Mission Accomplished

With my team having achieved and exceeded it's goal at UNH, it is time for me to make my transition to Zinch. I get a couple days off this week to rest and reflect, a happy hour with friends on Friday, and an early Saturday AM flight to San Fran.

Future ... Here I come!

Passing the reigns

Earlier this month I announced, fittingly, via social media that I was leaving the University of New Haven for an opportunity with Zinch.com.  This will be an excellent chance for me to expand my experience not only in marketing, but also in the field of higher education and enrollment management by connecting and working with a large network of schools with a diverse background of strengths, weaknesses, priorities, and needs.

A few days ago I tweeted about transition, and how a person is not only measured by their achievements but how they handle transition.  My biggest failure would be to leave UNH in a position where they would not be able to continue my responsibilities outside of people management without me.  That is why I am happy to introduce you to my successors:

Tommy Sapienza - (found on twitter @tsapi1) will take over the work I was doing in regards to receiving data from online recruitment partners, as well as developing communications with prospective students with the Hobsons EMT Connect CRM.  If I were to stay, I would be calling him the "Coordinator of Enrollment Technology".  In addition to Twitter he can also be found on LinkedIn here.

Elizabeth Stolow - (found on twitter @lstolo) will take over managing our relationships with most of our online recruitment partners with regard to maintaining our presence on sites like Zinch, College Prowler, Cappex, and others.  If I were to stay, I would be calling her the "Coordinator of Online Marketing and Outreach".  In addition to Twitter she can also be found on LinkedIn here (although she has yet to approve my connection request :-P)

Zack Rosen - (found on twitter @zrosen88) will take over managing social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), online chats, and virtual events (CollegeWeekLive and Virtual Open Houses).  If I were to stay, I would be calling him the "Coordinator of Interactive Online Outreach".  In addition to Twitter he can also be found on LinkedIn here.

These three folks are smart, dynamic, and will do an amazing job.  While I am leaving UNH on May 6 I am confident that we will continue to see the university be recognized as a leader in online outreach and recruitment.

I'm Poking the Box

A couple weeks ago I read a book that literally changed my perspective on my life and my career.  Poke the Box by Seth Godin is a book that rattles your cage to it's core.  It makes you think twice about sitting by and letting opportunity pass you for someone else.  It encourages you to start something and more importantly finish it ... It asks you the question, "When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

Poking the box means not fearing the unknown ... and more importantly not fearing failure ... not making the mistake of not starting.  Think about it ... you can't finish what you don't start!

With that said, I have an announcement today.  Beginning May 6, 2011 I will be leaving the University of New Haven for a new and exciting opportunity with Zinch.com as it's new Director of Marketing and Outreach.  At Zinch I will have the opportunity to work with an amazing cast of characters that I know has the knowledge, skills, and drive to truly change the game in college admissions.  At Zinch we will help students connect with colleges, scholarships, internships, and careers like no one before and will truly "Poke the Box" when it comes to the system of higher education enrollment.

I would like to thank my amazing staff at UNH for a great run.  I am confident that we will be able to achieve our enrollment targets for this year, and look forward to continuing to work with you in my new capacity at Zinch to ensure your success and the future success of students who look to connect with the school.

I would like to also thank Zinch for this amazing opportunity.  From day 1 you have been an amazing partner in changing the way we did things at UNH, and are a big part of why I have found the personal success that I have.  I just hope that I can live up to the hype and deliver!