The Application with Allison Turcio

Ep. 88: Student Fans: Using Taylor Swift's Playbook for Higher Ed Success

Episode Summary

Allison is joined by Jenny Petty, VP of Industry Relations and Advisory Services at SimpsonScarborough, and Kerri Shook, Owner of ks strategy studio, to discuss rethinking student recruitment and retention by building a fan base. Inspired by Taylor Swift's “Eras” model, UM saw retention climb by 9% since 2018 by focusing on emotional storytelling and experiential branding. They explain how cross-campus collaboration led to new traditions, like the “Freshman Float,” that combat the perception of a lack of campus vibrancy. Learn how to use data to justify this emotional approach, listen to students to co-create experiences, and foster a true sense of belonging.

Episode Notes

Allison is joined by Jenny Petty, VP of Industry Relations and Advisory Services at SimpsonScarborough, and Kerri Shook, Owner of ks strategy studio, to discuss rethinking student recruitment and retention by building a fan base. Inspired by Taylor Swift's “Eras” model, UM saw retention climb by 9% since 2018 by focusing on emotional storytelling and experiential branding. They explain how cross-campus collaboration led to new traditions, like the “Freshman Float,” that combat the perception of a lack of campus vibrancy. Learn how to use data to justify this emotional approach, listen to students to co-create experiences, and foster a true sense of belonging.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [2:23] Rethinking student engagement through the lens of Taylor Swift fandom
• [9:30] How a lazy river float became an orientation capstone for the UM experience
• [18:34] Co-creating brand with your students and adapting to your audience

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on 

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “The Application with Allison Turcio” in your favorite podcast player.

Guest Name: 

Guest Social: 

Guest Bio: