In order to help meet its growth goals, the University of Houston-Victoria has created a new executive position focused on enrollment, and the community is invited to meet the four final candidates in a series of open forums.
From Tuesday to Friday, UHV will host public forums to allow the community to see presentations and ask questions of the four candidates for the position of vice president for enrollment management. The forums will be from 2 to 2:45 p.m. in UHV University North Room 111 with an overflow room in UHV University Center Room 303, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The forums also will be recorded and posted online for those who are unable to attend.
The candidates are Therese Grimes, associate vice president of enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown; Jose Cantu, vice president of strategic partnerships at New Reach Media based in San Antonio; Joseph Kulhanek, associate vice provost for strategic enrollment at the University of Texas at San Antonio; and Manicia Finch, associate vice-chancellor for enrollment management at Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, La. In addition to the open forums, candidates will meet with UHV administrators, faculty and staff, students and the university’s executive committee.
“UHV has tremendous potential for growth, but, that potential has to be harnessed,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “We have to do a better job of connecting our programs with the students who need them but may not be aware that we have what they are looking for. The future of the institution lies in growing our academic inventory by adding new initiatives that serve our region. But that future will not simply appear, it has to be nurtured through hard work. The new vice president for enrollment management will be the person who does that work.”
During the forums, candidates will give a 20- to 25-minute presentation about their approach to higher education and enrollment management. Afterward, community members will have an opportunity to ask questions. Each forum will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. An online survey will be provided after the open forums, allowing attendees to share their input with President Glenn.
Aug. 13 – Grimes began her career with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2012 as the director of recruitment and moved into her current role in 2013. At the university, she leads the admissions and financial aid teams and is a key member of the executive marketing team for the university. Grimes launched successful recruitment and marketing campaigns that led to record enrollment years for the Johnstown campus.
Aug. 14 – Cantu brings 24 years of higher education experience in strategic enrollment management. He currently provides professional expertise in building enrollment marketing campaigns and dashboard models for universities across the nation. Much of his work was focused in developing and spearheading several strategic enrollment plans, marketing and communication campaigns, partnership development, budgeting, and new student programming.
Aug. 15 – Kulhanek has 14-plus years of secondary experience and more than 10 years of postsecondary senior-level management and teaching experience. This includes extensive experience with the development and management of student success and enrollment initiatives, such as grant programming; implementation of federal, state and university policies; design and implementation of assessment metrics; and improvement of campus culture.
Aug. 16 – Finch’s roles in higher education have included director of Admission & Recruiting, assistant director of Admission & Recruiting, admission counselor, recruiter and regional alumni recruiter at private and public colleges and universities in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. In her position at Southern University, she is responsible for access and retention, specifically, the admission, recruitment, financial aid, matriculation and graduation of a diverse student population.
When searching for the university’s new vice president for enrollment management, the search committee was looking for candidates who can lead a large and complex enrollment management office and has the ability to recruit students and understand the recruitment process, said Jesse Pisors, UHV vice president for advancement and external relations, and chair of the search committee.
“I am grateful to my fellow search committee members for their hard work and to Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc., for finding such a high-quality pool of applicants,” Pisors said. “The four final candidates are strong contenders with expertise that can be a major benefit to UHV. I look forward to seeing their presentations and learning more about them.”
For more information about the forums and the candidates or to view the recorded forums, go to www.uhv.edu/jobs-at-uhv/vp-of-enrollment-management.