SEM-EP Takes the Stage for Record Number of Presenters in 2025

By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO

Right now, professionals from across the country are connecting in Las Vegas for the 35th Annual AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management Conference. Presenting at AACRAO SEM offers professional visibility and public speaking experience with the added bonus of a registration discount. This year features a record number of presenters from our SEM Endorsement Program. 

"The tremendous growth we've seen over recent years—culminating in a record 12 presentations at this year's AACRAO SEM 2025 Conference in Las Vegas—speaks to both the unique contributions our SEM-EP graduates are making and how they are applying what they have learned by sharing their knowledge with others,” shared Christopher W. Tremblay, Director of the SEM-EP. “Presenting at the field's most prestigious annual gathering of SEM professionals is exactly the kind of real-world experience that sets our program apart and provides opportunities for SEM-EP graduates to showcase their skill set."

Participants in this 12- to 18-month self-paced program transform curriculum into practice while on track to earn a credential. Browse the variety of topics from this year's record number of SEM-EP presenters.

Record 12 SEM-EP Sessions at AACRAO SEM in 2025

1. SEM at Tribal Colleges and Universities: Cultivating Native Student Success Admissions, Registrars and Enrollment Community of Practice, Presented by Jonathan Breaker, College Fund
2. Beyond the Funnel: A Just-Cause Culture with Endless Enrollment Success for Community Colleges, Presented by Gina Patton-Macklin, Delaware County Community College
3. D2D: Data to Decisions - Fostering a Data-Informed Culture to Navigate Disruptions in Strategic Enrollment Management, Presented by Dr. Naureen Nizam, University of Toronto Scarborough
4. United We Enroll: From Silos to Synergy in System-Wide Recruitment and Enrollment, Co-Presented by Laurel Rea, Washington State University
5. Bridging Recruitment & Retention Efforts: The Emerging Scholars Program, Presented by Sara Kelly, SUNY Brockport
6. Mission Completion! Helping Students Finish through Auto-awarding Credentials, Co-Presented by Andrew Stone, Utah Valley University
7. From 12 to 1: Developing a Unified Cost of Attendance for a Merged College System, Presented by Steven McDowell, Connecticut State Community College
8. Putting People First: Onboarding and Team Development Strategies for SEM Success, Co-Presented by Nicole J. Sakraida, Rogue Community College
9. Key Insights from AACRAO ASCEND and SEM Endorsement Program Graduates, SEM-EP Panelists:
   1. Jonathan Breaker, American Indian College Fund
   2. Sara Kelly, SUNY College at Brockport
   3. Dr. Kimberly McNair, Montgomery College
   4. Nicole J. Sakraida, Rogue Community College
10. SCNC as a Student Segment: Why Your Next Enrollment Win Isn’t a New Market — It’s a Known One, Co-Presented by Gina Patton-Macklin, Delaware County Community College
11. Breaking Down Silos: How UT San Antonio Boosted FAFSA Submissions and Enrollment Through Collaboration, Co-Presented by Ana Rodriguez, University of Houston at Clear Lake
12. Review Student Holds: A Campus Effort to Identify, Review, and Eliminate 100 Holds, Co-Presented by Andrew Stone, Utah Valley University

Wondering if this is your time to start? You can apply any day of the year and start the program any day of the year, as this is not a cohort-based program. Start whenever you are ready to commit to the experience. Find out more about SEM-EP today.