Vice President Enrollment Placement

Lourdes University names Dr. Chip Weisgerber as Vice President for Enrollment Management

Widely regarded as a collaborative change agent with a proven record of expanding enrollment, Lourdes University is excited to welcome Dr. Weisgerber as the newest member of the President’s Cabinet.

Lourdes University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James “Chip” Weisgerber as the new Vice President for Enrollment Management. Dr. Weisgerber, currently serving as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Special Assistant to the President at La Roche University in Pittsburgh, PA, will officially assume his role on September 29, 2025.

Dr. Weisgerber brings more than 30 years of higher education experience, including leadership roles at Lincoln Memorial University (TN), Urbana University (OH), Muskingum University (OH), and Huntingdon College (AL). Over the course of his career, he has advanced from student life positions to senior administrative leadership in student services, institutional administration, and enrollment management.

He is widely regarded as a collaborative change agent with a proven record of expanding enrollment, forging internal and external partnerships, establishing new academic and co-curricular initiatives, developing and executing strategic plans, overseeing institutional finances, and enriching student life.

“Dr. Weisgerber brings tremendous experience and passion for Catholic higher education, along with a rich résumé of diverse accomplishments that will strengthen our community at Lourdes,” said Dr. William J. Bisset, President of Lourdes University. “We are very excited to welcome him and his family to Lourdes University.”

Lakeland Community College names Dr. Sunil Ahuja its next President

After a nationwide search, the board of trustees at Lakeland Community College are thrilled to announce Dr. Sunil Ahuja will be the college’s sixth president.

Dr. Ahuja brings with him a wealth of experience and a distinguished record of leadership, gained most recently as Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio.

The selection process, facilitated by a dedicated search committee comprising representatives from Lakeland faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, the Lakeland Foundation, students, alumni, and the community, reflects the college’s commitment to academic excellence. The process was assisted by the executive search firm R.H. Perry.

College trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Ahuja at their regular meeting April 4. Board chair Ellen Foley Kessler expressed utmost confidence in Dr. Ahuja’s capability to steer Lakeland toward a prosperous future. “The board is thrilled to welcome Dr. Ahuja to the Lakeland family,” Kessler stated. “His visionary leadership will undoubtedly propel us into the next chapter of our history.”

Dr. Ahuja is anticipated to assume his role soon and participate in Lakeland’s upcoming commencement ceremony on May 11, marking the beginning of an exciting new era for the institution.

At Shawnee State University, Dr. Ahuja carried a broad portfolio of responsibilities in this position, with leadership and oversight over both academic and student affairs divisions of the University. In his time as Provost, Dr. Ahuja has advanced significant institutional priorities, with accomplishments in the development of forward-looking academic vision and programs for enrollment growth, strategic planning, financial stewardship and resource management, accreditation and assessment, data analytics, and retention and completion initiatives leading to student success, among others. He is particularly proud of spear

heading efforts leading to the development of the C.H. Lute School of Business, the School of Nursing, and a focus on health and human services-related programs at Shawnee State, all with direct connections to workforce development, greater access and opportunities for education, and for economic growth in Southern Ohio.

Dr. Ahuja previously served as Associate Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania, as Vice President for Accreditation Relations, Institutional Change, and Research at the Higher Learning Commission in Chicago, and as Dean of the Division of Social Sciences and Human Services at Lorain County Community College in Ohio.

He was a Professor of Political Science at Youngstown State University in Ohio, where he also served as Acting Chair of the Department of History and as Chair of the Academic Senate. He has also held faculty appointments at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Dr. Ahuja has been affiliated with several national higher education organizations, including as alum of the Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA), sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI). He was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow (with fellowship at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio) and an Ohio Academic Leadership Academy (OALA) Fellow (with fellowship at the University of Akron). He is also an alum of the Academy for Advanced Leadership of The Chair Academy.

Dr. Ahuja holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Nebraska. He has published nine books and numerous articles and book chapters on American legislative politics and congressional elections and taught widely in the field of American government.

Utica University Names Eric Sykes its Next Vice President of Enrollment

After a long search for a new vice president of enrollment management at Utica University, one has been selected. W. Eric Sykes will take the helm from Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management Jessica Nelson on May 1, according to an email sent on March 27 by the Office of the President.

According to the email, the national search chaired by Dean Jason Denman poured through several qualified candidates before narrowing their sights on Sykes. The R. H. Perry search firm also contributed to the search.

Sykes has previous administrative experience at other institutions such as Emerson College, Xavier University, and Elmira College. He holds a master’s degree in social and personality psychology with a concentration in psychometrics from Purdue University and a bachelor’s in psychology from Loyola University.

“To land a remarkable thought-leader and practitioner in the enrollment management field such as Eric is a testament to his abilities as well as the opportunities Utica University presents,” said Todd Pfannestiel, president of Utica, in the email announcement. “We all look forward to welcoming Eric and his family to the Utica community in a month.”