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Following a national search, Allegheny College President Hilary L. Link announced today that Ellen V. Johnson has been appointed as vice president for enrollment management at Allegheny. Johnson will assume her new position on March 23, 2021.

Johnson will serve as the chief enrollment officer and will have oversight of institutional marketing and communications for the college. She will be responsible for the overall leadership of the Offices of Admissions, Financial Aid and Marketing & Communications. As a member of the president’s cabinet, Johnson will be an active partner in collegewide planning and policy discussions and provide leadership in the design and implementation of marketing, recruitment and enrollment practices that seek well-prepared students, promote retention to graduation and advance the mission and goals of Allegheny.

“Throughout the interview process, we were continually impressed by Ellen’s strategic thinking, commitment to innovation and depth and breadth of experience,” Link said. “Ellen has a long track record of building strong partnerships and a deep understanding of the value of an interdisciplinary liberal arts education, and we are looking forward to welcoming her to the Allegheny community.”

Johnson has 20 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education enrollment, financial aid, marketing and communications. She most recently served as vice president for enrollment management at The College of St. Scholastica, leading the recruitment of traditional and non-traditional undergraduate and graduate students, setting financial aid strategies and student financial services priorities, and overseeing marketing, branding and communications.

Johnson led efforts that resulted in the enrollment of the most diverse first-year class in St. Scholastica history, increased yield rates and campus visits, a data-driven approach to awarding need-based financial aid, and the reversal of an enrollment decline in graduate and online undergraduate programs. Johnson was also a member of the president’s cabinet at St. Scholastica, engaging in operational decisions that impacted all facets of the institution from the yearly budget planning to the development of new academic programs.

“I am honored to join the Allegheny community and consider it a great privilege to serve at a top, forward-thinking national liberal arts institution,” said Johnson. “I am excited to work with President Link, the faculty, and the enrollment and marketing teams to build on the College’s strong traditions at this time of innovation and change in higher education.”

Prior to her leadership role at St. Scholastica, Johnson served as director of undergraduate admission at Simmons University, where she led the recruitment efforts for all first-year, transfer and non-traditional undergraduate students. She previously held positions at Lesley University, the higher education marketing firm Carnegie Dartlet and Valparaiso University.

Active in service to her profession, Johnson has presented at regional and national enrollment management conferences on a range of issues related to diversity and inclusion, leadership development and data analytics. She is a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling and the Minnesota Association of College Admission Counseling; she has also volunteered with several other professional and civic organizations.

Johnson is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education leadership at Colorado State University. She earned a Master of Education in policy, planning and administration from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in elementary education and a minor in music, from The College of St. Scholastica.