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An essay by Cornell B. LeSane II, senior vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions at Allegheny College, is featured in “The Post-Pandemic College,” a report published by the Chronicle of Higher Education this month.

In the report, the Chronicle of Higher Education asked leading experts to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic will shape higher education in the years to come and what the college of the future may look like. The comprehensive report provides insight into several aspects of higher education, including enrollment, the classroom experience, business models, student support services and community colleges.

LeSane’s in-depth essay focuses on a plan of action and potential changes for enrollment after the pandemic. Colleges already struggling to meet enrollment challenges need to step up their games even more, he notes in the report. LeSane also writes that colleges exhibiting a high level of adaptability and decisiveness will have greater success in the long run. Those that survive in a hyper-competitive enrollment setting will hone their missions, remove admissions barriers and beware of recruitment “gimmicks.”

Appointed dean of admissions at Allegheny College in 2014, and subsequently, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions, LeSane has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education. Prior to Allegheny, he served in a progression of leadership roles at Carnegie Mellon University. While at Carnegie Mellon, he was nominated for and received CMU’s Andy Award for outstanding commitment to students. He has developed and overseen numerous initiatives designed to foster the mission of the institution and assist students and families in all aspects of college selection and beyond.

LeSane serves on the board of directors for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. He also has been continuously active in other professional associations and in the community, having served on steering committees for high schools, as a committee chair for community-based programs, and as a faculty member for numerous programs geared toward high school students and colleagues. He is also currently on the board of directors for Meadville Medical Center.