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Enrollment Leadership Academy

The Enrollment Leadership Academy (ELA) is a year-long program focused on leadership skills, strategic enrollment management, and developing the next generation of enrollment leaders.

ELA is designed for experienced admissions and financial aid professionals with 5-10 years of experience who are committed to advancing in the field of enrollment management.

group of professional program alumni — The 2023-2024 South/Southwest Cohort of the Enrollment Leadership Academy

There is no fee to participate in ELA, and College Board will pay for National Forum fees; however, all other travel expenses are the responsibility of participants or their sponsoring institutions. Including the National Forum, there are four in-person meetings for ELA in addition to virtual meetings.

ELA Participant Experience

Participants are required to attend virtual and in-person meetings throughout the year facilitated by experienced education professionals. Topics covered include:

Leadership

Leadership, management skills and best practices
Career development
Community-driven leadership in higher education

Strategic Enrollment Management

Strategic enrollment planning
Data-driven practices
Financial aid
Retention and student success

College Board

College Board mission
Membership and governance
Assessment and enrollment solutions

ELA participants also complete a small-group capstone activity. Successful graduates of the Enrollment Leadership Academy receive a digital Credly badge signifying their efforts and accomplishments. Graduates of ELA become members of the ELA Alumni Network, a diverse group of nearly 1000 professionals. College Board regularly convenes ELA Alumni for programs and networking.

ELA Nominations

ELA participants must first be nominated by a supervisor or colleague, and then selected to participate by the College Board. This selective program maximizes learning and networking among members across the entire cohort. Ideal nominees will have:

5–10 years of experience in financial aid or undergraduate admissions
A demonstrated commitment to the field of enrollment management
Significant potential for advancement

The nomination window for the coming year’s ELA cohort typically opens in the spring, and nominations are solicited via a nomination form. Once nominations are live, this website will be updated with the link to the nomination form. We also announce nominations in the monthly Enrollment Brief email. To ensure a diverse cohort, managers should typically only nominate one person per year from their institution. All nominations will be reviewed as a group.