Walsh University has named Alejandra Sosa Pieroni as vice president of enrollment management effective July 1, 2015.
Reporting to the president of the University, the vice president of enrollment management is responsible for providing leadership and overall direction in enrollment planning, recruitment, admission, and financial aid. The vice president has the responsibility for the vision, strategy, and implementation of all student recruitment-oriented initiatives and services, as well as the financial aid systems for all students. The vice president will lead the enrollment management team, through hiring, training, motivating, monitoring, and mentoring. In addition, the vice president collaborates with academic and student affairs in supporting the University’s retention efforts.
Alejandra Sosa Pieroni brings to Walsh more than 10 years of leadership experience in the creation and implementation of strategic higher education enrollment management plans that have consistently resulted in enrollment growth. Her career has included a proven track record in the ability to successfully lead admissions and financial aid teams throughout her career beginning with the position of admission counselor for international students at Tiffin University, to serving as a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Florida Southern College as associate director of admissions, and her most recent position as director of undergraduate admissions at Mercer University.
"Alejandra’s professional and personal experiences are uniquely tailored to the mission and goals of Walsh University," said Walsh University President Richard Jusseaume. "In addition to her collaborative leadership style and significant experience in all aspects of the admissions office, she shares our passion for Walsh’s founding mission to provide a high-quality, affordable education to first-generation college students. As a former international student herself who enjoyed an Ohio college experience, she will also be able to provide knowledgeable insight into our growing international recruitment and retention efforts."
Pieroni joins Walsh University from Mercer University in Macon, GA, where she served as the director of undergraduate admissions, overseeing a team of 20 admissions professionals. During her tenure with Mercer, Pieroni facilitated a 30 percent increase in enrollment by recruiting the largest classes in the university’s history while managing to lower the discount rate. She also successfully increased the academic profile of the entering freshman classes, implemented a financial aid packaging strategy that resulted in a decrease of the discount rate and coordinated a search strategy which resulted in a 25 percent increase in application numbers. In addition, she co-led the implementation of all marketing strategies to ensure the university’s visibility and promotion.
Prior to Mercer University, Pieroni was employed at Florida Southern College where she served the admissions office from 2009 to 2011 in several roles including the associate director of admissions. During her tenure as associate director, she was a member of the Senior Leadership Team and played a key role in the development of the admissions office’s strategic plan, resulting in the highest enrollment record in the history of the college. She co-led a 10-member admission counseling team and a four-member operations team and assisted in the coordination of all components of freshman admissions.
She began her career with Ohio’s Tiffin University in 2005 as an admissions counselor for undergraduate international students. Her tenure at Tiffin also included the positions of director of online degree completion admissions and director of admissions for Chatfield College at Findlay Market.
Pieroni earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in International Business and Master of Business Administration in Management from Tiffin University.