This session will explore how branding influences institutional culture and student decisions from first awareness through enrollment and persistence. Participants will learn how aligning mission-driven brand messaging with the student experience can set clear expectations, build trust, and support both enrollment and retention. Using practical examples from Forsyth Tech (a community college that serves around 22,000 students a year), the session highlights where brand promises succeed, where they break down, and how centering student perspectives and experiences can lead to authentic adjustments and a measurable difference.