About This Episode
In this episode of EDU Unlocked, Ashish Fernando sits down with Kevin Thomas, Vice President of Enrollment Services & Student Success at the University of Central Arkansas, to discuss the growing questions around the value of higher education, student trust, and how institutions can better connect with students and families.
The conversation begins with a striking contrast in public perception: while many Americans believe higher education is heading in the wrong direction, a majority of students still trust their own institutions. Kevin explains that transparency and accountability are critical, and that students are right to expect strong career outcomes and a clear return on investment from higher education.
He also argues that institutions often struggle to tell their story effectively. Universities tend to focus heavily on curriculum and academics, while overlooking the broader student experience, the relationships, support systems, personal growth, and sense of belonging that define college life beyond the classroom.
Kevin reflects on his own journey into higher education, sharing how his passion for helping people and supporting student success shaped his career across residence life, advising, retention, and enrollment leadership. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes that care, purpose, and human connection remain central to the work.
The discussion also explores UCA’s efforts to improve affordability and access through scholarship programs for Arkansas families earning under $100,000 annually. Kevin shares how proactive outreach, personalized communication, and financial support helped drive enrollment growth by reaching students who previously believed college was out of reach.
On the role of AI and automation, Kevin sees technology as an opportunity to reduce operational burden across admissions and student support teams, while still preserving the relationships and individualized guidance students value most.
The episode closes with an important insight for enrollment leaders: processes matter, but relationships matter more. Building trust, connection, and individuality is what ultimately shapes the student journey and strengthens institutional impact.
Host & Guest
Kevin Thomas
GuestKevin Thomas, Ed.D., is the Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Success at University of Central Arkansas, where he oversees a comprehensive portfolio that includes admissions, financial aid, advising, registrar services, enrollment systems, retention, and student success initiatives. With more than two decades of experience in higher education, Thomas has become a respected leader known for building student-centered systems that improve enrollment outcomes, increase retention, and strengthen the overall student experience.
Throughout his career, Thomas has held leadership positions focused on enrollment management, academic advising, retention, and student success. Prior to his current role, he served as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Central Arkansas, Director of Retention and Student Success at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Director of the Academic Advising and Retention Center at Western Kentucky University. His work has consistently centered on helping institutions create seamless pathways from recruitment to graduation while removing barriers that prevent students from succeeding.
A strong advocate for holistic enrollment management, Thomas believes that enrollment success extends far beyond recruitment and admissions. He frequently speaks about the importance of connecting enrollment, advising, retention, and student support into a unified strategy that keeps students at the center of every institutional decision. His leadership philosophy emphasizes collaboration, data-informed decision-making, student belonging, and creating educational environments where both students and staff can thrive.
Through his work at the University of Central Arkansas and his engagement with the broader higher education community, Thomas continues to contribute to conversations around enrollment innovation, student success, academic advising, institutional transformation, and the future of higher education leadership.
Key Highlights:
1. Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Success at the University of Central Arkansas
2. Higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience in enrollment management, advising, retention, and student success
3. Oversees admissions, financial aid, registrar services, advising, enrollment systems, and student support functions
4. Former enrollment and student success leader at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Western Kentucky University
5. Led the creation and expansion of UCA’s Division of Enrollment Services and Student Success
6. Advocate for integrating enrollment management, advising, retention, and student success into a unified student-centered strategy
7. Active contributor to professional organizations focused on academic advising, enrollment management, and student success
8. Frequent speaker on enrollment leadership, organizational culture, student retention, academic advising, and institutional transformation in higher education.
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 – Why higher education must tell better stories
- 2 0:25 – Welcome to Edu Unlocked & introducing Kevin Thomas
- 3 2:28 – The growing trust gap in higher education
- 4 4:19 – Moving from a value conversation to a purpose conversation
- 5 5:19 – Why colleges must better communicate student outcomes
- 6 7:15 – Is higher education facing a messaging problem?
- 7 8:40 – Kevin Thomas’s journey into higher education leadership
- 8 10:53 – Scaling student success through scholarship innovation
- 9 12:09 – The story behind UCA Commitment
- 10 14:26 – Expanding access for the “murky middle” of higher education
- 11 16:25 – Proactive outreach and helping students access funding
- 12 17:21 – Challenging assumptions about student readiness and success
- 13 18:21 – AI, automation, and the future of enrollment operations
- 14 21:27 – The mentors and experiences that shaped Kevin’s leadership
- 15 23:23 – Why relationships are the foundation of student success
- 16 30:04 – Students don’t have everything figured out—and that’s okay
- 17 31:35 – From a 16 ACT score to earning a doctorate
- 18 32:05 – What enrollment leaders often miss about today’s students
- 19 34:28 – Why personalization beats mass communication
- 20 36:17 – Final reflections on enrollment, relationships, and student success
Key Quotes
“The college degree is still eliminating that ceiling that keeps people from succeeding.”
“The truth of all success that we do with our students is it's about relationships and connections.”
“Based off the relationship and connection, he missed the mark that day.”
Resources
Supercharge Your University CRM