After a four-monthlong search, Syracuse University appointed Ryan Williams as associate vice president for enrollment management and director of scholarships and student aid. Williams will start in his new position March 5.

Don Saleh, vice president for enrollment management, started looking at possible candidates for the position in October, after Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, the previous associate vice president for enrollment management and director of scholarships and student aid, announced she would be leaving SU.

Copeland-Morgan accepted a position as the associate vice chancellor for enrollment management at the University of California-Los Angeles. She began her new position Feb. 1.

‘We were looking for the strongest candidate that we could find to fill the position vacated by Youlonda Copeland-Morgan. She was a marvelous leader for the university in the area of enrollment, particularly in the area of financial aid,’ Saleh said.

Saleh said university officials wanted to hire someone with a background in enrollment who really understands financial aid and its complexities. They also wanted to hire someone with strong leadership abilities.

‘We found that person in Ryan Williams. He has a great reputation,’ Saleh said.

Williams most recently worked as vice president for enrollment programs and services at the College Board in Reston, Va., Saleh said. Before working for the College Board, Williams was the director of university financial services at Harvard University.

Saleh said one major factor that went into the decision to hire Williams was his ability to communicate and connect with students.

‘We saw in Ryan someone who is really able to connect with our students and to understand the issues that students bring. He’s a problem-solver and really will work to ensure the two important components of our financial aid mission,’ Saleh said.

Saleh said the two important components of the university’s financial aid mission are to provide students access to financial aid and to ensure their success once they enroll.

Although Saleh said he couldn’t remember how many candidates the university originally considered, he said the search was extensive and that he spoke to a number of people about the position.

Saleh said he hopes to work with Williams on the continued focus of student success at SU and on supporting the university’s financial aid mission. He said he and other officials are looking to work with Williams on programs that help support the retention of students.

Saleh said he wants to work on programs that will help students graduate from the university in four years, as often as possible.

Another goal, Saleh said, is to work with Williams on building the university’s recruitment in other national locations.

snbouvia@syr.edu

Published on February 7, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia