Author Archives: Josanne DeNatale

College, its sense of place, and how it catalyzes responsibility to community

Ownership of a place, a spot on the earth that matters to you profoundly, is part of the college experience. It’s where one comes of age. Where one chose to be. It’s not the home sweet home of one’s parents nor a favorite vacation spot. It’s where one becomes the adult self, one’s first placeRead more

The Next Major Accomplishment in Higher Ed

Frank Bruni raises an interesting point about college majors in his May 26, 2018 opinion piece in the New York Times, “Aristotle’s Wrongful Death.” While I’m largely in agreement with Bruni’s opinion that the structure of majors and minors in college curriculum is not adequate preparation for success in today’s job market, I find hisRead more

Use your brand to fuel your content and your heart to tell a great story

Is your campus team hard at work managing your brand? If so, you’re likely making decisions about what content to produce to feed your marketing campaign. And, if you’re like most schools, you’re in the mode of collecting stories about the impressive accomplishments of students who then go on to do great things. But areRead more

How collaboration, creativity, and good humor results in a sustainable brand

In the early stages of building a brand, just about every institution we encounter has the same questions and concerns: How will we engage all constituent groups? How much more work will it be for the marketing team? Will it stick for the long-term? Experience tells us that these concerns are most easily addressed atRead more

Levels of Joy

When Aretha Franklin performed the song, (You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman at the Kennedy Center Honors awards ceremony, the honoree, Carole King, said it “put her rungs higher on the levels of joy.” I can relate. Though I’m not able to carry a tune, I’ve been transported many times to a betterRead more

Why getting my son into the right college is not enough

For the last two months, my older son has hit the “SUBMIT” button on the Common App several times. Together, we completed the FAFSA and CSS financial disclosure forms. We are fortunate in that my son receives excellent college counseling at his high school and that he has many family mentors upon whom he canRead more

Unite Your Community of Storytellers

At a recent Brand Orientation Workshop at Keuka College, veteran staff members and current students learned about how a campus visit from Eleanor Roosevelt, back when the U.S. was on the brink of entering World War II, still inspires the Keuka College of today, especially its nursing students. Because they heard this story, they, alongRead more

We Are All Admissions Counselors

Though it was many years ago, my siblings and I were the first generation in our family to attend college. Today, as a volunteer and board member with the Horizons Student Enrichment Program, I have the privilege of being inspired by the young scholars in our city school system who are part of the HorizonsRead more