ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast
86 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 45 ratingsKen 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
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Episodes
Joy St. John
April 26, 2021 10:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MBJoy 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 MBPeaches 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 MBYou 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...
Gil Villaneuva
December 18, 2020 10:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBGil Villaneuva, Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission at the University of Richmond and former board chair of The Common Application, joins Ken to discuss horror movies, dogs, and maybe a few things (OK, more than a few things) about higher ed leadership, including the joy of working for ambitious institutions ... also SPAM and fried rice. Shout-outs Nancy Tessier his former boss at University of Richmond (now at Art & Science Group) Pat Coleman, his former boss at Harvey Mudd (now...
Gil Villanueva
December 18, 2020 10:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBGil Villaneuva, Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission at the University of Richmond and former board chair of The Common Application, joins Ken to discuss horror movies, dogs, and maybe a few things (OK, more than a few things) about higher ed leadership, including the joy of working for ambitious institutions ... also SPAM and fried rice. Shout-outs Nancy Tessier his former boss at University of Richmond (now at Art & Science Group) Pat Coleman, his former boss at Harvey Mudd (now...
DJ Menifee
December 11, 2020 10:00 - 54 minutes - 37.2 MBDJ Menifee, Vice President for Enrollment at Susquehanna University and member of NACAC's board of directors, shares the stories about his rapid ascent to higher ed leadership ... and, perhaps just as important, deconstructs the construction of a perfect PBJ with Ken. This quote from DJ (borrowed from Kobe Bryant): "If you want to be the best, you've got to sacrifice something." Shout-outs Lori Greene (Butler U; mentor to DJ) Bill Sliwa (who hired him into the profession at Lees-McRae) An...
Adrienne Amador Oddi
November 13, 2020 05:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBAdrienne Amador Oddi, Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, shares her story, which may overlap with many other ALP alumni, but is very much her own. Learn how a swimmer's mindset is perfectly adaptable to leadership in admissions & financial aid. Also math. This quote from Adrienne Amador Oddi: "We take the steps to build community. And when we get tired, the beauty of community is that somebody else can keep us going, and then, when our energy is restored,...
Eva Blanco Masias
November 06, 2020 10:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MBEva Blanco Masias, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Santa Clara University, shares her story, including how a significant national crisis 19 years ago led her to leave a highly successful career to jump into the admissions and enrollment world. Shout-outs Rod Skinner (and his mother, Mrs. Skinner) Mike Sexton Sandra Hayes Charlie Nolan Patrick Lorenzo Rapid Descent Walkout song: Mi Gente by J Balvin, Willy William ft. Beyoncé Best recent read: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram...
Four Peaks
October 30, 2020 09:00 - 5 minutes - 3.99 MBKen shares four things to carry you into and through a Halloween/Nov. 1/pre-Election Day weekend. Full episode with new guests drops next week. Peak 1: The Keep Going Song a joyful ear worm Peak 2: "What's at Stake for College Admission in this Election?" by Angel Perez Peak 3: "Election Stress Getting to You? 4 Ways to Keep Calm" Peak 4: Wild Geese by Mary Oliver The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment
Jenny Rickard
October 22, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 47.1 MBJenny Rickard, President and CEO of CommonApp, climbs a veritable mountain range on this episode of the ALP. Learn about a journey that's part dream, part serendipity and all dedication as you hear Jenny share what she's learned along the way, and what has driven her from the start. Rapid Descent Walkout song: While You See a Chance by Steve Winwood Best recent read: Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom Eager to read next: ...
David Hawkins
October 16, 2020 09:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBWhat do a growling beagle, Andrew Cuomo, the Green Bay Packers, shoe leather and good ideas have in common? Find out in this fun and wide-ranging interview with David Hawkins, Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy at the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Total Football by Parquet Courts Best recent read: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois Eager to read next: Mostly Harmless (The 5th book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to...
Corey Johnson
October 09, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBKen learns why dynamic kindness is more important than "success" in his chat with Corey Johnson, founder of Imagine Scholar, based in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga province, in South Africa. Imagine Scholar is "founded on the belief that there is an equal distribution of raw potential in every pocket of the world. Our mission is to equip young leaders with the integrity, skills, and mindsets they need to shape a world they can be proud of." Many thanks to Laura Kaub (whose name somehow ...
Rachelle Hernandez
October 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 43.3 MBKen kicks off Season 3 with Rachelle Hernandez, Senior Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Student Success at the University of Texas at Austin. Learn why you may be able to go fast alone, but you'll always go far together—a theme of this podcast—and how doing right by students will always mean doing right by your institution. Ken also learns that the last thing you need is a pen exploding on you. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Hall of Fame by The Script (feat. will.i.am) Best recent ...
Maria Furtado
May 22, 2020 10:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBKen chats with Maria Furtado, Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives, which is dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. Maria shares the origin story of Admissions Aerobics (it's real and it's magic), as well as lessons she's learned along the way as a former director of admission herself. Special shout-out to Marty O'Connell and Virginia Buege two of the big brains behind the birth of Colleges That Change Lives. Rapid Descent Walko...
Darryl Uy
May 15, 2020 10:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBKen chats with Darryl Uy, director of admission at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. \In the episode Darryl illustrates the joys and advantages of being the director instead of the VP or dean, and how majoring in theater is the perfect prep for being an admission director. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Don't Give Up on Me by Andy Grammer and Broken & Beautiful by Kelly Clarkson Best recent read: The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman Eager to read next: This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Fra...
May 1, Then and Now
May 01, 2020 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.07 MBKen chats with—well—himself. No the quarantine isn't going that badly for him, but it seems like May 1 is a good day to pause and reflect on our previous expectations for—and now the new reality of—The Big Day. Shameless cross-promotion: Why Do We Do This? an article I published almost a year ago about the challenges and the gifts that come with the work of college admission counseling. The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment
Patrick O'Connor
April 24, 2020 04:00 - 55 minutes - 38.4 MBKen chats with Patrick O'Connor, associate dean of college counseling at Cranbrook Schools and author of College Is Yours 2.0: Preparing, Applying, and Paying For Colleges Perfect For You. A frequent publisher of articles in the Huffington Post and elsewhere, Patrick is a strong advocate for college access (he's the chair of the Michigan College Access Network) with a long record of working with legislators to support college counseling. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desir...
Jennifer Delahunty
April 03, 2020 15:00 - 48 minutes - 33.1 MBKen chats with Jennifer Delahunty, a self-described "accidental admissions officer, a humanoid and admissions gig worker. The former enrollment chief at Kenyon College and a perpetually gifted writer, Jennifer shares her views on how we can make the admissions world for students better than it is right now, and how our current disruption may be the perfect opportunity for nimble, creative, and humble leaders to bring all hands on deck to do so. Rapid Descent Walkout song: It's the End of t...
Mary Beth Petrie
March 27, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MBKen chats with Mary Beth Petrie, Dean of Admissions at Lawrence University (who works just two doors down from Ken). Beth reminds Ken what snowstorms can teach admissions folks about coping with pandemics, how to keep a team healthy in the midst of chaos, and, in an unusual twist, switches the typical ending of the ALP, much to Ken's surprise. Many thanks to Rick Bailey and Sam Waterson of RHB for sharing their advice during this episode about how we can "imagine voraciously" during this t...
Tony Sarda
March 20, 2020 22:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBKen chats with Tony Sarda, Director of Recruitment for Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Some are called to serve with a whisper, others with a boom of thunder... in the case of Tony, it was both. Learn about the importance of being open to grace, and giving grace... and why it's really hard to be whay you cannot see. Rapid Descent Walkout song: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda (from the best scene in Kill Bill Vol. 1) and Lose Yourself by Eminem. Best recent read: Why...
Jon Boeckenstedt
February 18, 2020 12:00 - 59 minutes - 41.1 MBKen chats with Jon Boeckenstedt, vice provost for enrollment at Oregon State University, and the mind behind Higher Ed Data Stories, a treasure trove of data-driven (and data-visualized) observations about the state of higher ed. Jon shares some views about his recent career move as well as surprises about his reading and writing habits, as well as the unusual upside of the imposter syndrome. Shout-outs & Links A couple of other places to get your Boeckenfix: jonboeckenstedt.net and Out He...
Carmen Lopez
February 06, 2020 12:00 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBKen learns why "leadership is motion" with Carmen Lopez, Executive Director of College Horizons, a national educational non-profit serving American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Hawaiian Native students in their transition to college and graduate school. Shout-outs & Links Claudio Sanchez's NPR story on College Horizons recorded at Lawrence University: How Native Students Can Succeed in College: "Be As Tough As the Land That Made You" Shout-outs to: Whitney Laughlin (founder of College Hor...
Akil Bello
January 24, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 38.1 MBKen chats with Akil Bello, founder of Bell Curves, who shares his views on higher ed and some news about a new professional adventure that fits perfectly with his leadership in matters around standardized testing. (And if you haven't read his writings on his website, Bellowings, you should give it a go.) Shout-outs & Links Akil's presentation on entrepreneurship at the Harlem Business Alliance. An investigative report on whether Alex Bello is, in fact, Marlon Jackson's son, as referenced/...
Reflections on Season One
November 07, 2019 11:00 - 2 minutes - 1.72 MBWith 10 episodes in the books, we've come to the end of season one. (There will be a season two... coming soon.) There are many more guests lined up for next season, but if you have suggestions of folks you'd love to hear on the podcast, let me know via email or Twitter. In the meantime, if you're looking for walkout songs, you'll find the Admissions Leadership Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. And if you're looking for that next good read, the right notebook, or a pen that allows you ...
Emmi Harward
October 31, 2019 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MBKen chats with Emmi Harward, Executive Director at the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). Together they explore alternate universes (including one where Emmi is a Supreme Court justice/former U.S. President) as well as a pro tip for getting the first win of the day before you even get out of bed. Shout-outs & Links Terry Cowdrey, who hired Emmi into her first admissions gig at Vanderbilt. Marie Bigham... yes THAT Marie Bigham. Briana Barkin, Lawrence Unive...
Liz Cheron
October 24, 2019 10:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBKen chats with Liz Cheron, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Northeastern University, and former chair of NACAC's Admission Practices Committee. Liz shares a ton of great insights, including integrating design thinking into work, mastery of 24-hour trips to the West Coast and back, and why "admissions leadership and motherhood are not mutually exclusive." Also, there is a reference to a duck. Shout-outs & Links David Burge, former NACAC presiden...
Cornell LeSane
October 17, 2019 10:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBKen chats with Cornell LeSane, Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions at Allegheny College (Meadville, PA), and newly elected NACAC board director. We learn what a higher ed, a croquet match, and Downton Abbey have to do with each other, and also why you never turn around in racquetball. Shout-outs & Links Nancy Beane and Ellen Deitrich, who "voluntold" Cornell to run for NACAC board. Mike Steidel, Dean of Admission at Carnegie Mellon Bill Elliot, VP emeritus at Carnegie Me...
Heath Einstein
October 10, 2019 10:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MBKen chats with Heath Einstein, Dean of Admission at TCU about his circuitous journey to his current role, and learns the power of working as hard in your personal life as you do in your work life. Shout-outs & Links Former George Washington U colleagues Rhonda Leshman and Rafi Blumenthal. Jan Goldstein, formerly of Solomon Schechter in Long Island who referred him to his first counseling gig at Solomon Schechter in Westchester. Carol Wasden, who hired Heath at Hockaday Ray Brown, Ken'...
Suzanne Lepley
October 03, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBKen chats with Suzanne Lepley, Interim Dean of Admission at Kalamazoo College, and learns the power of positivity and sweating out stress, as well as what cookies have to do with good interview questions. Shout-outs & Links Colleges That Change Lives—"Any group that works in higher ed together has more power than any individual institution for the betterment of higher education." Jeff Rickey, former enrollment chief at Earlham College who was an early mentor to Suzanne Marty O'Connell—f...
Interlude: The NACAC conference, etc.
September 26, 2019 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.65 MBKen's all by himself at the ALP studio, getting ready for the NACAC conference... as well as what comes after the big vote at the conference. We'll have new episodes again after the conference, but for now, you can enjoy a few additions to the ALP media empire (he says ironically): ALP: The Admissions Leadership Playlist Walkout songs of all ALP guests are available on Apple Music and Spotify playlists. Also, you can find a list of good reads and nifty things on Amazon. The ALP is suppor...
Todd Rinehart
September 19, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBKen chats with Todd Rinehart, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment at the University of Denver, former chair of NACAC's Admission Practices Committee, and candidate for NACAC president. Shout-outs & Links Roger Campbell—Admission Dean Emeritus at University of Denver, and one of Todd's mentors. (passed away in 2009) Tom Willoughby—Vice Chancellor Emeritus at University of Denver and Todd's longtime colleague Nancy Beane—Associate Director of College Counseling at the Westminster Schools and fo...
Marie Bigham
September 12, 2019 10:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBKen chats with Marie Bigham, founder and co-leader at ACCEPT: Admissions Community Cultivating Equity & Peace Today, and one of the masterminds behind Hack the Gates, whose goal is to "Radically Reimagine Admissions." Learn about the power of learning, listening, enjoying the ride—and also how Pearl Jam, Prince, Self-Care Sundays, and carrying a file folder confidently can make all the difference. Shout-outs Nanette Tarbouni—former director of admissions and Marie's boss at Washington Univ...
Rick Clark
September 05, 2019 10:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBKen chats with Rick Clark (Twitter, LinkedIn), Director of Undergraduate Admission at Georgia Tech and the voice behind the Georgia Tech Admission Blog. Learn about the power of a midnight run, what an English Premiere League soccer player has to do with a rising admission staffer, and where he and his team get their best ideas for staff engagement and renewal. Links and lists The Truth About College Admission by Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard (published by Johns Hopkins University Press, ...
Jennielle Strother
August 29, 2019 12:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBKen chats with Jennielle Strother (Twitter, LinkedIn), VP for Enrollment Management and Chief Enrollment Officer at Concordia University Texas. Learn the origin story of #EMchat, which she co-founded with Alex Williams, as well as the way she approaches her daily work... and why "pressure is a privilege." Links and lists "Pressure is a privilege" (Pep Guardiola) which Jennielle heard while watching All or Nothing—Manchester City. As Jennielle says, "I was watching the show with my husband ...
Angel Pérez
August 22, 2019 11:00 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBKen chats with Angel Pérez, VP for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College (CT). This interview took place just a couple of days after Angel published his article, What Is a Chief Enrollment Officer? which gave them a perfect launching point for the conversation. Other links and lists: Angel's 2009 John B. Muir Award-winning article: Struggling Between Two Worlds: How College Affects Identity Construction (NACAC Journal, Winter 2008) Rapid Descent Angel's walkout song: We Are t...
Trailer
August 18, 2019 20:00 - 1 minute - 1.14 MBHost Ken Anselment previews the ALP, a series of one-on-one conversations with college admissions leaders about their journeys. 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? Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment