ISSUED: 2 July 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Dr. Shari L. Payne has joined Shepherd University as vice president for enrollment management.
Reporting to the university president and serving as a member of the executive staff, Payne will oversee recruitment and strategic planning to meet Shepherd’s targets for undergraduate, graduate, and non-traditional enrollments, as well as the offices of admissions, financial aid, and registrar.
“The higher education market is very competitive, and we are grateful to attract a leader of Dr. Payne’s caliber to position Shepherd strongly in that market,” said Shepherd President Suzanne Shipley. “Dr. Payne’s background in both financial aid and retaining students will be helpful as we determine the most effective way to attract, educate, and graduate students from Shepherd University.” Payne has more than 19 years experience in higher education.
Before coming to Shepherd, she served as the dean of engaged learning at Robert Morris University since 2009. Other positions that she has held at R.M.U. include director of academic operations for four years, director of financial aid for six years, manager of the student support center for three years, and financial aid coordinator for three years. Previously, Payne served as an admissions and financial aid counselor at the University of Pittsburgh for two years. She also taught at R.M.U. in the school of education and social sciences and the academic affairs division.
Payne earned an Ed.D. in higher education administration and a bachelor’s degree in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in communication and information systems from R.M.U. Payne has presented at the International Workshop on Higher Education Reform, the SPRING Service-Learning Course Development Institute, the Benchmark 3.5 Conference, and the Annual Conference for the Pennsylvania Communications Association. She is a member of the Liaison Advisory Board of the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, the Pitt Alumni Recruitment Network for the University of Pittsburgh, the SPRING Community Engagement Network, the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education Community Engagement Committee, the 74 percent Project: Exploring the Lives of Women Leaders in Nonprofit Organizations with the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administration.
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