Springfield, Ohio — Following an extensive national search, Wittenberg University is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael “Mike” Brown as its new Vice President for Enrollment Management. Brown will join the Wittenberg community on June 23, 2025.
“I am thrilled to welcome Mike Brown to the Wittenberg leadership team,” said Dr. Christian M. M. Brady, Wittenberg’s 16th President. “Mike’s passion for helping students find the right collegiate home and his strategic approach to recruitment and retention, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to student success will be instrumental in shaping a vision for enrollment management that aligns with our values and attracts future generations to walk in the Wittenberg Way.”
A proven leader in strategic enrollment operations and multidimensional recruitment planning, Brown comes to Wittenberg from Ursuline College, where he has served as Vice President for Enrollment Management since 2021. In that capacity, Brown regularly partnered with faculty to explore new programs and delivery modalities consistent with students’ interests and market demand. Results included the launch of Physician Assistant and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist programs, along with a revamped MBA program to include dual degree opportunities.
While at Ursuline, Brown also increased net tuition revenue per student by more than 25% in three years and strengthened the college’s collaborative nursing program with the Cleveland Clinic. Additionally, he developed a new scholarship model in athletics to give coaches greater flexibility in recruiting and established data-driven metrics for success across admission operations. In Fall 2024, Ursuline saw its largest class in more than a decade.
Prior to Ursuline, Brown served as Vice President of Enrollment at Lake Erie College, where he developed the institution’s first strategic enrollment plan in collaboration with campus constituents. He also implemented two customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and worked with both the public and private sectors to provide tuition-free pathways for students with the greatest need. Moreover, he assisted in the development of coordinated financial aid, advisement, and registration processes to improve student retention, especially during the summer months.
Throughout his career, which also includes positions at Hanover College in Indiana, Eckerd College in Florida, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana, and Heidelberg University in Ohio, Brown has consistently been praised for his professionalism, creativity, ability to build effective teams, and excellence in outreach, inclusion, and partnership. His decade-long work advocating for children in foster care was equally exceptional before transitioning to the field of higher education in 2004.
“I am excited to join the Wittenberg community at this moment of inflection,” Brown said. “I look forward to partnering with Dr. Brady and working collaboratively with the enrollment team and the entire campus community. Together, we will inspire future generations to choose Wittenberg and continue the transformational mission that started in 1845. Tiger Up!”
Brown earned his B.A. in sociology from Hanover College and his M.A. in higher education administration from the University of Louisville. Proud parents of two adult children, he and his wife Nancy are looking forward to joining the Springfield community.
The search for Brown’s position was led by an eight-member search committee comprised of faculty and staff with guidance from DSG | Storbeck, a nationally recognized leader in higher education executive recruitment.
