The University of St. Thomas has appointed Omar Correa as its next vice president of strategic enrollment management. He'll start his role at St. Thomas on July 1.
Bringing 25 years of experience and expertise in enrollment management, Correa has served since 2015 as the vice chancellor of enrollment management at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He's also led enrollment management at several institutions in the Midwest, including Loras College (Iowa), Monmouth College (Illinois), Concordia College (Minnesota), and Clarke College (Iowa). At these colleges and universities, he’s built a strong track record of exceeding enrollment targets.
"I am very excited about Omar. He is an experienced enrollment management professional with exposure to, and familiarity with, both public and private institutions," Executive Vice President and Provost Eddy Rojas said. "He has a broad command of enrollment management issues, tools, and technologies. His fresh perspective will benefit the entire institution at a time when we are entering a hyper competitive environment for student recruitment."
Rojas also expressed gratitude for the search committee, citing the committee's feedback as important to selecting an outstanding candidate who will join an excellent enrollment team at St. Thomas as Al Cotrone, who served in the role for the past five years, retires this spring.
Beginning his academic career at the University of Puerto Rico, Correa said he braved a transition to Iowa State University to complete a degree in chemistry, although he did not speak English at the time. The experience shaped his professional career, focused on working collaboratively with campus partners to create the type of environment where all students can thrive.
"As an enrollment management professional for these past 25 years, the most significant goal that has emerged for universities is to attract, retain and graduate diverse students who will enhance the fabric of their communities," said Correa. "This can only happen when the entire campus community is engaged and committed to a welcoming, inclusive and success-promoting environment for all."
