Denison University announces that Gregory W. Sneed has been selected to serve as the college’s first vice president for enrollment management. Sneed currently is the director of admission for Grinnell College in Iowa. In his role as vice president for enrollment management, a newly created position at Denison, Sneed will oversee the college’s offices of admissions and financial aid, bringing the two critical components of student enrollment under one administrative division.
In addition to his current position at Grinnell, Sneed has served as senior associate dean of admission for Claremont McKenna College; as deputy director of admissions at the University of California, San Diego; and on the admissions staff at the University of California, Davis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Education from Harvard University. Sneed will bring expertise and experience in data analytics, enrollment forecasting, information management systems, both national and international student recruitment, and recruiting and retaining a diverse student population to his role at Denison.
About Sneed, Denison University President Adam Weinberg commented, “Greg brings an extensive background in the liberal arts, having worked at two of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.” Weinberg continued, “He also brings a sophisticated understanding of how data and social media are driving admissions decisions. With his comprehensive experience, Greg really understands who we are and what we do here at Denison. He is committed to our mission, while also bringing a fresh skill set and perspective to our student recruitment and retention efforts.”
Denison University is a nationally recognized leader among private liberal arts colleges with exceptionally strong student recruitment. In fact, 2015 was a record-breaking year for applicants to Denison, with more than 6,100 students applying for approximately 600 spots in this year’s first-year class.
The college’s healthy financial management continues to be a crucial factor in its enrollment success. With an endowment nearing $800 million, Denison enjoys one of the largest endowment-per-student ratios in the country, allowing the college to grant financial aid to more than 98 percent of students. Last year, Denison awarded in excess of $57 million of its own money in scholarships and grants.
Rigorous academics play a big part in the Denison success story, as well. More than half the class of 2019 graduated in the top 10 percent of their secondary school class, and the average combined verbal and math SAT score for the class approached 1300. The best and brightest students are attracted to an educational environment where small class sizes and mentoring relationships with top-notch faculty create an unrivaled setting for teaching and learning, and numerous opportunities for research and internships.
As vice president for enrollment management, Sneed will lead the development, implementation and ongoing evaluation of a comprehensive strategic enrollment management plan. When he arrives at Denison in mid-April, Sneed will work closely with Director of Admissions Mike Hills, a 22-year veteran in the college’s admissions office, as well as other deans and senior administrators, to craft a university-wide, systematic, comprehensive, data-driven, research-based plan designed to locate and enroll highly qualified Denison students.
“The admission landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade with many colleges struggling to meet their enrollment goals. This has not been the case with Denison. We have a university that is growing in demand, a forward-thinking president, a strong financial position relative to most of our competitors, and an admissions staff whose professional experience and expertise is unmatched in our profession,” said Hills. “I am excited to be working with Greg, and I’m confident that he will build upon the many successes we’ve seen over the years, continuing to move Denison forward as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.”
Sarah Hutson-Comeaux, associate professor of psychology and chair of the search committee, said, “We are extremely confident in Greg Sneed’s qualifications and abilities as Denison’s first vice president for enrollment management. The applicant pool for this challenging position was quite talented and extensive. We look forward to working with Greg and further strengthening Denison’s position as a premier liberal arts college.”