ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast artwork

ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast

83 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 45 ratings

Ken Anselment hosts a series of one-on-one conversations with people who have been climbing the leadership mountain in the world of college admissions. Some are nearing the summit. Some are already there. But how did they get there? And what can other climbers learn from their mindsets, habits, and experiences? © Ken Anselment 2023

Self-Improvement Education Business Careers college admissions leadership higher education colleges nacac higher ed enrollment management enrollment
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Episodes

Jeff Blahnik

March 22, 2024 10:00 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MB

From the time he was a little boy, Jeff Blahnik always wanted to be "an attorney," but a moment of crisis halfway through law school changed his path. He's now the Vice President of Enrollment Management at the University of Oklahoma, and shares the secret of winning the job interview at OU, how "inspired hospitality" makes a flagship feel intimate, and how to establish yourself as a new leader at a new institution. He also answers the question: "Who has the hottest seat on an athletic power...

Angela Frazier

March 15, 2024 10:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Angela Frazier, Vice President of Student Services at Waukesha County Technical College (the ALP's first guest two-year college enrollment leader and the first African-American leader in WCTC's 100-year history) shines a light on what people get wrong about two-year colleges; how WCTC has punched above its weight with recruitment and retention; and why she needs help with a walkout song. Special shout-out to Angela's right-hand man, John McGreal, Dean of Enrollment Services.  Rapid Descent...

Justin Draeger

March 08, 2024 11:00 - 46 minutes - 31.7 MB

Justin Draeger, President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, joins the ALP to share what colleagues in admissions, enrollment, student success, presidents' offices, etc. can do to support their financial aid colleagues, who are about to do 6 to 9 months of work in about 4 to 6 weeks. A deep thinker, reader, writer and speaker, Justin also shares a bunch of excellent leadership lessons, including how, as Bertrand Russell wrote, "Fools and fanatics are...

Rick Bailey on the importance of coherence, relevance, and organizing your work around your core values

January 05, 2024 11:00 - 1 hour - 44 MB

Richard Harrison Bailey—the RHB behind RHB—joins the ALP to discuss the principle of Coherence; the virtuous cycle of relevance, relationships and revenue for colleges; the difference between market position and brand; and how the values of truth, beauty, love and justice animate the core values and, to this day, guide the work of the firm he and his business partner (and spouse), Tammy Bailey, formed in 1991.  Rapid Descent Walkout song: Carmina Burana: I. O Fortuna Best recent read: Yal...

Laura Kaub of the UNHCR asks, "Why is it so hard for exceptional students to get access to education?"

December 18, 2023 11:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MB

Laura Kaub, director of the Duolingo partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees program, talks about keeping refugees and African students out of the "hole" in holistic admission so they can get into the economic, educational and political systems that can bring about change. She provides examples of U.S colleges that "get it right," including Macalester and Northwestern, as well as models around the globe, like Rwanda and Uganda. Contact Laura directly if you're int...

Dan Saavedra on How He (and Others) Built StriveScan

November 10, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MB

How does someone go from being a lawyer and a photographer to found and lead the company that has reshaped the college fair experience for millions of students and more than 15,000 admission professionals representing more than 2500 institutions around the world?  Dan Saavedra, founder and president of StriveScan, tells us how he built StriveScan (spoiler, with trust and the friendliest client contract ... ever).  Live through what their first college fair was like, as well as those moments ...

Jen Dewar on Talking Yourself Into Doing Scary Things

November 03, 2023 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MB

What is it like to leave the familiarity of higher ed to join a tech company with a vision to change how the world thinks about language testing? Jen Dewar, Senior Director of Strategic Engagement for the Duolingo English Test, shares how to break through, climb steep learning curves, learn from setbacks ... and why you don't win or lose—you only win or learn. References Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo  on How I Built This with Guy Raz and The Tim Ferriss Show. Shout out to f...

David Burge on Rational Transfer Policy, the Value of Service, and Oxford Commas

October 27, 2023 10:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MB

Get ready for an episode rife with random references when David Burge, VP for Enrollment Management at George Mason University and winner of the Margaret E. Addis Service to NACAC Award, joins the ALP to discuss ADVANCE, a model transfer partnership between GMU and Northern Virginia Community College. Warning: this episode contains eye-rolling dad jokes. Listener discretion is advised. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Champion by Fall Out Boy Best recent read: "My email." Eager to read next: ...

Carolyn Noll Sorg on Experience Design and Going from Alongside Back to Inside Higher Ed

October 20, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MB

We have featured a bunch of folks who have gone from inside to "alongside" higher ed (including your host). Carolyn Noll Sorg, VP for Enrollment at John Carroll University has chosen to go in the other direction, and reminds us of the things that call us into this work. Bonus: Carolyn shares wonderful insights into how to think about creating memorable experiences for your students—including how to wrap it into your next staff retreat. References The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experie...

Ethan Sawyer on Figuring Out Who You Are and What You Care About

October 13, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 43.6 MB

Season Premiere: Ethan Sawyer, founder of College Essay Guy, kicks off Season 8 of the ALP and we quickly learn it's not about the essay ... it's about figuring out who you are and what you care about. We talk about the applicability of Ethan's discovery exercises to everybody (not just college applicants), why Ethan might be the perfect candidate to interview Ken someday, and what roles Jesus and diapers play in the origin story of College Essay Guy. References College admission resources...

A Time for Leadership, Not Retrenchment—Paths forward after SCOTUS decisions in Harvard & UNC cases

July 07, 2023 21:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MB

In this special edition, Art Coleman (@ArtColemanDC), managing partner and co-founder of EducationCounsel (and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights), shares the initial chapters of a playbook admissions officers can follow to move forward with confidence (and care) in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC. We discuss what colleges should (and shouldn't do),  what people are getting wrong in ...

Joffery Gaymon

June 19, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MB

Season Finale: Dr. Joffery Gaymon,  Vice President for Enrollment at Auburn University, shares what it's like (and what it takes) to make the jump to one of the biggest roles at one of the most recognizable institutions in the U.S. She shares the essential and timeless tools to keep in your toolbox, whatever your ambitions may be, as well as how to keep yourself focused and grounded as the work gets tougher. (And there may be a reference to teaching spin classes.) Rapid Descent Walkout son...

W. Kent Barnds

June 12, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 34 MB

Kent Barnds,  Executive Vice President of ExternalRelations: Advancement | Communication | Enrollment | Planning for Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), shares how he started as "an accidental admissions person" and become the person with the longest title in the history of the ALP, and what he has learned along the way by becoming a college parent. Great mysteries will be revealed in this episode, including the origin story of Kent's ubiquitous bow ties, what the "W" in his name stands f...

Robert Gould, "Changing Admissions From Selecting to Belonging"

June 05, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.1 MB

Robert Gould, Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management at Augsburg University (Minneapolis), offers a deep dive into an approach to college admission that is turning the process on its head and—in the process—not only fostering a greater sense of belonging for students, but for the admission professionals who work with them. Could it be an antidote to the Great Resignation? Notes Augsburg Applies to You Power of You program (Augsburg partnership with Minneapolis Community and T...

Allan Mathew

May 22, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MB

Allan Mathew, Director of Graduate Admissions at Tufts University, discusses the similarities and differences of graduate and undergrad admissions and what he's learned working at three institutions in very different market positions. He also offers compelling insights into the four themes of his doctoral dissertation, which focused on the experiences of chief enrollment officers of color. Rapid Descent Walkout songs: Redbone by Childish Gambino Best recent read: Atomic Habits, by James C...

Heather Daniels

May 15, 2023 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MB

Heather Daniels, Director of Admissions at Colorado State University, discusses how she's managed to "come home" to every college she has ever worked for ... and discovers that she and Ken have a surprising braided history. Rapid Descent Walkout songs: Believe by Mumford & Sons Best recent read/eager to read next: Coherence by Rick Bailey Favorite podcast: Up First | Smartless | Wiser Than Me Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Squash casserole (It's better than it sounds). What he ...

Boyd Bradshaw

May 08, 2023 10:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MB

Boyd Bradshaw, the inaugural Vice President for Enrollment Management at Towson University (MD), discusses Towson's new comprehensive and integrated approach to enrollment—from recruitment to graduation—and what it has been like organizing the institution  around that work. We also learn Boyd's secret and surprising skill that he carries with him to this day. Rapid Descent Walkout songs: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor Best recent read: A Profession on the Edge by Eric Hoover Eager to read...

Christopher Gray

May 01, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MB

In this metaphor-loaded episode, Christopher Gray, Dean of Enrollment at Lasell University, discusses living and learning through a successful launch of a tuition reset, why communities matter to marathoners, and a nifty trick to try in your next meeting. Rapid Descent Walkout songs: Dirt Road Anthem by Jason Aldean Best recent read: Extreme You: Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat. audiobook by Sarah Robb O'Hagan and Fearless Leadership: High Performance Lessons from the Flight Deck by ...

"A Profession on the Edge" with Eric Hoover

April 24, 2023 09:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MB

Eric Hoover, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, joins the ALP to discuss his April 5 Chronicle article, A Profession on the Edge: Why enrollment leaders are wearing down, burning out, and leaving jobs they once loved.  He discusses what led to his writing the piece, what surprised him in his discovery, and why things are different now than they were nine years ago when he wrote a similarly provocative piece in September 2014, The Hottest Seat on Campus.  Theme music arrang...

Mary Chase

April 17, 2023 09:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MB

Season Premiere: Mary Chase, Vice Provost for Enrollment at Creighton University, kicks off the season from her fortress of solitude (which will make sense when you listen), and shares how growing up on a farm, being a college mom, and leaving the first footsteps of the day on a dewy fairway shape her approach to enrollment leadership. Rapid Descent Walkout songs: You Time by Scotty McCreery Best recent read: Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and ...

Vern Granger

November 28, 2022 11:00 - 46 minutes - 32 MB

Season Finale: Vern Granger,  Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Connecticut AND the Chair of the Board for the National Association for College Admission Counseling shares what it takes to manage two jobs that, in themselves, are more than full-time jobs. We also discuss Vern's World Cup predictions, the finer points of bacon, proper peanut butter choices, and the virtue of the handwritten note.  Rapid Descent Walkout songs:  Big Poppa by the Notorious B.I.G. and S...

How Creighton Improved Its First-Year Retention to 92%

November 21, 2022 11:00 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MB

Wayne Young, Charisse Williams, Mary Ann Tietjen and Joe Ecklund of Creighton University's interdivisional student success team share some of the secret sauce behind how Creighton built and maintained a 3-point jump in first-year student retention over the past three years. The episode includes a look at Colloquium, a unique human-powered intervention with a 70% success rate retaining students who are preparing to leave the institution. Hat-tips throughout the episode to Mary Chase, Creighto...

Andy Borst

November 14, 2022 10:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MB

Andy Borst,  Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shares tips on nurturing and managing relationships with the media (with hat-tips to Scott Jaschik and Eric Hoover). Andy also shares his morning routine (itself a pro tip) as well as the origins of his name, which we somehow accidentally trip over early in the episode. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Know Your Enemy by Green Day Best recent read: The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions ...

Joe Montgomery

November 07, 2022 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MB

Joe Montgomery may be one of the busiest people between enrollment jobs right now: a member of the advisory board to the Partnership for Education Advancement; a consultant through the United Negro College Fund; and now one of the newest members of NACAC's board of directors. Joe reflects on how creating your network with your body of work can sustain you when the headwinds come: "Lean into the headwinds and answers will reveal themselves." Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Before I Let Go by F...

Visionaries and Integrators: Complementary Collaboration

October 31, 2022 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.1 MB

Tim Fields (Emory University) and Shereem Herndon-Brown (Strategic Admissions Advice)—co-authors of The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting and Race, and co-hosts of the podcast, Application to Admission: Understanding the Choices—provide a master class in leveraging complementary experiences, skillsets and mindsets in the collaborative process as they discuss how their groundbreaking new book grew from idea through process to reality. Rapi...

James Miller

October 24, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 43.3 MB

James Miller,  Assistant Vice Provost and Dean of Admission at Seattle University, reflects on the value of self-reflection in your own decision-making, the power of pausing when you're "in the grip," and why "relaxed is fast, slow is relaxed" and "slow is fast." (Also, there's randomly like 11 minutes of silence after the bumper music ... consider it an invitation for reflection. 😉) Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Saving Grace by Tom Petty Best recent read: In Conversation: Honoring Ideolog...

"I Shouldn't Be The First"

October 16, 2022 20:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MB

Five women who ascended to leadership roles just before or during the pandemic discuss what it's like to be the first in their roles—first woman, first person of color, first first-generation college student, first transfer students. Get ready for a torrent of great advice from Eva Blanco Masias of Santa Clara University, Jennifer Sandoval-Dancs of Claremont McKenna College, Lisa Keegan of Bucknell University, Melinda Wood of James Madison University, and Nikki Kahealani Chun of University o...

Ineliz Soto-Fuller

October 10, 2022 10:00 - 59 minutes - 40.9 MB

Ineliz Soto-Fuller,  Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Admissions for Enrollment Management at Seattle Pacific University, discusses how to lead with integrity and authenticity in the midst of challenging circumstances. Turns out that a clear sense of what authenticity looks and sounds like (as well heavy doses of Quirkle and  karaoke) go a long way. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Roar by Katy Perry and Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony Best recent read: On Managing Yourself by Harvard ...

Angie Cooksy

September 19, 2022 11:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MB

Angie Cooksy, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management at Bradley University (Peoria, Ill.) and host of the podcast Elevating Admission Voices, discusses how she established herself as a regionally-based (in Kenosha, Wis.) admission professional 15 years ago and has steadily climbed the leadership mountain as a remote teammate ever since. Angie offers several great questions that new middle managers need to know ... and muses on the remarkable wonders of the Woodman's Market cheese...

Reckoning with the Great Resignation

September 12, 2022 09:00 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MB

Is it the Great Resignation? The Great Reckoning? The Great Contemplation? ALP Alumni Adrienne Amador Oddi (ep. 28), Heath Einstein (7), Marie Bigham (4), Rick Clark (3) and Tony Sarda (15) join Ken in a lively discussion of the causes, implications and potential remedies for the Great Resignation ... as well as some reconsidered walkout songs. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Steve Syverson

May 02, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 41.6 MB

It seems fitting to drop the final episode of Season 5 on Ken's last day as Vice President for Enrollment at Lawrence University with the man who brought him to Lawrence 18 years ago: Steve Syverson, Dean of Admission Emeritus at Lawrence University. Steve served as Lawrence's chief enrollment officer for 28 years before handing the reins to Ken in 2011, and the episode is as much a trip down memory lane as it is an expansive view of what still matters most in the college admission professio...

Roby Blust

April 11, 2022 09:00 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MB

In what may be the most blooper-reel worthy episode of the ALP so far, Roby Blust, Ken's second boss at Marquette University, demonstrates the importance of fun and humor while doing the noble work of college admissions, as well as how a crashed milk truck helped shape his view of what leadership means. Roby is the inspiration for a piece Ken wrote in 2018:  "Why do we do this?" Shout outs from people who have worked with Roby include: Jeff Blahnik, Jenn Machacek,  Susan Teerink, Kim Frisch...

Ray Brown

April 04, 2022 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MB

Ken's first boss in college admission, Ray Brown, joins the show to swap stories about leadership, team development, and baseball. Ray is the chief enrollment officer at St. Joseph's College of Maine, having served previously as dean of admission at TCU and Marquette and director of admission at Lawrence University. Ray also happens to be a human baseball encyclopedia, and shares the three games he most would have liked to attend throughout history, including one with a surprise ending. Sho...

Amy Cembor

March 21, 2022 10:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MB

Amy Cembor,  Senior Associate Dean of Admission at Providence College (go Friars!) and former president of New England Association for College Admission Counseling, shares insights about life on the secondary and higher ed sides of the table, resistance against just going after what's next, and a story about an unfortunate mic drop moment in Las Vegas that, were this a video podcast, would reveal deep shades of red on Ken's face. 5 Shout-outs to Darryl Uy, Marie Bigham and LaSalle Bakery. ...

Jay Jacobs

March 14, 2022 09:00 - 42 minutes - 29.6 MB

Jay Jacobs,  Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont, shares a journey that starts with love at first sight (not only with college enrollment as a career but with a higher ed partner) and continues with a rapid ascent in the profession built through intentional career steps (College of New Jersey, Colgate, UChicago Booth School, U of Miami) including a life-changing caravan with three kids under age 3 up I-95 in the middle of winter and the middle of a pandemic. ...

Susana Briscoe-Alba

February 28, 2022 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MB

Susana Briscoe-Alba,  Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Mount St. Mary College in New York and founder of the Grit and Purpose Academy shares a story about the journey from a time in her life of being someone not wanting to be heard to someone setting a course for leaders to create environments where everyone can be made to feel seen, valued, and heard. Special shout out to ALP alumna, Jennielle Strother, whom Susana met through the podcast. To take Susana's LinkedIn survey, which we...

Dan Lugo

February 14, 2022 11:00 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MB

Dan Lugo,  President of Queens University of Charlotte, who started his higher ed career in admissions at Carleton College (his alma mater), presents a master class in leadership with lessons too many to list here, but here's a sample: "If you're going to maximize what you're going to do in life you have to experience failure ... and invite it." Oh ... this episode is filled with more, so much more. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Fight the Power by Public Enemy (and, as if Dan weren't cool ...

Mike Marshall

January 17, 2022 11:00 - 47 minutes - 33 MB

Dr. Michael Marshall,  Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communication at Bellarmine University, continues the streak of people Ken would love to work with (or for) someday, sharing great advice in bundles of three, like: the 3 Ps and 3 questions an enrollment leader must keep in mind; the 3 things he has kept in mind on his own leadership journey; and the 3 essentials for thriving. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Encore by Jay Z Best recent read: The Campus Color Line: College Pr...

Nikki Kāhealani Chun

January 10, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 42.4 MB

Nikki Kāhealani Chun, the inaugural Vice President for Enrollment Management at University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, shares the power of "talk story sessions" with her new team, the three essential questions to truly see the people you lead, and geographic agnosticism. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Respect by Aretha Franklin Best recent read: An article on equitable approaches to student financial aid Eager to read next: Reflections of her sessions with staff that she describes early in the sh...

Thom Golden

December 06, 2021 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.3 MB

Thom Golden, Founder & CEO of Golden Educational Consulting, shares the story of his journey from college admission work to higher-ed adjacent work to launching his own college consulting firm centered around "whole student scheduling."   The episode focuses on "purposeful unrest," the path not taken, and watershed moments, and includes great insights no matter where around the desk your seat is located. Whole Student Scheduling 100 Cups Academy Napier Executive Search Atomic Habits by J...

Eric Hoover

November 22, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 43.4 MB

Eric Hoover, Senior Writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, shares  stories about how his stories have come to be, why empathy is his North Star, and why writing about college admission is like writing about the meaning of life. We discuss some of his stories, including: A University in Texas Promised Full Scholarships to Dozens of Nepalese Students. Months Later, It Revoked the Offer. (April 2018) The Second Chance Club. Inside a Semester of Remedial English (March 2013) The Most ...

Alexander Clark

November 08, 2021 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MB

Alexander Clark, Founder & CEO of Technolutions (the folks behind Slate), shares the origin story of the CRM that changed the higher ed landscape, as well as the things he has learned along a journey that started with his first entrepreneurial venture ... in fifth grade. Bonus fun: learn about the freedom and flexibility of halcyon days. This episode is brought to you by RHB, which has been providing enrollment, marketing, CRM and organizational solutions for more than 300 institutions arou...

Liz Gross

November 01, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MB

Liz Gross, Founder & CEO of Campus Sonar, and the author of The Higher Ed Social Listening Handbook and Fundamentals of Social Media Strategy: A Guide for College Campuses, kicks off Season 5 of The ALP with an episode loaded with great advice about leadership and entrepreneurship, including the importance of a clear work philosophy, learning organizations, compensation strategies, and equity ... also on why one can do great things in 40(ish) hours a week. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Lik...

Ronné Turner

June 14, 2021 10:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Ronné Turner, Vice Provost of Admissions & Financial Aid at Washington University of St. Louis and president of the College Board, speaks about the power of collaboration, and what happens when you put smart people together, use data, and put students at the center of your work. Shoutouts abound in this episode, including to Jane Brown, Sharon Alston, Linda Clement, Philomena Mantella, Lori White, Holden Thorp and Adele Brumfield. Check out CocaBiz in St. Louis, which ran Ronné's teams des...

Stefanie Niles

June 07, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MB

Stefanie Niles, Vice President for Enrollment and Communications at Ohio Wesleyan University and past-past president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, shares wisdom about how we choose to make time for the things we make priorities in our lives ... also, this episode continues our streak of podcast puppers (this time it's Dexter and Titan). Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Raise your Glass by Pink Best recent read: Beyond Implicit Bias by her fellow doctoral classm...

Janet Marling

May 24, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutes - 35.8 MB

Janet Marling, Executive Director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students and Associate Professor of Education at the University of North Georgia, offers a masterclass in practical ways of being a transfer champion at your institution. Learn about three essential leadership qualities ... and the power of a Chiweenie. Learn how to make your college's website transfer friendly by using the NISTS Transfer Website Strategy Guide. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  High Hopes by...

Joan Liu

May 10, 2021 10:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MB

Joan Liu, University Advisor at United World College of Southeast Asia in Singapore, joins Ken to share her multi-continental leadership journey, including the powerful story of how she and her colleagues in the Nepal Justice League helped find college homes for dozens of Nepalese students whose scholarships were revoked by the University of Texas at Tyler in mid April, 2018.  Learn more about Joan's superpowers, including why, when something is not a definitive yes, it's a definitive no. S...

Joy St. John

April 26, 2021 10:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MB

Joy St. John, Dean of Admission & Financial Aid at Wellesley College, joins Ken for a conversation that could also have been featured on Guy Raz's "How I Built This" when she describes how she and her colleagues essentially built an admission office from scratch. Get out whatever you write your notes with, because Joy drops great advice all through the episode. Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Just Fine , Mary J. Blige Best recent read: The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes...

Peaches Valdes

January 08, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MB

Peaches Valdes, Dean of Admission at Hamilton College, joins Ken for a conversation that spans everything from taking the path less taken and the importance of having a board of mentors, to the magic of super soft stationery and storytelling without notes. Much hilarity ensues. Alternative episode title: "Paths, Pearls, Pickups, Pens, and Paper."  Rapid Descent Walkout song:  Tilted , Christine and the Queens Best recent read: The Farm: A Novel by Joanne Ramos Eager to read next: A Pro...

Nancy Beane

January 01, 2021 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MB

You can hear it in my giddy voice when I start the intro for this episode, where Nancy Beane, recently retired associate director of college counseling at The Westminster Schools, and former NACAC president, reflects on her career and all the people who have inspired and lifted her along the way. Come for the inspiration, stay for the history lesson. Shout-outs ... consider it Nancy's thank you's for her Lifetime Achievement Award Juan Acosta; Lee Ann Afton Backlund; Stephanie Balmer; Marie...

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