A look beyond the sessions at CAUCE 2026
SESSION: From Engagement to Enrolment: Outbound Campaigns That Work
PRESENTER: Monica Bilan, Student Information Services Team Lead, McMaster Continuing Education
At CAUCE 2026, I had the opportunity to present From Engagement to Enrolment: Outbound Campaigns That Work, a session exploring how personalized outreach can help prospective students move from interest to enrolment.
The presentation was inspired by a challenge familiar to many continuing education institutions: prospective students often engage with programs but don’t take the final step to enrol. At McMaster Continuing Education, we wanted to bridge that gap by combining data-informed marketing with genuine human connection. Using CRM insights to identify high-intent prospects, we invited them to book one-on-one conversations with Student Information Specialists. The result was a scalable, low-cost campaign that improved enrolment outcomes while creating a more supportive experience for adult learners.
I was excited to share this work with the CAUCE community because the principles behind the campaign extend beyond any single technology platform. Whether an institution has a sophisticated CRM or is just beginning to personalize its outreach, the core idea remains the same: meeting learners where they are and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations can help prospective students move forward with confidence in their learning journey.
Presenting at CAUCE was as much a learning experience as it was an opportunity to share our work. The thoughtful questions during the session and the conversations afterward offered fresh perspectives on how institutions of all sizes could adapt elements of our approach—even without the same tools or resources. One of the best parts of presenting was realizing that I left with more ideas than I shared. The conversations with attendees didn’t just validate our work—they challenged me to think about how we could take it even further. I returned to McMaster with new ideas for refining our approach, expanding what we’re already doing, and continuing to create meaningful, learner-centred experiences.
Experiences like these are what make the CAUCE community so valuable. The willingness to openly share ideas, learn from one another, and leave inspired to keep improving is something I truly appreciate.
-Monica Bilan