Vice President of Enrollment Management

Download Position Profile (opens in a new tab) THE OPPORTUNITY Kalamazoo College (K), a pioneer in integrated approach to undergraduate education, announces the search for Vice President for Enrollment Management (VPEM). At an energizing moment for K and a consequential moment for higher education, the College seeks a strategist, innovator, and competitive leader who sees enrollment not simply as a function, but as a strategy for the future. The Vice President for Enrollment Management will be a builder, a collaborator, and an exceptional team leader who is curious about what is possible and effective in turning ideas into results. With new presidential leadership, a renewed focus on enrollment and institutional differentiation, evolving academic opportunities, and deeper partnerships across Kalamazoo and Michigan, the Vice President for Enrollment Management will join K as it moves forward with ambition, preparing for the next generation of students. Reporting directly to President Karlyn Crowley and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Vice President will be at the center of a comprehensive enrollment strategy designed to grow demand, strengthen enrollment, increase net tuition revenue, expand access, and build a student body that will thrive at K. The VPEM will enjoy the unusual opportunity to truly shape what comes next. WHY K. WHY NOW. Kalamazoo College has never been defined by doing college exactly as others do it. The College pioneered an integrated approach to undergraduate education through the K-Plan , bringing together top-tier academics, experiential learning, international education, civic engagement, career development and independent scholarship. Now K is asking the next question: What should a distinctive Kalamazoo College education look like for the next generation of students? That question reaches well beyond enrollment. It encompasses academic programs, the student experience, athletics, partnerships, affordability, career preparation, the city of Kalamazoo, and how the College communicates its value to the world. The Vice President for Enrollment Management will help answer it. Working closely with the President, Provost, Cabinet, faculty and staff, the Vice President will bring the voice of prospective students and families directly into institutional strategy. The Vice President will help K understand where the market is moving, where new opportunities exist, what students value, and where the College can distinguish itself. The expectation is clear: build demand, grow enrollment, and help position Kalamazoo College for long-term strength. The Vice President will join Kalamazoo College during a period of institutional renewal, examining how its academic programs, experiential education, partnerships, student experience, and market position should evolve for the future. The Vice President will bring an essential perspective to this work anticipating the needs of K’s future students. THE ROLE: A DIFFERENT KIND OF ENROLLMENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY The Vice President for Enrollment Management will build a new model of enrollment management that reflects the extraordinary value of a deeply personal undergraduate education at K, and articulate this value to a new generation of students. The Vice President will demonstrate a deep understanding of the fundamentals of excellent enrollment management, knowing how and when to build upon best practices, but not be constrained by them. The Vice President for Enrollment Management will provide strategic leadership for undergraduate admissions and financial aid and will serve as one of the College’s principal institutional strategists with responsibility for recruitment strategy, enrollment marketing (in partnership with College Marketing and Communication), financial aid strategy, enrollment operations, technology and CRM optimization, market analysis, forecasting, and enrollment performance. The Vice President will develop and execute a comprehensive enrollment strategy grounded in data, market intelligence, experimentation, and K’s highly personalized approach to students and families. The Vice President will demonstrate a deep understanding of the marketplace, the impact of technology, and changes in student and family expectations and behavior. The VPEM will be able to see around corners, anticipate changes, and lead strategic and nimble responses. The Vice President will establish clear goals, build the systems and team needed to achieve them, measure results relentlessly, and adjust quickly when evidence demands it. Success will require both strategy and execution. THE WORK AHEAD The Vice President for Enrollment Management will develop, build, and execute a multi-year enrollment growth strategy that strengthens the College's market position and produces measurable enrollment and net tuition revenue results. With a goal of cultivating the genuine interest of more students who see Kalamazoo as a place they want to be, the Vice President will: Establish ambitious but achievable enrollment, application, yield, class profile, and net tuition revenue goals. Expand the prospective student pipeline and substantially strengthen application generation. Identify new geographic markets, populations, partnerships, and recruitment channels. Build stronger transfer pathways and partnerships with community colleges and other institutions. Expand K's reach throughout Michigan while identifying markets beyond Michigan with significant growth potential. Evaluate emerging recruitment models and partnerships—including direct admission and other approaches that reduce barriers between talented students and K. Leverage research and competitive intelligence to understand why students choose K, why they choose competitors, and where K can win. Test ideas, measure results, scale what works, and stop doing what does not. Make Data a Competitive Advantage The Vice President will create a disciplined culture of enrollment analytics an