It's YOUR time to #EdUp

The Student Perspective Episodes

March 4, 2026

How to Improve Student Experience & Cut Costs at the Same Time - with Shadi Figuli, CEO & Co-Founder, & Aaron P

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with ⁠Shadi Figuli, CEO & Co-Founder, & Aaron Paxton, Co-Founder, Nemonx
In this episode, sponsored by the ​ELIVE 2026​ Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the ​HigherEd PodCon​ II happening July 16 & 17


YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How do 2 higher ed veterans with 20 plus years of combined experience in operations, admissions & regulatory compliance create a platform that improves institutional efficiency while enhancing student experience?


What happe...
Feb. 11, 2026

If Students Won't Come to Counseling, How Do You Reach Them? - with Dr. Nichole Kang, Wellness Center Director, Montgomery County Community College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Nichole Kang, Wellness Center Director, Montgomery County Community College
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR cohost is Dr. Jerry Walker, Executive Director of Mental Health Services, TimelyCare
YOUR host is Elvin Freytes

How does a community college launch wellness services during 2021 online operations with 2 centers...
Feb. 3, 2026

What If Student Success Actually Means Nothing Unless You Define It? - with Dr. Bernard A. Polnariev, Vice President for Administrative Services, UCNJ

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Bernard A. Polnariev, Vice President for Administrative Services, UCNJ
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR host is ⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does New Jersey's first community college serving 12,000 students rise from Aspen Prize top 150 in 2021 to semi finalist in 2023 to finalist in 2025 by focusing on student success, pos...
Feb. 2, 2026

Why AI Might Help Us Be Human Again - with Dr. Dave Schippers, the Chief Academic Officer and Provost, Walsh College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Dave Schippers, the Chief Academic Officer and Provost, Walsh College
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR host is ⁠Dr. Jodi (Ashbrook) Blinco⁠, Vice President for Enrollment Management Consulting, ⁠EducationDynamics

How does a 61% first generation, over 50% Pell eligible university achieve 97% NCLEX pass rates compared t...
Jan. 28, 2026

What If Higher Ed Focused on Development Instead of Information Delivery? - with Dr. Stephen P. Johnson, Provost & Chief Academic Officer, Palm Beach Atlantic University

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Stephen P. Johnson, Provost & Chief Academic Officer, Palm Beach Atlantic University
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR cohost is Austin Doyle, Senior Partner Executive, Knack
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠

How does Palm Beach Atlantic, a 57 year old faith based university with 4,000 students, achieve 3% enrollment growth...
Dec. 23, 2025

Is Your Multi Campus Strategy Creating Chaos or Consistency? - with Dr. Christian Vigé, Provost, Delta College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Christian Vigé, Provost, Delta College
In this episode, sponsored by Coursedog,
YOUR cohost is Bridget Moran, Senior Content Manager, Coursedog
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠
How does Delta College, with 6 campuses producing 3/4 of Louisiana's nurses, achieve consistency across locations through standardized curriculum, syllabi, & course objectives while leveraging tools for scheduling, curriculum management, & assessment?

Why does Christian emphasize cross campus...
Dec. 23, 2025

Maybe Your University Needs This: Howard’s Partnership Strategy - with Dr. Anthony K. Wutoh, Provost, Howard University

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Anthony K. Wutoh, Provost, Howard University
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,

YOUR cohost is Megan Dusenbery, Chief Executive Officer, Knack
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠
How does a provost increase graduation rates by over 20% & create programs like Karsh STEM Scholars & Humanities & Social Science Scholars that send students...
Dec. 23, 2025

What If College Students Stopped Interning for Google & Started Companies Instead? - with Chris Klaus, CEO, Fusen, & Co-Founder, Georgia Tech CREATE-X Startup Accelerator

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Chris Klaus, CEO, Fusen. & Co-Founder, Georgia Tech CREATE-X Startup Accelerator
In this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,

YOUR cohost is Samyr Qureshi, Executive Chairman, Knack
YOUR host is ⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio
How does a Georgia Tech alum who built a cybersecurity startup in his grandmother's guest bedroom end up creating the Klaus build...
Dec. 22, 2025

Are Practical Majors Just Better at Cultural Signaling Than Skill Building? - with Dr. Corey Moss-Pech, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Florida State University

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Corey Moss-Pech, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Florida State University, & Author of Major Trade-Offs: The Surprising Truths about College Majors and Entry-Level Jobs
In this episode, EdUp Extra series (because who doesn’t love a little extra goodness in their life), sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR cohost is Zach Kinzler, Senior S...
Dec. 22, 2025

How This Professor Teaches Both High School & University in the Age of AI - with Casey Cuny, Professor, National University, & 2024 California Teacher of the Year

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Casey Cuny, Professor, National University, & 2024 California Teacher of the Year

In this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by ⁠Integrity4Education
YOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4Education
YOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠
How does a teacher of 23 years balance teaching both 10th grade honors English & senior mythology at the high school level while simultaneously teaching in the Masters of Education & Masters of SEL programs at Nati...
Dec. 14, 2025

LIVE from the 2025 Middle States Commission on Higher Education Annual Conference - with Christian Benito⁠, 3rd Year Student, & ⁠Andre Krzyzanowski De Jesus⁠, 2nd Year Student, Berkley College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Christian Benito, 3rd Year Student, & Andre Krzyzanowski De Jesus, 2nd Year Student, Berkley College
In this episode, recorded Live from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education⁠ 2025 Annual Conference


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How is Christian's Second Amendment research comparing US gun violence to Europe by population showing America is on par with Europe despite 120 privately owned guns for every 100 people & examining concealed carry effects i...
Dec. 8, 2025

Why Americans Are Frustrated with College BUT Still Send Their Kids - with Sophie Nguyen, Senior Policy Manager, Higher Education, New America

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Sophie Nguyen⁠, Senior Policy Manager, Higher Education, ⁠New America⁠


In this episode, sponsored by YELO Funding
YOUR cohost is Darius Goldman, Founder & CEO, Career-Bond
YOUR host is Elvin Freytes

How does a think tank conduct 9 years of nationally representative surveys with 1,600 plus Americans & discover that while trust in higher ed is falling & costs are rising, belief in education's value still runs deep?


What happens when you analyze public opinion da...
Dec. 3, 2025

4 Nobel Prizes, 100+ Programs, 600K Alumni: Inside Berkeley's Innovation Machine - with Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer, UC Berkeley

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Darren Cooke⁠, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer, ⁠UC Berkeley!


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR co-host is Brent Ramdin, CEO, EducationDynamics
YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a university with over 100 innovation & entrepreneurship organizations on campus coordinate them all to become #1 in the world for venture backed startups founded by undergraduate al...
Dec. 1, 2025

How Is a 70 Year Old Testing Organization Reinventing Itself with AI & Why Should You Care? - with Joy Jones, CEO, Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Joy Jones, CEO, Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does an organization that's been delivering the GMAT exam for over 70 years grow from 9 member schools in 1953 to partnering with over 220 business schools today while reimagining itself with AI enabled platforms?


What happens when 80% of busin...
Nov. 23, 2025

How Religious Mission Drives Innovation (Not Prevents It) - with Elder Gilbert, Commissioner of Education, Church Educational System

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, President Series #425, powered by ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠, & sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Elder Gilbert, Commissioner of Education, Church Educational System
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio

How does a religious university system serve over 160,000 students across 5 institutions & offer a $7,500 bachelor's degree without perpetual subsidies?


What happens when a teaching focused un...
Oct. 20, 2025

Why College-Ready Students Still Drop Out & How Paid Internships Fix It - with Dr. Donnell J. Butler, Founder & President, Prelude

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Donnell J. Butler, Founder & President, Prelude
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does a South Bronx kid who started at McDonald's at 14 transform a Citibank internship into a mission to create economic freedom for underserved youth?


What happens when 95 high school students earn $6 dollars for 10 hours per week in year long paid int...
Oct. 15, 2025

What Happens When 7,000 Students Get Unlimited AI Access Overnight? with Dr. Rob McDole, Director for the Center of Teaching & Learning, Cedarville University

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Dr. Rob McDole, Director for the Center of Teaching & Learning, Cedarville University
YOUR host is Dr. Jodi Blinco

How does a Christian university become the 1st in the world to implement ChatGPT EDU campus wide for all students, faculty & staff?


What happens when a university that brought internet to Ohio in the 1990s tackles AI implementatio...
Sept. 1, 2025

How One VP Revolutionized College Admissions (300+ Schools Copied Her) - with Yvonne Romero, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Rice University

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Yvonne Romero, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Rice University
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Jodi (Ashbrook) Blinco⁠, Vice President for Enrollment Management Consulting, ⁠EducationDynamics

How can strategic planning revolutionize enrollment operations?


What is committee-based evaluation & how does it transform admissions?


How can transparent...
Aug. 31, 2025

How One Uncle's Story Became Amazon Prime's Biggest College Secret - with Alex Boylan, Founder/Executive Producer/Host, The College Tour Amazon Prime Series

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is Alex Boylan, Producer of The College Tour Amazon Prime Series
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Jodi (Ashbrook) Blinco⁠, Vice President for Enrollment Management Consulting, ⁠EducationDynamics

How can colleges showcase their authentic student experience through media?


What makes The College Tour different from traditional campus marketing?


How does open c...
Aug. 24, 2025

How One College Turned Date Nights Into Suicide Prevention (And Why It's Working) - with LaToscha Sherman, Associate Dean of Counseling, Collin College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


In this episode, sponsored by the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,


YOUR guest is LaToscha Sherman, Associate Dean of Counseling, Collin College
YOUR co-host is Dr. Nicole Trevino, VP for Student Success, TimelyCare
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does a community college with 60,000 students & only 8 counselors creatively address serious trauma, domestic violence, & international student challenges rather than just ac...
Aug. 4, 2025

Is This the End of Traditional Student Loans as We Know Them? - with Dan Rubin, Founder & CEO, YELO Funding

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


Stay ahead of the conversation in higher ed. Get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content by supporting Elvin & Joe for only $5.99 a month. YOU can also donate or gift a subscription at edupexperience.com
In this episode,


YOUR guest is Dan Rubin, Founder & CEO, YELO Funding
YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How does income contingent financing differ from traditional student loans?


What role does program ROI play in YELO's financing decisions?


H...
July 22, 2025

Why Your College Is Failing Students (& How to Fix It) - with Elliot Felix, Partner, Buro Happold, & Author of The Connected College

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


Stay ahead of the conversation in higher ed. Get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content by supporting Elvin & Joe for only $5.99 a month or $44.99 a year. YOU can also donate or gift a subscription at edupexperience.com
In this episode,


YOUR guest is Elliot Felix, Partner, Buro Happold, & Author of The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success


YOUR host is ⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio



How can higher education leaders break down silos t...
July 21, 2025

Why Traditional Doctoral Support Systems Are Failing Students - with Tim Herd, Co-Founder, The Doctoral Student Writing Collective

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


Stay ahead of the conversation in higher ed. Get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content by supporting Elvin & Joe for only $5.99 a month or $44.99 a year. YOU can also donate or gift a subscription at edupexperience.com
In this episode,


YOUR guest is Tim Herd, Co-Founder, The Doctoral Student Writing Collective ⁠⁠
YOUR host is Dr. Laurie Shanderson, Host, EdUp Accreditation Insights



How did Tim & his co-founder develop the Doctoral Student Writing ...
July 7, 2025

What Student Affairs Professionals Need to Know About the Future of Higher Ed - with Dr. Amelia Parnell, President, NASPA

It's YOUR time to #EdUp


Stay ahead of the conversation in higher ed. Get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content by supporting Elvin & Joe for only $5.99 a month or $44.99 a year. YOU can also donate or gift a subscription at edupexperience.com
In this episode, brought to YOU by Uwill
YOUR guest is Dr. Amelia Parnell, President, NASPA
YOUR host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



How is NASPA building community among 14,000+ student affairs professionals?


What strategies are...