Bianca Thompson-Owen

2020 AACRAO Elections - Nominations and Elections Committee Candidate

Greetings AACRAO Colleagues,

It is with great enthusiasm and humility that I accept the 2021-2022 AACRAO Leadership nomination for the Nomination and Elections Committee.

This statement will speak to my qualifications to fill the role, and what I hope to accomplish if elected.  The Nomination and Elections Committee requires an individual to have a keen grasp on working collaboratively with others while exercising integrity.  Currently, I am the Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success at the Rutgers School of Health Professions.  In my role, I understand the value of shared governance, and integrity while working collaboratively with others to accomplish organizational goals and strategic priorities.  These skills are greatly needed for individuals serving on the Nomination and Elections Committees.  

To add to my qualifications, I have been an active member of AACRAO for approximately nine years.  During my membership tenure with AACRAO, I have had the pleasure of presenting a plethora of professional development sessions, and serving on a variety of Caucus/Committees including:  the Vice Chair of the Black Caucus, The Vice Chair of the Women’s Caucus, the Co-Chair for the Student Success Taskforce, and a member of the Graduate and Professional Committee. This level of involvement has enabled me to network and build strong rapports and relationships with a multitude of AACRAO colleagues.  Additionally, I have been honored to receive the AACRAO emerging leader award that acknowledged individuals who have made exceptional contributions to AACRAO and shows promise a rising leader.  Lastly, I am active in my professional association region serving as the President-Elect for the Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admissions (MSACROA).

If elected, my platform would be to ensure that the AACRAO membership body receives an inclusive and diverse slate that serves as a representation of the AACRAO professional body, and the student, faculty, and administrative constituents that we support at our respective institutions.  Additionally, I would like to work to develop a best practice manual for nomination and elections committees that can serve as a model for other professional organization of higher education.

I sincerely thank you for your consideration.

---

Bianca is the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Success and the Director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at the Rutgers School of Health Professions. She has roughly twenty years of experience in higher education serving in a variety of leadership and academic roles. Prior to working for higher education, she counseled “at-risk” adolescents with career and educational guidance. 

Bianca represents higher education enrollment management on a national and regional level. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for the AACRAO Black Caucus.  Additionally, she serves as the president-elect for the Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. She has presented nationally, regionally, and locally on a variety of leadership and enrollment management topics.