Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education Webinar Series

Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education Series

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The Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education Series is brought to you by Bay Path University's Center for Higher Education Leadership & Innovative Practice (CHELIP).

Digital Marketing in 2025: Best Practices for Higher Education - January 22 - 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

12:oo p.m. (EST) | Register

Reach and engage potential students by evolving your digital marketing strategy with the latest trends and technologies. In this presentation, higher education marketing expert Paula French will delve into the recent advancements reshaping the enrollment marketing landscape.

Paula will discuss key trends in search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and digital advertising. She’ll offer best practices for institutions to ensure your marketing efforts continue to generate interest and enrollment in the age of AI, changing student behavior, and targeting limitations. Discover how these trends impact your higher education marketing strategy, and learn methods and metrics to measure success in a rapidly changing online environment. Attend this session to break down the buzzwords, and take away actionable tactics to improve your digital marketing results.

About Paula French:

Paula French is a Director at Search Influence, a leading digital marketing agency specializing in higher education. With over 15 years of experience crafting and leading digital marketing campaigns for major organizations, Paula has a proven track record of helping institutions like Tulane School of Professional Advancement effectively reach and engage their target audiences.

Paula specializes in higher education marketing measurement and aligning marketing solutions with institutional goals. Her expertise extends across many industries, with a focus on higher education, healthcare, and tourism. Paula is a sought-after conference speaker, regularly appearing at events including UPCEA, LocalU, PubCon, and MozCon, as well as contributing her thought leadership to podcasts and publications such as University Business.

Navigating Interim Roles in Higher Education: Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practices: Feb 27 - 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

12:oo p.m. (EST) | Register

Interim positions in higher education are increasingly common as institutions navigate leadership transitions, strategic changes, and unforeseen challenges. But what does it take to succeed in an interim role, and how can institutions maximize the potential of these temporary arrangements?

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion featuring experienced leaders who have navigated interim roles. The conversation will explore:

The unique challenges and opportunities that interim leaders face
Best practices for individuals stepping into interim roles, from leadership strategies to personal development
Recommendations for institutions to ensure interim arrangements benefit all stakeholders
Insights on how to create a seamless transition between interim and permanent leadership

Whether you’re considering an interim role or are tasked with overseeing one, this session will provide valuable takeaways for both individuals and institutions to enhance the effectiveness of interim appointments. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the experts and engage in thoughtful dialogue on this timely topic.

Panel Facilitator: Dr. Robyn Parker, Interim President, Saybrook University

Breaking Barriers: Women Leading Change in Higher Education - March 27 - 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

12 p.m. (EST) | Register

Join us for an inspiring and thought-provoking webinar, Breaking Barriers: Women Leading Change in Higher Education, a dynamic 75-minute panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Kristine Barnett.

This engaging session will feature accomplished women leaders sharing their personal leadership journeys, insights into overcoming challenges, and strategies for fostering gender equity in senior roles. Explore topics such as navigating biases, evolving leadership styles, mentoring the next generation, and achieving work-life balance. Gain actionable advice and inspiration to chart your own path or empower others to lead confidently in the ever-changing landscape of higher education. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from trailblazers redefining higher education leadership!

Our Speaker:

Dr. Barnett is an experienced leader in higher education, both as a faculty member and as an academic administrator. She is the Provost at Columbia College (July 2022), in Columbia, South Carolina, overseeing all aspects of undergraduate and graduate education.

Dr. Barnett joined Bay Path College in 2008 as an adjunct instructor, designing and teaching courses in the Masters in Higher Education online program. In 2010, she became a full-time administrator at Bay Path as the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, overseeing graduate programs in Higher Education Administration, Non-Profit Management and Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy. As a graduate of a women’s college and as an advocate for women’s empowerment, Dr. Barnett’s position evolved as she co-led the design and development of the We Empower Learners and Leaders (WELL) program. Since 2011, she has held a variety of administrative leadership positions at Bay Path, serving as a leader in both Academic Affairs and Student Life. Until 2021, she was the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of Liberal Studies. Her responsibilities included oversight of the Communications and Liberal Studies programs, including the Performing Arts, the Honors program, WELL, and Academic Advising. As Vice Provost, she oversaw issues of compliance, accreditation, and assessment. She also served as the University’s Title IX Coordinator.

Previously, Dr. Barnett coordinated all aspects of the campus-wide writing portfolio program at the University of Saint Joseph. In this role, she trained faculty to assess and monitor portfolios and other assessment activities, counseled and advised students regarding their portfolios and program progress, tutored undergraduate and graduate students, served as a writing associate for many courses across the curriculum and developed and taught composition and professional communications courses.

Dr. Barnett has worked at Johnson and Wales University where she managed the Graduate School’s Professional Communication Center and served as an adjunct faculty member and graduate school tutor. She also developed and implemented programs within the Graduate School’s Professional Communications Center. Dr. Barnett also has extensive business experience having worked within the marketing communications area for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut and HealthRight, Inc.

Dr. Barnett is a frequent conference presenter on a variety of topics related to higher education leadership and is the co-author of Unlocking the Doors to College and Career Success and author of Leading College Writing Centers into the Future: Strategies for Survival and Sustainability. She received her bachelor of arts in English from Russell Sage College; master of arts in English from Central Connecticut State University; and her doctorate in Leadership in Higher Education from Johnson & Wales University.

Balancing AI and Relationship-Rich Learning - April 24 - 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

12:00 p.m. (EST) | Register

How can academic leaders harness AI to enrich, rather than erode, relationship-rich learning? In this engaging webinar, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner will moderate a panel of provosts who have successfully navigated the intersection of AI and human-centered education. Panelists will share real-world examples and strategies for integrating AI while maintaining the personal connections that define meaningful learning experiences. Attendees will explore the ethical implications, potential risks, and practical approaches to building a learning culture where AI complements, rather than compromises, relationships among students, faculty, and staff.

Senior Higher Education Leader | Author | Scholar | Keynote Speaker:

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner is an experienced senior higher education leader, having most recently served as Provost & Executive Vice President at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington (2020-2024). Currently, on sabbatical editing The Provost's Handbook, which will be published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 2025, he is also working on his tenth book, EDU 2.0: Future-Proofing Higher Education with Integrative Learning.

Prior to joining Whitworth, he was Acting Provost, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Humanities at North Park University in Chicago (2016–2020). Earlier in his career, he was Chair of the Department of Languages and Linguistics (2006–2012) and Professor of German and Linguistics at Gordon College (2003–2016), where he received the Distinguished Junior Faculty Award in 2006.

A Past President of the Association of Chief Academic Officers, he is currently a Special Advisor to the Board. He serves on the Board of the American Association of University Administrators (2024-2027) and was also on the CAO Institute Taskforce of the Council of Independent Colleges (2023–2024). Previously, he served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (2017–2019), President of the Austrian Studies Association (2018–2020), and a Board Member of ACAD (2018–2023). From 2017–2020, he was a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and since 2020, he has been chairing accreditation site visits for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

Thuswaldner holds degrees in German and English Studies from the University of Vienna and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Ph.D.) and has an additional Master's in Higher Education Administration from North Park University in Chicago. As a committed lifelong learner, he has earned several certificates, including certificates in Fund Raising Management (Lilly School of Philanthropy, Indiana University) and Mediation Skills Training (Northwestern University).

An elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a Leadership Fellow of the Society of Leadership Fellows at St. George's House, Windsor Castle, Thuswaldner also serve as an advisory board member of the Stefan Zweig Centre at the University of Salzburg, Austria, and as a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Austrian Studies, Delos: A Journal of Translation and World Literature, and the Journal of Higher Education Management.

Driving Innovation from the Top - May 29 - 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

12:00 p.m. (EST) | Register

What does it take to lead transformative innovation in higher education?

In this dynamic webinar, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner will facilitate a panel discussion featuring provosts who have successfully implemented groundbreaking changes on their campuses. Through candid conversations, panelists will share personal stories and actionable insights on fostering a culture of creativity, building coalitions, and navigating the complexities of academic governance. Learn how to spark bold ideas, overcome resistance, and drive innovation that inspires and endures. This session is designed for leaders who want to leave a lasting impact on their institutions and create pathways for sustainable growth and transformation.