Strategies to Engage Incoming Students and Prevent the Dreaded Summer Melt

The transition from high school to college is a significant milestone in a student's life. This transition can be fraught with challenges, with one of the most prevalent being the "summer melt" phenomenon. Summer melt is the phenomenon where students who intend to enroll in college – who may have even made a deposit or attended a summer orientation – fail to matriculate in the fall, often due to various barriers encountered during the summer months. According to a study from Harvard University, the rates of summer melt range from 10 to 40% of college-intending students, meaning that hundreds of thousands of students are likely melting away over the summer.

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Understanding the Gap Between DIY and Professional Photography

Wondering if there is a real distinction between whipping out your iPhone and professional photography? Let's break it down and explore the key differences that could make or break your marketing strategy. Check out why investing in a photographer could be a game-changer for your business or institution.

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Your Guide to Maintaining Engagement During Summer Break

Summer break is a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for many college students, but it can present challenges for colleges and universities striving to maintain engagement during this downtime. With students scattered across the globe and many campus activities on hold, how can colleges keep their communities connected and involved? We'll explore how institutions can maintain engagement during summer break and keep their students connected, inspired, and informed.

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Education Photography, Recent Work Melissa Kelly Education Photography, Recent Work Melissa Kelly

On the Job: Villanova School of Business 

I think a lot of us can agree that COVID created some kind of time warp where 2020 feels both like a lifetime ago and somehow also like it was just yesterday. In the evolving education landscape, classroom images can quickly become outdated and when VSB reached out to update their mask-free image gallery for the first time since pre-COVID I was pretty excited to jump into the classroom and get to work.

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Navigating a Rebrand: How and when to Refresh Your Company's Image

As businesses evolve and market landscapes shift, more and more companies, organizations, and institutions are revamping their brands to secure a competitive edge. A Hanover Research study found that 75% of companies did work on their brand between 2020 and 2021. A 2022 UpCity survey found that 51% of businesses had changed their branding since Covid-19 began.

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On the Job: Wes Carver electric

While my work brings me all over the east coast, nothing makes me happier than getting a call from a local business in my hometown. Wes Carver Electrical has been owned and operated in little old Lansdale, Pennsylvania since 1999. Before they were ever clients, I have walked my dogs past their building on Broad Street a thousand times, and seen their signature vans all around town serving the community. They gave me a call in November to take some professional team photos to update their website. Wes has been a returning customer for several years, and understands the importance of incorporating regularly updated team photos to build a unified and authentic brand image.

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On the Job: Villanova University’s 2024 Women in Tech Conference

At the end of January, Villanova University hosted their 9th Annual Women in Tech Conference and asked me to document this impressive event. A chance to document women doing incredible work in the technology field (or any field for that matter)? YES PLEASE.

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Should You Update Your Marketing Photos with the Changing Seasons?

As the seasons shift, so do the visual landscapes around us. But what about your website and social media platforms? Is it time to refresh your online presence to reflect the current season? With Spring on the horizon, here are some compelling reasons to update your website photos with the changing seasons.

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