Editor’s note: NACAC member Kasey Urquídez found herself in a unique position this fall — heading up the admission office at the same university where her daughter was embarking on her freshman year. The experience offered Urquídez an up-close-and-personal look at what comes after admission and how a campus community can help make (or break) promises made during the recruitment cycle.
As I reflect on my daughter’s first year of college, I am grateful for the little things. As vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions at the University of Arizona (UA), it may seem silly for me to write about my own child’s first year at UA, but I feel compelled to share her experience. Why? Her freshman year ultimately offered her everything a parent could want for their child. And as an admission professional, her experiences provided the opportunity to see first-hand the way my university was able to make good on promises made in the recruiting cycle—something all enrollment leaders want.