Talking Tactics

What happens when a fundraiser decides to end one of higher ed’s most sacred traditions—the senior giving campaign? In this episode, Safaniya sits down with Alex Rodríguez from UC Berkeley, who made the bold move to shut it down and rebuild student giving from the ground up. From pandemic pivots to Mario-inspired metaphors, Alex shares how he turned a once-obligatory tradition into a culture of authentic student philanthropy. Tune in to hear how rethinking generosity, meeting students where they are, and redefining “giving” beyond dollars changed the game entirely.

Most higher ed campaigns play it safe—and end up milk toast. In this episode of Talking Tactics, Safaniya Stevenson sits down with Baldwin&’s Ashley Yetman and Emily Watson to unpack why bold ideas beget bold design. Partnering with the North Carolina School Board Association on a hearts & minds campaign, they leaned into disarming nostalgic illustrations and creator collaborations to humanize messaging. They reveal how taking creative risks can unite communities, energize audiences, and spark real impact in education marketing.

You thought we were done with the show? Think again. The pursuit of top-tier tactics continues! Talking Tactics isn't going anywhere, but we ARE getting a new voice behind the mic. After 56 episodes of Day Kibilds serving up the tactical gold you've come to love, she's officially passing the torch to Safaniya "Safy" Stevenson, a brand strategist and cultural analyst equally obsessed with tactics. Get to know your new host and what she's got in store for the show. Also, find out what Day will be doing with her newfound free time. SPOILER: It's also based in tactics. She just can't give it up, can she?!

On this episode of Talking Tactics, host Day chats with Stormie Harless and Reggie Hayes of Ball State University about one of the quirkiest—and most successful—Giving Day campaigns we've ever seen: letting donors name a goose. Yes, you read that right. This creative, low-cost tactic more than tripled gifts to the Ball State Fund, turning a fun gimmick into a strategic fundraising win. Learn how a "goose gang," Canva templates, and clever messaging made all the difference—and why sometimes a little silliness can have serious results.

What do planners, quizzes, and pumpkin stencils have in common? At Cornell, they’re powering growth in alumni engagement. In this episode of Talking Tactics, Sarina Alexander, lead graphic designer for Cornell’s advancement team, shares how her team grew digital downloads fivefold — sparking a 40% increase in email clicks and doubling alumni engagement in just three years. From ideation to execution, Sarina breaks down what’s working (and what’s not), and how you can steal a page from Cornell’s playbook to boost engagement at your institution.

What if the key to supporting students with payments isn’t a new policy, but a new tone? In this episode of Talking Tactics, host Dayana Kibilds chats with Karen Sorrell, Senior Business Operations Manager at Carroll Community College, about how one simple change—revamping payment reminder emails—led to big results. By shifting the tone from transactional to supportive, Karen’s team boosted student outreach by 16%, resolved 95% of payment issues for those who responded, and dropped outstanding payments by 11%. If you’ve ever sent an email that looked more like a warning label than a helping hand, this conversation will inspire you to rethink how you communicate about the most stressful part of the enrollment journey: paying for college.