ALFRED, NY – Brian Dalton, vice president for Enrollment Management at Alfred University, announces the appointment of Jonathan Kent as the University’s new director of admissions.
Kent, who begins his duties March 1, comes to Alfred University from Colby College in Waterville, ME, where he has served as director of athletics fundraising since October 2018. His career in higher education spans 14 years, and includes tenures as director of admissions at two colleges and vice president of Enrollment Management at another.
“Jonathan has a great deal of experience at a number of institutions,” Dalton commented. “He has a dynamic leadership and management style that meshes well with what we have at Alfred and a personal style that will serve him well in our tight-knit community.”
“I'm excited to begin work at Alfred University. From the moment I first spoke to Brian Dalton, I knew Alfred was a place I could see myself at professionally,” Kent said. “Everyone has been so welcoming and I look forward to working with everyone at Alfred to recruit students that want to be part of a close-knit community, fantastic academics, and a place they can develop into professionals that lead globally.”
Kent earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Lawrence University in 2004 and a Master’s of Education in general studies, also from St. Lawrence, in 2008. He began his career in higher education in 2006, as assistant director of admissions at Clarkson University. In 2007 he was appointed assistant director of admissions at SUNY Canton. After two months Kent was promoted to interim director of admissions at SUNY Canton and in 2008 was named director of admissions.
From 2010-13, Kent served as director of admissions at Hartwick College, where in 2013, he led efforts to recruit the college’s largest incoming class ever. In 2013 he was appointed vice president for Enrollment Management at Thomas College in Waterville, ME, where he managed a staff of 35 and oversaw enrollment for undergraduate and graduate programs, marketing, and athletics. During his tenure at Thomas, the college enrolled three of its largest incoming classes.
Kent was named leadership gift officer at Colby College in the fall of 2017, serving in that position for a year before his appointment as director of athletics fundraising in Colby’s Leadership Gift Office.
Kent said his work in higher education, particularly in admissions, has been gratifying. He is excited to lead Alfred University’s admissions team and begin working with the University community. “Working in admissions is the best job on campus because I believe it's the one area that you get to work with all areas of the college. I enjoy getting to know my colleagues and sharing with them the work we do throughout the year and how they can play a role in helping recruit the right students to Alfred University,” he said.
“From the moment I stepped foot on campus, I knew that this was a place I wanted to be. President (Mark) Zupan's vision for Alfred University is bold, exciting, and thoughtful and I am eager to begin working in helping him and the campus community execute the strategic plan.”
Kent, who grew up in Waterville, ME, has ties to Western New York: his wife, Sara, is from Brockport, NY. The couple has two children – daughter Josephine and son Charles – and is expecting a third in June.
