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 their interpretations of the rulings, and what the future might hold.Art provides helpful advice on thoughtful design around scholarships and financial aid programs as well as broader recruitment initiatives, while calling for colleges to use a lens shaped by "a design associated with the DEI goals ... that drive their mission."Read: EducationCounsel's Preliminary Guidance Regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's Decision in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC. (with ongoing updates)Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout sons: Special by LizzoBest recent read: Campus Economics: How Economic Thinking Can Help Improve College and University Decisions by Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson, a gift from Sam Waterson at RHB.Eager to read next: "I have to finish that one."Favorite podcast: Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro ChildrenFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: Anything with brunch ... with a mimosa on the sideWhat she uses to take and keep notes: old fashioned pen and legal pad, and EvernoteMemorable bit of advice: there are actually three (1) We are always called to serve. (2) When you're in a position of leadership, be mindful of what you say, because what you say carries authority. (3) Every time you go to a meeting, it's a like a zoo: everybody brings their own monkey. Your job is to not leave with anybody else's monkeys.Bucket list: Write a book.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 for, and who can lay claim to being the pizza king of the Quad Cities.Rapid DescentWalkout songs: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Lorde covering the original Tears for FearsBest recent read: They Said This Would be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up by Eternity MartisEager to read next: The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges by Nathan Chapel, Brian Crimmins, and Michael AshleyFavorite podcast: Marketplace Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: PizzaWhat he uses to take and keep notes: sticky notes and notecards stuffed into an ever-expanding green folderMemorable bit of advice: When his uncle (college admission giant Delwin Gustafson) asked him if he was ready to see the dirty underbelly of his alma mater [as an admissions professional].Bucket list: To take a nice long week's vacation with his life partner, Jenny.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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?NotesAugsburg Applies to YouPower of You program (Augsburg partnership with Minneapolis Community and Technical College and Saint Paul College)John Doerr's Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).Harriet Tubman Effect InstituteNicole Johnson, creator of EDIFY, "a 5 step dismantling systemic oppression program that is designed to shift culture in institutions, schools and artistic organizations."Wise Mind The Power of Forgiveness—MinneapolisRapid DescentWalkout songs: "anything by Bobby Sanchez, like Changing Landscapes ..."Best recent read: Forgive For Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness by Frederic Luskin, and Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr.Eager to read next: Irish Untold HistoryFavorite podcast: Edify Justice Advocates Podcast Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Dark roast decaf coffee and vegetable juiceWhat he uses to take and keep notes: Rhodia Notebook Memorable bit of advice: Life is a balance of holding on and letting go —RumiBucket list: "I would like the entire system of admissions in higher education to be changed."Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 DescentWalkout songs: Redbone by Childish GambinoBest recent read: Atomic Habits, by James Clear and Office Optional: How to Build a Connected Culture with Virtual Teams, by Larry EnglishEager to read next: Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, by Michelle ZaunerFavorite podcast: Chasing Scratch | The Rights to Ricky Sanchez: The Sixers PodcastFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: Indian food, especially a mean chicken curry.What he uses to take and keep notes: iPad and Apple PencilMemorable bit of advice: "Keep your head down and get your sh*t done."Bucket list: Play golf at Saint Andrews.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 DescentWalkout songs: Believe by Mumford & SonsBest recent read/eager to read next: Coherence by Rick BaileyFavorite podcast: Up First | Smartless | Wiser Than MeFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: Squash casserole (It's better than it sounds).What he uses to take and keep notes: Old school pen and notebookMemorable bit of advice: "Follow your nose."Bucket list: Already checked it off in 2019: working for the Semester at Sea program, spending 4 months with her family and a bunch of students on a boat sailing around the world.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 DescentWalkout songs: Eye of the Tiger by SurvivorBest recent read: A Profession on the Edge by Eric HooverEager to read next: "the next thing to come into my inbox" Favorite podcast: Best Podcast in Baseball (much to the chagrin of Ken, a lifelong Milwaukee Brewers fan, it's about the St. Louis Cardinals)Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Grilling out is his jam, especially potato, onion, peppers and butter in foil.What he uses to take and keep notes: old fashioned notebook and Post-Its.Memorable bit of advice: "Focus on the positive."Bucket list: To be working for a college that gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament while he is the VP for Enrollment.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.Many thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 DescentWalkout songs: Dirt Road Anthem by Jason AldeanBest 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 Carey D. LohrenzEager to read next: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain Favorite podcast: Hacking Your LeadershipFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: Chicken ParmesanWhat he uses to take and keep notes: Post-It Notes.Memorable bit of advice: "Success is when you leave something better than when you found it."Bucket list: Play the Old Course at St. Andrews with his father, who taught him how to golf when he was three. (Close second: finish his doctoral program.)Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 arranged by Ryan AnselmentThank you to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

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 DescentWalkout songs: You Time by Scotty McCreeryBest recent read: Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and Turn Excuses into Results, by Cy WakemanEager to read next: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip and Dan HeathFavorite podcast: The Hank Haney PodcastFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: "For everyone's safety, I don't."What she uses to take and keep notes: iPad.Memorable bit of advice: "It's times maybe when I've lost where I've learned the most. So don't be afraid to lose. And learn from those losses." — John KlockentagerBucket list: Retirement.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout songs:  Big Poppa by the Notorious B.I.G. and Sumthin' Sumthin' by MaxwellBest recent read: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard RothsteinEager to read next: Stealing Home: Los Angeles, The Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between  by Eric NusbaumFavorite podcast: The 2 Robbies with Robbie Mustoe and Robbie EarleFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: PB&J, BLT, and/or Chicken ParmesanWhat he uses to take and keep notes: paper and pen (but, to be clear, it's a fountain pen).Memorable bit of advice: "If you're going to hoot with the owls, you better know how to crow with the roosters."Bucket list: Travel to South Africa.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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, Creighton's Vice President for Enrollment Management.Although there is no Rapid Descent with the Creighton University team, Charisse identified Industry Baby by Lil Nas X (feat. Jack Harlow) as their walkout song.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout song:  Know Your Enemy by Green DayBest recent read: The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions by Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-BrownEager to read next: Campus Economics: How Economic Thinking Can Help Improve College and University Decisions by Sandy Baum and Michael McPhersonFavorite podcast(s): The Truth About College Admission, the  new podcast by Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard. Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Crab boilWhat he uses to take and keep notes: leather-bound notebook stuffed with Post-it notes.Memorable bit of advice: No-one owns the university loyalty.Bucket list: Write a book about college admission.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout song:  Before I Let Go by Frankie Beverly and MazeBest recent read: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan CainEager to read next: Managing the Whole Student Life Cycle: A Handbook for Higher Ed by Paul MathersFavorite podcast(s): The ALP and Enrollment Edge Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Grilling BBQ pork ribsWhat he uses to take and keep notes: Legal padMemorable bit of advice: "Be in control of the outcomes through your daily decisions."Bucket list: "Travel to the continent of Africa to visit the tribe/tribes my family originated from."Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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. Rapid DescentWalkout song:  Got to Give it Up  by Marvin Gaye (Tim); U Don't Know by Jay-Z (Shereem)Best recent read: Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman (Tim); Women Talk Money: Breaking the Taboo by Rebecca Walker (Shereem)Eager to read next: The Shape of the River by William Bowen and Derek Book (Shereem): "I'll be reading a book a day [during application reading season at Emory]" (Tim)Favorite podcast(s): How I Built This (Shereem); Earn Your Leisure (Tim)Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Enchiladas (Tim); "Mean chocolate waffles" (Shereem)What he uses to take and keep notes: Mohawk journals (Tim); "I'm a paper guy" (Shereem) Memorable bit of advice: "Life isn't fair; fair is a place where they judge pigs." (Tim); "Do hard things." (Shereem)Bucket list: Skydiving (Tim); Taking my wife to Italy to ride on a gondola, then do a Mediterranean/Northern Africa tour—also, have an intrusive pedicure (Shereem).Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout song:  Saving Grace by Tom PettyBest recent read: In Conversation: Honoring Ideological Divides On and Off Campus (by Lisa A. Kloppenberg, Vincent D. Rougeau, and Eduardo M. Peñalver)Eager to read next: something non work, like Tom ClancyFavorite podcast(s): The Daily and Still Processing (like a warm hug and a stern lecture) New York TimesFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: "Some kind of stew or roast beef, something that takes a long time with really cheap ingredients that tastes better than the price suggests."What he uses to take and keep notes: Leuchtturm notebooks and a fountain pen Memorable bit of advice: "If it doesn't scare you a little bit, it's probably not worth doing."Bucket list: Go to Cuba.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 of Hawai'i at Manoa.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 DescentWalkout song:  Roar by Katy Perry and Vivir Mi Vida by Marc AnthonyBest recent read: On Managing Yourself by Harvard Business ReviewEager to read next: The Midnight Library by Matt HaigFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: Arroz con gandulesWhat he uses to take and keep notes: OneNote Memorable bit of advice: "Don't let your passion speak louder than your wisdom or you'll lose your voice."Bucket list: Go to Europe.Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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 aisles.Rapid DescentWalkout song:  Girl on Fire by Alicia KeysBest recent read: Open Book by Jessica SimpsonEager to read next: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary ChapmanFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: charcuterie boardsWhat he uses to take and keep notes: Remarkable. Memorable bit of advice: "You don't have to do everything all at once."Bucket list: Visiting Okinawa, Japan, her birthplace. Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

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