The Admissions Directors Lunchcast

For years, we have been talking about all the reasons to leave the profession - and many have. This week, we flip the script, and ask some of our rising stars (and ourselves) to reflect on what keeps them in the profession. As always, we've got two outstanding guests. Joining us as our Practitioner Guest is Debbie Lysicatos , Admissions Counselor at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mis...

The word "advocacy" can mean many different things to many different people. In the world of admissions, we often have a challenge of determining who to advocate for in a given situation. We are all mission-driven folks, who like to think of ourselves as advocating for students, but what do those moments and decisions look like on the ground, day to day? To help sort through that, we hav...

Ahh, yes - the old debate about how leadership and a title can be disconnected. We couldn't think of a better group of people to talk to about this than some rising stars in the profession. We sought out people who are recognized leaders in their NACAC affiliates or on their campus to talk through the challenges, opportunities, and pathways to leadership - without the title. Joining us as our...

Will admissions ever be able to stop talking about burnout? We are used to discussing this topic from the perspective of those of us who have been around a long time, thinking about how things used to be. For this week's episode, we take a twist - zeroing in on burnout prevention from the perspective of rising stars in the college admissions profession. Joining us as our first Practitioner Gue...

Salary, benefits, mission, and how that all changes as we get settled into our role. As you know, this is a topic your hosts can talk about at length with the drop of a hat - so we are thrilled to be joined by two folks who had insights and perspectives that made both Nathan and Teege stop and think. Or, as some people would say, stop, reflect, and relearn. Cathryn Loy, Assistant Director of Admis...

In the heat of the pandemic, we were all working from home. There was no "hybrid" element to worry about - just a whole new way of working. Since then, every aspect of our job can be measured against the question, "Do I need to be in the office to do this?" But with the flexibility comes challenges that didn't exist before. Given our longer runs in the profession, we though...

Well, if there ever were a topic for your hosts to step aside, this is it. In admissions, we are used to a thousand thought pieces about "this generation" being different than "that one" or "the one before that" or even "the first half of this generation." Often, it's unique, valuable insights. Often, it's universal truths masquerading as generationa...

Is there a disconnect between the job we signed up for and the job we have? To the extent that there is, why does that disconnect exist, and what impact does it have on us? On students? On our institutions? Joining us to tackle those questions are: Lai Ara Powell , Associate Director of Recruitment at Temple University School of Pharmacy Eric Grego, Director of Undergraduate Recruitment at King's...

After a long break, we are thrilled to be back with another compelling season of The Admissions Directors Lunchcast. This season, we're switching things up. After ten seasons of bringing you some of the leading voices in college admissions, for season eleven, we're bringing you some of the people who are becoming leading voices. Season eleven is all about the rising stars of our profession...

Rural recruitment requires more than a map and a mileage log, it demands real understanding. In this bonus episode, we dig into the misconceptions about rural students, the values that shape their college choices, and how colleges can build genuine connections beyond the big cities. Our guest this week brings deep on-the-ground insight: Conner Ellinghuysen , Director of Admissions and Head Archery...

More money, more possibilities. For our Season 10 finale, we asked a simple but revealing question: if your admissions or counseling budget grew by 20%, where would you put it, and why? Our guests share how they’d prioritize resources, balance quick wins with long-term investments, and make the case for more support: Cicily Shaw , Director of College Counseling at Thayer Academy (MA) and Past-Pres...

We talk a lot about students ghosting colleges, but what about when we’re the ones who disappear? This week, we take a closer look at why admissions offices sometimes go silent, what that means for relationships, and how to re-engage students more intentionally. Our guests bring both the high school and college perspectives: Diane Campbell , Director of College Counseling at Liberty Common School...

Registrars often work behind the scenes, but their impact on admissions, transfer credit, and graduation is enormous. This week, we explore how admissions and registrar’s offices can move from occasional overlap to meaningful collaboration. Our guests bring both the school counseling and campus perspectives: Adam Stout , Co-Director of College Counseling at The Prairie School (WI) and President-El...

Faculty can be some of the most powerful allies (or unexpected challenges) in student recruitment. This week we explore how to move from “favors” to real partnerships with academic departments, and what makes faculty involvement meaningful for students. Our guests bring both the high school and college perspectives: Amanda Chapman , Director of College Counseling at The Whitfield School (MO) and P...

Campus visits have long been seen as the ultimate recruitment tool, but is that still true today? This week we explore whether in-person visits remain the deciding factor, how virtual options compare, and what makes a visit truly impactful for students. Our guests bring perspectives from both high school counseling and admissions offices: Sasha Rashid , School Counselor at Henry P. Becton High Sch...

Our inboxes are overflowing, but are students paying attention? This week we’re asking whether email is still the best way to connect, or if it’s just the easiest metric to track. Our guests weigh in from both the counselor and admissions office perspectives: Erin Jensen , Independent Consultant at Golden Ratio Northwest (WA) and President of Pacific Northwest ACAC Ryan DePuy , Vice President of U...

Burnout in admissions and counseling is real, but recovery is possible. This week, we’re talking about how teams can bounce back, what good leadership looks like, and the practical ways to keep morale strong through a tough cycle. Our guests bring both the school and university perspectives: Arlene Outerbridge , Director of Guidance and College Counseling at The Masters Academy (FL) and President...

Season 10 kicks off with a big question: are colleges truly listening to what students care about, or are we still stuck in outdated assumptions? This week’s guests bring insider perspectives from both the school and state levels: Julio Mata , Dean of College Counseling at Chadwick School and Past-President of Western ACAC Aaron Salasek , Direct Admissions Coordinator at the Minnesota Office of Hi...

Campus Pro Events: Rethinking Campus Tours and Visits Why haven’t campus tours changed in 30 years? What happens when visitors can’t hear the guide, don’t speak the language, or simply forget most of what they’ve been told? This podcast explores the overlooked, but crucial , role of campus visits in recruitment and belonging, and how technology can transform the experience. From accessibility and...

In this podcast episode, we explore what it really means to empower a college’s internal enrollment management team - not just by providing services, but by strengthening their ability to handle every aspect of the enrollment cycle with confidence. As institutions face staffing shortages, enrollment pressure, and evolving student expectations, the temptation is often to outsource and move on. But...

Well, it was bound to happen. At long last, the tenth season is upon us, and wow do we have an exciting round of guests lined up. This season, we went Presidential. Just like in season five, all of our guests are the current President, President-Elect, or Past President of their regional NACAC affiliate. We're leaning all the way in on the current leaders of the profession - the folks managing...

It seems like we've been saying it for years and years: college fairs are dying out. And yet, here in 2025, they continue as strong as they have been in some time. Part of that is the enduring nature of the event - and part of it is the work of Dan Saavedra and his innovative team at StriveScan. For this Lunchcast Live, we asked Dan to help us understand how he found opportunity and improvemen...

The Admissions Directors Lunchcast recently launched a live video podcast version of our unique brand of conversations. Throughout the winter and spring, we held less formal, but just as informative, conversations with admissions leaders about what's on their mind. While the live version was an exclusive invitation for our Lunchcast community (email adlunchcast@gmail.com to get on the list for fut...

A few months ago, we recorded a special Lunchcast Live with Nick Spaeth, Dean of College & Academic Advising at Brookfield Academy in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Nick joined us to discuss the importance of building and maintaining relationships across the desk in our work.

Our very first guest on the podcast, Adrian Flores, came back for a Lunchcast Live discussion on what colleges are missing when it comes to recruiting first generation college students. Adrian Flores is a College Transition Coordinator at The Carmen Schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In his career, he has worked at two small private institutions that were incredibly tuition dependent and is able to...