As institutions adapt to shifting demographics in higher education, like post-pandemic realities and rising expectations from students and families, leaders are being asked to do more with less, and faster than ever. According to Liaison’s VP of Enrollment Strategy Craig Cornell, agility in enrollment management isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

In Addressing the Need for Agility in Enrollment Management, the second installment of Liaison’s two-part Top 10 Strategies in the New Enrollment Paradigm webinar series, Cornell was joined by Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Tim Valley, Ph.D. and Montana Technological University Executive Director of Admissions and Enrollment Leslie Dickerson. Together, they explored the four final strategies including focusing on breaking down institutional silos and shifting from reactive to proactive decision-making. (Cornell’s first six strategies are the subject of Liaison’s previous webinar, Integrating Planning and Strategy Across the Institution.)

Now available to watch on demand, Addressing the Need for Agility in Enrollment Management offers practical, forward-thinking ideas to help higher ed professionals transform how they plan, communicate, and engage in order to lay the foundation for long-term student and institutional success.

Working in Silos vs. Teams

Strategy #7) Connect Enrollment Goals to the Campus Mission

Cornell kicked off this theme by emphasizing that strategic enrollment planning shouldn't happen in a vacuum. “When an enrollment plan is built outside of other plans on campus, it tends to fall under its own weight,” he cautioned. Instead, he advocated for aligning enrollment goals with the broader institutional mission, which means involving academic affairs, student services, and faculty in the process, not just admissions.

He recommended forming student onboarding and enrollment management advisory committees to create a campus-wide sense of ownership. These initiatives ensure that everyone understands how their work contributes to enrollment outcomes.

Dr. Valley shared how MSOE University uses Liaison Othot to support enrollment management teams that meet quarterly and which include representatives of the school’s academic, marketing, student affairs, and admissions departments.

“We group students together based on how they respond to different messages,” he explained. “Then, we tailor communications that make them feel known, because students need to know we know them.”

Strategy #8) Position Your Admissions Team as Strategic Enrollment Leaders

Admissions professionals aren’t just communicators; they’re data-informed, student-facing strategists who should lead cross-campus collaboration. Dickerson said her team at Montana Tech participates in annual academic department tours to stay current and gather relevant updates they can use in student communications.

“When we hear an alumnus from Metallurgical Materials Engineering landed an amazing job, we turn that into targeted messaging for students in that program, using Liaison's Enrollment Marketing PlatformLiaison's Enrollment Marketing Platform (EMP),” she added.

This allows the team at Montana Tech to send customized messages to prospective students that reflect real outcomes and align directly with their interests, an approach that makes both the message and the institution more memorable.

“We don’t just relay information,” she noted. “We shape the student journey with intention.”

Going From Reactive to Proactive Decision Making

Strategy #9) Make Informed Decisions in Real Time

Annual plans are helpful, but today’s enrollment leaders need the ability to pivot mid-cycle. Cornell and Dr. Valley stressed the value of using AI-powered tools like Othot to monitor performance, test new approaches, and adjust strategies in real time.

At MSOE, Dr. Valley uses Othot’s predictive modeling and prescriptive analytics to run “what-if” scenarios throughout the year. This allows his team to identify gaps before they become issues and act quickly to improve yield by optimizing everything from communication timing to financial aid packaging.

Strategy #10) Recruit the Individual Instead of the Class

Mass communication is no longer effective on its own. Cornell challenged institutions to rethink how they recruit—not by focusing on filling seats, but by connecting with each student’s unique motivations, goals, and concerns. “It’s about showing students how much better the campus will be because they’re joining,” he said.

For example, Dickerson explained how Montana Tech uses EMP’s omnichannel marketing capabilities to deliver customized messages across multiple platforms, engaging students where they are with messaging that resonates. With support from Liaison’s team, they’ve built responsive campaigns that scale while maintaining a personal touch.

The New Standard: Agility, Strategy, and Personalization

As Cornell reminded attendees, enrollment success today hinges on collaboration, speed, and student-centered thinking. When institutions connect their strategy to mission, empower their teams, and embrace the tools that enable real-time decisions, they’re not just reacting, they’re leading.

Watch the Series On Demand

Whether you’re refining your enrollment strategy or just beginning your planning cycle, both webinars in this series offer an invaluable roadmap for you to build the enrollment infrastructure your institution and your students deserve.

🎥 Watch the Top 10 Strategies in the New Enrollment Paradigm series.