Building a Profession From the Inside Out: Keith Ramsdell on Enrollment Management

Summary

Keith Ramsdell, President of the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP), has spent over 25 years in higher education enrollment. In this episode, he explores what it will take to elevate enrollment management from a profession people stumble into to one people deliberately pursue. From the soft skills crisis among entry-level staff to the financial literacy gap at the leadership level, Keith outlines what the field still needs. He also offers a nuanced take on AI in mission-driven institutions and reflects on how strategic partnerships between associations, institutions, and vendors can build the professional infrastructure no single campus can create alone.

TOPICS: Presidential Leadership — AI

Key Moments in This Episode

Topic 1 | The Professionalization of Enrollment Management

[01:40] The Accidental Profession

Keith reflects on how virtually no one enters college planning a career in enrollment management, and why that makes professional development a lifeline instead of a luxury. He shares how organizations like NACCAP and NAGAP became his roadmap when he was, as he puts it, "flying the plane while building it."

[10:19] The Soft Skills Gap

When asked what skills tomorrow's enrollment professionals need most, Keith said: "it's not data fluency or CRM expertise, but the ability to listen, adapt, and engage on a genuinely individual level." He also highlights financial literacy as a critical blind spot for enrollment leaders moving up in an era of institutional closures.

Topic 2 | The Authenticity Paradox of AI in Enrollment

[12:53] AI Knows What You Might Say, But Not How You'd Say It

Keith offers a frank assessment of AI in enrollment. AI is useful for saving time on drafts, policies, and top-of-funnel outreach, but unable to replicate voice, context, or the personal touch that converts prospective students. He flags the danger of letting AI carry a relationship all the way to the deposit conversation without real exchanges from a human representative.

[14:56] Where AI Can't Go for Mission-Driven Schools

For Christian colleges and universities, the enrollment conversation often involves questions of calling and faith, territory where AI falls short. Keith argues that the NACCAP institutions thriving right now are those leaning hardest into their unique distinguishers, and that trying to automate the conversation is ineffective and counter to the institutional mission.

Topic 3 | Strategic Partnerships as Professional Infrastructure

[23:49] Building Bridges Between Associations

Keith recounts how he helped forge the partnership between NAGAP and NACCAP around 2021. The two organizations serving different audiences found meaningful common ground in advancing graduate enrollment management. The story illustrates that the best professional infrastructure isn't built on any single campus but in the spaces between organizations willing to share resources and expertise.

[27:24] Closing Question | Three Pieces of Advice

Host Todd Abbott asks Keith for three pieces of advice for aspiring enrollment professionals. Keith's answers: create bridges with like-minded people; communicate with radical transparency to build trust; and build your professional competency in financial literacy.

Todd Abbott
Vice President, Liaison

Todd Abbott is a higher education leader with 28 years of experience. As a Vice President at Liaison, he partners with colleges and universities to strengthen their enrollment operations and achieve their strategic goals. His expertise spans enrollment, marketing, and student retention, including leadership roles on campus and in the industry. A former Dean of Enrollment, Todd champions data-informed strategies that prioritize student success and institutional growth.

Keith Ramsdell
President, NACCAP

Keith Ramsdell has over 25 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education and enrollment management. He currently serves as the President of the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) leading the premier organization that supports enrollment professionals in Christian higher education and K-12, focusing on professional development, member engagement, and program innovation.

Keith previously served as the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Ashland University where he provided strategic leadership and vision for undergraduate, graduate, international and online admissions, enrollment operations, financial aid, military and veterans services, marketing and communications, and homeschool and classical learning initiatives.

Keith has also been a member of NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management, since 2006. He has served on the Governing Board in several capacities including President and Vice President and is currently a member of the External Relations and Partnerships Committee, the Leadership Cultivation and Elections Committee, and the NAGAP Experts Bureau. He was the recipient of the association’s 2022 Distinguished Service Award.

Keith has presented at national conferences and consulted on topics including data-informed decision making, CRM selection and implementation, faculty engagement, executive leadership preparation, and GEM best practices.

Stephen Taylor
Vice President, Enrollment Strategy, Liaison

Steve joined the Liaison team in 2020 after almost 20 years in higher education administration. Leading teams and driving innovation at schools like Harvard Business School and ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Steve’s experience has focused on the intersection of people, process, and systems as drivers of smart growth. His most recent school position was as Associate Dean for Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business, where he led the unit responsible for all graduate business programs. He holds undergraduate degrees in General Studies and Information Systems and graduate degrees in Business Administration and Philosophy.

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