First, that title is from the Blues Brothers so an immediate mea culpa to those offended for religious reasons!
I just finished two days with this year's ACE Fellows at their mid year week long meeting. I have been fortunate enough to provide some sessions on marketing for these (now and) future leaders in higher education. Fo those that may not be familiar with the Fellows program, it is designed to identify leaders in educational arena that are on tract to become presidents of colleges and universities some day. I was a Fellow in '04-'05 and since that time have been on a mission to incorporate and then expand marketing into the curriculum. I am thankful to say that ACE has been very receptive and we are now part of all three week long programs.
I have felt it important to make sure that tomorrow's leaders have marketing on their mind. Up until my year, this topic was not part of ACE's normal agenda nor part of their own annual conference for presidents.
There is more work to be done. As an example, I was giving my presentation and was in the midst of defining marketing to the group and a college president that was in the audience (there is a whole group of present and retired presidents/chancellors that give their time to this project), stopped me and said that my definition did not jive with her understanding of marketing as promotion. I paid her twenty dollars for making my point and explained how her perception is exactly why we needed these sessions.
I do what I do for my love of marketing higher education. Some people get excited about collecting stamps, some about sports, I do this....and I am on a "mission from God."
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