With Dr. James Steen, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Houston Christian University
For years, higher education measured access by one question:
How many students did we enroll?
But as Dr. James Steen explains in this episode of TransferTalk, that’s no longer enough. Today’s institutions must think beyond admission and toward an outcome that matters far more: student success.
From enrollment management and transfer credit to commuter engagement and AI, Steen makes the case that access should be measured not by who starts college—but by who crosses the finish line.
Access Doesn’t End at Admission
Enrollment has traditionally focused on front-end metrics:
- Applications
- Admissions
- Deposits
- First-day enrollment
While those numbers remain important, Steen argues they’re only the beginning.
“Everything we do on the front end ultimately sets students up for success, or failure, on the back end.”
Institutions that celebrate enrollment without investing equally in persistence and completion risk missing the larger mission.
Student Success Starts on Day One
One of the episode’s strongest themes is that enrollment and student success should never operate as separate functions.
Admissions teams often hand students off after orientation, assuming someone else owns retention.
Steen challenges that mindset.
“Whose job is it to recruit students? It’s all of our job. Whose job is it to retain them? It’s all of our job.”
Student success isn’t a department.
It’s an institutional commitment.
Transfer Students Need More Than Credit Evaluations
Transfer students arrive with valuable academic experience, but often encounter unnecessary friction.
Steen believes institutions should begin by being as transfer-friendly as possible.
That means:
- Maximizing transfer credit
- Advocating for students during evaluations
- Providing clear degree pathways
- Connecting students quickly to their academic programs
“We want to be as generous as we possibly can be with those credits.”
But generosity with credit alone isn’t enough.
Students also need a sense of belonging.
Belonging Drives Persistence
Many transfer students are commuters balancing work, family, and school.
Unlike first-year residential students, they often come to campus for class, and leave immediately afterward.
Steen argues institutions must intentionally create opportunities for connection.
Whether through transfer orientation, academic organizations, dedicated commuter spaces, or faculty relationships, belonging can’t be left to chance.
“It doesn’t happen by accident. We have to be intentional about creating experiences that engage students.”
Because students who feel connected are more likely to persist.
AI Should Support People, Not Replace Them
The conversation also explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in enrollment and advising.
Steen welcomes technology that reduces repetitive administrative work but draws a clear distinction:
Technology should create more time for relationships, not fewer.
“The technology should help us do the laborious work so we have more time for the human interaction.”
AI can answer questions.
People provide wisdom, encouragement, and the kind of guidance that changes lives.
Communication Should Continue After Enrollment
One of the most practical insights from the episode is the need to continue “marketing” the institution after students enroll.
Too often, communications become purely transactional:
- Tuition reminders
- Registration deadlines
- Financial aid notices
Instead, Steen describes intentionally sharing student success stories, campus opportunities, and reminders of why students chose the institution in the first place.
Those messages reinforce belonging and help students stay connected throughout their journey.
The Big Takeaway: Student Success Is the New Definition of Access
Dr. Steen challenges higher education leaders to rethink one of the profession’s oldest ideas.
Access isn’t simply opening the front door.
It’s creating an experience where students:
- Feel welcomed
- Stay connected
- Earn their degree
- Leave prepared for what’s next
Because institutions aren’t measured only by who they admit.
They’re measured by who they empower to succeed.
Listen Now
This episode is a must-listen for enrollment leaders, student success professionals, registrars, and anyone committed to building a more transfer-friendly institution.
👉 Listen to Episode 26 of TransferTalk
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