Background
Our institutions are facing challenges ahead: negative public perceptions of higher education, ongoing budget shortfalls, free speech and race relations crises, spiraling student debt, increasing regulatory restrictions, and the approaching student enrollment cliff in 2025. Recruiting and retaining talented and diverse campus leaders will be a crucial factor in institutional success.
Why Now?
Recent data from the 2019 CUPA-HR association survey on Administrators in Higher Education give us troubling benchmarks. Results indicate 85% of those who hold the role of Senior Enrollment Management Officer and 89% of those who hold the role of Director of Admissions are white. We know that 22% of the non-white population in the US holds a bachelor degree or better. If the most traditional and obvious path to Senior Enrollment Officer is through the admissions office, the fact that Directors of Admission are currently less diverse than the qualified field means we must act now to ensure our institutions have a strong set of professionals to fill the roles of enrollment leaders in the future.
Statistics
44% of ASCEND Scholars have transitioned into a senior-level role such as Director, Registrar, or AVP within Records, Admissions, Academic Services, and Recruitment before or within 12 months of program completion.
Applicants represent institutions across 20 States, Washington, D.C., the Caribbean, and Canada.