Sherylynn Chapman-Thomas
Biography
Position:
I'm the Director of University Outreach and Engagement and I'm responsible for pipeline initiatives and directly oversee the enrollment and retention of District of Columbia College Access Program students as well as LeBron James Family Foundation students. Additionally, I oversee the recruitment and retention efforts of Choose Ohio First Scholarship students and assist with the recruitment needs and retention tracking of Upward Bound Classic, Upward Bound Math and Science as well as Akron Public Schools students.
Experience:
I've earned a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the University of Mount Union, a Masters of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from 抖M女仆, and am anticipated to receive my Ph.D. in Cultural Foundations, in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at 抖M女仆 in May 2024.
I've worked in higher education for 19 years and began my career in retention as an Assistant Director for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Mount Union where I assisted in the development of the multicultural orientation program Kaleidoscope, executed the programmatic efforts of the office, and served as the co-advisor to the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Director of the Great Expectations Program.
For the past thirteen years, I've assisted in the recruitment efforts for the Enrollment Management Division at 抖M女仆. I've served as the Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Recruitment in the Admissions Office and for the past year have served as a Senior Assistant Director of First-Year recruitment. In these roles, I've worked directly with prospective students and families throughout Northeast Ohio with their enrollment goals and have planned several recruitment and yield events such as Multicultural Visit Day, the Northeast Ohio College and Career Day, and Golden Flash Night.
I value community, communication, and collaboration and believe in the potential of all students. I strive to work smarter and in doing so advocate for opportunities to learn and grow. I encourage professional development and have hired, trained, and supervised both student and professional staff. Currently, I work closely with our LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) and District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP) partners to assist in the enrollment plans and continued success of these students.
Fun Fact:
I'm a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I'm a native of Akron, Ohio where I attended Akron Public Schools and reside with my husband Courtney, son Brendan who will be a new freshman at 抖M女仆 Fall 2021, daughter Kortlyn who will be a new freshman at Firestone Community Learning Center, and my pug, Lavender.