Back to Basics: What One Enrollment Leader Learned From the Recruitment Trail, with Brent Gage

The Weekly VineDown with Emily Smith

Sometimes, leadership means stepping into your team’s shoes to see how you can improve your team from the bottom-up. Dr. Brent Gage, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Strategy at the University of Iowa, recently returned to the recruitment trail after a decade-long break. When unexpected staffing changes left his team short-handed this fall, Brent hit the road, attending college fairs and high school visits in Ohio. What he discovered there challenged his assumptions about Gen Z, reignited his connection to the admissions process, and shed light on how institutions can better serve students.