Purdue names new vice provost for enrollment management

Kristina Wong Davis from the University of California, San Diego, has been chosen as the next vice provost for enrollment management at Purdue.

Wong Davis is currently the director of admissions at UC San Diego, where she provides leadership and oversight to all areas of undergraduate admissions. Prior to that, she was director of outreach and recruitment for The Ohio State University. Wong Davis was selected from two finalists following a national search and will assume the position of vice provost for enrollment management at Purdue on July 1.  

The vice provost for enrollment management oversees recruitment and selection of a qualified and diverse student body; reporting of timely, accurate, and relevant data for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention; and delivery of financial aid and financial aid services to students and their families. The office is also responsible for academic scheduling and course registration, educational records, graduation verification, veteran affairs, and information services.  

"Kristina impressed us with her experience and track record of success with public and land-grant institutions," says Deba Dutta, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity. "She has consistently exceeded her institutions' strategic and diversity enrollment goals."

Wong Davis will succeed Pam Horne, who announced her retirement after serving higher education for 43 years and leading Enrollment Management at Purdue since August 2006. Under Horne's leadership, undergraduate applications have increased more than 100 percent. For fall 2017, Purdue expects the largest incoming class in recent years with an estimated 7,450 freshmen from 74 countries and 48 states within the U.S. The academic profile is expected to be at an all-time high with ACT scores and grade-point averages higher than any previous year.

"I'm excited and honored to be joining the institution that is leading the nation with innovative student-centered initiatives," Wong Davis says. "It's a great time to be a Boilermaker, and I look forward to working with Purdue's colleges and schools to convey this positive message to prospective students."

Dutta appointed an eight-person search advisory committee in November, chaired by Frank Dooley, vice provost for teaching and learning.

"The committee did an outstanding job conducting a national search for this critical position," Dutta says. "We were looking for someone to enhance the solid foundation already built in Enrollment Management -- someone both creative and collaborative -- and Kristina Wong Davis is an excellent choice."