with dwindling resources and expanding roles, many enrollment and marketing leaders are relying on data and enrollment strategies built for a student who no longer exists. The students entering the funnel in 2026 are closer to Gen Alpha than the Gen Zers most traditionally think of. As this new
We’ve heard it so many times it’s become cliché: higher education is at a critical juncture. But it’s true. Enrollment declines, budget cuts, rapid advances in technology, and shifting student expectations are reshaping the landscape faster than many institutions can adapt. For those charged with telling their institution’s story, these
CEO Katy Campbell will be in Saratoga Springs, NY on September 13-16, 2026 joining the Let’s Go Upstate retreat for higher education leaders. Send her an email below if you’d like to connect with her there!
We’ll be in San Diego, CA on January 4-7, 2027 joining the CIC Presidents Institute. Send us an email if you’d like to connect while we’re there!
We loved hosting college presidents and executives in July 2026 for our inaugural Executive Higher Education Forum. We’re hard at work planning next year’s event. Pre-register below if you’d like an invitation to attend!
We craft bold, authentic campaigns that cut through the noise, challenge perceptions, and inspire your audiences to take action.
VisionPoint builds full-funnel college enrollment marketing strategies that generate inquiries, applications, and enrolled students.
At VisionPoint, we wield paid advertising as a lever to skillfully move your prospects from awareness and inquiry to application, yield, and retention – all while outperforming industry benchmarks.
We help higher ed institutions rise to the top of search results with SEO strategies that boost visibility, drive traffic, and convert right-fit students.
