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Feb 25 2026

The Failure Funnel: Where Student Retention Breaks Down

Every institution has a funnel. Applications. Admits. Deposits. Enrollment. Registration. Persistence. Graduation. But between

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Why Engagement Signals Matter More Than Open Rates for Giving Days

The Giving Day Problem That No Dashboard Shows The Giving Day dashboard looked strong. Email open rates were up. Click-through rates were steady. The social posts were getting traction. But when the day ended, participation lagged behind goal. The ...

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Female educator working on a laptop in front of a chalkboard filled with mathematical equations

Why AI Efforts Often Fall Short in Higher Ed, and Why Agents Are Different

Across higher education, leaders are being urged to adopt AI quickly. Boards ask about it. Vendors promise it. Staff worry about it. And yet, for many institutions, the reality has been underwhelming. Chatbots are launched. Tools are piloted. ...

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The Higher Ed Capacity Crunch: Why Technology Decisions Are Now Workforce Decisions

It’s Tuesday at 10:17 a.m., and the student success inbox is already a triage unit. An advisor has 30 messages marked “urgent,” a colleague is out sick, and a new staff member is still learning the systems. In the next hour, three students ...

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Customer support representatives working at their computers with headsets on

What Community Colleges Need from Communication Tools in 2026

The Reality on the Ground At many community colleges, student support does not break down because staff do not care. It breaks down because there simply are not enough hours in the day. Advisors juggle thousands of students. One-stop teams handle ...

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The Top 10 Conversation Intelligence Wins of 2025

The moments that mattered. The outcomes that moved. The conversations that did the work. In 2025, higher ed didn’t just send messages. It created momentum; one question answered, one appointment confirmed, one student supported, one alumnus ...

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Diverse group of young adults collaborating around a table in a bright, modern workspace

Getting Your Institution Ready for 2026: Data-Driven Retention Strategies for Higher Ed

Among the top challenges higher education technology leaders will face in the new year, building a data-centric culture and training decision-makers to effectively use and interpret that data will deeply impact institutional resilience, according to ...

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Two male graduates in black caps and gowns clapping during a commencement ceremony

What Donors & Alumni Are Really Telling Us: FAQs & Best Practices for Advancement Teams

Advancement teams sit at the intersection of storytelling, stewardship, and relationship-building, and the most successful teams this year shared one common strength: They communicated with intention. Texting has become one of the most effective ...

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Two young women collaborating in a classroom, one seated and writing while the other leans over to assist

What Students Need (and When They Tell You): Top 8 FAQs for Success Teams

Student Success teams support some of the most complex conversations on campus. From academic advising to financial aid, mental health concerns to scheduling logistics, these messages carry emotional weight — and directly influence persistence and ...

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Student in yellow shirt holding folders outside university building at golden hour

Your Admissions Messaging, Decoded: Top 8 FAQs for Enrollment Leaders

Enrollment teams across higher ed faced a challenging communication landscape this year: More noise, more competition, and more pressure to deliver personalized, timely guidance to students at scale. The institutions that performed best weren’t ...

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