A five-star conversation, in their words

Joining Joe for a podcast is so easy because you are having such a great time. He is a natural interviewer and makes folks feel at ease. It comes across in his other interviews that I listen to! It makes me feel like I am not just absorbing information but am a part of the conversation.

Such a fun, educational, and engaging episode! Joe is a natural and I can't wait for the next conversation!

@Elvin Freytes & @Joe Sallustio do an outstanding job highlighting the critical role higher education plays in strengthening our communities and supporting economic mobility. Their conversations explore how colleges and universities serve as economic engines, connecting students to high-quality programs, workforce training, and the skills employers need to build a strong and competitive workforce. What I particularly appreciate is the podcast’s ability to tackle complex issues facing higher education, students, and industry partners while keeping the conversation engaging, accessible, and fun.

We had the incredible opportunity to welcome The EdUp Experience Podcast to our conference, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the experience! From start to finish, Joe Sallustio and Elvin Freytes were absolutely phenomenal. Throughout the conference, they conducted live podcast interviews with higher education professionals, creating engaging and meaningful conversations. What impressed me most was their ability to make every guest feel comfortable and at ease. Their genuine curiosity, energy, and passion for higher education made each conversation feel natural and authentic. They brought an entirely new level of excitement and engagement to our conference! The EdUp Experience didn't just participate in our conference; they elevated it! Their professionalism, enthusiasm, and ability to connect with people made a lasting impression. I would highly recommend Joe, Elvin, and The EdUp Experience to anyone looking to bring something truly special to their event. We couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Joe has a rare gift: he took incredibly complex work and made it clear, compelling, and completely accessible without watering it down for a second. He brought the energy, asked the right questions, shared his own deep expertise, and turned the conversation into something substantive, honest, and genuinely fun. He also made a point of recognizing the extraordinary partners behind the work and captured the full scale of what becomes possible when bold ideas meet relentless determination. Being on The EdUp Experience was an absolute honor. Joe and his team are brilliant, fearless, and operating in a league of their own. No one else brings this combination of intelligence, authenticity, humor, and sheer firepower to the education arena. I could not be more grateful or more impressed!

Joe has a rare gift: he took incredibly complex work and made it clear, compelling, and completely accessible without watering it down for a second. He brought the energy, asked the right questions, shared his own deep expertise, and turned the conversation into something substantive, honest, and genuinely fun. He also made a point of recognizing the extraordinary partners behind the work and captured the full scale of what becomes possible when bold ideas meet relentless determination. Being on The EdUp Experience was an absolute honor. Joe and his team are brilliant, fearless, and operating in a league of their own. No one else brings this combination of intelligence, authenticity, humor, and sheer firepower to the education arena. I could not be more grateful or more impressed!

The EdUp Experience does a wonderful job of surfacing real conversations about leadership in higher education. My episode — "It's Not Courage. It's Trust. Trust the People to Do Good Things" — gave me the opportunity to share perspectives I rarely get to articulate in a formal setting. The hosts (Joe Sallustio and Brent Ramden) were prepared, engaged, and made the whole process easy and meaningful- and fun!

I had an absolutely wonderful experience as a guest on this podcast. Joe created such a welcoming and engaging environment that the conversation felt completely natural—more like two colleagues catching up over the phone than a formal interview. What I appreciated most was the opportunity to share the story of Bay College—our successes, the challenges I have faced, and the intentional leadership strategies I have embraced to transform my institution in service of our students and community. Joe asked thoughtful questions that allowed for meaningful dialogue about the opportunities and realities facing higher education today. His conversational style made it easy to be authentic, and I truly enjoyed discussing both the work we are doing at Bay College and the broader issues impacting community colleges across the country. It was a fun, insightful experience, and I left the conversation energized. Thank you, Joe, for providing a platform where higher education leaders can share their stories in an honest and engaging way. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone interested in the future of higher education, leadership, and student success.

Recording this episode of the EdUp podcast with Joe Sallustio and Laura Ipsen was a wonderful experience. They made the logistics easy, and the conversation was a pleasure. Throughout the interview, they asked insightful and relevant questions that showed their familiarity with my institution. The podcast provided a valuable platform for me to share the University at Albany story with a wide audience. I would encourage any higher education leader to connect with the EdUp team.

My experience with EdUp Leadership and The EdUp Experience Podcast was truly outstanding from beginning to end. Joe Sallustio and Elvin Freytes have created an innovative and impactful platform that elevates meaningful conversations in higher education while giving institutional leaders the opportunity to share ideas, challenges, innovations, and best practices in a very authentic and engaging way. What impressed me most was not only the professionalism and organization of the entire process, but also the genuine passion Joe and Elvin bring to supporting higher education and its leaders. Their approach creates a comfortable and dynamic environment that allows conversations to flow naturally while still addressing important and timely topics impacting our institutions, students, and communities. The EdUp team does an exceptional job promoting and amplifying the voices of their guests across multiple platforms, helping institutions and leaders extend their reach and contribute to broader conversations shaping the future of higher education. Their communication, follow-up, branding, and commitment to highlighting their guests’ work are truly first-class. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate and highly recommend EdUp Leadership and The EdUp Experience to anyone looking to engage in thoughtful, forward-looking conversations around leadership, innovation, student success, enrollment, workforce alignment, technology, and the evolving landscape of higher education. I also look forward to continuing to support and participate in future EdUp podcasts, leadership discussions, and events, as these conversations are critical to advancing collaboration, innovation, and positive change across higher education. Thank you again to Joe, Elvin, and the entire EdUp team for the outstanding experience and for all you do to advance higher education through meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

This was our second year meeting with Elvin and Joe at the Insights EDU conference hosted by Education Dynamics. The conversation was highly engaging and cut to the core of what matters for higher ed leaders today, drawing out the specific angle that our team brings which is working with leadership teams and Boards of Trustees on strategic alignment. Thanks for having us!

I really enjoyed my conversation with Joe Sallustio. We had a really insightful and thought provoking conversation but in an informal way. I have heard from many others that they enjoyed the podcast and gleaned a lot of useful information from it. That's all due to Joe! He knows how to ask the right questions and get to the heart of the matter.

I’ve had the opportunity to both appear on The EdUp Experience multiple times and listen to it regularly, and it continues to be one of the best conversations happening in higher education today. As a guest, the conversations are authentic, thoughtful, and engaging — more like a meaningful dialogue than an interview. As a listener, I appreciate how the podcast brings together diverse voices across higher education, technology, and innovation. It’s a must-listen for anyone passionate about where the industry is headed.

The EdUp team is professional and so good to work with! The podcast experience was frictionless, informative, and enjoyable. It is clear that this team knows what their doing and has solid expertise in the higher education space.

Outstanding experience.

What a gift it was to sit down with @Joe Sallustio on @EdUp Experience alongside Heather Perfetti, Selena Grace, and Maria Toyoda. Joe has a rare talent for making a complex and nuanced space feel accessible, insightful, and genuinely fun. He blends humor with thoughtful questions and real substance in a way that's not easy to do and he makes it look effortless. He creates space where people feel safe enough to just… show up. And that matters more than I can express. Accreditation is not the easiest subject to make sing. Joe made it sing. He held the substance, kept it light where it needed to be light, went deep where it needed to go deep, and never lost the thread. That's a craft, and he's a master of it. Thank you, Joe, @Elvin Freytes, and the entire EdUp team for your incredible platform and the care you put into every conversation. You are without question a talented team!

As someone who works with higher education leaders every day, I am always excited to listen to the next EdUp podcast. I learn from each interview and gain insights every time. I recently had the honor of being interviewed by Joe and it was a great experience to be on that side of process as well. Thank you to the EdUp team!

I loved the podcast format, questions, and the platform it provides to help spread the positive work we do daily. It felt like a chat with friends and this allowed us to share information that can help other organizations grow. I would love to come back on the podcast to share some Authentic Leadership work that would enhance organizational and staff development for your followers. Great overall experience for me!

What a gift it was to sit down with @Joe Sallustio on @EdUp Experience alongside Heather Perfetti, Selena Grace, and Maria Toyoda. Joe has a rare talent for making a complex and nuanced space feel accessible, insightful, and genuinely fun. He blends humor with thoughtful questions and real substance in a way that's not easy to do and he makes it look effortless. He creates space where people feel safe enough to just… show up. And that matters more than I can express. Accreditation is not the easiest subject to make sing. Joe made it sing. He held the substance, kept it light where it needed to be light, went deep where it needed to go deep, and never lost the thread. That's a craft, and he's a master of it. Thank you, Joe, @Elvin Freytes, and the entire EdUp team for your incredible platform and the care you put into every conversation. You are without question a talented team!

The EdUp team is professional and so good to work with! The podcast experience was frictionless, informative, and enjoyable. It is clear that this team knows what their doing and has solid expertise in the higher education space.

The podcast was terrific and really good fun. It was a treat to speak with Joe to talk through the dynamics of today's workforce and how higher ed fits in. It was especially nice to really focus on liberal arts and how that preps graduates for a dynamic and fast-moving professional environment. Thank you EdUP!

I truly enjoyed my experience on The EdUp Experience. Joe Sallustio and the team create a space where higher education leaders can move beyond surface-level talking points and engage in real, substantive dialogue. The conversation felt thoughtful, energetic, and purposeful. Bradley Emi asked probing, well-crafted questions that allowed us to explore academic integrity in depth — not just as policy, but as a foundational element of trust in the faculty-student relationship. We also discussed how institutions can support faculty as they navigate rapid change, including the evolving role of AI in teaching and learning. It was a professional, engaging, and genuinely enjoyable experience. I appreciate the work the EdUp team is doing to elevate meaningful conversations in higher education.

I was impressed with the relaxed atmosphere while still tackling important issues in education. The other guest and host were fantastic, and I really enjoyed the experience. It also helped me to understand what was on offer through EdUp and I happily joined to get access to more episodes.

I really had a great time chatting with Joe about the great work NPRC is accomplishing in rural PA! The EdUp Podcast is a great space to share and learn from amazing leaders and Joe makes it sooooo easy!!!!!

EdUp Experience provided a thoughtful, engaging, and well-facilitated conversation that truly honors the complexity of higher education leadership. The EdUp team created a welcoming space for meaningful dialogue, asked insightful questions, and allowed the conversation to unfold in a way that felt both authentic and impactful. The discussion struck an excellent balance between strategy, storytelling, and the real-world challenges facing today’s institutions. I especially appreciated the opportunity to reflect on leadership, mission-driven decision-making, and the evolving landscape of higher education. This episode offered valuable perspective for anyone navigating change, innovation, and purpose-driven work in higher ed. President Beth Martin - Notre Dame de Namur Universiry

EdUp Experience provided a thoughtful, engaging, and well-facilitated conversation that truly honors the complexity of higher education leadership. The EdUp team created a welcoming space for meaningful dialogue, asked insightful questions, and allowed the conversation to unfold in a way that felt both authentic and impactful. The discussion struck an excellent balance between strategy, storytelling, and the real-world challenges facing today’s institutions. I especially appreciated the opportunity to reflect on leadership, mission-driven decision-making, and the evolving landscape of higher education. This episode offered valuable perspective for anyone navigating change, innovation, and purpose-driven work in higher ed.

The EdUp Experience is an absolute standout in the world of higher education content. It’s rare to find a platform that manages to be both genuinely informative and genuinely fun, but EdUp nails it. It is a fun and engaging way to pull back the curtain on what’s happening across higher education. The hosts bring a contagious enthusiasm that makes even complex topics feel accessible and exciting and I love that they give a platform for faculty, staff, and students in higher education to share their work. If you’re in higher education—or just curious about where the industry is headed—The EdUp Experience is the perfect blend of insight and enjoyment. A must-listen and an easy five stars.

EdUp Experience provided a thoughtful, engaging, and well-facilitated conversation that truly honors the complexity of higher education leadership. EdUp Experience created a welcoming space for meaningful dialogue, asked insightful questions, and allowed the conversation to unfold in a way that felt authentic and impactful. The episode struck an excellent balance between strategy, storytelling, and real-world challenges facing today’s institutions. I appreciated the opportunity to reflect on leadership, mission-driven decision making, and the evolving landscape of higher education in a way that felt both honest and forward-looking. EdUp is a valuable platform for higher ed professionals who care deeply about innovation, integrity, and the future of our institutions.

I’ve been a long-time listener of the show and always admired the range of expert guests. Recently I guested on the show and was surprised at how naturally the content is generated. The two hosts created a comfortable, authentic environment to share my experience as a higher ed administrator and podcast host. I highly recommend this show as a tool to learn more about the issues in higher education from a variety of guests and co-hosts.

I appreciated the conversational vibe of the podcast. The two hosts - Elvin Freytes and Darius Goldman - made me feel comfortable as the guest. I felt like I was talking to two friends. I highly recommend the EdUp Experience!

If you want to be in the conversation you have to be a part of The EdUp Experience. Diversity of thought and actionable ideas from leaders who make it happen….

The EdUp Experience is exactly what higher education conversations should sound like: engaging, thoughtful, and energizing. The dialogue is mature and meaningful, tackling the issues that matter most right now: student success, the smart use of technology, and how we can turn real challenges into genuine opportunities. What truly sets EdUp apart is the way learning feels effortless and fun. The hosts listen deeply, ask the right questions, and create space for authentic exchange. Add in the music and sound effects, and the experience becomes both informative and entertaining never dry, never predictable. True "edutainment." EdUp proves that serious topics can be explored with heart, humor, and momentum—and higher education is better for it.

The hosts are incredibly engaging, curious and inspiring. They bring out the guest’s’ best thinking and you leave with optimism for Higher Ed’s future!

The EdUp Experience Podcast is a powerful, thought-provoking bastion of up-to-date resources that address a myriad of problems of practice. The podcast also provides a venue for collegial discourse and critical analysis. Further, the in-depth exploration of varying topics foster a more comprehensive understanding of today’s higher education arena.

Such a great experience working with the EdUp team. The interview was wonderful because it is from a perspective of positivity. No blame, no shame, no shade. Just honest and fun conversation. Wonderful!

Overall great podcast with impactful guests. Not fluff - asking real questions that folks in the field find interesting and useful. Relevant and insightful. Plus, Joe is a ton of fun to listen to!

I've had the pleasure of being guest. However, I don't think I am biased when I say that whenever I have listened to other guests in the past what I like most is I am sure to learn something either inspiring or something I can bring to my work.

My experience as a guest was fantastic. Thanks so much to Joe and Amanda Micheli for hosting me. This is a great platform for higher education leaders to learn from each other providing different perspectives through different parts of the academy.

Thank you to Joe and the entire EdUP! team for hosting an exceptional experience for me as a guest of your podcast. The topics we discussed were timely and relevant to the continually changing environment of higher education and community colleges specifically. Joe's warm and engaging personality encouraged me to feel both welcomed and confident in sharing my lived experiences as a community college president at Glendale Community College, Arizona. I highly recommend this opportunity to all who are interested in sharing their ideas and good work with the world.

I enjoy hearing the different perspectives from higher education practitioners that have a wealth of knowledge and experience engaging in leadership!

Thanks Joe Sallustio for the thoughtful discussion. It was a pleasure to be on your podcast.

Joe is fun, knowledgeable, and incredibly welcoming. He brings such positive energy to the conversation and makes it easy to dive into big topics. We talked about all things education sector and what it takes to grow a business, and Joe guided the discussion with insight, warmth and humor. A great experience from start to finish.

The podcast provides an insightful exploration of IT issues in higher education, particularly focusing on the impact and implications of artificial intelligence. The hosts effectively break down complex concepts, making them accessible to a broader audience. Their discussion highlights not only the challenges that institutions face in implementing AI technologies but also the potential benefits for enhancing the educational experience. They feature expert guests who share valuable perspectives and real-world examples, which adds depth to the conversation. Overall, it's an engaging listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and education. Highly recommended!

It was an incredible experience being a guest on the Ed Up podcast. Joe was a very gracious and well informed host and asked great questions. I really appreciated the exposure being on the podcast gave our university www.Unisant.us . Thank you, Joe, for inviting me.

I had such a great time joining the EdUp Experience Podcast. Joe and Elvin made the conversation both fun and substantive—digging into the real challenges and opportunities facing higher ed right now, especially as we think about AI, workforce pathways, and the future of apprenticeship degrees. What I appreciate about EdUp is that they don’t just skim headlines. They create space for big ideas, for hard questions, and for practical solutions that can actually help students and employers today. It felt less like a podcast interview and more like a thoughtful conversation with colleagues who genuinely care about the future of education. If you’re looking for smart, timely dialogue about where our sector is headed—and what it’s going to take to get there—I’d definitely recommend giving EdUp a listen.

I’ve been listening to the EdUp Experience for a long time now and really enjoyed coming on the show. Joe made the discussion very conversational and clearly knows the space very well. It was a great opportunity to discuss the type of problems we’re trying to solve at Scholarly and the future of AI in higher education. Highly recommend!

Very good podcast focused on current issues in higher education.

It was an honor being interviewed on the EdUp Experience. First class production and experience! Thank you for having me.

Thanks Joe Sallustio for the thoughtful discussion. It was a pleasure to be on your podcast.

I absolutely love the EdUp podcast! Having been a guest twice, I can confidently say it’s one of the best platforms out there for diving deep into educational trends and innovations. It’s always a professional and stimulating experience, and I’m so glad to have contributed to their important conversation.

Thanks for inviting me to speak on the EdUp Experience podcast. It's always a pleasure to chat with Elvin and the EdUp team about the important topics and ongoing discussions in the higher education community. Let's keep the conversation going!

I have been on Joe’s show twice now. He is a gifted interviewer. He puts his guests at ease, building an authentic conversation regarding the most pressing topics within higher education.

It was a great experience talking with Joe and co-host Andrew! They made it easy, fun, and a great conversation!

I really appreciate the insights and conversations shared on this podcast, but I wanted to offer some feedback regarding the added verbal sound effects (e.g., “excellent,” “bull's eye,” etc.). I found them a bit distracting, and they seemed to take away from the core message or ideas being presented. As someone who listens to podcasts regularly, this approach felt out of place and, at times, diminished the overall professionalism of the content. I believe the conversations are strong enough to stand on their own without added effects. Just a suggestion to consider for future episodes!

The thing I appreciate the most about this podcast are the wide variety of guests who all provide practical, actionable strategies for higher ed leaders. Great listening!

Those of us who attempt to stay current on all things Higher Education, know to listen in on EdUp podcasts. The interviews are always timely and thought provoking. The format is both informative and entertaining. In a world of increasing numbers of podcasts, EdUp is on my short list of must listen to.

I’ve been a subscriber of this podcast for a few years. It’s a rare opportunity for people to hear the voices and connect with senior thought leaders who are leading organizations, policy and change. I have enjoyed getting to know. Some of the individuals who are tackling the challenges of today, and making plans for the shifts required for the economy. Higher Ed is where change begins and when there are no shortage of challenges, it’s a place that brings hope and opportunity. This podcast is awesome for meeting some of the people who make it happen in their local colleges and make an impact globally.

I have been an avid listener of the EdUp experience for many years. It was an honor and privilege to participate in the conversation.

EdUp is a refreshing way to hear about current trends and innovations in higher education. I had the pleasure of being a guest on a podcast and honestly didn't want the conversation to end. A must listen for anyone in higher Ed who is interested and curious about different and fresh perspectives on higher education.

I’ve been an avid listener of the EdUp podcast for awhile. The content is always top tier and the conversations are insightful. I’m grateful that we were invited to share our story. Joe and Elvin are amazing and made us feel very comfortable.