Strategic Enrollment Leadership Institute

A pre-conference event to inspire the next generation of admissions leaders. Brought to you by Ashley Pallie, Calvin Wise, & Olufemi Ogundele. Made possible by WittKieffer.

The college admissions profession is at a critical juncture and investing in the growth of future professionals is vital. With the admission profession in a constant state of evolution, leaders must keep pace. The Strategic Enrollment Leadership Institute (SELI) is an opportunity for college admission officers to learn and understand what it takes to be transformational leaders. The institute will be a convening of diverse practitioners who aim to understand the hidden curriculum of leadership as they aspire to ascend to Director and Dean positions. Join us for radical candor, hard work, self-reflection, and inspiration.

Price:

• $125 for NACAC Members
• $200 for non-members

Target Audience:

• Aspiring Deans & Directors (currently Associate, Senior Associates, & Deputy Directors: minimum 5 years’ experience in college admission)

At the end of the PreConference, attendees will be able to:

• Articulate areas of personal growth.
• Explain how vital the work of admissions is to the ecosystem of each college/university.
• Evaluate the skills needed for success at the next level:
  • Analyze who you need to be and who you definitely should not be
  • Define the skills that you need to know to be a competitive and competent leader.

Schedule: Monday, July 28, 2025:

The state of the college admissions leader in 2025

“Congress Eyes More Control Over Colleges” “Trump’s Battles With Colleges Could Change American Culture for a Generation” “International Enrollment’s Precarious Moment” “Under threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes”

These headlines show the swift and often painful challenges coming to higher education in 2025. The fight for the soul of the university and its relevance is here. Where do admissions leaders fit in? How do we sustain the energy and motivation for what’s to come? What does longevity in a tumultuous career look like?

Standing strong in the Storm: Managing to Mission in Uncertain Times

Mission-based leadership is necessary in 2025 and for the future of higher education. It is vital that enrollment leaders set up “your why” to stand the shifting seas as challenges come from all sides. This panel will discuss developing a leadership ethos both up and down the ladder of leadership and how to establish a step-up and leadership culture across the organization. How do you lead from your why? How do you motivate an entire organization behind your mission? How do you develop meaningful leadership opportunities for staff? Explore the importance of leadership in the midst of chaos and how to be the leader your organization needs.

If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense: the tension of mission vs. money

Colleges are businesses and the role of the admissions officer is to hold the tension of the often lofty and aspirational mission and goals of an institution alongside the reality of tight budgets and tuition revenue. Every institution and professional has to live within this tension; how does a Dean or Director manage the business of the institute, the tension of the idyllic mission of the institute, and your own personal moral compass? Is it possible to hold all 3? How do the challenges and opportunities change at very different types of institutions: private/public, liberal arts/R1, HBCU/PWI, large/small endowment? How do you choose where to work and the challenges you’re willing to face as a leader?

Power and privilege: Why do you need it, who has it, and how to gain it

Colleges are complex enterprises with ever evolving organizational charts and reporting lines. Each division, department, and office have their own priorities and they all intersect on your doorstep: Admissions and Enrollment. This panel brings together industry leaders to discuss best practices in navigating campus politics. Identify allies, build capital, and keep receipts.

Olufemi Ogundele
Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment
& Dean of Undergraduate Admission
University of California
Berkeley, CA

Ashley Pallie
Dean of Admissions
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA

Calvin Wise
Deputy Dean
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD

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