Higher education, enrollment management veteran joins Ole Miss in senior university position
A longtime higher education veteran with vast experience in enrollment management and student recruitment, Eduardo Prieto has been named the University of Mississippi‘s first vice chancellor for enrollment management.
Prieto, a native of Oklahoma, will bring to the university more than 20 years of expertise from the higher education landscape with experience working in enrollment management, competitive admission efforts, student recruitment and financial aid, among other areas. Following a national search, Prieto was selected to serve in the new position, which will seek to invigorate university-wide enrollment efforts, including recruitment and financial aid awards for prospective and continuing students.
“As a first-generation college student, I witnessed early on the transformational influence and power of a college degree and experience,” Prieto said. “Whether a student is first-gen or multigenerational, I now enjoy witnessing firsthand the often life-changing journey students have as they progress throughout the college life cycle.
“I feel extremely fortunate and humbled to have this opportunity and look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.”
Reporting to the chancellor and serving on the senior administrative team, Prieto will oversee the new Office of Enrollment Management, which will bring together the Office of Admissions and the Office of Financial Aid with a total team of 70 professionals. he is expected to start March 15, pending approval of his appointment by the board of trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
“In a time when the landscape of higher education is more competitive than ever before, I’m delighted to welcome Eduardo to the university to help us stay competitive in this fast-changing environment,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. “Eduardo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Ole Miss, and I know he will help advance our university in so many ways.”
Prieto joins UM from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he has served as vice president for access and enrollment management since 2014.
Before that, he served as associate vice president of enrollment management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and as vice president of enrollment services at Oklahoma City University. He also served as dean of admissions at University of St. Thomas in Houston and as associate director of prospective student services and director of the Tulsa Office of Recruitment at the University of Oklahoma.
In his role at Ole Miss, Prieto will be responsible for designing and implementing the university’s master enrollment strategy, incorporating recruitment plans and strategic enrollment initiatives and leading financial aid optimization efforts using data analysis, enrollment forecasting and industry best practices.
“Enrollment and student support services are such important priorities for our university, so I’m thrilled to welcome Eduardo to our campus and have someone of his caliber thinking about enrollment each and every day,” said Charlotte Fant Pegues, interim vice chancellor for student affairs and chair of the search committee. “He brings a great level of experience to our campus to help us attract students from all backgrounds and then support them as much as possible when they enroll.”
Prieto received bachelor’s degrees in public relations and communication, as well as a master’s degree in communication, all from the University of Oklahoma. He is finishing a Doctor of Education from North Greenville University.
He is a member of several civic and professional organizations, such as the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the College Board, as well as a member of the Junior Achievement Catawba Region board of directors. He’s also a faculty member for the Institute for Strategic Enrollment Management at Sunriver.
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to serve as the university’s first-ever vice chancellor for enrollment management,” Prieto said. “Ole Miss means so much to so many. I not only want to honor that, but also do my part to help advance the institution and brand as much as possible.”
In his free time, Prieto and his wife, Traci, enjoy spending time with family and friends, as well as traveling and meeting new people and cultures.
By Rod Guajardo
