The NAGAP Report

In the second episode of our two-part chapters mini-series, we talk with NYGAP Chapter president Jaclyn Napoleon and TXGAP Chapter president Victor Lopez. Jaclyn and Victor tell us about the benefits of being part of a regional chapter and how to get involved. We also talk about all the existing regional chapters, so if you aren’t already part of one, this is your chance to learn more! About the guests: Victor Lopez is currently the Assistant Director for Graduate Professional Education & Extended Learning Initiatives at Baylor University, a role he has held since December 2020. In this capacity, Victor is instrumental in managing and expanding credit/non-credit certificate offerings at Baylor, demonstrating his expertise in program development and strategic planning within the higher education sector. In addition to his professional role, Victor is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Administration at Texas A&M University, showcasing his commitment to advancing his knowledge and expertise in the field of education. Furthermore, Victor plays a key role in the Texas Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (TxGAP Chapter), where he serves as the President.  Jaclyn Napoleon has been the Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany (SUNY) for the past 8 years. Jaclyn earned her MS in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University and her BA from Geneseo (SUNY). Prior to her role at Rockefeller, Jaclyn served in the Undergraduate Admissions offices at UAlbany for 12 years and the College of Saint Rose for two.  In her current role, Jaclyn is responsible for managing marketing, communication, outreach and recruitment efforts, the application process, funding decisions, combined degrees and event management for prospective master’s and PhD students in the fields of Public Administration, International Affairs, Political Science and Criminal Justice. An active member of the campus community, Jaclyn has served on the Graduate Academic Council and Strategic Enrollment Committee on campus and is employed as a seasonal essay reader for Bright Horizons College Coach.  Jaclyn began her involvement in NYGAP in 2016 and then took on the role of Treasurer of NYGAP in 2019. She was elected Vice-President in 2021 and President in 2023.  This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan. Learn more about NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, at www.nagap.org.

In the first episode of our two-part chapters mini-series, we highlight the two NAGAP Special Interest Chapters: BioGAP and JGAP. Chapter presidents Brandy Wood and Colleen Sommerfeld discuss the opportunities these chapters present, how to get involved, and even how to form your own special interest chapter. About the guests: Brandy Wood serves as president of BioGAP and currently leads all aspects of the graduate recruitment and admissions counseling for the Indiana University School of Medicine Graduate Division. She manages a team responsible for retaining and preparing graduate students from diverse backgrounds for academic, professional and personal success. Additionally, she serves as an advisor to first-year doctoral students and provides holistic services related to academic and career advising to all graduate students beyond their first-year in graduate school thru alumni status.    Brandy holds a BS in Public Affairs Management from Indiana University School of Public & Environmental Affairs and both a graduate certificate in Human Resource Development and an MS in Technology with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from the Purdue School of Engineering.  Colleen Sommerfeld is a seasoned professional in the field of admissions, currently serving as the President of JGAP (Jesuit Graduate Admission Professionals) and holding the position of Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. John Carroll University is one of the esteemed 28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in the United States. With over two decades of experience in admissions, Colleen has cultivated a rich background, having worked in various capacities within undergraduate admission offices and high school admission. Her passion lies in fostering relationships with prospective students as they navigate the educational landscape to find the best-fit graduate programs. This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan.  Learn more about NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, at www.nagap.org.

Join The NAGAP Report  hosts Lauren McGowan, Marcus Hanscom, and Aaron Berger as they're off to the races discussing the upcoming 2024 GEM Summit in Louisville, KY.  Find out what makes attending Summit so powerful for your own professional development, whether you’re attending as a first timer or you’ve been knocking it out of the park for some time in GEM. You'll learn more about how the conference is structured, the can't miss activities and sessions you should attend, fun things to do in Louisville, and how you can think about getting the most out of your experience.    This podcast was edited and produced by Dr. Aaron Berger. Learn more about NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, at www.nagap.org.

Enrollment managers are often forced to confront difficult student situations and make tough decisions regarding how to enforce or apply a policy (or not). How do we make fair and defensible decisions when students ask to be the exception to the rule? In this episode, The NAGAP Report co-host Lauren McGowan interviews Josie LaLonde, Director of Student Experience at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto, and Nicola Woods, Director of Academic Services and Registrar for the Rottman School of Management at University of Toronto, as they share their guiding framework for making difficult decisions.  Their “Four P’s” framework is an easy-to-remember tool to employ when you find yourself feeling unsure of where to start. This will help all enrollment professionals to reexamine the way they think about making decisions and how they connect to our institutional mission and personal values.  About the guests: Josie Lalonde Josie Lalonde is the Director, Student Experience in the Registrar’s Office and Student Experience (ROSE) at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, and is a senior higher education professional with over 25 years of experience in university leadership and administration.  Josie joined OISE in January 2023 and is proud to be part of the largest and highest-ranked School of Education in Canada, with a diverse community of innovators, collaborators and leaders that have been advancing education, human development and professional practice globally for over a century. In her current role, Josie directs the activities of three broad areas: records and registration, financial aid and awards, and student experience, including career advising, wellness counselling, and academic communications and writing support. Previously, Josie helped develop and implement systems solutions as a Business Analyst in the University of Toronto’s central IT department, and led the student academic services team as the Director of Student Academic Services in the School of Graduate Studies. Josie completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Psychology at the University of Toronto while raising her family. She is driven by a commitment to make the University a warm and welcoming community for all our graduate students, supporting the success of students, regardless of their background or life circumstances.  You can contact Josie at josie.lalonde@utoronto.ca. Nicola Woods Nicola Woods has over 25 years of senior higher education leadership experience and is currently the Director, Academic Services and Registrar in the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As Registrar, Nicola is responsible for all aspects of student records, grades, course evaluations, enrolment, exams and convocation for more than 1400 professional masters students in graduate business programs. Additionally, Nicola led the recruitment and admissions operation in the University’s largest undergraduate faculty – Arts & Science. In this capacity she created innovative admission strategies to attract and admit highly qualified students from across the globe and spent many years giving high-level recruitment presentations in key markets in Asia, South Asia and across North America. You can contact Nicola at Nicola.Woods@Rotman.Utoronto.Ca.  This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan. Learn more about NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, at www.nagap.org. 

Are you looking to expand your international graduate student recruitment efforts in South America? Listen in as The NAGAP Report co-host Marcus Hanscom has a conversation with Ana Villavicencio and Rita Moriconi, both Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REACs) for Education USA in South America. The conversation covers South American student mobility, study abroad motivations, financial concerns, and more. Ana Villavicencio covers the Andean region of South America (Western and Northern South America) and can be reached at avillavicencio@educationusa.org. Rita Moriconi covers the Southern Cone (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and can be reached at rmoriconi@educationusa.org. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Marcus Hanscom. Learn more about NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, at www.nagap.org. 

We are always looking for better ways to reach our students, right? This podcast episode of The NAGAP Report is about the benefits of podcasting in graduate enrollment. Join co-host Dr. Aaron Berger and Dr. Christopher Lewis, Director of Graduate Programs at the University of Michigan-Flint, and Zach Busekrus, founder of Enrollify, for a conversation about the benefits of starting a podcast and some tips on how to launch something that will be successful for you.  This episode was edited and produced by Dr. Aaron Berger. Resources Podcasting 101 - Dr. Chris Lewis - NAGAP GEM Summit 2023

As institutions look to grow and diversify programs and revenue ahead of the projected enrollment cliff, online education has become even more critical to the enrollment arsenal. But for many campuses, scaling online education efficiently - and quickly - can be a substantial undertaking with significant cost and resource implications. One solution? Work with an online program management (OPM) company. In this episode, The NAGAP Report co-host Marcus Hanscom sits down with Ray Lutzky, Vice President of University Partnerships at Academic Partnerships, an OPM, to demystify OPM companies and challenge the misconceptions surrounding their role in graduate education. Join us as we examine the complexities, benefits, and challenges associated with partnering with OPM companies, shedding light on the decision-making process for institutions seeking to enhance their online offerings.

Join The NAGAP Report co-hosts Lauren McGowan, Aaron Berger, and Marcus Hanscom as they debrief after an exciting few days at the 2023 NAGAP Graduate Enrollment Management Summit. This year's annual conference was held at the Marriott Marquis in the heart of Times Square in New York City. Approximately 900 graduate enrollment professionals from around the globe converged to discuss the latest topics and best practices related to GEM work. Check out all of NAGAP's upcoming events at https://www.nagap.org/events.  This episode was edited and produced by Marcus Hanscom. 

Student workers and graduate assistants are an important part of our recruitment and admissions teams. But how can we ensure that we are hiring the right people, and supervising them effectively? How can we set reasonable expectations that allow for flexibility while also making sure the work gets done? In this episode of The NAGAP Report, two experienced student supervisors, Danielle Geraci Thoma and Deon Thompson, discuss what they’ve learned from years of supervising graduate assistants. About our Guests: Danielle Geraci Thoma is the Director of Graduate Recruitment and Student Support Initiatives in the Graduate School at the University of Texas at Austin. Danielle earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and will receive her master’s in education in educational leadership and policy from UT Austin. Danielle has worked in higher education for over 19 years with expertise in undergraduate and graduate strategic enrollment management. Prior to working at UT Austin, she has worked at large and small institutions, including the University of Michigan and Rutgers University.  Deon Thompson is a Chicago-born and raised, first generation college student. He completed his bachelor’s in management information systems in 2001 and MBA in 2020 from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SUIC) and is currently working on courses towards his Master of Accountancy. Deon worked for 10 years in the payroll office at SIUC and then 8 years in the assistantship and fellowship office before moving to his current position as Assistant Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan. 

The Institute for International Education released its most recent Open Doors report in November and the news was positive: the total number of international students in the U.S. grew by four percent in 2021-2022 over the prior year, bolstered by an 80% increase in newly enrolled international students. And on the graduate side, International student enrollment was up by 17 percent.  As our institutions look to build more diverse campuses and address the forthcoming challenges from domestic demographic shifts in the United States, international students continue to be a critical part of American education. But how do we effectively engage international students on a broad scale, particularly for small- and mid-size institutions? Or what if you or your staff are completely new to international student recruitment? For this episode of The NAGAP Report, we’ve partnered with EducationUSA to help you understand the international student marketplace and the vast array of resources they provide to you both online and throughout the world.

This episode explores the difficult decision many GEM professionals are facing – staying in your role, transitioning to another role in GEM, shifting to other roles in higher education, or leaving the field entirely. The conversation delves into the different job transitions of three prominent women in our field and explores advice for our own career decisions and strategies for retaining our staff. The discussion features Jillian Baer, Solutions Consultant for Liaison International and former GEMer at The Ohio State University; Judy Baker, Research Associate in University Advancement at Niagara University and former GEMer at Nazareth University; and Julie Deland, Director of Administration for the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Marcus Hanscom. The conversation originally aired live in August 2022 as part of the leadership edition of The Exchange Live, a monthly NAGAP webinar series. 

Content marketing is the future, but what does it actually look like in practice? Hear from Stevie Otto, Director of Recruitment and Admissions at Southern Methodist University’s Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, as she describes their strategy for using premium content to reach and attract prospective students. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan. 

So much institutional knowledge lives in the minds of individual staff and faculty, creating a reliance on them from others for information. In addition to creating inefficiencies, this practice is problematic as institutional knowledge walked out the door as our colleagues departed throughout the "Great Resignation."  In this conversation, we sit down with Will Fenton to explore the importance of documenting policies, practices, and procedures, and building a shared culture of data transparency and buy-in. With deeper collaboration and a shared resource of critical information, we can empower individuals to get the information they need quickly and efficiently, while also creating a strong foundation for new employee onboarding.  Will Fenton is the Associate Director of the Fox School of Business at Temple University and previously worked in progressive graduate enrollment roles at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Marcus Hanscom.

As graduate enrollment professionals constantly seek to learn more about their potential student populations, the University of Notre Dame has spent the past 10 years asking their applicants to provide insight into their admission journey. Hear from Dr. Nyrée McDonald and Dr. Julaine Zenkelberger about what their students are telling them are essential factors in their decision to attend the University of Notre Dame.   This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Aaron Berger.

As graduate enrollment professionals feel increased pressure to enroll more students, one critical, low-hanging fruit hangs right under our own eyes - our own undergraduates. Hear from Lauren Kicak, Associate Director of Graduate Admission at Canisius College, about how Canisius created some smart tactics to clear the way for their own undergraduates to consider staying under their own roof for graduate school. This episode of The NAGAP Report was hosted, produced, and edited by Lauren McGowan. 

The second of our two-part series on video in graduate student recruitment, this episode features an interview with Lauren McGowan, Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the University of Buffalo School of Social Work. Lauren presented a popular session at the 2022 NAGAP Summit on DIY video, covering all of the important topics of creating impactful, high quality videos that drive student engagement all at little or no cost. This episode is hosted and produced by Aaron Berger. 

Join Aaron Berger for his first episode hosting The NAGAP Report as he welcomes Gabe Ruttner, Co-Founder and CTO at Clearmix, to the podcast to discuss using video in graduate student recruitment. Listen in as they discuss best practices for using video as part of your graduate recruitment strategy, how to create compelling video content, when to produce video in-house versus engaging a vendor, and more. 

Launched in 2019, the NAGAP Leadership Academy provides an expansive, year-long professional development opportunity for higher education professionals. The Academy combines formal leadership training from professional development leader Management Concepts with critical graduate enrollment management exploration and training from leading experts in our field.  Join The NAGAP Report host Marcus Hanscom as he learns about the NAGAP Leadership Academy experience firsthand from two of its graduates, Ellen Lloyd and Henry Cantu. Lloyd is a graduate of the 2022 cohort; Cantu is a graduate of the Academy's inaugural cohort in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. 

Most graduate enrollment professionals are scratching their heads on what the fall graduate recruitment cycle looks like as we emerge from the deepest impacts of the pandemic. As schools more heavily revert back to on-campus graduate fairs, many of us continue to question the efficacy of these events while simultaneously seeing declines in virtual event participation as prospective students are "COVID tired."  Join The NAGAP Report team, now welcoming its third host, Aaron Berger, for this informal conversation on how to approach planning for recruitment this fall, both on and off campus. 

As we wrapped up Women's History Month for 2022, we had the opportunity to sit down with our incoming NAGAP President, Kristen Sterba; Vice President, Naronda Wright; and Publications Chair, Melissa Sersland. Listen in to hear about their careers, pathways to leadership, thoughts on the state and future of NAGAP, and advice for new professionals in graduate enrollment management. This episode was hosted by Marcus Hanscom and Keith Ramsdell.