Mastering the Next

International students face unique financial challenges when pursuing education abroad, from securing loans without cosigners to navigating shifting immigration policies. In this episode, Ray sits down with Arbaaz Hashmi, Director of Business Development at Sallie Mae, to unpack the evolving landscape of international student financing. They explore how universities, lenders, and financial institutions are working together to create sustainable funding solutions, how technology is transforming underwriting and loan approvals, and why students today are thinking more about ROI than ever before.Join us as we discuss: [2:10] How universities and lenders can create win-win situations for students[11:55] The role of technology in modernizing student loan approval[22:16] The future of international student financing, trends, and predictionsTo hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player.Guest Name: Arbaaz Hashmy, Director of Business Development at Sallie MaeGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arbaazhashmy/Guest Bio: Arbaaz Hashmy is Director of Business Development at Sallie Mae. He has more than 10 years under his belt in partnership management focused on the fin-tech space and managed clients in 33 countries in his last role at MPOWER Financing. After finishing his undergrad in Computer Science Engineering, where he led various student organizations, Arbaaz worked across multiple industries and built meaningful relationships to deliver ambitious business goals. He received his MBA from Johns Hopkins University where he served as the President of the Indian Students Association and an international student ambassador. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Higher education is changing fast, and online learning is at the center of it all. In this episode, Dr. Whitney Kilgore, Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of iDesign, joins Ray to unpack the biggest trends shaping the future of education. From the rise of AI to the importance of instructional design, Whitney shares why some institutions are leading the charge while others struggle to keep up.Join us as we discuss: [10:57] How to stay human-centered when integrating AI into education[18:32] Why instructional design starts with alignment and how it ensures rigor[23:58] What institutions are getting wrong about online learningTo hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player.Guest Name: Dr. Whitney Kilgore, Co-Founder and Chief Academic Officer of iDesignGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneykilgoreGuest Bio: Whitney Kilgore is co-founder and chief academic officer of iDesign, a partner to universities that wish to build, grow, and support online and blended course program offerings. iDesign provides concierge, white-glove instructional design support to faculty partners and ensure that faculty feel comfortable, informed, and in control throughout the process of creating online learning experiences for their students. Whitney is currently working on research related to care theory in online learning and the impact to practice of humanizing online teaching and learning. She resides in North Texas with her husband, their four children, two dogs, and a cat. They enjoy hiking, swimming, and wearing their masks. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Online program management (OPM) companies play a crucial role in helping universities navigate the complexities of digital education and online student recruitment. But as skepticism around the OPM model has grown, institutions must carefully weigh their options. In this episode, Ray sits down with Jim Lummus, Executive VP - University Solutions at AllCampus, to break down common misconceptions about OPMs, how universities can maintain control while scaling online, and why different financial models — such as revenue share and fee-for-service — fit different institutional needs.Join us as we discuss [ADD TIMESTAMPS IN QA]: [2:39] Skepticism and misconceptions around OPM partnerships[12:06] Revenue sharing versus fee-for-service models[19:35] What school presidents should consider when outsourcing OPMTo hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player.Guest Name: Jim Lummus, Executive Vice President, University Solutions at AllCampusGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlummus/Guest Bio: Jim Lummus is an experienced, growth-oriented leader with accomplishments encompassing sales, operations management, cross-functional team management, territory development, client relationship management and strategic planning. As the executive responsible for the AllCampus sales, sales operations and market research teams, he works proactively to build successful partnerships with graduate degree and upskilling programs at top universities.Jim gained a track record of combining rapid expansion and exceptional performance through his years of achievements at educational technology and online program management firms like Zovio, Avenu Learning, Academic Partnerships, Deltak and Sylvan Learning. In these roles, he formed valuable relationships with major U.S. and international universities as well as private businesses. Jim holds an MBA from Stetson University and a bachelor’s degree in education from Maryville College. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

The graduate school experience can be as psychologically challenging as it is academically rigorous. Many students struggle with imposter phenomenon, financial stress, and unclear expectations — challenges that impact not only their confidence but also their academic success. In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Cisco and Dr. Jayme Cisco, co-founders of The Grad Academy, join Ray to share insights on the hidden struggles of graduate students and why imposter phenomenon is a key barrier to success. They unpack the institutional gaps that contribute to these challenges and discuss strategies for improving student support.Join us as we discuss [SET TIMESTAMPS IN QA]:The prevalence of imposter phenomenon in graduate student programsHelping students understand the processes behind grad school successThe Grad Academy’s methods and success stories To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

In this bonus episode of Mastering the Next recorded live at the ASU+GSV AI Show, host Ray Lutzky chats with Professor Erin Hill of Jessup University about how her team is transforming legal education through AI in higher education. With the launch of Jessup+AI, one of the first fully AI-immersive learning experiences in U.S. legal education, Erin shares how this model blends AI-powered customization with human mentorship to offer emotionally supportive, personalized learning in higher education. This conversation dives into how AI is being used to improve engagement, assessment, and real-time curriculum design. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

At ASU+GSV Conference 2025, Ray is joined by Bryan Aylward, AVP, Office of Academic Innovation, Operations and Technology for The University of Arizona Global Campus.Guest Name: Bryan AylwardGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-aylward-psyd-17436210Guest Bio: AVP, Office of Academic Innovation, Operations and Technology for The University of Arizona Global Campus - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

The healthcare workforce is at a critical crossroads, with a growing labor shortage and increasing patient demands. How can education and industry come together to create sustainable solutions? Ray sits down with Geoffrey Roche, Director of Workforce Development at Siemens Healthineers, to explore the challenges and opportunities in healthcare workforce development. From strategic partnerships between hospitals and universities to policy changes that remove barriers to training, Geoffrey shares insights on what it will take to future-proof the industry.Join us as we discuss: [4:08] Effective partnerships between academia and healthcare[9:41] Why cultural competencies matter in patient care[15:15] Addressing higher ed’s blindspots in today’s medical programsCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:University of Wisconsin Nursing Assistant Apprenticeship ProgramTo hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Digital accessibility in higher education recruitment isn't just about compliance — it's about ensuring every prospective student can fully engage with your institution's story. Today, we're exploring how to build a stronger case for accessibility in graduate recruitment and marketing. Ray is joined by Eugene Woo, CEO and Founder of Venngage, who's helping institutions create accessible visual content that reaches all prospective students.Join us as we discuss: [1:15] Why digital accessibility is often treated as an afterthought[9:01] Missed recruitment opportunities and shifting the compliance mindset[16:39] How proactive compliance could save your institution’s budgetTo hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “Mastering the Next” in your favorite podcast player.Guest Name: Eugene Woo, CEO and Founder, VenngageGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yjwoo/Guest Bio: Eugene is an engineer and visual storytelling enthusiast. He founded Venngage to empower users of all experience levels to create engaging, accessible visuals. Through Venngage, Eugene's goal is to make visual communication more accessible and impactful for everyone. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Higher education unionization is experiencing unprecedented popularity, particularly among graduate student workers, creating new challenges and opportunities for institutions across the country. Ray explores this rapidly evolving landscape with Jennifer Kulbeck, Assistant Provost at Saint Mary's College of California, who brings a decade of experience working with faculty unions, and Matt Cipriano, Associate Dean at Mount Sinai's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, who recently navigated conversations of a new graduate student union. Their broad reaching conversation covers insights on maintaining productive relationships while balancing institutional needs in this transformative moment for academic labor relations.Guest Names: Jennifer Kulbeck, Assistant Provost at Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMatt Cipriano, Associate Dean at Mount Sinai's Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesGuest Socials: Jennifer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkulbeck/Matt - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-cipriano-53941a/Guest Bios: Jennifer - Jennifer Kulbeck has over 25 years of experience in higher education with expertise in budget and academic operations management, institutional effectiveness and accreditation, academic personnel and labor relations, interdisciplinary project management, and graduate program development and enrollment management. She currently serves as Assistant Provost and Director of Academic Operations at Saint Mary’s College of California. Jen served on the NAGAP Governing Board from 2012-2022, and received the Distinguished Service Award in 2018. She is also a poet, letterpress printer, and interdisciplinary educator. Her poetry and creative nonfiction have been published in West Marin Review, Storm Cellar, and Pittsburgh Poetry Houses, among others; and her most recent work includes poetry and voice-over work for The Farallonites production in collaboration with Dana Lawton Dances, and a piece in the group exhibit, Interdisciplinary Voice, at the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art.Matt - Matthew Cipriano is a seasoned higher education administrator who has dedicated over two decades to advancing graduate education, particularly in medical and biomedical fields. Currently serving as Associate Dean of Administration and Operations at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Cipriano has established himself as a transformative leader in graduate enrollment management and institutional operations. During his tenure at Weill Cornell Medical School, he successfully enhanced both the quality and quantity of the applicant pool, while demonstrating exceptional fiscal stewardship through his management of a $7 million annual budget. His collaborative leadership style has fostered valuable partnerships across departments and institutions, and his expertise has been recognized at the national level through his service on the Board of Directors of NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

In this episode, we're diving into the radical transformation of online education from pandemic necessity to strategic imperative. Joining Ray is Taylor Swaak, Senior Reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education, whose article out this week “The Online Overhaul” tracks this seismic shift in the higher education landscape. Taylor's recent analysis reveals how institutions nationwide are scrambling to adapt—some successfully, others not so much. Read the Article: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-online-overhaulGuest Name: Taylor Swaak, Senior Reporter at The Chronicle of Higher EducationGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorswaak/Guest Bio: Taylor Swaak covers technology and innovation at The Chronicle of Higher Education. She is drawn to nuanced stories about how colleges are navigating an increasingly tech-infused world — a world where they're relying on a growing number of ed-tech partners, and working to strike a balance between nurturing AI innovation and protecting their students and campus communities. This interest has sparked accountability reporting on controversial courseware products and tensions with online-program managers. It's also inspired trends pieces on competitive AI hiring sprees and experimentation with AI-detection tools to stymy admissions fraud.She is a staunch supporter of solutions journalism as well, and contributes annually to The Chronicle's robust collection of newsroom reports. She wants readers to be not only informed, but energized, by what she writes.Swaak joined The Chronicle in 2021. She previously wrote for The 74, a nonprofit news outlet, where she spearheaded K-12 coverage of the nation's two largest school districts — NYC Public Schools and L.A. Unified — before documenting D.C. Public Schools' pivot to virtual learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her byline has also appeared in Newsday, Newsweek, The Hartford Courant, and on CNN.com.She earned her bachelor's degree in multi-platform journalism from the University of Maryland, where she got her start as a reporter and editor at The Diamondback. Swaak lives in northern Virginia; you can find her out on the bike trails or scoping out a new coffee shop. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dr. Ray Lutzkyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lutzky/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mastering the Next 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 next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register