T. Scott Henne has been appointed dean of admission at the University of Evansville where he will lead the team in attracting top quality undergraduate students.
Henne is currently director of freshman recruitment at Valparaiso University in northwestern Indiana. Under his leadership, Valparaiso has experienced record freshman classes over the past three years in number, academics, and diversity. At UE, Henne will provide leadership in identifying and recruiting the undergraduate freshman class and transfer students.
“I’m delighted to join the admission team at the University of Evansville – a top 10 U.S. News & World Report-ranked university in the Midwest, but there are a lot more great things to tell about UE than that,” Henne said.
“Admission’s job is to ensure that prospective students understand UE in its totality. We must make connections, build relationships, and present the UE story to allow them to decide if they want to be a part of that story.”
Henne said college admission has evolved in his almost 11 years in the profession. He said more than ever, family members and others are helping students with their college decision. “Every year is different as we work with new student populations. We don’t just work with students, but also with families and other influencers. So, admission’s role is to help bring all the pieces into consideration so that the student and the family can put the story together.”
Among the considerations for students and their families are cost and return on investment. UE offers a wide range of financial aid options to ensure that a UE education is affordable. More than 90 percent of UE students receive some form of aid. Students are also assured that upon graduation, they have the tools they need to successfully enter the job market or move toward a higher degree, through enhanced efforts of UE’s Center for Career Development. Prospective students at UE are offered a free, career-focused evaluation, which is something very few other institutions offer.
“It is those types of distinctions that make the University of Evansville a wise choice for students and, quite frankly, are appealing to me as the person responsible for the team encouraging students to attend the institution. Between the career solutions, attention to international engagement, and opportunities to work in interdisciplinary teams, the University of Evansville does set itself apart from other similar-sized institutions. With more than 10 years’ experience at another private institution within the state, I am very familiar with all UE has to offer and am confident I can hit the ground running,” Henne said.
“Scott’s Indiana ties are very important in what we do. Fifty-three percent of our students come from within the state, so obviously that is a vital source of students for us, and Scott’s experience with them is invaluable,” said Shane Davidson, EdD, the University’s vice president for enrollment services. Davidson said something else that Henne brings to the table is his incredible understanding of the balance of technology and personal touch in the recruitment process.
“Today the website is often a prospective student’s first tool in determining whether he or she wants to even visit a campus, so the electronic functions of our recruitment efforts are so important. But it also takes personal relationships to help students determine whether a college is a good fit. Scott brings the best mix of both of those areas.”
Henne begins his role on August 21 and says the community – both on campus and off – should expect to meet him soon thereafter. He is a firm believer in the value of partnerships. He understands that UE is vital to the Evansville community and vice versa. He intends to keep himself and his team focused on what is relevant to people. “It is important to interact with city leaders and others so we can best represent UE and Evansville to students. Recruitment is everyone’s task on campus and beyond. Our job in admission is to coordinate that and to make sure we don’t get so caught up in tasks that we find ourselves in a bubble. My team and I will get out there and see what’s going on.”
Henne is a native of Richville, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
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