Following a comprehensive nationwide search, Southwestern University President Edward Burger announced today that Thomas Delahunt has been selected to lead Southwestern’s Office of Enrollment Services as Vice President for Strategic Recruitment and Enrollment, effective May 29th.

Delahunt is a highly respected leader with a track record of success in attracting talented students with diverse backgrounds, while increasing enrollment, diversity, academic profile, and net tuition revenue at every institution he has worked for throughout his career.

Most recently he served as Vice President of Enrollment at La Salle University where he oversaw admission, financial aid, and information management for both graduate and undergraduate enrollment. In his first year at La Salle, Mr. Delahunt implemented enrollment strategies that produced the highest number of applications and the largest incoming class in school history.

“Tom has had great success in finding that critical balance between net tuition revenue and the need to reach out to a wide spectrum of diverse, intelligent, curious, and motivated students,” says President Burger. “This fact was one of the primary characteristics for which we were searching.”

From 2005 to 2016, Delahunt served as Vice President for Admission and Student Financial Planning at Drake University. During that time period, first-year applicants were increased by 49% and the retention rate was increased to 88% from 81%.

“It quickly became clear that Southwestern is on the rise under President Burger’s leadership, and helping the enrollment team reach and exceed its goals is something I’m excited to be a part of,” said Delahunt. “I look forward to leading Southwestern’s efforts to recruit, enroll, and retain talented students. I believe that prospective students and their families will quickly realize, as I did, what a wonderful institution this is, and they will want to be a part of our amazing and trailblazing University.”

Delahunt received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He has received numerous honors and awards during his career for community and campus service. He’s served as President of the Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling and as a board member for the I Have A Dream Foundation and the Catholic Tuition Organization. He has also authored numerous articles on admission, enrollment, and college searches in publications including Inside Higher Education, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and U.S. News and World Report, among others.

“His creative insights, unbounded enthusiasm, and strategic energy will help build on our current momentum, inspire our talented and dedicated team, and create strong, dynamic partnerships throughout the SU community and beyond.” said President Burger.