July 16 & 17, 2026 · Cleveland, Ohio

Higher Ed PodCon

Join podcasters, producers, and storytellers for two days of inspiration, learning, and community. Discover new ideas, connect with peers, and celebrate the best in higher ed podcasting.

For higher ed podcasters

Join creators, marketers, and leaders who are using podcasting to reach students, alumni, and campus communities. Expect practical sessions, real examples, and space to connect with peers who understand the quirks of higher ed.

• Strategy & storytelling for higher ed audio
• Production workflows that fit campus realities
• Distribution, measurement, and stakeholder buy-in

Why attend Higher Ed PodCon

This isn't a generic marketing conference. It's a focused gathering for people using podcasting to tell better stories in and around higher education.

Built for higher ed

Every session is grounded in the realities of colleges and universities—from approvals and budgets to campus politics.

Actionable sessions

Leave with concrete examples, templates, and checklists you can bring back to your team—not just big ideas.

Deep community

Meet other podcasters, marketers, and partners who understand your challenges and can share what’s actually working.

Time to connect

Plenty of hallway conversations, small-group breakouts, and networking moments designed for real relationship-building.

Speakers

Hear from practitioners, producers, and partners who are actively running higher ed podcasts—sharing specific playbooks, not just theory.

Featured speaker

Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D.

Chancellor

University of South Carolina Upstate

Featured speaker

Dr. Greg Jackson

Associate Professor and Senior Fellow

Utah Valley University

Featured speaker

Teresa Valerio Parrot & Jack Stripling

Principal & Senior Writer

TVP Communications & Chronicle of Higher Education

HigherEd PodCon Awards

Recognize excellence in higher education podcasting. Submissions close April 17, 2026.

HigherEd PodCon proudly presents its inaugural Awards program, celebrating excellence in higher education podcasting. These awards recognize outstanding creators, episodes, series, students, and institutions advancing storytelling, learning, and engagement across academia.

We invite nominations from faculty, staff, students, higher education professionals, and institutional teams who are using podcasts to educate, inspire, and strengthen campus and community connections.

⭐️ Outstanding Student-Led Podcast
⭐️ Episode of the Year
⭐️ Outstanding Podcast Series
⭐️ Podcaster of the Year
⭐️ Outstanding Institutional Podcast Network

Eligible content must have been published between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Finalists will be announced May 15, 2026, with winners revealed live at HigherEd PodCon on July 17, 2026.

Submit your nomination

Presenters

Meet the voices leading sessions at Higher Ed PodCon.

Brett Spencer

City of London University

Bruce Kusch

Ensign College

Dan Christo

The Podglomerate

Danielle LeCourt

LeCourt Studio

Dave Keighron

Douglas College

David Mortimer

Alliant University

Elvin Freytes

EdUp Experience

Emily Sikora

Penn State University

Francine Wyron

Montgomery College

Garret Castleberry

Mid-American Christian University

Greg Wasserman

RSS.com

Gregg Oldring

HigherEdPods

Gwendolyn Dolske

Cal Poly Pomona

Heather Perfetti

MSCHE

Jacob Easley

Fordham

James Loy

Miami University

Jeff Goodes

Consultant

Jenna Spinelle

Penn State University

Joe Sallustio

EdUp Experience

Jonathan Cain

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Jonathan Fernandez

CUNY Online

Josh Troche

Pedal Stomper Productions

KP Powers

Effectiveness in Higher Education

Kate Young

Purdue University

Katie DeFiore

Penn State University

Kelly Chandler

George Mason University

Laurie Shanderson

Accreditation Insights

Lolita Cummings

Eastern Michigan University

Neil McPhedran

Podium Podcast Co

Philip Wilkerson

George Mason University

Sarah Holtan

High-level Leadership, Inc.

Sean Stein-Smith

Lehman College CUNY

Sophie White

EDUCAUSE

Steve Goldstein

NYU

What past attendees are saying

Whether you're just starting a campus podcast or running a mature show, you'll find peers here who are facing the same questions.

“I attended HigherEd PodCon in Chicago, and I was impressed at the breadth of higher ed podcasts I learned about! The conference was a day of fascinating keynotes, helpful sessions, and networking with fellow podcasters.”