Interview: Chief Enrollment Officer on Real-time Engagement Strategies

We spoke with Dr. Emily Harper, Chief Enrollment Officer at North Ridge University, about how the institution restructured its admission operations around live engagement and the human considerations that guided the change.

Q: What prompted the shift to real-time engagement?

Dr. Harper: 'We saw declining yields after the pandemic and realized that digital information wasn't enough. Families wanted conversations. They wanted honesty about costs and clarity on outcomes. Real-time engagement — not just polished videos — helped us address concerns and move students forward.'

'Real-time isn't about being perfect; it's about being present. Families remember the staff who answered their concerns when they were most anxious.' — Dr. Emily Harper

Q: How did you reorganize staff roles?

Dr. Harper: 'We created a hub-and-spoke model. A central operations hub manages the calendar, tech, and data, while departmental spokes run program-specific sessions. This freed counselors from repetitive tasks and let them focus on high-value, individualized calls.'

Q: What were the biggest challenges?

Dr. Harper: 'Training faculty to be comfortable on camera and ensuring consistent moderation were two big hurdles. Also, we had to build technical runbooks to avoid live mishaps. The first few months were messy, but structured rehearsal and standardized slide templates helped.'

Q: How do you measure success beyond yield?

Dr. Harper: 'We track engagement-to-action metrics: did a live session attendee request an application fee waiver, schedule a campus visit, or submit an application within two weeks? We also measure counselor workload reductions and student satisfaction.'

Q: Any advice for teams starting now?

Dr. Harper: 'Start with a hypothesis and a narrow cohort. Test a financial aid clinic or program Q&A. Focus on the follow-up — what you do 30 minutes after the session matters more than the event itself. And invest in training; your people are the product.'

Final thoughts

Dr. Harper emphasized that live engagement should be student-centric and equity-forward. 'We schedule sessions at different times, provide multilingual support, and ensure accessibility. When live events remove barriers, they become a force for inclusion.'

This interview highlights both strategic and human elements that drive the success of live enrollment programs. Technology matters, but so do culture, training, and intentional measurement.

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