6. Allison Turcio, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, Siena College

Higher Ed Leaders: Transforming and Innovating Higher Education in the US sponsored by Viv Higher Education

Siena College grew its enrollment during the COVID years where other institutions saw enrollment fall. Assistant vice president for enrollment and marketing Allison Turcio shares how they did this. Turcio shares insights about being student-centric, the importance of personal communication and breaking the silos in higher education institutions. She discusses adopting the values of a Franciscan college in their marketing rather than focusing on the religious aspect.

Turcio also emphasizes the need to innovate, and learn from mistakes, noting that she and her team had to let go of certain practices and invest in certain strategies. She values student experiences, behavioral patterns and feedback and ensure everything her team does is backed up by data.

Turcio discusses the focus on data rather than guessing what students might care about. She says they have worked on creating a unique culture at Siena, focusing on serving the needs of the students, fostering cross-departmental collaborations and implementing personalized marketing strategies based on student's specific needs and desires.

She also notes the need to continually work at maintaining this culture, for which they constantly analyze and update their strategies and tactics. In the discussion, Turcio encourages emerging higher education professionals to become experts in emerging fields, own their current jobs, and constantly learn from their mistakes. However, above all, Turcio reiterates the need to constantly reprioritize and focus on the aspects of their roles that make the most impact on students.

About Allison Turcio

Allison Turcio is an accomplished marketing consultant and Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Siena College. She leads college-wide marketing, market research, and enrollment communications efforts, earning numerous awards for her work. Turcio is a respected speaker at conferences like the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education and hosts the popular podcast, The Application. Recognized for her leadership, she was honored in 2020 with the Albany Business Review 40 Under 40 and Siena College’s Excellence in Administration awards. Turcio holds a doctorate from Northeastern University, a master’s in Communications, and a bachelor’s in English.

Read more on the Siena College website.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonturcio/

Newsletter: https://allisonturcio.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.enrollify.org/the-application-with-allison-turcio?hsLang=en

This podcast is sponsored by Viv Higher Education

About Viv Higher Education

Viv Higher Education is a Boston-based, female-owned comprehensive marketing agency specializing in higher education. With expertise in strategic planning, creative asset development, and media campaigns, we focus on enrollment-centric initiatives. Our approach is grounded in industry best practices, ensuring precision in reaching target audiences. We have extensive experience in marketing to diverse groups, including high school students, Hispanic, military, LGBTQ+, international students, and online learners. Navigating the complex landscapes of university environments is second nature to us, and we prioritize fostering collaborations that yield mutually beneficial outcomes. With a personable, nimble, and highly responsive approach, we deliver tailored solutions to empower organizations to achieve their objectives.
Website: https://vivhied.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viv-higher-ed/