Conferences
2024 NACAC Annual Conference
About this event
Once again the MARKETview team will be attending the annual National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 26 – 28, 2024.
We are excited to connect with the top leaders in college enrollment to share ideas, insights, best practices and resources. Please join us for our presentations and schedule some time to meet with us in Los Angeles!
Thursday, September 26
1:30 p.m.Reflections from our First Post-SFFA Admission CycleThe impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action changed the ground rules of enrollment. Without the ability to consider race in the admission process, campuses with diversity goals are placing an even higher premium on building more diverse applicant pools. In addition, they are making the necessary investments to encourage yield among the groups they wish to enroll. Hear from leaders of four highly mission-oriented institutions: Boston University, Santa Clara University, Texas Christian University, and University of Dayton as they reflect on their experiences championing diversity at their respective campuses in this new era. Each panelist will discuss how they navigated the first admission cycle post-SCOTUS and invite a conversation around the continued work that must be done to ensure their missions can be fulfilled.
Presenters
Heath EinsteinVice Provost for Enrollment Management, Texas Christian University
Donnell WigginsAssociate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and Dean of Admission, University of Dayton
Eva Blanco MasiasVice President for Enrollment Management, Santa Clara UniversityFriday, September 27
9:15 a.m.The Future of Test-Optional: Creating a Measurable and Mission-Driven Case For Your Testing PolicyTest-optional policies existed long before the onset of COVID-19, but the pandemic inspired rapid adoption. And some schools like the University of San Diego took it a step further, adopting a test-free policy, prohibiting the consideration of test scores when making an admission decision. As we return to pre-pandemic norms, campus leaders must evaluate whether their testing policy still supports their strategic direction and mission. To do this, they must have clear measurements of the success of their current policy. In this session, hear from three experts about the proactive steps they’re taking to prepare for conversations about the future of testing requirements (or lack thereof) at their respective institutions. Specifically, Chapman University’s Marcela Mejia-Martinez will discuss what the data tells us about students who submit a test score versus those who do not. Jason Hale will reveal findings from Texas Tech University’s research on test-optional policies and their connection to courses taken, hours completed, retention, and performance. You’ll also hear from Stephen Pultz about the positive impact its test-free policy had on enrollment and retention of underrepresented minority students.
Presenters
Stephen PultzAssistant Vice President for Enrollment, University of San Diego
Marcela Mejia-MartinezAssistant Vice President of Admissions, Chapman University
Jason HaleAssistant Vice President of Enrollment Management & Executive Director of UG Admissions, Texas Tech UniversityFriday, September 27
9:15 a.m.Academic Interests are Shifting: New Strategies for Enrolling the Right Students for the Right Programs at the Right Price PointAligning program offerings with students’ changing academic interests is imperative to meeting enrollment, revenue, and retention goals. For campus leaders to make decisions about expanding academic programs, they must first understand how academic interests are evolving, not just on their own campus, but across the market. Informed by both market data and data specific to each presenter’s campus, this session will highlight which academic interests garner the greatest (and least) net tuition revenue, how income profiles of enrolling students vary by program of study, and what enrollment leaders can do today to meet the evolving interests of the next generation of college students. During this session, Matt López will share the cutting-edge data and strategies he uses to find right-fit students for the more than 800 undergraduate and graduate degrees, minors, and certificates offered at Arizona State University, the largest university in the United States. Additionally, James Miller of Seattle University will share a private institution’s perspective on revenue and retention’s connection to academic interests, and Washington State University’s Michelle Lewis will lead a discussion around staying competitive through academic program expansion.
Presenters
Matt LópezDeputy Vice President, Academic Enterprise Enrollment, Arizona State University
James MillerAssociate Provost for Enrollment Management Dean of Admissions, Seattle University
Michelle LewisAssociate Vice President – New Student Enrollment, Washington State UniversitySaturday, September 28
9:30 a.m.The Changing Pell Landscape: Who Benefited Most – Schools or Families?With the Pell population being a highly sought-after group for achieving a variety of institutional goals – increasing diversity, creating greater opportunity for first-generation students, climbing in rankings, and more – colleges and universities are quickly evolving to expand access for lower-income students. In this session, we’ll explore how a group of diverse campuses have had success recruiting, enrolling, retaining, and graduating Pell-eligible students. This includes how Bellarmine University has evolved their enrollment and aid strategies to appeal to these students in preparation for the impending demographic shift. Additionally, we’ll assess the impact of the Better FAFSA’s expansion of Pell grants, discuss some new strategies Missouri State University is using to identify and serve these students, and provide an early preview of research on low-income students conducted by Mount Saint Mary’s University to understand their consumptive habits, psychographic characteristics, and motivations for going to and choosing a college.
Presenters
Susan DilenoVice President for Enrollment Management, Mount Saint Mary's University
Matt MagruderAssociate Director/Interim Director of Admissions, Missouri State University
Lauren KeelingInterim Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Communication, Bellarmine UniversitySaturday, September 28
11:00 a.m.Establishing a Data Playbook: The VPEM’s Guide to Succeeding at a New InstitutionIt’s no easy task to step into a new VPEM role. Whether it’s your first time in the position or you have past experience at a previous institution, the learning curve can be monumental and overwhelming from a variety of perspectives. However, taking an analytical approach is a proven way to streamline the transition. Hear from a panel of leaders who have been at their current campuses for only one cycle to gain insights on how they navigated their first year, including how they’re leveraging data to quickly understand their students, their markets, and where their biggest opportunities exist. Featured speakers include Monica Ingram from Seattle University, Evelyn Thimba from American University, Emily Roper-Doten from Clark University, and Mark Steinlage, Jr. from Rockhurst University, who will share their formulas for success when stepping into the challenging VPEM role.
Presenters
Emily Roper-DotenVice President for Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Assistance, Clark University
Monica IngramVice Provost for Enrollment Management, Seattle University
Mark SteinlageVice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Rockhurst University
Evelyn ThimbaVice President of Undergraduate Enrollment Management, American UniversityWill you be attending?
Get in touch with John Nester, Alex White, Anna Swanson, Jim Day, Buni Neighbors, Jackie Stoneburner, or Peter Farrell to set up some time to discuss your institution’s data – we’d love to show you a preview of how your school stacks up to the nation!
Questions?
For questions or to request more information about MARKETview’s attendance at NACAC, please contact us.