Simpson College announces Leigh Mlodzik as vice president for enrollment

Simpson College president Marsha Kelliher announced today the hiring of Leigh Mlodzik as vice president for enrollment. Mlodzik comes to Simpson from Ripon College, where he served as the dean of admission.

Mlodzik is scheduled to begin his tenure March 31.

“We are excited that a professional with Leigh’s skills and leadership abilities will be joining the Simpson team,” Kelliher said. “As we face the challenges of recruiting, admitting and retaining students in this highly competitive marketplace, Leigh’s experience will serve us well. He has a broad knowledge in recruitment, enrollment, financial aid and transfer strategies for students of all backgrounds. His expertise in recruitment and enrollment, tuition leveraging and discount strategies particularly aligns with the Simpson mission.”

Mlodzik has spent his entire 18-year career at Ripon, his alma mater. He began as an admissions counselor before taking over as the dean of admission, a position he held for the past nine years. Working with and through the academy, he has highlighted programs to draw prospective students to campus while retaining current students in high numbers.

As an alumnus and experienced administrator at a small, liberal arts college, Mlodzik understands what it takes to enroll a student through the recruitment process and how to help a family understand the value of higher education. 

“I was impressed with Leigh’s thorough knowledge of tuition leveraging,” said John Woell, senior vice president and academic dean. “It is not enough anymore to offer students a financial aid package based on need and merit. We need to think holistically about getting students to invest in their educations, not just for the first year but all the way through to graduation.”
 
Mlodzik will be tasked with completing the seamless implementation of Simpson’s partnership with enrollment management strategist EAB, assessing the current staff, creating a new tuition leveraging strategy and building a culture of recruitment and retention at the College.
 
“There are many opportunities at Simpson College,” Mlodzik said. “I am eager to get started and put my years of enrollment management experience to work. It is going to be an exciting time and with the support of the current team and the rest of campus, we will be successful.”
 
Tracie Pavon, assistant vice president for enrollment and financial assistance, will continue to lead the admissions and financial aid team until Mlodzik’s arrival.

About Simpson College
Simpson College is a private, liberal arts college located in Iowa with campuses in Indianola, West Des Moines and online. Founded in 1860, the college has 1,268 undergraduate and graduate students. Simpson offers 74 majors, minors and programs in addition to three graduate programs. Outside of the classroom, Simpson is a member of the NCAA Division III American Rivers Conference, hosts eight Greek houses on campus and sponsors many extracurricular options for student involvement.
 
Contact Information
Cathy Cole, Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communication
Direct: 515-961-1595
Email: cathy.cole@simpson.edu