Today, Maria talks with Julie Delich, Vice President of Retention at Wiley Education Services, where they partner with academic institutions and organizations to improve our world through education. Julie has a bachelor of arts in psychology and a master of science in clinical psychology from the Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She is currently completing her dissertation at Concordia University to become a doctor of education in educational leadership and administration. Together, they discuss how academic institutions can develop an effective enrollment and retention strategy and where to find growth amid uncertainty in higher education. They also unpack what students and adult learners value in online programs and the key factors that drive their choices. If you are a student or adult learner at any stage of your journey, this discussion will give you a plethora of insights into online programs to guide your decisions so that you can continue to advance your education and move your life and career forward.
Production team:
Host : Maria Xenidou
Producer: Julie-Roxane Krikorian
Introduction Voice: David Bourne
Contact us:
impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com
Music credits:
Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals
Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks
Where to find more about Julie Delich and Wiley Education Services:
Julie on LinkedIn
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen to this episode and explore:
Childhood: how Julie’s family’s frequent moves made her adaptable and resilient (3:12)
The importance of education in Julie's family (6:00)
How Julie changed her university major a few times before finding her place in psychology (6:58)
Why Julie decided to pursue her masters in clinical psychology (8:20)
How Julie joined the admission and enrollment department in higher education (9:18)
Julie’s career evolution after joining an online program management group (12:15)
Wiley Education Services’ mission: what they do and who they serve (13:44)
The two things institutions need to consider while building their enrollment strategy (15:47)
The new challenges brought onto higher education by the pandemic (18:00)
How institutions can support students who hesitate to enrol in the fall of 2020 (19:00)
How to build robust online programs to attract the right students for your institution (20:31)
Why students drop out during the first few courses of an online program (24:03)
How to best support the students who are at risk of dropping out: a new advising approach based on the 5Cs model (25:00)
Why Julie decided to get her doctorate in education (31:13)
How educators can engage withdrawn students in the context of distance learning (32:19)
How to create more interactive online learning experiences beyond the recent emergency teaching (33:42)
How to care for the mental health of faculty and students post-COVID (37:04)
The trends that seem to be emerging for online programs and enrollment post-pandemic (39:11)
The skills that adult learners are looking for in an online program (39:48)
Julie’s advice for graduates joining the job market amid uncertainty and ambiguity (40:31)
What Julie wants to leave her mark on during her lifetime (43:02)