Golden Opportunity When Ebony Dixon accepted the new executive director of enrollment management role at SUNY Oswego, her then-boss sent her pictures of snow for several days in a row, asking her if she was sure she wanted to leave her position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. “I said, ‘Yes, sir. I’m certain,’” Ebony said. “I kept all my winter clothes. They were just in the garage, in the packing boxes, so I was ready. I’ve not had to buy anything new.” A native of Cleveland, Ohio, who completed her undergraduate degree and two master’s degrees at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., Ebony said a little snow and cold couldn’t scare her away from the opportunities presented in this role at Oswego. She moved to Syracuse and began her tenure at Oswego in mid-September. As the college’s chief enrollment officer, Ebony serves as a member of the President’s Council; oversees the Admissions operations of the college; and provides leadership to strategically plan, develop, coordinate and implement SUNY Oswego’s comprehensive enrollment management and retention efforts. Under the leadership of President Deborah F. Stanley, SUNY Oswego has been adapting its recruitment strategies to respond to a declining number of young people enrolled in elementary, middle and high schools in New York state, particularly in Central and Northern New York, and across the Northeast for decades. The college hired Admissions counselors specifically to recruit downstate in New York and Long Island and in New Jersey. More recently, the college has developed stronger connections to schools in Washington, D.C., and other regions with higher density of college-bound students. It sought to develop the student pipeline to higher education through programs with high schools and community colleges.
New Director Ushers In Post-Pandemic Recruitment Era
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The college has been successful in recruiting diverse, talented classes to study and live on campus. Despite the uncertainties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, SUNY Oswego’s enrollment for Fall 2020 was 7,636 students—6,673 undergraduates and 963 graduate students—approximately 200 fewer than in Fall 2019. Data for Spring 2021 total enrollment looks nearly on par with Spring 2020 figures.
