Pressures don’t wait for a convenient moment. Talking about immigration and diversity is perhaps easier to put off than tackle.  But, perhaps, it's the things that make us most uncomfortable that are the most important to talk about.  

In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, is joined by Christian Ponce, Executive Director for University Marketing at Indiana State University. Chris is a higher education marketing executive, an immigrant, a first-generation college graduate, and now a passionate advocate for multicultural marketing and inclusion in higher education.

Together, they explore the challenges that international and multicultural students face, from loneliness and cultural barriers to the pressure of navigating systems not built with them in mind.

This conversation is both candid and practical. It calls leaders, educators, and communities to recognize the changing demographics, to break down silos, and to embrace a new mainstream that is already here.

Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, Florida

Key Takeaways:

-Pressures in higher education mirror the pressures of life: they demand resilience, adaptation, and clarity of purpose.

-International students often experience deep loneliness, cultural dissonance, and language barriers that require intentional outreach.

-Universities can’t rely on marketing “gloss”. Authenticity matters, and students will walk away if promises don’t match reality.

-Inclusion and multicultural marketing make both moral and business sense, especially as demographics shift toward greater diversity.

-Corporate America has long understood the value of speaking to diverse markets; higher ed can learn from that pragmatism.

-Institutions must recognize the “new mainstream” — a generation that is majority diverse — and adapt their language and practices.

-Mission clarity is vital: not every school can be everything to everyone, but each must be true to its identity.

-Leadership must involve honest conversations about relevance, strategy, and breaking down silos across campus.

-Authenticity, purpose, and mission-driven focus are the keys to thriving under pressure, for both individuals and institutions.

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Helpful Links:

Christian Ponce: https://www.chrisponce.com/

Indiana State University: https://indianastate.edu/

Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/

Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/