About This Episode
In this episode, Ashish Fernando sits down with Katie Condon, VP of Enrollment Management at Eastern Michigan University, to explore her journey into enrollment leadership and how higher education is evolving at the intersection of student expectations and emerging technology. Drawing on her experience across enrollment strategy, operations, and institutional change, Katie shares how leaders can navigate shifting demographics, rising complexity, and growing pressure to modernize systems while keeping the student experience front and centre. This episode encapsulates what is changing in higher ed today, how technology is reshaping enrollment decision-making, and what leaders should be paying attention to next.
Host & Guest
Katie Condon
GuestKatie Condon is the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Eastern Michigan University, effective May 30, 2023. She leads institution-wide enrollment strategy, including recruitment, orientation, scholarship management, and data-informed student success initiatives.
Condon joins Eastern from West Virginia University, where she served as Director of Enrollment Management, overseeing day-to-day operations of the Office of Recruitment. During her tenure, she achieved significant outcomes, including a 35% increase in applications from ethnically underrepresented students and a 220% growth in international first-year student applications post-pandemic. She also redesigned scholarship strategies to support test-optional policies, managed orientation for 5,000 students annually, and collaborated with institutional stakeholders to implement data-driven enrollment initiatives.
In addition to her administrative roles, Condon has seven years of teaching experience in public speaking, public communication, and organizational communication. She holds a Master of Arts in Communication Theory and Research from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Albion College, and she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy.
Key Highlights:
1. Vice President for Enrollment Management, Eastern Michigan University
2. Former Director of Enrollment Management, West Virginia University
3. Increased applications of ethnically underrepresented students by 35%
4. Grew international first-year student applications by 220% post-pandemic
5. Oversaw orientation and onboarding of 5,000 first-year and transfer students annually
6. Implemented data dashboards to track enrollment, student success, and retention
7. Experienced educator in public speaking, communication, and organizational communication
8. Holds MA in Communication Theory & Research (WVU) and BA in Communication Studies (Albion College); pursuing Ph.D.
Ashish Fernando Founder & CEO, EDMO
HostAshish Fernando is the visionary founder and CEO of EDMO, a revolutionary educational technology platform that's transforming how people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Ashish has dedicated his career to making quality education accessible to learners worldwide. Before founding EDMO, Ashish held leadership positions at several prominent EdTech companies and worked as an educational consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Ashish is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and has been featured in publications such as EdTech Magazine, Learning & Development Today, and TechCrunch. He's passionate about the intersection of technology and human potential, believing that the right tools can unlock extraordinary learning outcomes for everyone. Under his leadership, EDMO has grown to serve over 100,000 learners globally and has partnerships with leading educational institutions and corporations. Ashish continues to drive innovation in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics.
Key Achievements
1. Founded EDMO in 2019, now serving 100,000+ learners globally
2. Named 'EdTech Innovator of the Year' by Learning Technology Awards 2023
3. Featured speaker at Global Education Summit 2024
4. Published researcher in educational technology and learning analytics
5. Advisor to multiple EdTech startups and educational initiatives
Show Notes
- 1 0:00–1:00: AI won’t replace jobs, but not knowing AI could.
- 2 1:00–5:30: Katie Condan joins the podcast; discusses “Edu rewards card” concept as a thought experiment for funding higher education through loyalty/rewards programs.
- 3 5:30–8:15: Katie’s journey: started as admissions counselor at WVU, inspired by helping students in rural Appalachia; progressed to VP through curiosity, leadership, and asking questions.
- 4 8:15–12:00: Career growth: importance of “coaching up,” learning from leaders, sitting in meetings to understand processes; communication skills critical for enrollment success.
- 5 12:00–18:15: Enrollment challenges: enrollment cliff, aspiration gap in Gen Z/Gen Alpha, complexity of higher education, rising costs; need for student-centric solutions and competency-based alternatives.
- 6 18:15–22:00: AI in higher education: role in reducing barriers, enhancing student success, improving processes; students increasingly rely on AI for searches; importance of ethics and responsible AI use.
- 7 22:00–30:30: AI adoption as a “graduate assistant”: assists with tasks like summarizing documents, creating slides; adds efficiency without replacing humans; early adoption challenges in higher ed.
- 8 30:30–36:30: Frictionless enrollment: reduce bureaucratic silos, mobile-friendly processes, seamless student experience; goal is students are unaware of internal complexities.
- 9 36:30–40:10: Student-first mentality: balancing policies with responsiveness; encourage secret-shopping and accountability to ensure team meets student needs effectively.
Key Quotes
“Your job won’t be replaced by AI but it will be if you don’t know AI.”
“Frictionless enrollment means students never see the silos they just get what they need seamlessly.”
“Student-first doesn’t mean giving them everything they deserve clarity, responsiveness, and support.”
Resources
Supercharge Your University CRM