The 50th Anniversary National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) National Conference in New Orleans delivered on its promise as the "Big Year in the Big Easy."
From March 26-28, 2025, community college marketing professionals from across the country gathered to celebrate a half-century of excellence, share insights, and build meaningful connections.
As third-time attendees to the event, having previously joined in Orlando (2023) and Seattle (2024), the Hannon Hill team arrived eager to immerse themselves in the energy and creativity that defines the NCMPR community once again.
The team's NCMPR experience kicked off in style at the Welcome Reception hosted at the historic Sazerac House.
The venue offered the perfect introduction to New Orleans culture, with interactive exhibits showcasing the city's rich heritage alongside delicious refreshments.
A lively jazz band filled the building's top floor with authentic New Orleans sounds, creating an experience that captured the city's vibrant musical tradition.
As attendees swayed to the rhythm of classic jazz tunes, the spirit of the Big Easy came alive.
This opening celebration set the tone for the conference, allowing attendees to reconnect with colleagues and forge new connections in a relaxed setting before diving into the packed conference schedule.
This event marked the debut of our brand new Hannon Hill booth, which served as a hub for conversations with community college marketers throughout the conference.
Dean Smith and Chris Rapozo were on hand to engage with current clients and build relationships with prospective partners.
Our booth featured branded tote bags and notebooks, but the real stars were our limited-edition NCMPR 2025 New Orleans-themed playing cards.
With only 45 decks in existence, these collector's items disappeared almost as quickly as fresh beignets at Café Du Monde on a Saturday morning!
Chris's interview series with community college leaders was a memorable activity at our booth.
He posed a thought-provoking question to visitors:
"What is one competitive advantage community colleges have to attract prospective students over four-year schools during the shifting demographic landscape the demographic enrollment cliff brings with it?"
The responses revealed the innovative thinking and student-centered approaches that make community colleges vital institutions in higher education.
The answers highlighted the adaptability, accessibility, and personalized learning opportunities that community colleges provide, advantages that become even more critical during periods of demographic change.
Thank you to the following community colleges professionals for their participation:
Dane Dewbre of South Plains College
Jeff Ebbing of Southeastern Community College (IA)
Abby Humbel of Hagerstown Community College
Valerie Onsurez Gauna of New Mexico Junior College
Pamela Dixon of Jefferson Community College
Cortney Gosset of Peninsula College
In true NCMPR spirit, networking extended beyond the conference halls to the jogging routes of New Orleans.
Chris Rapozo and Dean Smith joined Jeff Ebbing's organized 6 a.m. NCMPR run group.
Jeff, the former NCMPR president and Director of Marketing and Communications at Southeastern Community College in Iowa, has made these morning runs a conference tradition.
It's worth noting that Jeff stepped down from the Executive Committee of the National Board of NCMPR this year after years of dedicated service.
"He accomplished a great deal during his tenure while always bringing the fun, and even a run, everywhere he went! Jeff Ebbing, you are my hero, and I hope I make you proud as I move up the board ladder!"
One of the most impactful sessions was the panel discussion on "Navigating the National Conversation," moderated by past NCMPR president Jeff Julian.
The thought-provoking conversation featured President Todd Haynie (Eastern Arizona College), Beth Jendro Noël (Middlesex Community College), and Andrea Rangno (Golden West College), who shared valuable insights on how their institutions are responding to potential federal policy changes.
The panelists emphasized the importance of developing thoughtful communication plans and supporting students and staff through periods of uncertainty.
Their approach centered on staying calm, clear, and proactive while highlighting the value of listening, being prepared, and maintaining focus on the core mission of serving students.
This session aligned perfectly with a topic we've been exploring recently in our blog post: "Potential Changes to Federal Policy Are Coming: How Will They Impact Higher Education?"
As the conference drew to a close, our team had the opportunity to attend specialized sessions that provided valuable insights to bring back to Hannon Hill.
Dean Smith, Senior Consultant at Hannon Hill, attended Maya Demishkevich's (Carroll Community College) compelling session, "Mining for Gold: Digging Deeper for Insights."
The presentation offered a fresh perspective on the importance of looking beyond surface-level data to uncover the valuable insights that drive successful marketing initiatives.
"The most successful organizations are gold miners," noted Dean.
"They don't stop at surface-level data. They dig deeper—for truth, clarity, and those hidden 'aha' moments that drive real action."
Key takeaways from the session included:
"Gold is buried deep. You have to put in the work to find it," Maya emphasized.
Chris Rapozo from our Marketing team had the opportunity to attend "Fueling Creative Communications - Framing Your Visual Story on a Full Tank" presented by Alexandra Booth and Angela Eveillard from Hillsborough Community College (Chris's alma mater).
The session offered practical strategies for maintaining creativity when resources and inspiration run low.
The presenters shared techniques for keeping the creative engine running, including methods for breaking through creative blocks, establishing collaborative workflows between communications and design teams, and fostering environments where innovation can thrive despite limitations.
Their hands-on approach provided attendees with immediately applicable tools for revitalizing their creative process and producing compelling visual narratives even when facing tight deadlines and budget constraints.
Reflecting on the experience at NCMPR 2025, the team returned energized by the ideas, meaningful connections, and shared commitment to excellence in higher education marketing that permeated the event.
The insights gained will inform our approach to supporting community colleges through our Cascade CMS and Clive offerings, helping institutions and their teams to unleash creativity with unbreakable standards.
The 50th-anniversary celebration was a fitting tribute to NCMPR's legacy of fostering excellence in community college marketing and communications.
We're already looking forward to next year's conference and the opportunity to reconnect with this community of marketing and PR professionals dedicated to advancing the mission of community colleges nationwide.
Last Updated: Apr 3, 2025 10:55 AM
