In this episode of The Hidden Gem, host Maya Demishkevich sits down with Dr. Melissa Curtis to explore the concept of a "healthy enrollment ecosystem." Dr. Curtis shares how institutions can transform enrollment processes by addressing interconnected areas like admissions, student support, academic affairs, and more. They discuss actionable steps for building trust across departments, creating a unified strategy, and fostering an environment where "enrollment is everyone’s responsibility. 

• Learn what a "healthy enrollment ecosystem" means and why it requires a holistic, interconnected approach to student recruitment, retention, and support.
• Discover how college leaders can self-assess to identify areas of improvement and gaps in their current enrollment approach.
• Hear practical steps for transforming enrollment systems by fostering cross-departmental collaboration and breaking down silos without sacrificing departmental autonomy.
• Find out why consistency, clear communication, and shared goals are essential in managing a successful enrollment transformation.
• Understand when to consider external support, like consultants or coaches, to help guide and sustain cultural and enrollment changes.

Melissa Curtis / Principal / Melissa Curtis Consulting, LLC

With over twenty-five years of experience in academic and student affairs, Dr. Melissa Curtis brings a unique perspective to higher education consulting. She provides consulting services for areas relevant to today’s educational climate, including change management, strategic planning, enrollment management, and organizational health. To achieve results, Dr. Curtis includes executive coaching, leadership development, and team coaching in her portfolio. She is a certified coach for The Leadership Challenge and LPI^®360 and is credentialed by the Center for Executive Coaching in coaching for culture change, change leadership, and communication impact. Clients include Harford Community College, Montgomery College, SUNY Ulster, and the Maryland Chief Student Affairs Officers Affinity Group. 

Dr. Curtis made lasting contributions to the institutions she served. As Vice President of Student Success at Howard Community College, she helped lead the “HCC Forward” transformation, launching the first Strategic Enrollment Management plan and yielding a five percent enrollment increase. She also modernized the division to support students through degree completion and transfer. As Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management at the Austin Community College District, Dr. Curtis led enrollment strategies for the district’s eleven campuses. Under her leadership, the college implemented a “one front door” concept to support dual credit, continuing education, distance education, and bachelor’s-degree-seeking students. Dr. Curtis' career in higher education began as an English Professor at Central Texas College, where she was dedicated to improving college access and degree attainment for underrepresented students. She continues to teach today, remaining current in 21st-century learning and community college students’ needs. 

Dr. Curtis is a published author and has presented nationally on Leadership and Management, Emergency Aid, Equity in Strategic Enrollment Management, and Student Affairs Change Management, contributing significantly to the field. A recognized coalition builder, Dr. Curtis nurtures partnerships within the educational ecosystem. Her service has included seats on the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Education Council, the Education Equals Economics (E3) Alliance Blueprint Leadership Council, the Austin College Attainment Network, and YMCA boards in several communities. Nationally, she has served on the CCSSE Students in Need in Community Colleges Advisory Board and the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI) South Advisory Board.  

Dr. Curtis earned her Ph.D. in Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin, with a cognate in Communication Studies. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from Texas State University and her B.A. in Oral Tradition in African and American Literature from Vassar College. She credits her work-life sanity to her family, including her college-going son, teen daughter, and their two big dogs.