The Higher Ed Marketer
The Higher Ed Marketer
Caylor Solutions
First Year in a New Role: What to Do First
40 minutes Posted Oct 13, 2026 at 4:03 am.
Lessons from making decisions on the athletic sidelines05:21 - How Indiana Wesleyan intentionally developed leaders08:54 - Learning a campus through several different roles11:22 - Recognizing the call to leave a familiar institution13:12 - Why Aly devoted her first year to listening20:21 - Two practical rules for a productive listening tour23:09 - Connecting Midland’s success to the Fremont community25:46 - Turning mission and vocation into meaningful distinction___NextGrad helps colleges and universities reach students where they already are, inside the high school itself. With a network of over 2,500 schools across North America, NextGrad puts your institution's message in front of future students every single day. Be the school they remember when it's time to decide.Nextgrad.com, Where students see you first.___The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions, your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. ___To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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This Fall Season of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proudly sponsored by NextGrad.___New leaders often feel pressure to make their mark quickly, but listening can be the most strategic first move. Dr. Aly Williams, President of Midland University, shares how 25 years at Indiana Wesleyan University and a decade in athletic training prepared her to enter a new community with curiosity. She explains how listening becomes strategy, how vocation shapes institutional distinctiveness, and why strong campus and community relationships require intentional time.___What We Cover in This Episode🔘 What athletic training taught Aly about pressure, decisions, and creativity🔘 How an institution can intentionally develop future leaders🔘 Why a new president chose listening before major change🔘 How personal stories help leaders uncover institutional strengths🔘 Why mission, vocation, and community sharpen a college’s distinctiveness___Episode Highlights02:29 - Lessons from making decisions on the athletic sidelines05:21 - How Indiana Wesleyan intentionally developed leaders08:54 - Learning a campus through several different roles11:22 - Recognizing the call to leave a familiar institution13:12 - Why Aly devoted her first year to listening20:21 - Two practical rules for a productive listening tour23:09 - Connecting Midland’s success to the Fremont community25:46 - Turning mission and vocation into meaningful distinction___NextGrad helps colleges and universities reach students where they already are, inside the high school itself. With a network of over 2,500 schools across North America, NextGrad puts your institution's message in front of future students every single day. Be the school they remember when it's time to decide.Nextgrad.com, Where students see you first.___The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions, your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, AI expertise, and branding needs. ___To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.