Michael Davis to lead undergraduate admission at W&M

Michael Davis, an enrollment leader with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, has been selected as William & Mary's next associate vice provost and dean of admissions.

Michael Davis, an enrollment leader with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, has been selected as William & Mary's next associate vice provost and dean of admissions.

Davis currently serves as the senior associate director of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He will start at William & Mary on July 25.

"As we pursue our strategic enrollment goals, we are confident that Michael will strengthen every aspect of admissions, from expanding access to advancing affordability," said Provost Peggy Agouris. "I am grateful to the search committee for their excellent work, and we all look forward to welcoming Michael to campus soon."

In his current role, Davis serves as one of the primary architects of undergraduate enrollment strategy at UNC Chapel Hill, integrating recruitment, evaluation and financial aid. Under his leadership over the past decade, the university has grown its applications and enrollments while also strengthening the academic credentials of its enrolled students.

At William & Mary, Davis will be responsible for the strategic direction, integration and advancement of the university's undergraduate admissions efforts.

"From my first conversations with the William & Mary community, I was struck by the intelligence, warmth and genuine sense of purpose that define this institution," said Davis. "I'm excited to join the university at such an important moment as we develop the university's next strategic plan and help chart the course for what comes next.

"Together with the admissions team, I look forward to welcoming extraordinary students whose ideas, talents and experiences will strengthen the rich intellectual community that makes William & Mary so distinctive."

In his new role, Davis will oversee the Office of Undergraduate Admission - leading a team of about 25 - and be responsible for the office's operating budget. He will also serve as a senior advisor on admissions strategy and trends and use advanced analytics, modeling and forecasting to help shape recruitment and yield strategies.

"The search committee was impressed by Michael's strategic vision, data-driven approach and collaborative leadership style," said Adrienne Howard, chief of staff for the provost and chair of the search committee. "We are confident he will be a tremendous asset as we continue to attract and enroll outstanding students from across the Commonwealth, nation and world."

Davis succeeds Tim Wolfe, who became dean of admission at William & Mary in 2015. Wolfe recently assumed a new role as special assistant to the vice provost for enrollment strategy. The move is part of an organizational restructuring meant to strengthen the university's efforts around attracting and retaining an exceptional student population.

As part of those efforts, Lisa Keegan was hired last year as the inaugural vice provost for enrollment strategy to strengthen alignment among undergraduate admission, financial aid and registrar services with a focus on pan-university enrollment initiatives and state reporting coordination. Davis' role advances the university's enrollment strategies in relation to access, affordability, student success and institutional priorities.

"Michael will prove an excellent leader for this high-performing team," Keegan said. "He understands what makes William & Mary unique and attractive to students and has the professional acumen and experience to advance the university's mission through enrollment in the coming years. We are thrilled to welcome him."

Davis assumed his current role at UNC in 2022. He previously served as the associate director of the same office from 2015 to 2022. While at UNC, he oversaw efforts to strengthen academic quality, expand access and support the institution's financial sustainability. He developed new enrollment initiatives, like the NC Community Outreach, which embedded admissions officers in rural and low-income communities to prepare students to become strong applicants at selective institutions. He also created Carolina Global Launch, a new enrollment pathway that brings in an additional 260 students to the university each fall.

Prior to his work at UNC, he held a number of roles at Drexel University's Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success. Those positions included director of communications and marketing, associate director of recruitment and assistant director of visit experience.

He received his undergraduate degree in history from the University of Georgia and a master's degree in communications from Drexel. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from UNC.

Davis comes to William & Mary with his husband, George, and their Westie terriers, Rex and Roxy.

Erin Jay, Senior Associate Director of University News

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