Admit It, An AACRAO Podcast

College admissions isn't confusing by accident. It's confusing on purpose, and the people who built it know it. Teege Mettille spent twenty years in higher education, rising from admissions counselor to vice president of enrollment at small private colleges across the Midwest. His book, College Is Broken , draws on more than a hundred interviews with admissions counselors, deans, enrollm...

Leadership isn't just about supporting others. It's also about sustaining yourself. In this episode of Admit It , Dr. Cassandra Heath discusses the emotional demands of leadership and how leaders can empower and care for their teams while also prioritizing their own well-being. From navigating stress and uncertainty to avoiding burnout, this conversation offers practical insights for lea...

In this special live episode of Admit It , recorded at the AACRAO Annual Meeting 2026, host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with two enrollment leaders from Texas A&M University to discuss their conference session, “On the Road to Recruitment: Regional Open Houses That Bring Campus to the Community.” Joining the conversation are Laurie Castillo and Elisa Jones-Martinez , who share how Texas A&...

In this special live episode of Admit It, recorded at the AACRAO Annual Meeting 2026, host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with three leaders from University of Cincinnati to discuss their conference session, “ Beyond Silos: Aligning Admissions, Registrar, and Student Success to Transform the Student Experience. ” Joining the conversation are Dr. DeRecco Lynch, Tara Warden, and Molly McDermott , who s...

In this episode of Admit It , host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with a team from SUNY Brockport to explore their SEM Conference presentation, “Bridging Recruitment & Retention Efforts: The Emerging Scholars Program.” Joined by Dr. Sara Kelly , Vice President for Enrollment Management; Jianna Howard , Academic Success Coordinator; and Thomas Chew , Director of New Student and Transition Programs...

In this live episode of Admit It! , host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with Dr. Michael Williams , Executive Director of Strategy, Innovation, and Effectiveness at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University , to explore his SEM Conference presentation: “Re-Evaluating Program Success: A New Model for Non-Traditional Program Evaluation.” Michael dives into how institutions can rethink what “successful” prog...

In this live episode of Admit It! , host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with Dr. Alicia Kornowa , Director of Admissions at Western Michigan University , to discuss her insightful SEM Conference presentation: “A Multiple Case Study of Four-Year Public, Non-flagship Universities: Meeting Common Institutional Goals of Increased Enrollment and Academic Profile.” Dr. Kornowa shares findings from her mult...

In this live episode of Admit It!, host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with Dr. Shannon Fuhrman, Director of Training & Development at Regent University, to discuss her engaging SEM Conference presentation: “Credentialing Your Campus: Building a Culture of Learning Within Your Enrollment Team.” Shannon shares how Regent University has developed a structured credentialing model to strengthen profe...

In this live episode of Admit It!, host Dr. Alex Fronduto sits down with Jessie Richardson , Online Program Manager, and Mason Mulnix , Data Analyst, both from The University of Alabama, to explore their innovative SEM Conference presentation: “Your First Class Free: Using Tuition Grants to Increase Admit to Enrollment Conversion and Reach Enrollment Goals.” Together, Jessie and Mason break down h...

In this special Admit It! and Transfer TEA crossover episode, hosts Alex Fronduto and Loida González Utley sit down to discuss one of the most persistent challenges in higher education—bridging the divide between freshman and transfer admissions. Drawing from national data and institutional experiences, they examine why these two areas often operate in silos, the impact that disconnect has on stud...

In this episode of Admit It! , host Alex Fronduto sits down with Jack Miner , Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Cincinnati and Director of the AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Conference. Together, they discuss the upcoming 35th Annual AACRAO SEM Conference , taking place November 9–12, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jack shares insights into what makes SEM such...

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. This episode features Alicia Kalka, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, and Summer Boggess, Director of Admissions, from...

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. This episode features Becky Tankersley, Director of Enrollment Marketing and Communications at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Pat...

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. This episode features Eric Sanford, University Registrar at Friends University, who led a fantastic session on The Power of Questions i...

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. This episode features Julie Taylor, AVP of Enrollment Management at the University of North Alabama, who led a fantastic session on Rap...

In this episode of Admit It , host Alex Fronduto, Associate Teaching Professor at Northeastern University , sits down with Daisy Ogunedo, Senior Associate Director at Smith College , to discuss career growth, leadership, and the power of networking in admissions. Daisy shares insights on empowering others, navigating upward mobility, and building meaningful professional connections or your own “Bo...

In this episode of Admit It , host Alex Fronduto, Associate Teaching Professor at Northeastern University , sits down with Carlos Cano, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stevens Institute of Technology , to explore his professional journey in admissions. Carlos shares insights on career growth, his approach to leadership and supervision, and practical advice for aspiring and current admissio...

Today, we're diving into a hot topic that's reshaping how we connect with prospective and current students: the use of AI chatbots in higher education. I’m excited to be joined by two outstanding professionals who have firsthand experience implementing and using chatbots to enhance the student experience. In this conversation, we’ll walk through the journey of AI chatbot implementation:...

Today, we're exploring a topic every admissions professional knows is critical—innovative approaches to campus visits. From getting students to campus, to creating memorable experiences, and following up effectively, we're breaking it all down. I'm thrilled to be joined by three incredible guests who bring diverse perspectives and expertise to the table. Together, we'll discuss...

This episode focuses on how to best utilize design thinking to build team culture, discuss important topics, and in this specific case, refine a graduate admissions process. Dr. Mary McNamara will walk you through her design of an offsite staff retreat and the activities associated with it that allowed her to learn about herself, her team, and the needs of the applicants to their business school....

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. Luke Schultheis, Ph. D., Senior Advisor and FDU Faculty presented on Increasing Equity, Elevating Revenue: The Path to Millions in Net...

In this multi-part series, we speak with professionals who presented at the AACRAO Annual Meeting and discuss the key points of their presentation in case you missed it at the conference. These will help you move forward as you plan for the next recruitment cycle. Becky Tankersley and Patrick Frazier presented on Breaking Through the Noise: Creating an Effective Communication Plan. The enrollment...

As we all deal with shrinking student volume and the implications that has on recruitment, how can our institutions remain competitive? How do we get prospective students to get to our websites, to contact us, and ultimately into the enrollment funnel? Digital marketing plays a key role in prospective student engagement. Stephanie Krusemark is joined by Kim O'Rourke from LocaliQ, as they disc...

Stephanie Krusemark is joined by Admit It's new Co-Host, Alex Fronduto.  In this episode, they discuss enrollment funnel topics that both new and seasoned admissions professionals should be considering. Hosts: Dr. Stephanie Krusemark Vice President of Enrollment Management Illif School of Theology Dr. Alex Fronduto Faculty Lead, M.Ed in Higher Education Administration & Assistant Teaching...

In this two-part series, we delve deep into the landmark Supreme Court rulings from June 2023 that have sent shockwaves through the world of college admissions and higher education. Our episodes provide a thought-provoking exploration of the implications of these rulings. This episode (Part 2) focuses on the student loan forgiveness ruling which in turn amplifies the ongoing discussion around high...