Regional, private colleges that are heavily reliant on revenue from traditional, undergraduate students are facing mounting challenges in fulfilling their enrollment targets in an increasingly competitive educational landscape (Lederman, 2019). This scenario has placed a significant strain on the marketing function of these institutions, requiring it to be adapted and positioned in a manner that is capable of meeting both present and future enrollment and revenue goals. This study aimed to enhance marketing strategy and decision-making processes at a small liberal arts college located in the Northeastern United States. To achieve this objective, the study employed a two-cycle sequential action research design. In Cycle 1, first-year college students were engaged as participants in order to gain a deeper understanding of the college admissions process from their perspective. In Cycle 2, action steps were designed, executed, and evaluated to integrate the students' insights into the development of a student-centered marketing plan. The marketing plan was co-created by a group of 13 colleagues over the course of nine planning sessions and was presented to key leadership personnel and higher education marketers from outside of the institution for feedback. The assessment of the results of the study involved a comprehensive evaluation of the marketing planning process, including feedback from participants and collaborators/co-creators. The study concluded that effective marketing planning necessitates the creation of a coalition for change through interdepartmental collaboration and the establishment of a brave space, being intentionally student-centered in decision-making, and operationalizing change agency and student-centered practices among co-creators. The study's implications for the institution include the promotion of a more collaborative approach to strategic planning and the adoption of innovative methods for gathering and leveraging audience insights to inform decision-making processes. Additionally, the study resulted in the production of a playbook that can be utilized for future plan iterations and other marketing and functional planning initiatives. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]