University of New Mexico’s Dan Garcia appointed to RNL’s AI Leadership Council

Dan Garcia, vice president for enrollment management at The University of New Mexico (UNM), has been appointed to RNL's AI Leadership Council, a pioneering initiative shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education.

Garcia joins a distinguished group of university executives who are leading the way in exploring AI's potential to enhance the educational experience, improve operational efficiency, and address real-world challenges facing higher education institutions.

RNL's AI Leadership Council's primary goal is to drive discussions that will shape the future of AI in higher education. Members ensure their institutions are well-prepared by staying informed about AI trends and legislation. Members' insights will also directly influence RNL's AI solutions and benefit institutions nationwide. Additionally, networking with industry leaders will foster collaboration and drive innovation in AI applications.

"We're fortunate to have Dan Garcia join our AI Leadership Council. His leadership and insights will help us shape the future of AI in a way that benefits students, faculty, and institutions alike," said RNL Chief Operating Officer Stephen Drew.

"I'm honored to be appointed a member of the RNL AI Leadership Council, representing New Mexico's flagship university and a national R1 institution," said Garcia. "Providing input on this council to the newest approaches to enrollment management, using the newest tools and technologies, is important to help ensure we as public institutions continue to serve our residents. From my perspective, RNL has demonstrated a sincere and strong commitment to access to higher education-it aligns well with the values of the University of New Mexico."

Garcia specializes in Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) and has provided executive leadership, definition, and organization to the enrollment management division. Since coming to UNM, the incoming class size has increased by 40%, setting a record with a cohort of 3,642 this fall, the largest increase since students first stepped on UNM's campus in 1889. Ruffalo Noel Levitz is a trusted campus partner who, for several years since Garcia's arrival, has helped UNM build and shape its incoming class to recruit the best and brightest students from New Mexico and other states.

Before coming to UNM, Garcia served as vice president for enrollment management at the University of Texas at Arlington, West Texas A&M and associate vice chancellor for enrollment services at the University of Washington Tacoma. Under Gracia's leadership at West Texas A&M University (2007-2017), total enrollment increased each year, either meeting or exceeding enrollment targets.

Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) is a leading provider of higher education enrollment management, student success, fundraising solutions, and AI solutions. RNL's solutions combine technology, analytics, strategic expertise, and omnichannel communications and give thousands of institutions everything they need to reach their goals-from marketing and recruiting students to engaging donors.

For decades, colleges and nonprofit organizations have turned to RNL to enroll the students they want, help more students graduate and succeed, and build lifelong relationships with donors. RNL's financial aid solutions have helped institutions manage $3.5B in financial aid.

"From my perspective, RNL has demonstrated a sincere and strong commitment to access to higher education-it aligns well with the values of the University of New Mexico," said Garcia.

For more information, visit UNM's Enrollment Management Division.