College Colloquium 2022: February 23
The College Counseling Office will host this year’s College Colloquium program is on Wednesday, February 23, via Zoom, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Parents/guardians and students in grades 8-11 are invited to this informative, enjoyable presentation. The panel of experts will address how COVID-19 has impacted college admission; discuss national trends, including the future of test-optional admission; and provide useful perspectives for students and parents/guardians who are approaching the college search process. The Zoom link will be shared in a communication to grades 8-11 families next week.
This year's panelists are Mike Devlin, Associate Dean and Director of Admission at Stanford University; Erica L. Sanders, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Michigan; and Karen Vargas, Dean of Admissions at Wake Forest University.
At Stanford University, Devlin provides strategic and operational oversight for all aspects of the admission office and leads the enrollment process for all incoming students. Prior to joining Stanford, he was the founding Director of Admission for New York University’s newest campus in Shanghai, China – the first-ever joint Sino-U.S. university – where he oversaw the recruitment, selection and enrollment of its inaugural four classes. Devlin has also directed the admission process for several of NYU’s schools and colleges in New York. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MPA from the Wagner School of Public Service at NYU.
In her role at the University of Michigan, Sanders oversees all functions related to the undergraduate admission procedures, including recruiting, admitting and enrolling students who reflect the socioeconomic and racial diversity of the state of Michigan and the nation. During her 25+ year career at the university, she has served in a variety of student services arenas, including student orientation, diversity facilitation, and academic advising. A native of Detroit, Sanders is a University of Michigan alumna.
Vargas joined the Wake Forest University community in 2017 and held the position of Associate Dean of Admissions before accepting her current role in 2019. She now oversees all aspects of student recruitment and enrollment and serves as the Regional Dean for students in New York City, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Island, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A native of Puerto Rico, Vargas obtained her BA from Haverford College (Pennsylvania) and MSM from Rosemont College (Pennsylvania). She has gained extensive experience in enrollment management while working in higher education for over 17 years, holding leadership positions in admission at Providence College (Rhode Island), Villanova University (Pennsylvania), and Rosemont College.
Vargas is currently an active member of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and has served on many panels and presentations engaging in thoughtful and meaningful conversations related to top-tier and highly selective college admission practices.
College Colloquium provides a unique opportunity for students and parents/guardians to hear directly from the leaders and decision-makers in the world of college admission. Not only are these deans and directors setting admission policies and guiding the admission process at their own institutions, but they are part of national conversations about the state of college admission.
As this event approaches, a Zoom link will be shared via email. This presentation will not be recorded.
