Event Details
In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, traditional models of student recruitment and admissions no longer meet the demands of a rapidly changing world characterized by advanced technology and instant relationships. American colleges and universities are grappling with a widespread decline in enrollment. To increase enrollment and stay in the game, institutions must adopt smarter, more efficient, faster and technologically advanced recruitment strategies. Join Darden as we delve into the most effective practices shaping today's recruiting landscape, exploring innovative concepts like "Hunter/Farmer" recruitment and admissions.
Dr. Mary Landon Darden
President
Higher Education Innovation, LLC
Dr. Mary Landon Darden is a higher education futurist, author, and leadership expert. She is the Founder and President of Higher Education Innovation LLC, which began in in 2015. The mission of HEI is to “transform higher education.” Darden is the author of two books co-published with the American Council on Education and Rowman and Littlefield. “Entrepreneuring” the Future of Higher Education: Radical Transformation in Times of Profound Change (2021), which is the Winner of the 2021 American Book Fest Award (education/scholarly). This book is that rare nuts-and-bolts guide, based on research and experience, that provides the essential tools for colleges and universities to switch from barely surviving to thriving. Assisted by an impressive array experts and visionaries, Darden presents a do-able roadmap out of the morass of escalating costs and decreasing revenue. Beyond 2020: Envisioning the Future of Universities in America (2009) provides a detailed roadmap to the perils and promise of the Information Age – as it directly applies to the future of American universities. It was adopted as a textbook in the higher education administration doctoral program at Harvard University and is also being used as a strategic planning tool for a number of universities nationwide. It is designed for administrators and higher education scholars.
Darden served in higher education leadership in colleges and universities for more than two decades. She holds a doctorate from the Scholars of Practice program in Higher Education Administration at Baylor University. Her dissertation title is Women Presidents in Four-Year Colleges and Universities: An Analysis of Reported Changeable Attributes Contributing to Their Success (2006).
Darden has received awards for administrative achievements, including the 2001 National Exemplary Award in Community Education from The National Council of Continuing Education and Training. She was named by CIO Views magazine as one of the 2023 “Top Ten Most Visionary Leaders Transforming Education.” Darden is a regular speaker on the topics of leadership and the future of higher education. She has been a keynote speaker for both national and international conferences, including ACE, CEPA, CAP, STATMATS, The League for Innovation, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Through HEI, Darden works with colleges and universities preparing presidents and future presidents to transform their institutions.
Darden received the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She has long been active in social justice issues and was recognized nationally for her work in mobilizing churches in Central Texas to respond to the humanitarian crisis following Hurricane Katrina.
Darden lives in Waco, Texas with her husband Baylor University Professor Emeritus Robert F. Darden. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. Website: https://www.heisuccess.com
HEI LLC, 2024