Higher Ed Conversations

Interview with Emily Chase Coleman

Emily Chase Coleman · January 1, 2025

Entrepreneur · Leadership · Artificial Intelligencein

Interview with Emily Chase Coleman

Podcast: Higher Ed Conversations

January 1, 2025 · 28 min

Listen to Emily Chase Coleman on Higher Ed Conversations.

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Interview with Emily Chase Coleman

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Key topicsThe Data-Driven Entrepreneur: How Business Leaders Can Use Analytics to Drive Smarter DecisionsSuccess in business isn’t about intuition alone-it’s about strategic, data-backed decision-making. Emily Chase Coleman, a data analytics expert and business leader, explains how entrepreneurs can use predictive modeling to anticipate market shifts, optimize pricing strategies, and refine customer acquisition efforts. In a world where data is the new currency, she teaches business leaders how to leverage analytics for sustainable growth and competitive advantage. Why Higher Ed Needs to Embrace Data-Driven Decision-MakingColleges and universities can no longer afford to rely on intuition when making critical decisions about admissions, enrollment, and financial planning. Emily Chase Coleman, CEO of HAI Analytics, emphasizes the transformative power of predictive modeling in helping institutions allocate resources effectively, anticipate enrollment trends, and optimize financial aid strategies. By leveraging data-driven insights, institutions can move beyond guesswork and create sustainable, student-centered policies that drive both institutional success and student outcomes. Why Enrollment Leaders Must Prioritize Data Over AssumptionsFor decades, enrollment strategies have been driven by institutional traditions, gut instinct, and anecdotal evidence-but those approaches no longer cut it. Emily Chase Coleman argues that data-backed decision-making is now a competitive necessity. By embracing real-time analytics and predictive modeling, enrollment leaders can make evidence-based choices that enhance student recruitment, improve retention, and drive institutional growth-instead of relying on outdated assumptions that may no longer align with today’s student landscape. View all topics →

About Emily Chase Coleman

CEO of HAI Analytics, Leading the Future of EdTech, AI-Powered Enrollment & Data-Driven Strategy

20 years Building and implementing statistical models12 years Enrollment management at Syracuse UniversityCornell PhD Social psychology with a statistics concentrationCo-founder & CEO HAI Analytics

Emily Chase Coleman is a visionary in higher education analytics, reshaping how institutions use data to drive strategy. As the Co-founder and CEO of HAI Analytics Inc., she helps colleges and universities make informed, data-backed decisions about enrollment, financial aid, and student success. With over 20 years in higher education leadership and a PhD in Social Psychology and Statistics from Cornell, Emily is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between data science and institutional strategy.

At HAI Analytics, Emily is leading the charge in making predictive modeling and data visualization tools more accessible to university decision-makers. Her team has developed an innovative software-with-service platform, empowering institutions to use analytics for long-term sustainability without relying on full-time consultants.

Emily is also a strong advocate for education reform, challenging outdated models in admissions and financial aid. She critiques the high-price, high-discount tuition system for exacerbating socioeconomic disparities and pushes for test-optional admissions to promote equity in college access.

Beyond higher education, Emily champions women in leadership and tech, sharing insights from her journey as a female founder in edtech and data analytics. She is passionate about increasing representation in STEM and creating pathways for women entrepreneurs.

As a podcast guest, Emily brings thought-provoking, data-driven insights on higher education reform, predictive analytics, and leadership in the edtech sector.

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About this episode

What are the barriers that keep students from finishing an application or from completing their degree? Emily Coleman, CEO & Co-founder of HAI Analytics (now part of Encoura), joins GradComm CEO Cheryl Broom to discuss her company’s work in building predictive models for higher education institutions. These models help predict student behavior to optimize critical processes like the allocation of financial aid. In this episode, Coleman explains the importance of retaining data, overcoming data silos, and incorporating both human and artificial intelligence in predictive analytics. She also provides insights into how predictive models can aid enrollment forecasting, retention strategies, and resource allocation for better student support. Additionally, this episode includes real-world examples of schools implementing these models and the difference they made are shared. Coleman highlights the benefits of data-driven decision-making in effectively managing enrollment and student success.

What You’ll Learn:

How humans and AI can work together to handle data in the best way.Why predictive modeling is a great tool to help meet enrollment, headcount, and revenue goals.Examples of predictions that data models from HAI Analytics can make.The impact that comes when a college can understand the problems a student faces before they stop attending.

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Higher Ed Conversations is hosted by Cheryl Broom, CEO of GradComm, a marketing and branding agency specializing in community colleges and public education.

Guest: Emily Chase Coleman