Enrollment Management Annual Conference: Declare Your Curiousity

    Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM until 5:00 PMCentral Daylight Time UTC -05:00


    DePaul University - McGowan South Building
    1110 W Belden Ave
    Chicago, IL 60614
    United States

    We are so excited you are planning to join us for our annual Enrollment Management Annual Conference: Declare Your Curiosity! Below you will find an outline of the schedule for the day as well the sessions that will be offered in each time block. Please select your sessions for each block - this will allow us to place each session in an appropriately sized room.
    Registration and Opening Keynote
    8:30 AM - Registration opens in McGowan South Atrium 
    9:00 AM - Breakfast in McGowan North Atrium, Registration continues in McGowan South 
    9:30 AM - Welcome, Opening Keynote with the Office of Mission and Ministry 
     
    10:30 AM - Information Fair and Session Block A
    Choose from a university information fair and sessions with various enrollment management departments and university partners. Below please find descriptions of the sessions offered:
    • We Major in You: Inside DePaul's new Masterbrand Campaign (Major Track - Innovation)
      • Join Chief Branding Officer, Cristel Turner and Brand Directors Sade Akisanya and Katie Byrd for an engaging roundtable discussion unveiling DePaul University's new brand campaign. This session will explore how the campaign aligns with our strategic positioning to elevate DePaul as the top-choice university, shifting perceptions from a backup option to a first-choice destination for students. 
    • Navigating IRMA's Website (Major Track - Data Analytics)
      • Join us for a hands-on tour of DePaul’s Institutional Research & Market Analytics website, where you’ll discover how to access key data on enrollment trends, retention trends, and student demographics. The session will begin with an overview of the website, followed by guided exercises to help you practice finding and using these resources. Whether you’re new to institutional data or looking to sharpen your skills, this workshop will help you navigate and make the most of what IRMA has to offer.
    • Artificial Intelligence - A Collaborative Discussion with Salesforce
      • Learn the pros and cons of AI from our Salesforce partners.
    •  Recruiting International Students for DePaul Graduate Programs (Major Track - Change Management)
      • A collaborative, round-table discussion on effective strategies for recruiting international students who are already studying within the United States for DePaul graduate programs. By the end of this session, participants will have a clearer understanding of recruitment activities currently underway and leave with actionable insights to enhance our collaborative DePaul recruitment efforts.
    Please select which session you plan to attend:
    Please select which session you plan to attend:
    11:30 AM - Session Block B
    • Spanish Language Programming and the Future of Language Access at DePaul (Major Track - Innovation)
      • Providing language access can look a lot like trial and error but when you make the most of resources and partnerships across the university, you can make an impact. Curious about language access and getting your message to the right audience in the right language? Learn about how the Office of Undergraduate Admission has leveraged university resources, Spanish speaking staff and their commitment to access to drive their work through Spanish Language initiatives.
    • Where do our Current Students and Alums Live? (Major Track - Data Analytics)
      • Which Chicago neighborhood had the most DePaul freshmen commuting to DePaul in Fall 2023? Which US state outside Illinois provided DePaul with the most freshmen in Fall 2023? Which Chicagoland zipcode is home to the most alums from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences? This session uses geographic information systems (GIS) to map students and alumni and offers additional insights into DePaul's relationship to Chicago.
    • "Students Don't Read Their Emails" - Using Data, Creativity, and Innovation to Reach Today's Prospective College Student (Major Track - Enrollment Management) 
      • In an era where communication preferences are rapidly evolving, how do we effectively engage with prospective college students? This session will explore the intersection of digital marketing, user experience, and data-driven strategies to reach students in today’s dynamic communication landscape. And contrary to popular belief, even email remains a surprisingly effective tool—when used creatively and strategically. Join us as we dive into the ways undergraduate and graduate students interact with our systems, uncovering insights that challenge assumptions and reveal opportunities for innovation. Attendees will leave with actionable best practices to enhance their own communication efforts, ensuring their messages resonate with students in meaningful ways.
    •  Success at Scale: DePaul University's Salesforce Blueprint for Student Retention and Beyond (Major Track - Innovation)
      • Join the team from DePaul, Cloud for Good, and Salesforce as they take you through a history of DePaul's Salesforce journey as it relates to student success and retention, the outcomes thus far, lessons learned, and what's in store in the coming months.  Learn more about how these tools have positively impacted other institutions as well, supporting DePaul’s mission for digital transformation via the Salesforce ecosystem.  Discussions will include areas like Student Success Hub (OneDePaul), Case Management (OneDePaul), Marketing Cloud, Data Cloud, and the buzz around Agentforce.
    •  What Interrupts a Student's Financial Aid Eligibility? (Major Track - Change Management)
      • Confused about how dropping a class or falling behind could impact a student’s financial aid? Join us for a quick, must-know session on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Return to Title IV—two critical policies that can affect a student’s eligibility for aid. We’ll break down what you need you need to know so that you can help us help you keep your students on track and avoid surprise bills. 
    • From Spreadsheets to Students: The Realities of Global Recruitment in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape (Major Track - Change Management)
      • International recruitment sounds glamorous—until you're juggling visa applications, flight delays, hotel bookings, and a spreadsheet that somehow has 12 tabs and no answers. Add in shifting visa policies, regional instability, and evolving geopolitical tensions, and the job becomes even more complex. This presentation pulls back the curtain on the real work;  the planning, the problem-solving, and the powerful moments of connection with students around the world—even in uncertain times.
    Please select which session you plan to attend:
    Please select which session you plan to attend:
    12:30 PM - Lunch and Midday Keynote Session with Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management, Soumitra Ghosh
    1:40 PM - Session Block C
      • Marketing Metrics That Matter: Using Google Analytics To Power Advertising (Major Track - Data Analytics)
        • Curious how your emails, social media posts, or even QR codes help shape your marketing success? In this session, we’ll break down how simple tools—like Google Analytics—can show you what’s working and what’s not. You’ll learn how adding small bits of tracking to your campaigns can give you a clearer picture of what your audience is doing, and how that insight can help you make smarter decisions. Whether you’re a marketing pro or just getting started, we’ll show you how to turn your data into real results.
      • Solutions for Upskilling and Re-skilling the Corporate Sector (Major Track - Innovation) 
        • Come learn how DePaul’s Corporate & Strategic Partnership team engages with Fortune 1000 companies and professional associations to cultivate corporate educational partnerships and assist in the retention and talent developmental needs of organizations, while boosting enrollment and revenue at DePaul. We work with corporations on workforce solutions, tuition benefits, and ongoing professional development. Whether we can provide a solution or connect them with the appropriate department at the University, we help figure that out, so companies and employees do not need to. The team will share how they have worked with several of DePaul’s colleges/schools and other departments to maximize these partnerships. It’s not just about the solutions we provide, this session will share what we are hearing from the corporate sector and what they are looking for to support learning within their organizations. 
      •  How We Live Our Mission in Admissions (Major Track - Enrollment Management)
        • How does our mission impact how and from where we recruit students? How does our mission shape a prospective or admitted student's experience while on campus and throughout the application and admissions decision process? Join admissions professionals as we review how we live DePaul's mission in our admissions practices and share your thoughts on how we can continue to uphold our mission in the future, from admission to graduation.
      • The Cristo Rey Difference: Mission-Driven Innovation in Education (Major Track - Change Management)
        • Did you know that DePaul has been a University Partner of the Cristo Rey Network for decades? Did you know that the founding network school, Cristo Rey Jesuit, is right here in Chicago? For the first time in our partnership's history, DePaul has committed to meeting 85% of demonstrated financial need for this group. The results? Astounding. Join me to learn more and celebrate our biggest cohort of Cristo Rey students ever joining us this fall! 
      • The MyDePaul Experience: A Preview of the New Internal Portal (Major Track - Change Management)
        • In this session, Tim Cote (Enrollment Management) will provide a walkthrough of the improved MyDePaul student, faculty, and staff portal experience.  Highlights will include the new Alerts and To-Do’s feature, a streamlined advising appointment experience, updated navigation to include regularly accessed DePaul resources, and a brand new university news feed.  The new portal experience will create a more seamless one-stop shop not only for students, but for faculty and staff as well.
      • Community College Transfer Pathways (Major Track - Enrollment Management)
        • To enhance and facilitate a smooth transfer experience for our Chicagoland community college students, the office of Transfer Recruitment and Admission, in collaboration with college offices, has developed a system to update existing pathways while also exploring and developing new ones. Through these transfer pathways we hope to provide students with a clear pathway to DePaul by providing them with a straightforward curriculum map that keeps them on track to graduate (with both their associates and bachelors degrees) while maximizing time and money spent at the community college. While continued strategizing is needed to stand out in a growingly crowded market place, as well as ways to assess long-term success, the response from students and community college partners has been reassuring that this is a vital tool for transfer student success.
      Please select which session you plan to attend:
      Please select which session you plan to attend:
      2:30 PM - Session Block D
      • Meeting the Moment: Supporting Student Potential Through Timely Interventions (Major Track - Data Analytics)
        • Student success professionals often walk a fine line between nurturing potential and knowing when to intervene. This session explores the art and science of recognizing readiness—when students are most open to receiving support—and how to build systems of care that empower rather than overwhelm.
      • What are your Campus Connect Query Queries? (Major Track - Data Analytics)
        • Whether you’re new to Query Manager or just want to feel more confident editing reports in Campus Connect, this session is for you. We’ll start with foundational concepts—like how to choose the right fields and what an outer join really does—then move into intermediate tips to help make your queries more flexible and effective. Bring your questions and, if possible, your laptop! This session is designed to be interactive, so come ready to troubleshoot, share, and explore. I’ll also show you how to tap into a broader community of higher ed professionals who use Query Manager daily and are happy to help.
      • Scholarships and Funding (Major Track - Enrollment Management)
        • Join us for a practical and engaging session that demystifies how scholarships and funding are administered across DePaul. Learn how donor-funded and institutional scholarships are created, awarded, and tracked—from initial setup to student impact. We’ll explore the tools available to staff, including Scholarship Connect, and spotlight five lesser-known funding sources that can make a difference for students. Whether you’re new to this process or looking to deepen your understanding, this session will equip you with insights and resources to better support students and collaborate across departments.
      • Slatecraft: Building a Cleaner System, One Audit at a Time (Major Track - Innovation)
        • A deep dive into our multi-pronged effort to transform Slate from a tangled web of broken feeds, redundant records, and outdated portals into a streamlined, reliable system. Through audits, automation, and a little healthy competition, we’re reducing manual work and laying the groundwork for a more efficient future.
        • Helping Create a Better OneDePaul/Salesforce Experience (Major Track - Innovation)
          • In this session, Laura Dyer (Enrollment Management) and Tim Cote (Enrollment Management) will host an interactive discussion focused on how OneDePaul/Salesforce is currently being used as well as opportunities for improvement. Bring your questions and suggestions for quality of life improvements and ways to impact student success. Topics will include but are not limited to Support Cases, the OneDePaul Knowledge Base, and utilizing data within the system. Hosts will also be covering best practices and how to best utilize existing tools within OneDePaul/Salesforce.
        Please select which session you plan to attend:
        Please select which session you plan to attend:
        3:20 PM - Session Block E
        • Financial Aid 101 (Major Track - Enrollment Management)
          • This session will cover the financial aid process and different types of aid available at DePaul. We will also discuss when to talk to us vs. other offices (student accounts, etc.), and review some basics of what we know about how the "Big Beautiful Bill" will affect financial aid. 
          • Enrollment Management Communications: An Ongoing Journey (Major Track - Change Management)
            • In this session, Justin Johnson (Financial Aid) and Tim Munroe (University Registrar) will showcase Marketing Cloud’s Journey Builder tool. This tool allows Enrollment Management to create a roadmap for retention and student success communications, analyzing each student’s academic, financial, and engagement information to ensure students are receiving only the most necessary and personalized communications possible.
            • DePaul's Direct Admit Programs with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (Major Track - Change Management)
              • Are you hearing from students eager to pursue a profession in the health sciences? Are they searching for schools that offer direct entry to medical school or other professional health programs? Now, they can add DePaul to their list! Join me to learn about the student application experience 
            • Study Abroad: High Impact, Strong Retention (Major Track - Innovation)
              • Attend this session to learn more about Study Abroad enrollment at DePaul. Study abroad positively affects student retention and graduation outcomes in higher education, with students who participate in these programs demonstrating higher graduation rates and GPAs. The immersive nature of study abroad can lead to increased engagement with learning and a stronger connection to the educational experience, which is crucial for retention.
            Please select which session you plan to attend:
            Please select which session you plan to attend:
            4:00 PM - Closing Reception