An endorsement is “an act of giving public approval.”
For years, the field of teacher education has used endorsements as a designation that a particular knowledge has been gained in a specific topic or area. Such endorsements are an indication that a professional is “qualified” to teach.
For enrollment management professionals, there are relatively few ways of demonstrating that recognized qualification, outside of work experience in the field.
In filling that gap and elevating the skills of enrollment management professionals, AACRAO, through the Strategic Enrollment Management Endorsement Program (SEM-EP), provides this endorsement after evaluating a learner’s set of completed learning experiences, which include webinars, an online course, field visits and a capstone research project.
Because endorsement in enrollment management is new to the field, we asked several individuals in a variety of roles to reflect on what they see as the value and/or benefit of this endorsement.
Expansive thinking: Perspective from a current SEM-EP Learner
I am pursuing the SEM endorsement program as it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of strategic enrollment management – and for that knowledge to be formally recognized by AACRAO (and others) upon completion of the program. Through the endorsement program’s structure – from ensuring a strong foundational understanding of SEM to ‘deeper dives’ into the existing SEM literature – the endorsement program has expanded my thinking on how the elements of SEM could assist my university in achieving its enrollment, retention and graduation goals if the university were to fully to embrace SEM. The SEM endorsement program also comes at a time during which I have been afforded higher education experiences beyond those traditionally associated with a registrar’s office. While these experiences have greatly increased my enrollment management perspective, most of these experiences are not part of my formal responsibilities. The SEM endorsement program, therefore, is a welcomed way for me to combine both the practical and academic experiences together thereby culminating in a deeper knowledge of strategic enrollment management upon completion of the program.
-Dan Weber, Registrar, Northeastern Illinois University, Currently enrolled in SEM-EP
Maximizing investment: Perspective from a recent SEM-EP Graduate
I have always found AACRAO’s vast educational resources to be outstanding, but the SEM-EP formal endorsement process has risen to the top for me. The SEM-EP is grounded in a wide array of enrollment theories and philosophies instructed by a diverse group of veteran professionals. I, like most of my peers, have limited time available for professional development yet this program easily shifted my focus to not only study current enrollment theories, but also encouraged my reflection and application of theory to my current institution. In fact, what I truly valued the most was their forethought to structure a field visit of other institutions. I learned so much about myself and my understanding of enrollment through taking the time to visit, study and learn from professionals at other colleges and universities; the positive impact of those visits were immeasurable.
-Tysa Egleton, M.S.Ed., Director, Student One Stop & Associate Registrar, Youngstown State University
Building confidence: Perspective from the new Assistant Director of SEM-EP
Over twenty years ago, my graduate advisor and mentor (Dr. Dennis Gregory) shared with me that being a higher education "expert" required diligence, commitment and attention. If asked today, I bet he would add SEM-EP endorsement to the list.
I think the AACRAO SEM-EP endorsement gives enrollment managers an extra boost of confidence. Your peers know you're an expert, and deep-down inside...you know that you are too. The satisfaction of knowing that you've worked hard and earned an endorsement from an organization universally respected in the higher education community is priceless.
Additionally, I think the value of the AACRAO SEM-EP endorsement program is that graduates are recognized within the organization. The SEM-EP endorsement can be the launch pad as it relates to opportunities within AACRAO such as conference presentations, publications, and more.
-Kimberley Buster-Williams, Ed.S., Associate Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Mary Washington
Professional readiness: Perspective from a leader in the SEM Field
Finding qualified individuals who are a good fit for any key leadership position is always a difficult endeavor. External verification of an individual's exposure to a professional field's core operations and best practices is becoming more and more valuable throughout most industries.
Due to the wide variety of required professional competencies in Strategic Enrollment Management for higher education, many institutions struggle to find chief enrollment officers with the skills and background needed to help their students and institutions prosper in the current higher education ecology.
AACRAO’s enrollment management endorsement program will provide both colleges and SEM professionals with a substantive means of assessing an individual's SEM knowledge and exposure to fundamental operations.
- Jay Goff, Vice President for Enrollment and Retention Management, St. Louis University
Learn more and register for the AACRAO SEM-EP program.