The Signal (formerly the EdTech Connect Podcast) Ep. 63 - Mia Healy: Creativity Is the New Campus Currency
From her roots as a struggling student and president of the Cal State Student Association to her current role as a Higher Education Consultant at Canva, Mia Healy shares her unique journey and passion for making education more approachable and equitable.
They dive into how her student leadership experience shaped her approach to EdTech, the importance of meeting students and institutions where they are, and why technology adoption is more about trust and people than the tech itself. Mia reveals innovative ways campuses are using Canva to transform learning, communication, and brand management, and discusses the rising trends of generative AI and digital skill-building as the new baseline competencies across all majors.
Tune in for a conversation filled with practical insights on bridging gaps, fostering creativity, and leading with empathy in higher education.
Key Takeaways
- Start with Empathy and Purpose: Mia's passion for EdTech was sparked by her own experience as a struggling student. She believes technology should be an equalizer, designed with empathy to meet students where they are and break down systemic barriers in higher education.
- Leadership is Ecosystem Building: Effective leadership in education and tech isn't top-down; it's about building ecosystems and ensuring every voice—from students to administrators—has a hand in shaping how technology transforms learning and connection.
- Change Requires "Dancing with the System": Successful technology adoption in higher ed is rarely about disruption. It's about aligning with an institution's culture and capacity for change, "dancing" with the existing systems to create meaningful, lasting impact.
- Focus is Key to Digital Transformation: With limited resources and endless possibilities, institutions must have a laser focus. Mia's success with the Sac State mobile app came from optimizing for specific, high-impact needs like basic student resources, rather than trying to do everything at once.
- The Visual Economy is Here: Communication has shifted from text-based to visual. Campuses must adapt to cut through the noise and communicate clearly with their communities (students, alumni, donors) using modern, visual tools.
- Canva as a Strategic Partner: Beyond being a design platform, Canva serves as a strategic partner for campuses. It helps unify brand governance, enhance accessibility, and develop digital skills, effectively acting as an extension of often resource-strapped campus teams.
- AI is Moving from Experimentation to Implementation: The trend in higher ed is moving from disorganized experimentation with GenAI to structured implementation, focusing on enhancing academic integrity, personalizing learning, and streamlining workflows.
- Digital Skills are Baseline Competencies: Communication, design, and data literacy are no longer just for creative majors. They are essential skills for all students—from engineers to scientists—to translate complex ideas and succeed in the modern workforce.
- Career Advice: Say "Yes" and Be Useful: For students looking to make an impact, Mia's advice is to start where you are, use what you have, and say "yes" to learning opportunities that scare you. Shift your focus from quantitative achievements to the qualitative impact of how you can help and be useful to others.
Find Mia Healy:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-c-kage/
Canva
And find EdTech Connect here:
Web: https://edtechconnect.com/