Welcome to the debut episode of this new pulse check series, AI Arms Race: Navigating Leadership in the Agentic Admissions AI Era, hosted by Scott Cline.

Guest Name: Dr. Stephen Ostendorff, Dean of Admissions, Molloy University

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ostendorff/

Guest Bio: Dr. Stephen Ostendorff is a strategic enrollment and marketing leader with over two decades of experience driving growth and innovation in higher education. Currently serving as Dean of Admissions at Molloy University, he has led record-breaking enrollment through data-informed strategies, advanced CRM integrations, financial aid optimization, and the ethical use of AI in recruitment. With a background spanning private, urban, and mission-driven institutions, he is known for collaborative leadership, taking a tech-forward approach to enrollment management, and a future-focused mindset when it comes to student engagement and retention.

He holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership Studies from Northeastern University, an M.S.Ed. in Student Development Practice in Higher Education from St. John’s University, and a B.A. in English from Clark University.

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, hosts Mallory and Gil Rogers break down the real reason 95% of AI projects fail—and it’s not the tech. From underground AI usage to rising trust issues and executive scrambling for structure, this episode explores how leadership—not capability—is the biggest hurdle for AI adoption in higher education and beyond. Whether you're an institutional leader or front-line staffer experimenting with AI, this conversation offers timely insights on how to approach AI integration with intention, empathy, and strategy.

Related Links:
MIT Study: 95% of Generative AI Projects Fail
AI as Boss? Workers Push Back
Chief AI Officers Emerge Across Industries
The Shadow AI Workforce

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Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the final installment of this Pulse Check series — Advancement Amplified: The IA MarCom Shift — Part 5: The 90-Day Blueprint. Dan Giroux teams up with higher ed marketing powerhouse Jaime Hunt—host of Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO and author of Heart Over Hype—for a co-led conversation that delivers big, bold ideas and actionable next steps. Together, they offer a compelling, cross-functional perspective on what it means to build future-ready advancement marketing and communications (MarCom) teams—and how to do it in just 90 days. If you're serious about integrated strategies, sustainable structures, and breaking down silos, this is the episode for you.

Notes / Resources:

• AI Maturity Matrix: https://www.solvehighered.com/ai-maturity-matrix
• Heart Over Hype: https://www.heartoverhypebook.com

Solve Higher Ed: https://www.solvehighered.com

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.