As part of restructuring, Goshen College’s admissions office has shifted in personnel and structure in the last few months.
Jeremy Pope, Lizzy Diaz, Nina Mishler, Will Velez and Dan Liechty are no longer a part of the admissions team and have been replaced. In addition, James Townsend is no longer Vice President of enrollment and marketing.
Losing Townsend’s position caused one of the biggest structural changes. Kathleen Yoder, Joel Short, Jodi Beyeler, Adela Hufford and Michael Shearer now control the position collectively. Dr. Lee Snyder, the interim provost and executive vice president, heads up this team.
The admissions office has not only lost employees, but gained new ones as well. Hans Weaver, Jacob Gunderkline, Adrianna Ortiz and Kristen Kolter are all a part of the new admissions team as enrollment counselors.
This year, the admissions office is hiring the consulting firm Noel-Levitz to help re-vamp enrollment strategies.
Weaver, enrollment counselor, explained the purpose of Noel Levitz.
He said, “What we’re using them for is identifying students through surveys that are given to high schools on students that are rated to be good matches for Goshen. They’ll also be helping us with general strategy.”
“We obviously want enrollment increase,” Weaver said, “That would be the ultimate goal. Also, refining Goshen College’s message and mission.”
Since the admissions office is quite large, it’s broken up into different teams, each focusing on unique areas. For example, there are six employees who function as enrollment counselors, each of them concentrating on a different area to boost enrollment. This team of counselors includes: Hans Weaver, East Coast; Trish Yoder, West Coast; Krystin Sleesman, international and transfer students; Kristen Kolter, athletes; Jacob Gunderkline, Regional; and Adrianna Ortiz, multicultural.
Furthermore, a number of students work in the admissions office, assisting in various ways. The call team is a group of ten students that follow up inquiries about GC with phone calls or emails; student ambassadors lead campus tours and take prospective students to lunch; and six students are admissions interns.
“Student workers are very instrumental and very important. I think that when a prospective student is approached by a current student it is easier for them to relate with them,” Weaver said. “When a prospective student is talking to an admissions counselor, they may not feel like the counselor is being fully truthful. Student workers are instrumental in recruitment.”
