Regis University Names Senthil Kumar as Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
DENVER – Regis University has named Senthil Kumar, DBA, as its new vice president for strategic enrollment management, effective Sept. 26, following a nationwide search.
Kumar, who most recently was vice president for strategic enrollment management at Saint Leo University, a private Catholic institution in Florida, has more than 20 years of higher education experience and a proven track record in strategic enrollment planning and global engagement. At Regis, he will oversee recruitment, admissions and financial aid.
"Dr. Kumar brings an extensive knowledge of enrollment data analytics, financial aid leveraging, data-driven marketing and communication strategies, and academic program innovation to drive new student enrollment and retention," said Regis Interim President Cody Teets. "His passion for creating a student-centric mentality in all aspects of strategic enrollment management focusing on the philosophy of “Retention Begins with Recruitment,” is a direct result of his ability to build a strong team of high-achieving individuals working together toward a shared vision and mission."
At Saint. Leo, a 133-year-old university located near Tampa, Kumar led a team of over 150 managing the recruitment and admissions for the university's main campus, online learning and 17 education centers in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Under his leadership, the university welcomed three consecutive years of record classes from 2019 to 2021.
In those years:
- undergraduate applications increased by 101 percent;
- online and graduate applications increased by 66 percent;
- freshmen enrollment increased by 47 percent;
- the international student population increased by 86 percent;
- total new enrollment increased by 58 percent; and
- underrepresented minority enrollment increased by more than 30 percent since 2018.
"I am incredibly honored to serve and be an integral part of a nationally ranked Jesuit Catholic university that I have long admired for its focus on accessibility, affordability, academic quality, and deep devotion to student success," Kumar said. "I look forward to collaborating with the leadership, academic deans, faculty, and staff to develop a bold and compelling strategic enrollment management framework as the institution responds to an intensely competitive higher education environment."
Before joining Saint Leo, Kumar also held leadership roles at Juesheng Education Group, a global student recruitment consultant based in China; Bay State College in Boston, The National Graduate School (NGS) of Quality Management in Massachusetts, and Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. He began his enrollment management career at his alma mater, Oklahoma City University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business. Kumar earned a Doctor of Business Administration and the Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt from the National Graduate School (NGS) of Quality Management, now known as NGS at Cambridge College Global.