By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO
At the 111th AACRAO Annual Meeting, we continue our tradition of AACRAO Awards, recognizing those who have shaped our profession. Since 1959, AACRAO has honored individuals whose dedication and leadership have made a lasting impact on higher education. Honorary Membership, one of our most distinguished recognitions, is given to retiring members who have demonstrated exceptional service to the association and the field. Recipients enjoy lifelong benefits, including free meeting registration and waived dues—a testament to their enduring importance to our community.
What/Who influenced your decision to get involved with AACRAO?
I had several people who were influential in my involvement with AACRAO. When I became the Registrar at Missouri State University, my supervisor, Don Simpson, encouraged me to get involved in both AACRAO and Missouri ACRAO. So, I had institutional support.
After getting involved in MACRAO, I developed strong partnerships with colleagues and counterparts from across the State, some of whom nudged me to take on leadership roles—colleagues such as Brenda Selman, University of Missouri, Debbie Below, Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), and Lenell Hahn (SEMO). From that, I served in several executive committee positions, including President of MACRAO.
I worked closely with several counterparts at other Missouri schools, including Debbie Below, SEMO, Allison Hoffman, Northwest Missouri State University, Kim Humphrey, University of Missouri, Doug Swink, University of Missouri Kansas City, and others. They helped encourage me in my engagement in the enrollment management industry and involvement in AACRAO.
Lastly, after attending my first AACRAO meeting, I was riding a shuttle to the airport and randomly sat next to Sarah Harris from the University of Iowa. She answered all of my questions about how AACRAO was structured and how I could get involved. From that, I began serving on PACs and eventually took on the role of annual meeting program committee chair. Sarah was influential in catapulting my involvement in AACRAO. I’m grateful for that meeting and Sarah, and I still reflect on that conversation fondly.
What do you enjoy most about your work and/or involvement with AACRAO?
Definitely the people. I enjoy creating meaningful relationships with people who share the same passion for the work and fulfillment in helping students in their educational journeys. And I appreciate the networking that comes from that as a by-product. That is, I always feel well-connected with other experts who can discuss policy, strategy, trends, etc.
Have you encountered any unexpected or notable experiences along your professional path?
Several. I started my career in Admissions. I called it my “first love” in the work world. But as career paths do, mine took some unexpected turns. I had grown professionally and was serving in a data and systems role in Enrollment Management. That was a bit of a surprise by itself. But not nearly as much as my next step. Our registrar left the institution, and I was asked to serve as interim registrar. That turned into ten years of serving as the university registrar. I had never aspired to be a registrar, nor did I really know much of what one did. But the role and experience were ones I loved, and it served as an extremely positive impact on shaping the rest of my career.
Also, when I became the chief enrollment officer at my institution, I led the campus through the process of developing our inaugural SEM plan. We engaged with AACRAO Consulting. Through that process I became connected with AACRAO Consulting and eventually started serving as an AACRAO consultant. I still do that today.
Lastly, I retired from the chief enrollment officer position at my institution as of July 2025. It had not been initially my plan or expectation to retire as soon as I did. However, coming to that decision was a great lesson in life that sometimes things don’t turn out the way we planned or expected, sometimes we need to take a step of faith, and sometimes something fulfilling is waiting around the corner. After 30 years of working at the same institution, I was blessed to qualify for a pension and am now able to turn my focus on helping other institutions and younger professionals, utilizing the years of experience and skills I have accumulated. That is rewarding.
Who are your role models?
I look up to and emulate several people. My long-time boss and predecessor at Missouri State University, Don Simpson, is someone I greatly respect. In his role, he was smart, diligent, and thoughtful. He did his work excellently and expected that out of those he worked with. He believed in the golden rule—treat others the way you would want to be treated. And he was always student- and service-focused. More importantly, he was a kind, decent, and caring person – good to the core. His model of leading by example and caring about the people more than the process was an inspiration to me. He is still my friend.
In addition, I have much respect for Dr. Debbie Below, vice president of enrollment management and student success, emeritus, Southeast Missouri State University. She was one of my counterparts (and competitors) for many years. Debbie emulated being a strong, steady leader internally to the university while also being a transparent, knowledgeable, and supportive colleague externally. Debbie also endured some deep challenges in her life with professionalism and amazing strength. We shared some of the same regional four-year public, state of Missouri, and internal administration challenges. We also retired on the same date (June 30, 2025), which was an honor for me to make that significant life change at the same time. Debbie is a friend, colleague, and role model.
What do you aspire to accomplish in the future?
Now that I am retired from my role at Missouri State University, I look forward to finding ways to serve others, both within the higher education community and beyond. I enjoy consulting, filling interim positions, etc., where I can bring expertise and perspective to another institution and help them. I also enjoy being a support to other professionals, especially those newer in the field. I am involved in other organizations whose mission is to help people around the world with great physical, financial, or spiritual need.
What advice would you give to help others find their community at AACRAO?
Sometimes it’s hard to know the structure of, or opportunities in, a large organization like AACRAO. Don’t be afraid to take initiative and ask questions, as I did on that airport shuttle ride with Sarah Harris. Be sure to value relationships and networking. Get involved in your state or regional ACRAO. And find ways you can serve at the national level, such as joining a professional activities committee (PAC), working on the program committee, joining a caucus, seeking a nomination to the Nominations and Elections Committee, or a Board role, etc. Having those connections, sharing experiences, staying connected, and giving back all contribute to a more fulfilling career.
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