One of the things we value most at The Parish Group is staying curious.
Higher education is constantly evolving, and the challenges facing enrollment teams rarely come with simple answers. The strategies that help institutions connect with students, communicate their value, and navigate change often come from looking beyond our immediate industry—from new perspectives, different disciplines, and conversations happening outside of our usual circles.
In an increasingly crowded digital landscape, where content can be created faster than ever, we believe the value of expertise comes not just from producing information, but from knowing what’s worth paying attention to. Good ideas require context, curiosity, and discernment. They require people who can recognize meaningful insights, connect them to real challenges, and share perspectives shaped by experience.
That’s why we asked our team: What content has influenced your thinking this summer?
While “reading list” might be the traditional way to describe this kind of resource, we know that—especially today (but also, always)—learning doesn’t only happen through books, so this list includes a mix of books, newsletters, podcasts, articles, videos, and other resources that have shaped our team’s thinking, and that we believe could be valuable to anyone working in higher-education enrollment (topically, The Atlantic’s August cover story is titled The End of Reading Is Here, and we loved this response by marketer Ann Hadley, who argues that “reading” doesn’t have to be just longform).
Some of the team’s recommendations are directly connected to higher education. Others explore broader topics like communication, leadership, technology, or human behavior. Some were simply novels they loved and read this summer! But each offers a perspective that can help enrollment professionals (and those working in the higher-ed marketing space) better understand the students, families, and institutions they serve.
Consider this our back-to-school reading list—or listening, watching, and learning list—from The Parish Group team.
What’s Shaping Our Thinking
Julia Watson Douzier, Assistant VP of Marketing and Content Creation
Julia approaches higher education through a creative lens, drawing on her background as a copywriter and MFA graduate to explore how storytelling shapes the way people understand institutions, ideas, and one another. She’s especially interested in the cultural shifts that influence how students and families think about education. Here’s what’s been shaping her thinking:
Homeschooled: A Memoir, by Stefan Merrill Block
Homeschooled recounts a young boy’s experience being homeschooled in mid-90s Texas. His mother completely distrusts the public education system and sees Stefan as wildly gifted; however, she builds no real structure or assessments, causing him to fall behind not only academically but also socially. The book deals with themes of loneliness, narcissism, and the emergence of the homeschool movement, which has grown immensely in the past decades. I felt this book offers an early glimpse into the current major disillusionment and mistrust in higher education. It also made me think about the homeschooled population and how we recruit them to colleges and universities.
Dave DeBor, Director of Slate Operations
Dave approaches higher education with an appreciation for both the people and the processes that make it work. Drawing on years in admissions, he understands the challenges enrollment teams face while never losing sight of the student experience at the heart of the work. Here’s what has been shaping his thinking:
A Room With a View, by E.M. Forster
A Room With a View is a hilarious romantic comedy of a young girl trying to grow up her own way in the restrictive Edwardian culture. Not only is it an incredibly witty and fun read, but it can remind those of us in higher education that our campuses are places where students explore and find how to be the best versions of themselves, and how we represent our institutions authentically makes a lasting impression on a college search.
Pat Brothwell, Director of Marketing and Social Media
Pat is always exploring how people consume information, connect with ideas, and make decisions—from emerging trends in marketing and AI to the stories and strategies that help organizations better understand their audiences. Here’s what he’s been exploring:
True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us, by Dr. Danielle J. Lindemann
True Story is a sociological examination of reality TV, and a reminder that we can learn a lot from places people often overlook. Beyond the entertainment value, this book explores what reality television reveals about human behavior, storytelling, and why certain narratives capture attention. For anyone working in marketing or enrollment, it’s a good exercise in understanding what makes people connect with a story, what keeps them engaged, and why people will demphasize loving the things they love.
The TLDR Marketing Newsletter
I read TLDR every morning before work, and while it can be hit-or-miss in terms of depth, it’s a valuable way to quickly stay connected to conversations about SEO, AI, and digital marketing. What I appreciate most is that it often links to thoughtful discussions from other marketers that challenge my assumptions or make me reconsider a hard stance—it’s a good reminder that staying curious requires being willing to change your mind.
The Danger of a Single Story, by Chimamanda Ngozi
I discovered this TED Talk through another writer who referenced it, and it’s a powerful reminder of how easily we can mistake our own experiences for universal truths. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s discussion about the “single story” is especially relevant for anyone crafting narratives—whether they be marketing materials, institutional messaging, or student communications—because understanding different perspectives is essential to telling more authentic and effective stories.
Katie Jordan, Senior Director of Slate Strategies
Katie approaches higher education through the lens of both people and systems, always looking for ways that data, strategy, and empathy can work together to create better experiences for students and institutions. Here’s what she shared:
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, Jeff Hobbs
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace is my all-time favorite book about the role of higher education, recommended to me initially over a decade ago by a favorite graduate school professor. I revisit it most years to reflect on access, accountability, the American Dream, and what impact our choices have on our destiny.
The Bones Beneath My Skin, by TJ Klune
Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Klune’s work and The Bones Beneath My Skin is no exception. It gets, like all of his books, at the heart of the question, “What does it mean to be human, and can something that is technically not human be considered human?” I will add that there is a brief intimacy scene in this novel, so proceed with caution if that is not your element.
Expecting Better, by Emily Oster
Expecting Better is largely relevant to me these days, but I want to highlight this book as fundamentally reassuring and research-based in an age where information is almost too accessible. I found the writing style incredibly well supported by studies from around the world, and it gave me a strong sense of empowerment.
Camilla Padilla, Partner Success Coordinator
Whether she’s building relationships with partners or teaching yoga, Camilla approaches her work with a people-first mindset rooted in empathy, curiosity, and presence. She’s drawn to ideas that explore resilience, purpose, and what motivates people to keep moving forward. Here’s what has been shaping her thinking:
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl
Through reflections on his survival during the Holocaust and his work as a psychiatrist, Frankl explores how finding meaning—even in suffering—can help us approach each day with purpose and truly live.
Dr. Leah Beth Hubbard, AVP of Enrollment Strategies
Leah Beth is fascinated by the many ways students experience higher education, recognizing that a unique mix of aspirations, opportunities, and challenges shapes every enrollment journey. That perspective informs the way she thinks about strategy, communication, and student success. Here’s what has been shaping her thinking:
I Am Charlotte Simmons, by Tom Wolfe
I read I Am Charlotte Simmons during college, and it gave me a different perspective on how every student’s journey to and during college is so different.
What’s on your list?
The best ideas rarely come from a single source or perspective. They come from people with different experiences, backgrounds, and ways of seeing the world—people who are willing to stay curious, challenge assumptions, and connect ideas in new ways.
The resources that shape how we think about higher education, enrollment strategy, and student connection often come from unexpected places—a conversation, a podcast episode, a book recommendation, or an article that makes us reconsider something we thought we understood.
We’d love to know: What’s shaping your thinking right now? Share your favorite books, newsletters, podcasts, articles, or other resources with us on LinkedIn.
