Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. Happy Monday! This week, I'm excited to introduce you to Cristina Lopez Yakimenko, director of marketing and analytics at Florida International University (FIU). Prior to her current role, she spent nearly five years as the associate director of marketing and analytics at the FIU Chapman Graduate School of Business. Q: What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found a great story on campus?...

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. It's Monday, and that means it's time for another edition of Higher Ed Story Talk. Today let's hear from Jenny Petty, who became vice president of industry relations and advisory services at higher ed marketing agency SimpsonScarborough in January. She also is co-chair of the 2026 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education. Prior to SimpsonScarborough, Jenny was vice president for...

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. Happy Monday! Today we're getting honest with Martin Beck, executive director of strategic marketing and communications at Soka University of America, located in Southern California. Q: What’s one story you wish your institution would tell more often? The story of what students are actually thinking about. Soka University of America attracts students who chose a small, values-driven liberal...

To Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jonathan Eig, everyone’s a storyteller. Some just have more of a knack for it. Jonathan is one of those people.

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. This week we're talking with Christian Ponce, executive director of university marketing at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. Q: What’s a common storytelling mistake you see in higher ed, and how would you fix it? Ensuring the character in the story is the right one. Universities should never put themselves as the hero. That’s a misstep. I saw a school that regretfully...

Bradley Akubuiro discusses his new book, "Faster. Messier. Tougher.," and the value of storytelling in crisis communications.

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. This week, let's hear from Bryce Hoffman, who is the vice president, chief marketing and communications officer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. Q: What did you learn from a storytelling experiment your team tried that didn’t go as planned? At one of my previous institutions, we decided to collaborate with student creators who were active on TikTok for a brand...

Stephen Krupin reflects on his time as a speechwriter for President Obama and shares why storytelling remains critical to his work.

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. We're traveling to Valparaiso, Indiana, this week to hear from Cortney McDonald, director of academic and admission marketing at Valparaiso University. Q: What’s one internal process that helps your team uncover strong stories consistently? One of the most reliable ways our marketing and communications team uncovers strong stories is through the relationships we have built with faculty and...

NBA agent Austin Brown shares why storytelling is 'the most important tool I have in my toolkit'

Higher Ed Story Talk Where each week, one marketer answers one question about storytelling on campus. This week, let's hear from Heidi Pitts, assistant director of digital marketing and media at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Q: What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found a great story on campus? Technically, the story wasn’t on campus at all — it was on the way to campus. A flight cancellation in Seattle stranded 15 new international students who were traveling to Whitman for...

Franky Otero talks about 'the grandeur of nature' and how storytelling is critical to his work as a Park Ranger.

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Co-founder Tiffany Walden explains why her approach to storytelling influenced the success of a budding digital media platform.

Business coach Ed Gandia explains why internal narratives are often the most impactful form of storytelling — for better and for worse.

An unexpected brush with death taught Dr. Alin Gragossian how impactful storytelling can be.

3D chalk artist Nate Baranowski explains how his perspective on storytelling helps guests immerse themselves in his work.

Meet the singers parodying top songs to connect Jews with their heritage while entertaining audiences along the way.

Alyssa Zuravel relies on a passion for storytelling to help kids develop their own love for school.

Ian Weinberger spent 1,199 shows as music director of Hamilton. Discover how he and the hip-hop phenomenon can make you a better storyteller.

Andre Gaines talks about his new ESPN documentary, his narrative feature film debut, and what storytelling lessons people can learn from Hollywood.

Veronica Appleton's passion is to take on challenges and use storytelling to open doors for people who may not be able to open them for themselves.

Nonprofit co-founder Bob Shea shares how storytelling helped his nonprofit grow — and transform lives.

Prateek Mathur had an idea he thought would make him rich. It didn't. He had another idea that was a surefire moneymaker. Again, he struck out. That's often the life of a startup founder. It's a life Prateek knows well.

Todd Unger, chief experience officer at the American Medical Association, explains why storytelling matters to marketing and customer experiences.