ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast

Peak Perspectives: Assumptions and Decisions Jan 13, 2025

Have you ever caught yourself making an assumption about someone's capacity for success based on where they come from or the challenges they've faced? At this time of year, when many admissions offices are deep in application review, it seems fitting to pause and reflect on how assumptions can shape decisions.
In this Peak Perspective, we hear a vignette from Laura Kaub, director of the Duolingo Partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who reminds us that there is way more to a student's story than where they came from—and that often the story about where they came from is inaccurate. (Original audio clip from Season 8, Episode 6 of the ALP)
It's from Chapter 2, "Empathy and Understanding," one of 20 chapters in my new book, Climbing the Admissions Leadership Peak: Lessons from the ALP, available on Amazon paperback and Kindle.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Peak Perspectives: A Purposeful No Dec 23, 2024

Have you ever paused to consider the path you were on? Maybe that reflection led to affirmation, a definitive “Yes, this is the right direction.” Then again, maybe you sensed a quiet voice asking the question, “Are you sure this is the right direction?”
In this Peak Perspective, we hear a story from Thom Golden, founder and CEO of Golden Educational Consulting, who found himself on the traditional admissions leadership track but was wrestling with what he calls "purposeful unrest." How did he respond? (Original audio clip from Season 5, Episode 4 of the ALP)
It's from Chapter 11, "Saying No," one of 20 chapters in my new book, Climbing the Admissions Leadership Peak: Lessons from the ALP, available on Amazon paperback and Kindle.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Peak Perspectives: Living with the Imposter Dec 16, 2024

Have you ever faced an opportunity that made you question your readiness, your abilities—even your worth?
In this Peak Perspective, I share a story from Marie Bigham, founder of ACCEPT and IQID, who wrestled with self-doubt when she was invited to make a leap. What gave her the confidence to jump? (Original audio clip from Season 1, Episode 4 of the ALP)
It's from Chapter 8, "Living with the Imposter," one of 20 chapters in my new book, Climbing the Admissions Leadership Peak: Lessons from the ALP, available on Amazon paperback and Kindle.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Peak Perspectives: Embrace the Unexpected Dec 09, 2024

Have you ever made a decision so unexpected that it completely changed the course of your life?
Welcome to Peak Perspectives, a short-form spinoff of the ALP, where I share insights and stories from my new book, Climbing the Admissions Leadership Peak. Chapter 10, "Embrace the Unexpected," shares the stories of six admissions leaders who did just that. Here I read the intro of that chapter where I describe my own unexpected course change.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Season 10 Premiere Sep 23, 2024

Season 10 kicks off with exciting news and an audible sneak preview.
(And that, dear listener, is what folks in the business call a teaser.)

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

The Admissions Directors Lunchcast Meets The ALP Apr 19, 2024

Nathan Ament and Teege Mettille are the creators and co-hosts of the hit podcast, The Admissions Directors Lunchcast. They share different versions of their podcast's origin while somehow enticing Ken to share how the ALP came to be. Also, there's a teaser hidden in the Rapid Descent that you might catch if you listen carefully.
Special shout-out to a slew of Nathan's and Teege's former Lawrence colleagues, with extra love for Steve Syverson and Chuck Erickson, two of the finest to grace the halls of the Lawrence admissions office.
If you can't get enough of Teege, you can also find him on the Melrose Place Cast, even though he doesn't want you to.

Rapid Descent

Walkout songs: The Humpty Dance (Nathan) and Superqueen (Teege)
Best recent read: Say It Like Obama (Teege) and The Covenant of Water (Nathan)
Eager to read next: Lake of Dragons (Teege) and "whatever Jamie recommends next" (Nathan)
Favorite podcast: B*tchslap (Teege) and Capture the Magic Disney World Podcast (Nathan, who is also a licensed Disney World travel agent)
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Old-fashioned or a Mai Tai (Nathan) and hand-rolled pretzels (Teege)
Taking and keeping notes: Uniball Onyx pen (Teege) Pilot G2 with a Moleskine (Nathan)
Memorable bit of advice: "When you try to be like the school down the street, you lose. Lean into what's unique about your school." (Steve Syverson to Nathan); "We all revert to email way too much. When possible, use the phone." (Ken Anselment to Teege)
Bucket list: Complete the RAGBRAI (bike ride across Iowa for Teege); Be the captain of the water taxi that runs between the Polynesian Resort and Magic Kingdom (Nathan)

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Michael Keaton Apr 12, 2024

(No, the other one.)
What happens when two avowed GenXers record a podcast episode? From the host you get a bad reference to C+C Music Factory; from the guest you get helpful lessons on "how to vice president." Michael Keaton, VP for Enrollment Management at Ursinus College, sets the record straight on who was Michael Keaton first, how to leave things better than you found them, and why all colleges are not in the same boat in the midst of the FAFSA rollout debacle.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: The Boss by James Brown (Michael actually uses walkout music at open house events ... get yourself to Ursinus for one of these!)
Best recent read: The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
Eager to read next: From Punk to Monk by Ray Rahunath Cappo
Favorite podcast: Broad Street Breakdown by Jedi Mind Tricks
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Vegan chopped cheese.
Taking and keeping notes: Kindle Scribe
Memorable bit of advice: "Don't start none; won't be none."
Bucket list: CVisit the last 11 United States he hasn't yet visited. Friends from IA, ID, HI, KS, MI, MS, MT, ND, NE, SD, and WY? Help him out.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Carin Smith Apr 05, 2024

Carin Smith, domestic recruitment manager and Chicago regional representative for Beloit College (and a former member of Ken's team at Lawrence who helped him learn how to be an admissions director through a creative partnership she arranged), talks about how to lead without title, and the four reasons why this has been a deliberate choice she has made over her four decades in college admissions. She'll also share three essential perspectives on what makes a good leader.
This episode is dedicated to Molly Arnold (1962-2010), without whom neither host nor guest would be the people or professionals they are today.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Centerfield by John Fogerty
Best recent read: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Eager to read next: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Favorite podcast: None, "I'm an audiobook fan."
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Cinnamon scones.
Taking and keeping notes: Lined paper by Rifle and a sharp pencil with eraser.
Memorable bit of advice: Used delayed send [on emails].
Bucket list: Chicago Cubs spring training [to which the host replies, "Go Brewers."]

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jeff Blahnik Mar 22, 2024

From the time he was a little boy, Jeff Blahnik always wanted to be "an attorney," but a moment of crisis halfway through law school changed his path. He's now the Vice President of Enrollment Management at the University of Oklahoma, and shares the secret of winning the job interview at OU, how "inspired hospitality" makes a flagship feel intimate, and how to establish yourself as a new leader at a new institution. He also answers the question: "Who has the hottest seat on an athletic powerhouse's campus: president, enrollment VP, or football coach?"
Special shout-out to Marquette University's Roby Blust, from whose coaching tree both guest and host have sprouted, and Dan Hamrin, yet another branch on that tree.
The Miami of Minnesota ... it's a real thing.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Don't Let the Old Man In by Toby Keith
Best recent read: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Eager to read next: Belonging by Owen Eastwood
Favorite podcast: Missing in Alaska
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "I grind the beans and make an incredible pot of coffee."
Taking and keeping notes: Moleskine notebook and Zebra ballpoint pen.
Memorable bit of advice: (1) Make gratitude an everyday part of your routine … it prepares you for moments of desolation. Bring light and love into your life."; (2) Competition isn’t hoping that someone else does worse than you. Focus on being your best and ensure your team is the best."
Bucket list: Travel to Europe for his 25th wedding anniversary.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Angela Frazier Mar 15, 2024

Angela Frazier, Vice President of Student Services at Waukesha County Technical College (the ALP's first guest two-year college enrollment leader and the first African-American leader in WCTC's 100-year history) shines a light on what people get wrong about two-year colleges; how WCTC has punched above its weight with recruitment and retention; and why she needs help with a walkout song.
Special shout-out to Angela's right-hand man, John McGreal, Dean of Enrollment Services.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: "I don't have a walkout song. I don't like music." (But she's taking recommendations.)
Best recent read: Transcendent Kingdom, by Yaa Gyasi
Eager to read next: The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois, by Honoree Fanone Jeffers
Favorite podcast: For Your Institution, by Mongoose
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "Not your momma's banana pudding."
Taking and keeping notes: Notes app on iPhone.
Memorable bit of advice: "If you don't think you look good, no one will think you look good, and if no one thinks I look good, you better think that I look good."
Bucket list: Travel to Australia.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Justin Draeger Mar 08, 2024

Justin Draeger, President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, joins the ALP to share what colleagues in admissions, enrollment, student success, presidents' offices, etc. can do to support their financial aid colleagues, who are about to do 6 to 9 months of work in about 4 to 6 weeks. A deep thinker, reader, writer and speaker, Justin also shares a bunch of excellent leadership lessons, including how, as Bertrand Russell wrote, "Fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people full of doubts."
Special shout-out to the Lawrence University financial aid team, "the finest team in all the land."
References

Why I Choose the Harder Commute, July 2020
Finding Motivation in Tough Times, August 2020
Off the Cuff, NASFAA's podcast

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Walk This Way, Run DMC and Aerosmith
Best recent read: Uncultured: A Memoir, Daniella Mestyanek Young and Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
Eager to read next: Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl (the cost of reading a new book is not rereading one of the best books you've already read)
Favorite podcast: The Gray Area
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: simple recipes with a chef's kiss, like fried eggs and bacon with a latte.
Taking and keeping notes: a complex system of handwritten notes, Evernote and Roam Research.
Memorable bit of advice: "Anyone who says he has finished a canvas is terribly arrogant. 'Finished' means 'complete, perfect.'" (Claude Monet)
Bucket list: walk the Camino de Santiago.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Rick Bailey on the importance of coherence, relevance, and organizing your work around your core values Jan 05, 2024

Richard Harrison Bailey—the RHB behind RHB—joins the ALP to discuss the principle of Coherence; the virtuous cycle of relevance, relationships and revenue for colleges; the difference between market position and brand; and how the values of truth, beauty, love and justice animate the core values and, to this day, guide the work of the firm he and his business partner (and spouse), Tammy Bailey, formed in 1991.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Carmina Burana: I. O Fortuna
Best recent read: Yale Needs Women by Anne Gardiner Perkins
Eager to read next: Who Killed Truth? A History of Evidence by Jill Lepore
Podcast: IngenioUs with Melissa Morriss-Olson
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: A completely improvised birthday meal for his kids. If you’ve let go of passion in the kitchen, you’ve lost the meal.
For notes: I’m a pencil person, currently using a Zebra #2 pencil with retractable lead.and Blackwing pencil.
Memorable bit of advice: From David C. Baker: “Narrow does not equal small.” The more narrow you become in your position, the deeper you will be able to go in your expertise. And the deeper you are in your expertise, the more you will know, and the more you will bypass or surpass the competition.
Bucket list: Open a little bar on the coast of Spain and serve Rioja. I'll have about 3 customers who are always there.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Laura Kaub of the UNHCR asks, "Why is it so hard for exceptional students to get access to education?" Dec 18, 2023

Laura Kaub, director of the Duolingo partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees program, talks about keeping refugees and African students out of the "hole" in holistic admission so they can get into the economic, educational and political systems that can bring about change. She provides examples of U.S colleges that "get it right," including Macalester and Northwestern, as well as models around the globe, like Rwanda and Uganda.
Contact Laura directly if you're interested in talking with her about the students she serves.
References

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Ghostwriter RJD2
Best recent read: The Expanse Series by James S.A. Corey
Eager to read next: Old World, Young Africa, a New York Times series
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Sparkling conversation
Taking and keeping notes: 2/3 paper and pen (no ball points, please!); 1/3 open email to herself
Memorable bit of advice: A whole lot of what's going on [in the college search] is not as big a deal as it seems.
Bucket list: Ever since watching Ugly Delicious, I've wanted to do a food tour of Japan and South Korea with David Chang.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Dan Saavedra on How He (and Others) Built StriveScan Nov 10, 2023

How does someone go from being a lawyer and a photographer to found and lead the company that has reshaped the college fair experience for millions of students and more than 15,000 admission professionals representing more than 2500 institutions around the world? Dan Saavedra, founder and president of StriveScan, tells us how he built StriveScan (spoiler, with trust and the friendliest client contract ... ever). Live through what their first college fair was like, as well as those moments when StriveScan created something out of nothing to foster connections for students and colleges in the early days of the pandemic.
References

Special shout-out to the Illinois ACAC and Carin Smith.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Good Life by One Republic
Best recent read: The Verge and Ars Technica, as well as NYT and WSJ
Eager to read next: Wirecutter's coverage of the best coffee makers ... also bed sheets
Favorite podcast: Elevating Admission Voices with Angie Cooksy and The Admissions Directors Lunchcast with Nathan Ament and Teege Mettille
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Bread ... especially baguettes.
Taking and keeping notes: It has to work in Slack
Memorable bit of advice: Find your sounding board.
Bucket list: Go to Botswana

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jen Dewar on Talking Yourself Into Doing Scary Things Nov 03, 2023

What is it like to leave the familiarity of higher ed to join a tech company with a vision to change how the world thinks about language testing? Jen Dewar, Senior Director of Strategic Engagement for the Duolingo English Test, shares how to break through, climb steep learning curves, learn from setbacks ... and why you don't win or lose—you only win or learn.
References

Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo on How I Built This with Guy Raz and The Tim Ferriss Show.
Shout out to future ALP guest, Laura Kaub, UNHCR University Access Advisor
Learn more about Duolingo's work with refugees through the UNHCR

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Groove Is in the Heart by Deee-Lite
Best recent read: All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles
Eager to read next: Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune, narrated by Anderson Cooper.
Favorite podcast: The Daily, Washington Post and WSJ The Journal ... also, if you're into art fraud and art theft, Last Seen
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Anything, because she can only focus on what she is making.
Taking and keeping notes: A Duolingo pen and conference giveaway notepads.
Memorable bit of advice: "Two tears in a bucket, mother***it" ... and that's the closest we've gotten to an Explicit rating so far.
Bucket list: "I don’t have a bucket list, which speaks to how lucky I’ve been. I’ve gotten to do so many great things; more than I ever could have imagined or anybody who raised me could have imagined for me.”

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

David Burge on Rational Transfer Policy, the Value of Service, and Oxford Commas Oct 27, 2023

Get ready for an episode rife with random references when David Burge, VP for Enrollment Management at George Mason University and winner of the Margaret E. Addis Service to NACAC Award, joins the ALP to discuss ADVANCE, a model transfer partnership between GMU and Northern Virginia Community College. Warning: this episode contains eye-rolling dad jokes. Listener discretion is advised.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Champion by Fall Out Boy
Best recent read: "My email."
Eager to read next: See above
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Mail order spice packets have inspired his cuisine, which includes hundreds of NYT recipes, five of which he has made.
Taking and keeping notes: email
Memorable bit of advice: "Marketing drives applications; relationships build enrollment."
Bucket list: "I would like to live in Europe."

Check out RHB Academy at Claremont McKenna. Nov. 17.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Carolyn Noll Sorg on Experience Design and Going from Alongside Back to Inside Higher Ed Oct 20, 2023

We have featured a bunch of folks who have gone from inside to "alongside" higher ed (including your host). Carolyn Noll Sorg, VP for Enrollment at John Carroll University has chosen to go in the other direction, and reminds us of the things that call us into this work.
Bonus: Carolyn shares wonderful insights into how to think about creating memorable experiences for your students—including how to wrap it into your next staff retreat.
References

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by the Heath brothers
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidera
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
The Master of Fine Arts in Experience Design at Miami University of Ohio

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Run by One Republic
Best recent read: Unreasonable Hospitality
Eager to read next: Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service (The Disney Institute Leadership Series)
Favorite podcast: Re:Thinking by Adam Grant
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Decorating cookies
Taking and keeping notes: Google Docs
Memorable bit of advice: "If you are enjoying your work 80% of the time, you're doing pretty great."
Bucket list: "I would like to write a book someday."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Ethan Sawyer on Figuring Out Who You Are and What You Care About Oct 13, 2023

Season Premiere: Ethan Sawyer, founder of College Essay Guy, kicks off Season 8 of the ALP and we quickly learn it's not about the essay ... it's about figuring out who you are and what you care about. We talk about the applicability of Ethan's discovery exercises to everybody (not just college applicants), why Ethan might be the perfect candidate to interview Ken someday, and what roles Jesus and diapers play in the origin story of College Essay Guy.
References

College admission resources following the SCOTUS decision to end race-conscious admission decisions.
Is it “Okay” to Write about Race in Your College Application—And, If So, How?This guide offers practical advice for students and counselors, including examples of essays by students who chose to discuss race and its impact on their character and unique abilities.
The “If You Really, Really Knew Me” Exercise (Template) This practical, comprehensive exercise helps you (and your students) generate a list of identities, skills, qualities, and skills they can share with colleges. It’s one of the favorites at College Essay Guy—if you use it, just give 'em a shout-out. :)
The Social Identities Exercise (Template) This exercise is another favorite and is useful for helping students think about diversity and identity in both broader and more nuanced ways. Includes a guide for counselors, facilitators, and parents.
Books referenced: Rocket Fuel and Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness.
Interested in checking out Ethan's voice over work?

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: U Don't Have to Call by Usher
Best recent read: Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader by Marc Lesser
Eager to read next: Ethan's taking recommendations here.
Favorite podcast: We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Bruscheta
Taking and keeping notes: Apple Notes
Memorable bit of advice: "You can give it all away, and it's still not you." (From Steve Antonoff)
Bucket list: Do a long silent meditation retreat "like 10 days."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

A Time for Leadership, Not Retrenchment—Paths forward after SCOTUS decisions in Harvard & UNC cases Jul 07, 2023

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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Joffery Gaymon Jun 19, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout sons: Special by Lizzo
Best 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 Children
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Anything with brunch ... with a mimosa on the side
What she uses to take and keep notes: old fashioned pen and legal pad, and Evernote
Memorable 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

W. Kent Barnds Jun 12, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Lorde covering the original Tears for Fears
Best recent read: They Said This Would be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up by Eternity Martis
Eager to read next: The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges by Nathan Chapel, Brian Crimmins, and Michael Ashley
Favorite podcast: Marketplace
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Pizza
What he uses to take and keep notes: sticky notes and notecards stuffed into an ever-expanding green folder
Memorable 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Robert Gould, "Changing Admissions From Selecting to Belonging" Jun 05, 2023

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?
Notes

Augsburg Applies to You
Power 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 Institute
Nicole 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—Minneapolis

Rapid Descent

Walkout 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 History
Favorite podcast: Edify Justice Advocates Podcast
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Dark roast decaf coffee and vegetable juice
What he uses to take and keep notes: Rhodia Notebook
Memorable bit of advice: Life is a balance of holding on and letting go —Rumi
Bucket 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Allan Mathew May 22, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Redbone by Childish Gambino
Best recent read: Atomic Habits, by James Clear and Office Optional: How to Build a Connected Culture with Virtual Teams, by Larry English
Eager to read next: Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, by Michelle Zauner
Favorite podcast: Chasing Scratch | The Rights to Ricky Sanchez: The Sixers Podcast
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Indian food, especially a mean chicken curry.
What he uses to take and keep notes: iPad and Apple Pencil
Memorable 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Heather Daniels May 15, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Believe by Mumford & Sons
Best recent read/eager to read next: Coherence by Rick Bailey
Favorite podcast: Up First | Smartless | Wiser Than Me
Favorite 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 notebook
Memorable 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Boyd Bradshaw May 08, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Best recent read: A Profession on the Edge by Eric Hoover
Eager 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Christopher Gray May 01, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Dirt Road Anthem by Jason Aldean
Best 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. Lohrenz
Eager to read next: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Favorite podcast: Hacking Your Leadership
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Chicken Parmesan
What 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

"A Profession on the Edge" with Eric Hoover Apr 24, 2023

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 Anselment
Thank you to the National Association for College Admission Counseling for supporting this podcast through the NACAC Podcast Network.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Mary Chase Apr 17, 2023

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 Descent

Walkout songs: You Time by Scotty McCreery
Best recent read: Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and Turn Excuses into Results, by Cy Wakeman
Eager to read next: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip and Dan Heath
Favorite podcast: The Hank Haney Podcast
Favorite 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 Klockentager
Bucket list: Retirement.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Vern Granger Nov 28, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout songs: Big Poppa by the Notorious B.I.G. and Sumthin' Sumthin' by Maxwell
Best recent read: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
Eager to read next: Stealing Home: Los Angeles, The Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between by Eric Nusbaum
Favorite podcast: The 2 Robbies with Robbie Mustoe and Robbie Earle
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: PB&J, BLT, and/or Chicken Parmesan
What 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

How Creighton Improved Its First-Year Retention to 92% Nov 21, 2022

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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Andy Borst Nov 14, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout song: Know Your Enemy by Green Day
Best recent read: The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions by Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown
Eager to read next: Campus Economics: How Economic Thinking Can Help Improve College and University Decisions by Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson
Favorite podcast(s): The Truth About College Admission, the new podcast by Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Crab boil
What 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Joe Montgomery Nov 07, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout song: Before I Let Go by Frankie Beverly and Maze
Best recent read: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Eager to read next: Managing the Whole Student Life Cycle: A Handbook for Higher Ed by Paul Mathers
Favorite podcast(s): The ALP and Enrollment Edge
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Grilling BBQ pork ribs
What he uses to take and keep notes: Legal pad
Memorable 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Visionaries and Integrators: Complementary Collaboration Oct 31, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

James Miller Oct 24, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout song: Saving Grace by Tom Petty
Best 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 Clancy
Favorite podcast(s): The Daily and Still Processing (like a warm hug and a stern lecture) New York Times
Favorite 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

"I Shouldn't Be The First" Oct 16, 2022

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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Ineliz Soto-Fuller Oct 10, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout song: Roar by Katy Perry and Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony
Best recent read: On Managing Yourself by Harvard Business Review
Eager to read next: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Arroz con gandules
What 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Angie Cooksy Sep 19, 2022

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 Descent

Walkout song: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
Best recent read: Open Book by Jessica Simpson
Eager to read next: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: charcuterie boards
What 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.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Reckoning with the Great Resignation Sep 12, 2022

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

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Steve Syverson May 02, 2022

It seems fitting to drop the final episode of Season 5 on Ken's last day as Vice President for Enrollment at Lawrence University with the man who brought him to Lawrence 18 years ago: Steve Syverson, Dean of Admission Emeritus at Lawrence University. Steve served as Lawrence's chief enrollment officer for 28 years before handing the reins to Ken in 2011, and the episode is as much a trip down memory lane as it is an expansive view of what still matters most in the college admission profession.
Shout outs from people who have worked with Steve include: Jen England, Carin Smith, Jim Miller, Patrick O'Connor, Ray Brown, James Miller, Lynn Van Zeeland, and Nicole Schultz.
We will be back in fall 2022 with Season 6.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Stayin Alive by Bee Gees
Best recent read: Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria
Eager to read next: Some beach fluff
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Mean nachos.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Pen and yellow legal pad.
Memorable bit of advice: "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel ." -Maya Angelou
Bucket list: Scuba diving off the Great Barrier Reef.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Roby Blust Apr 11, 2022

In what may be the most blooper-reel worthy episode of the ALP so far, Roby Blust, Ken's second boss at Marquette University, demonstrates the importance of fun and humor while doing the noble work of college admissions, as well as how a crashed milk truck helped shape his view of what leadership means. Roby is the inspiration for a piece Ken wrote in 2018: "Why do we do this?"
Shout outs from people who have worked with Roby include: Jeff Blahnik, Jenn Machacek, Susan Teerink, Kim Frisch, Ed Moore, Aaron Meis, Adam Stout, Connie Bennett, Jean Burke, and Dan Hamrin.
This show is dedicated to Tom Weede, and when you listen to the end, you'll know why.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Big City by Merle Haggard (He's right: it makes so much sense)
Best recent read: Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Greg Boyle, S.J.
Eager to read next: The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Preparing food for the grill.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Levenger notepads.
Memorable bit of advice: "If you're on time, you're 15 minutes late." -Vince Lombardi
Bucket list: Fishing in Alaska.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Ray Brown Apr 04, 2022

Ken's first boss in college admission, Ray Brown, joins the show to swap stories about leadership, team development, and baseball. Ray is the chief enrollment officer at St. Joseph's College of Maine, having served previously as dean of admission at TCU and Marquette and director of admission at Lawrence University. Ray also happens to be a human baseball encyclopedia, and shares the three games he most would have liked to attend throughout history, including one with a surprise ending.
Shout-outs to Bob Preloger, Fred Schebor, Steve Syverson, Duncan Murdoch, Heath Einstein and Mike Marshall.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
Best recent read: The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski
Eager to read next: The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Favorite podcast: This one (check's in the mail, Ray).
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Bupkis
What he uses to take and keep notes: Pen and paper.
Memorable bit of advice: "Do not judge your insides by other people's outsides."
Bucket list: Trip to the Holy Land.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Amy Cembor Mar 21, 2022

Amy Cembor, Senior Associate Dean of Admission at Providence College (go Friars!) and former president of New England Association for College Admission Counseling, shares insights about life on the secondary and higher ed sides of the table, resistance against just going after what's next, and a story about an unfortunate mic drop moment in Las Vegas that, were this a video podcast, would reveal deep shades of red on Ken's face. 5
Shout-outs to Darryl Uy, Marie Bigham and LaSalle Bakery.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks
Best recent read: Untamed by Glennon Doyle.
Eager to read next: Anything by Elin Hilderbrand that can serve as a beach read
Favorite podcast: Dare to Lead and Unlocking Us, both by Brene Brown.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Karen Chen (Oklahoma State) has a killer recipe for garlic mashed potatoes with cream cheese and bacon.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Listmaster app ... and conference giveaway notepads..
Memorable bit of advice: "People will forget what you said and what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel."
Bucket list: Get my Ph.D!

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jay Jacobs Mar 14, 2022

Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont, shares a journey that starts with love at first sight (not only with college enrollment as a career but with a higher ed partner) and continues with a rapid ascent in the profession built through intentional career steps (College of New Jersey, Colgate, UChicago Booth School, U of Miami) including a life-changing caravan with three kids under age 3 up I-95 in the middle of winter and the middle of a pandemic.
Shout-outs to Terry Cowdrey, John Haller, Gary Ross, Lynn Holcomb, Karen Long and, of course, Callie Brown Jacobs.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Mother by Danzig
Best recent read: The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar Pioneering Rivalry that Shaped Rock 'n' Roll by Ian S. Port
Eager to read next: The Privileged Poor by Anthony Jack
Favorite podcast: Up First, The Daily, Smartless
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Chicken Florentine ... also breakfast with bacon, eggs, and pancakes.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Microsoft Notes + a nifty little Quartet desktop whiteboard.
Memorable bit of advice: His mother advising Jay that "sh!t happens."
Bucket list: Going to South America + teaching his kids to ski.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Susana Briscoe-Alba Feb 28, 2022

Susana Briscoe-Alba, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Mount St. Mary College in New York and founder of the Grit and Purpose Academy shares a story about the journey from a time in her life of being someone not wanting to be heard to someone setting a course for leaders to create environments where everyone can be made to feel seen, valued, and heard.
Special shout out to ALP alumna, Jennielle Strother, whom Susana met through the podcast.
To take Susana's LinkedIn survey, which we discuss in this episode, go here.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Susana's mother, Damaris.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Coming in Hot by Andy Mineo and LeCrae
Best recent read: Turn the Ship Around! by Lt. David Marquet.
Eager to read next: Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More by Mark Batterson.
Favorite podcast: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Pernil (Dominican roasted pork shoulder, which is what Susana believes they'll be serving when she gets to heaven ... and I believe her.)
What he uses to take and keep notes: Google Docs + a Moleskine
Memorable bit of advice: "Don't dim your light simply because it makes others uncomfortable."
Bucket list: "Vacationing to Bora Bora with my love bug, Eric Alba."

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Dan Lugo Feb 14, 2022

Dan Lugo, President of Queens University of Charlotte, who started his higher ed career in admissions at Carleton College (his alma mater), presents a master class in leadership with lessons too many to list here, but here's a sample: "If you're going to maximize what you're going to do in life you have to experience failure ... and invite it."
Oh ... this episode is filled with more, so much more.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Fight the Power by Public Enemy (and, as if Dan weren't cool enough already, he's friends with Chuck D)
Best recent read: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson and The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Eager to read next: How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith and Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead.
Favorite podcast: The Daily by NYT
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "I can make some mean eggs."
What he uses to take and keep notes: Notes app on iPhone/iPad
Memorable bit of advice: The parent of a high school classmate gave Dan some bulletin board material when she said, "Do you think you're going to charm your way through college?"
Bucket list: Travel to Africa, visit the capital cities of that diverse and massive continent and go on a safari. (We can see a future where the Queens alumni office sponsors a Travels with the President program.)

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Mike Marshall Jan 17, 2022

Dr. Michael Marshall, Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communication at Bellarmine University, continues the streak of people Ken would love to work with (or for) someday, sharing great advice in bundles of three, like: the 3 Ps and 3 questions an enrollment leader must keep in mind; the 3 things he has kept in mind on his own leadership journey; and the 3 essentials for thriving.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Encore by Jay Z
Best recent read: The Campus Color Line: College Presidents and the Struggle for Black Freedom by Eddie R. Cole (recommended to him by CIC president Marjorie Hass)
Eager to read next: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong and Single Black Female by Tracy Brown (the latter as part of his and his wife, Danielle's, book club).
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Salmon with tequila lime seasoning
What he uses to take and keep notes: Notes app on iPhone/iPad
Memorable bit of advice: "Understand your true north—your mission, vision, and core values—and look for alignment [with potential employers]
Bucket list: Go skydiving

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Nikki Kāhealani Chun Jan 10, 2022

Nikki Kāhealani Chun, the inaugural Vice President for Enrollment Management at University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, shares the power of "talk story sessions" with her new team, the three essential questions to truly see the people you lead, and geographic agnosticism.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Respect by Aretha Franklin
Best recent read: An article on equitable approaches to student financial aid
Eager to read next: Reflections of her sessions with staff that she describes early in the show.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "A mess."
What he uses to take and keep notes: Stationery agnostic. ;)
Memorable bit of advice: "Keep friends close by to tell you to just hang on."
Bucket list: "Just drop me anywhere in Europe."

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Thom Golden Dec 06, 2021

Thom Golden, Founder & CEO of Golden Educational Consulting, shares the story of his journey from college admission work to higher-ed adjacent work to launching his own college consulting firm centered around "whole student scheduling." The episode focuses on "purposeful unrest," the path not taken, and watershed moments, and includes great insights no matter where around the desk your seat is located.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: The Man by Aloe Blacc
Best recent read: The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks (hat tip to Brad Weiner for the recommendation)
Eager to read next: Excellent Sheep; The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresewicz
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Smoked pork shoulder (and yes, he shared his recipe).
What he uses to take and keep notes: Rocket Book, Moleskine, Evernote.
Memorable bit of advice: "Say 'Make it a great day' instead of 'Have a great day,' [because it speaks to agency and action].
Bucket list: There's a piece of paper in their kitchen where each of his sons has picked trips for him to take with each of his sons: to waterparks, to England to watch Tottenham Hotspurs, and the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Eric Hoover Nov 22, 2021

Eric Hoover, Senior Writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, shares stories about how his stories have come to be, why empathy is his North Star, and why writing about college admission is like writing about the meaning of life.
We discuss some of his stories, including:

A University in Texas Promised Full Scholarships to Dozens of Nepalese Students. Months Later, It Revoked the Offer. (April 2018)
The Second Chance Club. Inside a Semester of Remedial English (March 2013)
The Most Onerous Form in College Admissions (February 2021)

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Fantastic Man by William Onyeabor
Best recent read: The Book of Delights by Ross Gay.
Eager to read next: H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Marcella Hazan's bolognese sauce or Rick Bayless's enchiladas suizas.
What he uses to take and keep notes: A reporter's notebook that fits neatly in his pocket.
Memorable bit of advice: "Stop being afraid of what you don't know" (from his first editor and mentor) and "Try always to come down on the side of humanity" (from his dad).
Bucket list: "See the aurora borealis while staying in an all-glass igloo. Also, get myself down to Alabama to visit with Mary Ann Willis, college counselor at Bayside Academy, to come and read to the elementary students in her school.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Alexander Clark Nov 08, 2021

Alexander Clark, Founder & CEO of Technolutions (the folks behind Slate), shares the origin story of the CRM that changed the higher ed landscape, as well as the things he has learned along a journey that started with his first entrepreneurial venture ... in fifth grade. Bonus fun: learn about the freedom and flexibility of halcyon days.
This episode is brought to you by RHB, which has been providing enrollment, marketing, CRM and organizational solutions for more than 300 institutions around the world for 30 years.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Voyager by Daft Punk
Best recent read: The Microsoft research study on the effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers.
Eager to read next: Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse and Future Shock by Alvin Toffler
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Grilling simple burgers outside on the weekend with herbs, tomatoes, and lettuces from the backyard garden.
What he uses to take and keep notes: "I haven’t taken notes in two decades and store everything in my head. If something falls out, which of course a great deal does, I figure it’s either unimportant or, if it indeed was important, someone else will store it for me and remind me of it later. It’s a great priority filter."
Memorable bit of advice: From a middle school science teacher, that if you ever want to start a business, go to a cocktail party and listen to people complain about their jobs. If you can find solutions to their challenges, you have your first customers.
Bucket list: Flying to Paris, following a “36 hours in Paris” itinerary in the New York Times hour for hour, and flying home. Mostly to have the bragging rights for when folks ask what I did last weekend I can respond, “I had a craving for French food, so I flew to Paris."

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Liz Gross Nov 01, 2021

Liz Gross, Founder & CEO of Campus Sonar, and the author of The Higher Ed Social Listening Handbook and Fundamentals of Social Media Strategy: A Guide for College Campuses, kicks off Season 5 of The ALP with an episode loaded with great advice about leadership and entrepreneurship, including the importance of a clear work philosophy, learning organizations, compensation strategies, and equity ... also on why one can do great things in 40(ish) hours a week.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Like a Girl by Lizzo
Best recent read: Temperance Brennan Series Kathy Reichs and The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization by Peter Senge
Eager to read next: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Podcast: WorkLife with Adam Grantalso How I Built This with Guy Raz plays prominently in this episode.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Bone broth.
What she uses to take and keep notes: Clever Fox daily planner.
Memorable bit of advice: "Never be so polite that you forget your power, but never wield such power that you forget to be polite." —Taylor Swift
Bucket list: "Raise chickens"

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Ronné Turner Jun 14, 2021

Ronné Turner, Vice Provost of Admissions & Financial Aid at Washington University of St. Louis andpresident of the College Board, speaks about the power of collaboration, and what happens when you put smart people together, use data, and put students at the center of your work.
Shoutouts abound in this episode, including to Jane Brown, Sharon Alston, Linda Clement, Philomena Mantella, Lori White, Holden Thorp and Adele Brumfield.
Check out CocaBiz in St. Louis, which ran Ronné's teams design thinking course.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Golden by Jill Scott
Best recent read: The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States by Walter Johnson
Eager to read next: A Promised Land by Barack Obama Just as I Am: A Memoir by Cecily Tyson.
Podcast: None yet... though maybe this episode?
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "I make a really good pound cake and rum cake."
What she uses to take and keep notes: Asana + Post-It Notes + Notebooks.
Memorable bit of advice: "We need to keep moisturizer on our hands," Linda Clement.
Bucket list: "I ultimately want a house by the water.".

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Stefanie Niles Jun 07, 2021

Stefanie Niles, Vice President for Enrollment and Communications at Ohio Wesleyan University and past-past president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, shares wisdom about how we choose to make time for the things we make priorities in our lives ... also, this episode continues our streak of podcast puppers (this time it's Dexter and Titan).
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Raise your Glass by Pink
Best recent read: Beyond Implicit Bias by her fellow doctoral classmate, Edward Pittman.
Eager to read next: "Anything beachy"
Podcast: The Bright Sessions (which she devoured on road trips between OWU and her home in Pennsylvania)
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Fruit smoothies ... "Anything with berries, I'll give it a try."
What she uses to take and keep notes: Her phone, and a trusty CVS notebook.
Memorable bit of advice: From her 90-something aunt on the day Stefanie and her spouse were married: "Now remember: it's for eternity."
Bucket list: Start a rescue for senior dogs, like Dexter and Titan.

Episode sponsored by Magellan Promotions. Tell them The ALP sent you.
Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Janet Marling May 24, 2021

Janet Marling, Executive Director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students and Associate Professor of Education at the University of North Georgia, offers a masterclass in practical ways of being a transfer champion at your institution. Learn about three essential leadership qualities ... and the power of a Chiweenie.
Learn how to make your college's website transfer friendly by using the NISTS Transfer Website Strategy Guide.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco
Best recent read: Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff; Rework by Jason Fried and Davide Heinemeier Hansson
Eager to read next: From Equity Talk to Equity Walk by Tia Brown McNair, Estela Mara Bensimon, and Lindsey Malcom-Picqueux
Podcast: What Works by Tara McMullin and Dr. Crystal Says... by Crystal
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Grilled pizza with her family.
What she uses to take and keep notes: Notes app on the iPhone, also an entire ream of copy paper + Ink Joy .05 pen.
Memorable bit of advice: "The only failure is failing to try."
Bucket list: "I’ve focused on what I want to do someday and how can I bring them into today?" And if she can do that, then it's taking her family to the Winter and Summer Olympics.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Joan Liu May 10, 2021

Joan Liu, University Advisor at United World College of Southeast Asia in Singapore, joins Ken to share her multi-continental leadership journey, including the powerful story of how she and her colleagues in the Nepal Justice League helped find college homes for dozens of Nepalese students whose scholarships were revoked by the University of Texas at Tyler in mid April, 2018. Learn more about Joan's superpowers, including why, when something is not a definitive yes, it's a definitive no.
Shoutouts abound throughout this episode... too many to list here (so you'll just have to get out your bingo card and play along).
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Moonlight Sonata, Movement #3 , Beethoven
Best recent read: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Eager to read next: Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
Podcast: Invisibilia NPR
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "Ken; I don't cook."
What she uses to take and keep notes: No. 2 pencil and lined paper
Memorable bit of advice: Just keep going. We don't have to know what's in front of us; just keep going.
Bucket list: Go to Japan to see the cherry blossoms.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Joy St. John Apr 26, 2021

Joy St. John, Dean of Admission & Financial Aid at Wellesley College, joins Ken for a conversation that could also have been featured on Guy Raz's "How I Built This" when she describes how she and her colleagues essentially built an admission office from scratch. Get out whatever you write your notes with, because Joy drops great advice all through the episode.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Just Fine , Mary J. Blige
Best recent read: The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans--and How We Can Fix It by Dorothy Brown
Eager to read next: Caste: A Brief History of Racism, Sexism, Classism, Ageism, Homophobia, Religious Intolerance, Xenophobia and Reasons for Hope by Isabel Wilkerson
Podcast: Renegades Barack Obama & Bruce Springsteen
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: any kind of cake
What she uses to take and keep notes: Evernote
Memorable bit of advice: From Tom Parker at Amherst who was the first to tell her "I think you can do this job."
Bucket list: Go to Trinidad.

Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Peaches Valdes Jan 08, 2021

Peaches Valdes, Dean of Admission at Hamilton College, joins Ken for a conversation that spans everything from taking the path less taken and the importance of having a board of mentors, to the magic of super soft stationery and storytelling without notes. Much hilarity ensues.
Alternative episode title: "Paths, Pearls, Pickups, Pens, and Paper."
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Tilted , Christine and the Queens
Best recent read: The Farm: A Novel by Joanne Ramos
Eager to read next: A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Podcast: The Moth.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Filipino food, especially eggrolls, which she makes with her mother and sisters
What she uses to take and keep notes: Peaches and Ken go on a major sidequest about unlined paper and ultra fine point pens, including erasables because, as Peaches says, "I like making mistakes." So many tips about pens and paper purveyors: like OOLY fountain pens Ivy League Stationers and Muji, who make "super soft" paper. Don't forget about Clairefontaine paper.
Memorable bit of advice: "Be open to possibilities."
Bucket list: Go on the Moth.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Nancy Beane Jan 01, 2021

You can hear it in my giddy voice when I start the intro for this episode, where Nancy Beane, recently retired associate director of college counseling at The Westminster Schools, and former NACAC president, reflects on her career and all the people who have inspired and lifted her along the way. Come for the inspiration, stay for the history lesson.
Shout-outs ... consider it Nancy's thank you's for her Lifetime Achievement Award
Juan Acosta; Lee Ann Afton Backlund; Stephanie Balmer; Marie Bigham; Jack Blackburn; Wade Boggs; David Burge; Terese Buscher; Rick Clark; Anthea Economy; Sarbeth Fleming; Steve Frappier; Jeff Fuller; Emmi Harward; Sam Moss; Stefanie Niles; Richard Powell; Jim Rawlins; Jenny Rickard; Todd Rinehart; Leon Scott; Brandi Smith; Joyce Smith; Lisa Sohmer; Bill Starling; Bertha Todd; Phil Trout ... and many many more
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Let There Be Peace on Earth , The Boys Choir of Harlem
Best recent read: The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck
Eager to read next: Wilmington's Lie by David Zucchino
Podcast: Anything that Rick Clark writes or reads.
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: As her daughter said, "Mommy, you're a plain cooker; Dad's a fancy cooker."
What he uses to take and keep notes: her computer.
Memorable bit of advice: From the father of one of her students, "To do my good, my better, my best, to make this world better than I found it."
Bucket list: "I want to travel! Australia. New Zealand."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Gil Villanueva Dec 18, 2020

Gil Villaneuva, Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission at the University of Richmond and former board chair of The Common Application, joins Ken to discuss horror movies, dogs, and maybe a few things (OK, more than a few things) about higher ed leadership, including the joy of working for ambitious institutions ... also SPAM and fried rice.
Shout-outs
Nancy Tessier his former boss at University of Richmond (now at Art & Science Group)
Pat Coleman, his former boss at Harvey Mudd (now at Witt/Kieffer)
Hector Martinez, his foamier boss at Pitzer (now at The Webb Schools)
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Don't Stop Believin' by Journey (a repeat walkout from an earlier episode)
Best recent read: In Defense of a Liberal Education by Fareed Zakaria
Eager to read next: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Podcast: The History Guy also any podcast about the Las Vegas (formerly LA, formerly Oakland) Raiders
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: SPAM and fried rice.
What he uses to take and keep notes: iPhone.
Memorable bit of advice: Hope is not a strategy. (Nancy Tessier) Kill people with kindness. (Pat Coleman). Finally, "Whenever you can take people with you to bigger and better things, take every opportunity to do that."
Bucket list: Travel the world with his spouse.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

DJ Menifee Dec 11, 2020

DJ Menifee, Vice President for Enrollment at Susquehanna University and member of NACAC's board of directors, shares the stories about his rapid ascent to higher ed leadership ... and, perhaps just as important, deconstructs the construction of a perfect PBJ with Ken.
This quote from DJ (borrowed from Kobe Bryant):
"If you want to be the best, you've got to sacrifice something."
Shout-outs
Lori Greene (Butler U; mentor to DJ)
Bill Sliwa (who hired him into the profession at Lees-McRae)
Andy Borst (U of Illinois)
Paul Steenis (Knox)
Devone Eurales (Knox) Darryl Uy
Illinois ACAC
And, of course, DJs family.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Standing Ovation by Young Jeezy (with "naughty words" warning by DJ 😉)
Best recent read: Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior by Jonah Burger
Eager to read next: A Promised Land by President Barack Obama
Podcast: Tony Sarda's episode on the ALP
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "I'm there for support."
What he uses to take and keep notes: Padfolio.
Memorable bit of advice: From his colleague and friend, Devone Eurales of Knox: "Someone is always watching."
Bucket list: Supporting his wife in checking items off her bucket list3

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Adrienne Amador Oddi Nov 13, 2020

Adrienne Amador Oddi, Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, shares her story, which may overlap with many other ALP alumni, but is very much her own. Learn how a swimmer's mindset is perfectly adaptable to leadership in admissions & financial aid. Also math.
This quote from Adrienne Amador Oddi:
"We take the steps to build community. And when we get tired, the beauty of community is that somebody else can keep us going, and then, when our energy is restored, we can pick up the slack again."
Shout-outs
Jennifer Delahunty
Darryl Uy
Jonathan Burdick
Marie Bigham
Heath Einstein
Angel Perez
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon (and fellow Kenyon '09 classmate Nick Petricca)
Best recent read: I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown.
Eager to read next: America is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo
Podcast ... or audible book: Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "Working on my brunch game."
What she uses to take and keep notes: Moleskine cahier, extra large with a Vision Elite Uniball (micro point). Also Trello.
Memorable bit of advice: From Jim Steen, winningest swim coach in NCAA history: "You can live your life in two ways: under a threat, or for a challenge."
Bucket list: "Finding ways to help women find their voices and succeed in leadership positions. Working and brining all my interests together in coaching women to find and create their space."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Eva Blanco Masias Nov 06, 2020

Eva Blanco Masias, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Santa Clara University, shares her story, including how a significant national crisis 19 years ago led her to leave a highly successful career to jump into the admissions and enrollment world.
Shout-outs
Rod Skinner (and his mother, Mrs. Skinner)
Mike Sexton
Sandra Hayes
Charlie Nolan
Patrick Lorenzo
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Mi Gente by J Balvin, Willy William ft. Beyoncé
Best recent read: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (also The Magic Treehouse series, essential parent-child reading)
Eager to read next: Pauli Murray: A Personal and Political Life by Troy R. Saxby
Podcast: Latino USA, Maria Hinojosa; LatinxAmerica, Adriana Flores-Ragade
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Her mother's puzzle recipe.
What she uses to take and keep notes: A computer.
Memorable bit of advice: From Charlie Nolan (former Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Santa Clara University): "Do the fundamentals fundamentally well."
Bucket list: Traveling to Europe, to "venture and explore all of it ... multiple times."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Four Peaks Oct 30, 2020

Ken shares four things to carry you into and through a Halloween/Nov. 1/pre-Election Day weekend. Full episode with new guests drops next week.
Peak 1: The Keep Going Song a joyful ear worm
Peak 2: "What's at Stake for College Admission in this Election?" by Angel Perez
Peak 3: "Election Stress Getting to You? 4 Ways to Keep Calm"
Peak 4: Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jenny Rickard Oct 22, 2020

Jenny Rickard, President and CEO of CommonApp, climbs a veritable mountain range on this episode of the ALP. Learn about a journey that's part dream, part serendipity and all dedication as you hear Jenny share what she's learned along the way, and what has driven her from the start.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: While You See a Chance by Steve Winwood
Best recent read: Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom
Eager to read next: The College Conversation: A Practical Companion for Parents to Guide Their Children Along the Path to Higher Education by Eric Furda and Jacques Steinberg
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Shrimp Fra Diavolo over linguine
What she uses to take and keep notes: Common App journal with a Frixion pen
Memorable bit of advice: From the Headspace app: "You are not your thoughts."
Bucket list: Inspired by a visit to the King Tut exhibit when she was in 7th grade, Jenny wants to visit the pyramids in Egypt.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

David Hawkins Oct 16, 2020

What do a growling beagle, Andrew Cuomo, the Green Bay Packers, shoe leather and good ideas have in common? Find out in this fun and wide-ranging interview with David Hawkins, Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy at the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Total Football by Parquet Courts
Best recent read: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
Eager to read next: Mostly Harmless (The 5th book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy) by Douglas Adams
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies, which his mother taught him to make when he was 4.
What she uses to take and keep notes: College notebooks and a utilitarian pen.
Memorable bit of advice: "A man should love his life enough to call it his own in the end." from Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle.
Bucket list: To see the Green Bay Packers play at Lambeau Field.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Corey Johnson Oct 09, 2020

Ken learns why dynamic kindness is more important than "success" in his chat with Corey Johnson, founder of Imagine Scholar, based in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga province, in South Africa. Imagine Scholar is "founded on the belief that there is an equal distribution of raw potential in every pocket of the world. Our mission is to equip young leaders with the integrity, skills, and mindsets they need to shape a world they can be proud of."
Many thanks to Laura Kaub (whose name somehow got garbled on the pod!) from Yale Young African Scholars, who introduced Ken to Corey via Kyra Kellawan's excellent ThePilotEd Podcast.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf
Best recent read: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
Eager to read next: Hate, Inc.: Why Today's Media Makes Us Despise One Another by Matt Taibbi
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Pizza using an obscure recipe from Richard the hippie, who read Lord of the Rings to Corey when he was ten.
What she uses to take and keep notes: Things (Mac app) and four colored Etsy notebooks, using a purple-inked Pilot G2 pen.
Memorable bit of advice: Get honest feedback from people who care about you. We all have emotional blindspots that we think nobody sees. Unmask your insecurities. (Inspired by a roast of him by his best friends.)
Bucket list: He really wants to go to space.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Rachelle Hernandez Oct 02, 2020

Ken kicks off Season 3 with Rachelle Hernandez, Senior Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Student Success at the University of Texas at Austin. Learn why you may be able to go fast alone, but you'll always go far together—a theme of this podcast—and how doing right by students will always mean doing right by your institution. Ken also learns that the last thing you need is a pen exploding on you.
Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Hall of Fame by The Script (feat. will.i.am)
Best recent read: The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking by Michael Starbird and Edward Burger
Eager to read next: Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with 4x the recommended amount of vanilla
What she uses to take and keep notes: Notebooks (currently a burnt orange/cactus themed, very Texas) and hotel pens.
Memorable bit of advice: Listen more.
Bucket list: Take a month-long road trip with her family around the U.S.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Maria Furtado May 22, 2020

Ken chats with Maria Furtado, Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives, which is dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. Maria shares the origin story of Admissions Aerobics (it's real and it's magic), as well as lessons she's learned along the way as a former director of admission herself.
Special shout-out to Marty O'Connell and Virginia Buege two of the big brains behind the birth of Colleges That Change Lives.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Flowers are Red by Harry Chapin
Best recent read: The Unwind Dystology Series by Tom Rachman
Eager to read next: Half Broke: A Memoir by Ginger Gaffney
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: "Drinks."
What he uses to take and keep notes: Paper and pen, especially one with a nice wide tip; not one of those sharp pointy ones.
Memorable bit of advice: "Make a decision. It may be good; it may be bad. But make a decision. The best one you can at the time."
Bucket list: Go to Fiji.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Darryl Uy May 15, 2020

Ken chats with Darryl Uy, director of admission at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. \In the episode Darryl illustrates the joys and advantages of being the director instead of the VP or dean, and how majoring in theater is the perfect prep for being an admission director.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Don't Give Up on Me by Andy Grammer and Broken & Beautiful by Kelly Clarkson
Best recent read: The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Eager to read next: This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Making room for his husband to make the best chicken and eggplant parmigiana in the world.
What he uses to take and keep notes: If I'm out and about, Notes app on my phone, otherwise Google Docs. And there's a fountain pen he got from his parents for graduation that needs an ink refill.
Memorable bit of advice: "Be proud of who you are. Be proud of where you came from. And always give people the respect they deserve by learning how to pronounce their name correctly."
Bucket list: See every movie that has been nominated or has won the Oscar for Best Picture. He's done everything from the present back to 1989.
Bonus rapid descent items (movie recommendations): Saving Face and The Half of It by Alice Wu

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

May 1, Then and Now May 01, 2020

Ken chats with—well—himself. No the quarantine isn't going that badly for him, but it seems like May 1 is a good day to pause and reflect on our previous expectations for—and now the new reality of—The Big Day.
Shameless cross-promotion: Why Do We Do This? an article I published almost a year ago about the challenges and the gifts that come with the work of college admission counseling.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Patrick O'Connor Apr 24, 2020

Ken chats with Patrick O'Connor, associate dean of college counseling at Cranbrook Schools and author of College Is Yours 2.0: Preparing, Applying, and Paying For Colleges Perfect For You. A frequent publisher of articles in the Huffington Post and elsewhere, Patrick is a strong advocate for college access (he's the chair of the Michigan College Access Network) with a long record of working with legislators to support college counseling.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J.S. Bach
Best recent read: The Anatomists of Melancholy, by Spencer Lee-Lenfield (Chronicle of Higher Education, April 17, 2020)
Eager to read next: The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us by Paul Tough
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Ina Garten's Avocado and Grapefruit Salad and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.
What he uses to take and keep notes: "I don't take notes." The thoughts just spring from his head and into the computer.
Memorable bit of advice: Remember when you're frustrated with your superiors' decisions, the advice Patrick's dad gave to Patrick's frustrated 16-year-old brother, "It's his hot dog stand. If he wants to serve them with peanut butter, that's his decision." It helps you step back and see why folks might make decisions differently from the ones you'd make.
Bucket list: Learn to play the drums. Also, to be Sam Seaborn (from The West Wing) for a year or two, writing policy speeches that shape the future of the country.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jennifer Delahunty Apr 03, 2020

Ken chats with Jennifer Delahunty, a self-described "accidental admissions officer, a humanoid and admissions gig worker. The former enrollment chief at Kenyon College and a perpetually gifted writer, Jennifer shares her views on how we can make the admissions world for students better than it is right now, and how our current disruption may be the perfect opportunity for nimble, creative, and humble leaders to bring all hands on deck to do so.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: It's the End of the World as We Know It by R.E.M. and You Get What You Give by New Radicals.
Best recent read: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Eager to read next: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein (which she describes as a great argument for the liberal arts)
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: After making Ken blush by implying a different way that question can be answered, she reveals that it's tamales with her daughters, which can sometimes resemble a crime scene
What he uses to take and keep notes: Any kind of tablet "I'm analog; I need to hold a pen in my hand," and that pen is a fine Sharpie.
Memorable bit of advice: Treat everyone well on the way up, as you may meet them on the way down.
Bucket list: "Nice" answer: play all the Bach unaccompanied cello suites from beginning to end. "Not so nice" answer: "I want to take the mad emperor and all of his sycophants out of office."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Mary Beth Petrie Mar 27, 2020

Ken chats with Mary Beth Petrie, Dean of Admissions at Lawrence University (who works just two doors down from Ken). Beth reminds Ken what snowstorms can teach admissions folks about coping with pandemics, how to keep a team healthy in the midst of chaos, and, in an unusual twist, switches the typical ending of the ALP, much to Ken's surprise.
Many thanks to Rick Bailey and Sam Waterson of RHB for sharing their advice during this episode about how we can "imagine voraciously" during this time of uncertainty.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Independent Women by Destiny's Child and Into the Unknown (because she's watched Frozen II like 6 times).
Best recent read: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.
Eager to read next: This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City; A Voice That Held it Together by Jon Mooallem
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Apple pie
What he uses to take and keep notes: Blueline Notepro and a Pilot VBall pen.
Memorable bit of advice: You don't have to seize the day." from Glennon Doyle's Don't Carpe Diem | Momastery
Bucket list: Travel to Turkey

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Tony Sarda Mar 20, 2020

Ken chats with Tony Sarda, Director of Recruitment for Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Some are called to serve with a whisper, others with a boom of thunder... in the case of Tony, it was both. Learn about the importance of being open to grace, and giving grace... and why it's really hard to be whay you cannot see.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda (from the best scene in Kill Bill Vol. 1) and Lose Yourself by Eminem.
Best recent read: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Tatum.
Eager to read next: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Ropa Vieja for Christmas Eve.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Whatever's around
Memorable bit of advice: From Beverly Wheeler to Tony, who said to her, "I want to be like you when I grow up." Her response: "You're going to fail. You don't need to be like me. You need to be the best version of you."
Bucket list: Run a half marathon. (Ken recommends Hal Higdon's training program).

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jon Boeckenstedt Feb 18, 2020

Ken chats with Jon Boeckenstedt, vice provost for enrollment at Oregon State University, and the mind behind Higher Ed Data Stories, a treasure trove of data-driven (and data-visualized) observations about the state of higher ed. Jon shares some views about his recent career move as well as surprises about his reading and writing habits, as well as the unusual upside of the imposter syndrome.
Shout-outs & Links

A couple of other places to get your Boeckenfix: jonboeckenstedt.net and Out Here In Oregon.
The Test and The Art of Thinking a documentary about standardized tests, their role in college admission, and how they do (and don't) predict academic success.
Jon's early influences that inform his wonderment about the absurdity of life: Mad Magazine's Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions (Vol. 1-3); The Stranger by Albert Camus; and Monty Python.
500px and Flickr, two collections of Jon's photography
An investigative report on whether Alex Bello is, in fact, Marlon Jackson's
Episode sponsored by InitialView and their latest development, Elevator Pitch.

Rapid Descent

Walkout song: Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who.
Best recent read: A Wikipedia entry about Norman Borlaug, which inspired him to name March 25 (Borlaug's birthday) National Test-Optional Day.
Eager to read next: The Years that Matter Mostby Paul Tough ("Apparently I'm in it...")
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Semi-homemade killer chili: Hormel chili + extra sharp cheddar + Frank's Red Hot + bacon bits.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Not much of a notetaker, but Jon loves a good fountain pen. Though he owns a Montblanc, he prefers his Sheaffer (for writing in black) and Lamy (for writing in blue).
Memorable bit of advice: "Everybody is an imposter."
Bucket list: "I do not and never have had a bucket list."

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Carmen Lopez Feb 06, 2020

Ken learns why "leadership is motion" with Carmen Lopez, Executive Director of College Horizons, a national educational non-profit serving American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Hawaiian Native students in their transition to college and graduate school.
Shout-outs & Links

Claudio Sanchez's NPR story on College Horizons recorded at Lawrence University: How Native Students Can Succeed in College: "Be As Tough As the Land That Made You"
Shout-outs to:
Whitney Laughlin (founder of College Horizons) and Christine Suina, College Horizons program coordinator
Dr. Robert Binswanger of Dartmouth, an early mentor
Dr. Adrienne Keene, author of Native Appropriations and co-host of All My Relations with Matika Wilbur.
Also: Candace Jimmerson, Bryan Brayboy, Jonathan Burdick, Joanie Brotman, Ralph Figueroa, DeAngela Burns-Wallace, and Regis Pecos (Cochiti Pueblo)

Rapid Descent

Walkout songs (it's a playlist): I Love Rock'n'Roll (Joan Jett); Nasty (Janet Jackson); Kickstart My Heart (Mötley Crüe); Cult of Personality (Living Colour); Sabotage (Beastie Boys); Sisters (A Tribe Called Red); Kiss Me Deadly (Lita Ford); Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz); Pynk (Janelle Monae); Get Ur Freak On (Missy Elliott)... all of which have been added to the ALP playlists on Apple Music and Spotify.
Best recent reads: Navajo Coyote Stories and Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire (both of which she has read with her kids); The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in an Age of Information Overload (Daniel Levitin); The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse (Charles Mackesy)... all of which have been added to the ALP Goodies List.
Eager to read next: The Testaments (Margaret Atwood)
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Blue Corn Mash for the kids; Pinto Beans and Ham Hocks (with a LOT of cumin)
For taking and keeping notes: One Note, a couple of Mead notebooks for brain dumps and... well, she warns you to keep an eye on your best pen
Memorable bit of advice: From one of the elders who led the opening circle at a College Horizons college program: "Don't forget that while we might have generational trauma, we also have generational stamina."
Bucket list: Even though she doesn't have a bucket list, she still needs to see two concerts: Buddy Guy and Def Leppard.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Akil Bello Jan 24, 2020

Ken chats with Akil Bello, founder of Bell Curves, who shares his views on higher ed and some news about a new professional adventure that fits perfectly with his leadership in matters around standardized testing. (And if you haven't read his writings on his website, Bellowings, you should give it a go.)
Shout-outs & Links

Akil's presentation on entrepreneurship at the Harlem Business Alliance.
An investigative report on whether Alex Bello is, in fact, Marlon Jackson's son, as referenced/joked about in the Netflix show, John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.
A blog post and full slide deck from Akil's Illinois ACAC keynote.
Cross promotional shout out to the Crush podcast
Episode sponsored by InitialView and their latest development, Elevator Pitch.

Rapid Descent

Akil's walkout song: My Philosophy by KRS One
Best thing he's read lately: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Toni Adeyemi
What he's eager to read next: The Gatekeepers by Jacques Steinberg
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Whiskey sour.
What he uses to take and keep notes: "Far too many things..."
Memorable bit of advice: From his father: "Until you have a business plan, it's a hobby."
Bucket list: Going to the Gálapagos.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Reflections on Season One Nov 07, 2019

With 10 episodes in the books, we've come to the end of season one.
(There will be a season two... coming soon.)
There are many more guests lined up for next season, but if you have suggestions of folks you'd love to hear on the podcast, let me know via email or Twitter.
In the meantime, if you're looking for walkout songs, you'll find the Admissions Leadership Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. And if you're looking for that next good read, the right notebook, or a pen that allows you to write with panache, check out the ALP idea list on Amazon.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Emmi Harward Oct 31, 2019

Ken chats with Emmi Harward, Executive Director at the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). Together they explore alternate universes (including one where Emmi is a Supreme Court justice/former U.S. President) as well as a pro tip for getting the first win of the day before you even get out of bed.
Shout-outs & Links

Terry Cowdrey, who hired Emmi into her first admissions gig at Vanderbilt.
Marie Bigham... yes THAT Marie Bigham.
Briana Barkin, Lawrence University California-based regional admission superstar
Suzan Zarwell, director of college counseling at University School of Milwaukee (for a picture she got author Paul Tough to send to Ken).

Rapid Descent

Emmi's walkout song: This is How We Do It by Montell Jordan
Best thing she's read lately: Real American by Julie Lythcott-Haimes
What she's eager to read next: The Privileged Poor by Anthony Jack and The Years That Matter Most by Paul Tough
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Besides dinner reservations, her mother's Mac and cheese... with dreams of making John Legend's Mac and cheese.
What she uses to take and keep notes: Whatever paper is near her Pilot G2 fine point pen. (Also many many Post-it Notes.)
Memorable bit of advice: From her mother who advised, "Make sure you are running to something and not just from something."
Bucket list: Communicating in Spanish, and also spending a lot of time in London.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Liz Cheron Oct 24, 2019

Ken chats with Liz Cheron, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Northeastern University, and former chair of NACAC's Admission Practices Committee. Liz shares a ton of great insights, including integrating design thinking into work, mastery of 24-hour trips to the West Coast and back, and why "admissions leadership and motherhood are not mutually exclusive."
Also, there is a reference to a duck.
Shout-outs & Links

David Burge, former NACAC president who tapped Liz on the shoulder to lead the Admissions Practices committee.
Ronné Patrick Turner, former AVP for Enrollment at Northeastern
"How I Built This with Guy Raz : NPR" podcast

Rapid Descent

Liz's walkout song: Shake it Off by Taylor Swift
Best thing she's read lately: 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
What she's eager to read next: The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: The Barefoot Contessa's Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Raisin Pecan Oatmeal cookies
What she uses to take and keep notes: Plum Planner, but still looking for the right pen.
Memorable bit of advice: "What are the glass balls and rubber balls in your life? The rubber balls will always bounce back, but you need to keep the glass balls in the air."
Bucket list: Running the Boston Marathon.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Cornell LeSane Oct 17, 2019

Ken chats with Cornell LeSane, Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admissions at Allegheny College (Meadville, PA), and newly elected NACAC board director. We learn what a higher ed, a croquet match, and Downton Abbey have to do with each other, and also why you never turn around in racquetball.
Shout-outs & Links

Nancy Beane and Ellen Deitrich, who "voluntold" Cornell to run for NACAC board.
Mike Steidel, Dean of Admission at Carnegie Mellon
Bill Elliot, VP emeritus at Carnegie Mellon
Sue Stuebner, former EVP at Allegheny now President at Colby-Sawyer, who asked Cornell to join her in a HUGE presentation early in Cornell's tenure at Allegheny.

Rapid Descent

Cornell's walkout song: Happy by Pharrell
Best thing he's read lately: Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
What he's eager to read next: The Years That Matter Most by Paul Tough
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Pancakes.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Paper and pen agnostic: whatever notepad or journal book is available.
Memorable bit of advice: "It's easier to catch bees with honey." (Bonus: "In God we trust. All others bring data.")
Bucket list: Continue traveling and remain open to the possibility of where he might go. Russia was a wonderful surprise that happened that way.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Heath Einstein Oct 10, 2019

Ken chats with Heath Einstein, Dean of Admission at TCU about his circuitous journey to his current role, and learns the power of working as hard in your personal life as you do in your work life.
Shout-outs & Links

Former George Washington U colleagues Rhonda Leshman and Rafi Blumenthal.
Jan Goldstein, formerly of Solomon Schechter in Long Island who referred him to his first counseling gig at Solomon Schechter in Westchester.
Carol Wasden, who hired Heath at Hockaday
Ray Brown, Ken's and Heath's former boss
The Power of Moments, by Chip and Dan Heath.

Rapid Descent

Heath's walkout song: Hunger Strike by Temple of the Dog
Best thing he's read lately: The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students by Anthony Jack
What he's eager to read next: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Omelettes that sound suspiciously like a scramble.
What he uses to take and keep notes: Moleskine notebook for big ideas; simple spiral-bound non-Trapper Keeper for meetings and conversations. Purple Uniball pen.
Memorable bit of advice: "Return your voicemails first thing in the morning." Also, "Keep reading."
Bucket list: Wrigley Field, much to the chagrin of the host, a devoted Milwaukee Brewers fan.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Suzanne Lepley Oct 03, 2019

Ken chats with Suzanne Lepley, Interim Dean of Admission at Kalamazoo College, and learns the power of positivity and sweating out stress, as well as what cookies have to do with good interview questions.
Shout-outs & Links

Colleges That Change Lives—"Any group that works in higher ed together has more power than any individual institution for the betterment of higher education."
Jeff Rickey, former enrollment chief at Earlham College who was an early mentor to Suzanne
Marty O'Connell—former executive director of CTCL and mentor to Suzanne.

Rapid Descent

Suzanne's walkout song: No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Beastie Boys
Best thing she's read lately: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
What she's eager to read next: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Superhero muffins (for her swimmer daughter)
What she uses to take and keep notes: Shinola notebooks made in Detroit, written with the Pilot Precise V5RT. Also, for color-coding, Paper Mate Flair felt tips.
Memorable bit of advice: "People first. Put people first."
Bucket list: a yoga retreat in Italy (combines her three favorite things, yoga, food, and Italy)

Episode sponsor

Many thanks to RHB, a marketing and design consultancy serving higher education and helping great causes succeed since 1991.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Interlude: The NACAC conference, etc. Sep 26, 2019

Ken's all by himself at the ALP studio, getting ready for the NACAC conference... as well as what comes after the big vote at the conference.
We'll have new episodes again after the conference, but for now, you can enjoy a few additions to the ALP media empire (he says ironically):
ALP: The Admissions Leadership Playlist
Walkout songs of all ALP guests are available on Apple Music and Spotify playlists.
Also, you can find a list of good reads and nifty things on Amazon.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Todd Rinehart Sep 19, 2019

Ken chats with Todd Rinehart, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment at the University of Denver, former chair of NACAC's Admission Practices Committee, and candidate for NACAC president.
Shout-outs & Links

Roger Campbell—Admission Dean Emeritus at University of Denver, and one of Todd's mentors. (passed away in 2009)
Tom Willoughby—Vice Chancellor Emeritus at University of Denver and Todd's longtime colleague
Nancy Beane—Associate Director of College Counseling at the Westminster Schools and former NACAC president (2016-17)
Joyce Smith—as Todd describes her, "NACAC's powerhouse CEO" who will be retiring in 2020.
@ToddRinehart, @NACAC
This podcast has an elevation gain of 4490' between Appleton, Wisconsin (where Ken is) and Denver.

Rapid Descent

Todd's walkout song: Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
Best thing he's read lately: The Power of Privilege by Joseph A. Soares
What he's eager to read next: Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Opportunities for Colleges and Universities by Gina Ann Garcia
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: chocolate-chip pancakes with his daughter
What he uses to take and keep notes: nifty DU-branded portfolio, available at the University of Denver bookstore
Memorable bit of advice: "Life is for the living." (Tom Willoughby)
Bucket list: Golfing at Augusta National... with Ken... after riding there on a bike.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Marie Bigham Sep 12, 2019

Ken chats with Marie Bigham, founder and co-leader at ACCEPT: Admissions Community Cultivating Equity & Peace Today, and one of the masterminds behind Hack the Gates, whose goal is to "Radically Reimagine Admissions." Learn about the power of learning, listening, enjoying the ride—and also how Pearl Jam, Prince, Self-Care Sundays, and carrying a file folder confidently can make all the difference.
Shout-outs

Nanette Tarbouni—former director of admissions and Marie's boss at Washington University of St. Louis, now a college counselor at John Burroughs High School.
Marjorie Jacobs—former college counselor at Scarsdale HS in New York who invited Marie to be on a panel early in her career. Now a college counselor at SAR.
Jim McLeod—was Marie's champion at Wash U when he was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. (He passed away in 2011.)
Brandi Smith and Steve Frappier, co-leaders of ACCEPT.
@ACCEPTGroup, @HackTheGates

Links and lists

ACCEPT was featured in a Chronicle of Higher Education article by Eric Hoover: The Admissions Activists are Here to Make You Uncomfortable. (Aug. 11, 2019).
Marie referred to Amy Poehler's "Smart Girls Ask Amy" series on YouTube, specifically this episode about courage in the face of a risk.
She's loving the NYT 1619 Project

Rapid Descent

Marie's walkout song: Rollout (this one's the PG version) by Ludacris
Best thing she's read lately: How Does It Feel, a 2016 New Yorker article by Patti Smith
What she's eager to read next: Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia
What she uses to take and keep notes: Lechturm 1917 A5 Hardcover notebook with dot grid (find it here) with notes written in black ink with a Pilot G2 Ultrafine .38mm pen
Memorable bit of advice: "Walk with confidence and carry a file folder... people will think you know what you're doing."
Bucket list: Alaska. It's the only state she hasn't visited.

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Rick Clark Sep 05, 2019

Ken chats with Rick Clark (Twitter, LinkedIn), Director of Undergraduate Admission at Georgia Tech and the voice behind the Georgia Tech Admission Blog. Learn about the power of a midnight run, what an English Premiere League soccer player has to do with a rising admission staffer, and where he and his team get their best ideas for staff engagement and renewal.
Links and lists

The Truth About College Admission by Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard (published by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2019)
Rick also mentioned a video they were working on that plays on the Delta pre-flight safety video. He was kind enough to share it with me so I can share it with you. (Spoiler: it’s genius.)

Rapid Descent

Rick's walkout song: We Ready by Archie Eversole
Best thing he's read lately: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story by Donald Miller
What he's eager to read next: The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
What he uses to take and keep notes: voice records into his phone, also "a ton of flip paper"
Memorable bit of advice: We don’t have to do this; we get to do this… The interruptions are your job—when the problems come, we should be excited about tackling them. They’re not a disruption.
Bucket list: Hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro—he was on his way there to do it, but contracted malaria in Botswana

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Jennielle Strother Aug 29, 2019

Ken chats with Jennielle Strother (Twitter, LinkedIn), VP for Enrollment Management and Chief Enrollment Officer at Concordia University Texas. Learn the origin story of #EMchat, which she co-founded with Alex Williams, as well as the way she approaches her daily work... and why "pressure is a privilege."
Links and lists

"Pressure is a privilege" (Pep Guardiola) which Jennielle heard while watching All or Nothing—Manchester City. As Jennielle says, "I was watching the show with my husband one night, and there was a scene when he was talking to his team in the locker room and he very nonchalantly said, 'pressure is a privilege' (which I’m sure was in between a few curse words) and I emailed the four words to myself at that moment."
Dream On by Aerosmith
Texas Women in Higher Education: Acting, Reflecting, Transforming (TXwHEART) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Rapid Descent

Jennielle's walkout song: Bidi Bidi Bom Bom by Selena
Best thing she's read lately: Pivot: A Vision for the New University by Soliday & Lombardi
What she's eager to read next: Dr. Josie Ahlquist's next book
What she uses to take and keep notes: writing with her favorite Tul pen in pretty notebooks. (Also One Note.)
Memorable bit of advice: from her volleyball coach, who said, "All you need to do is show up and I'll get you where you need to be." She adds, "And by 'show up,' he meant 110% of me in practice and games: heart, mind, body."
Bucket list: travel to Rome, Italy

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Angel Pérez Aug 22, 2019

Ken chats with Angel Pérez, VP for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College (CT). This interview took place just a couple of days after Angel published his article, What Is a Chief Enrollment Officer? which gave them a perfect launching point for the conversation.
Other links and lists:

Angel's 2009 John B. Muir Award-winning article: Struggling Between Two Worlds: How College Affects Identity Construction (NACAC Journal, Winter 2008)

Rapid Descent

Angel's walkout song: We Are the Champions by Queen
Best thing he’s read lately: Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
What he wants to read next: several Maya Angelou books he wants to catch up on
Favorite thing to make in the kitchen: Arroz con Gandules and Chuletas
What he uses to take and keep notes: Notes on his iPad
Memorable bit of advice: “The only thing you can control is your reaction"
Bucket list: Go to Antarctica and check off that 7th continent

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Trailer Aug 18, 2019

Host Ken Anselment previews the ALP, a series of one-on-one conversations with college admissions leaders about their journeys. Some are nearing the summit. Some are already there. But how did they get there? And what can other climbers learn from their mindsets, habits, and experiences?
Theme music arranged by Ryan Anselment

The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

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