Dixon named associate vice provost, director of admissions

Ebony Dixon, associate vice president for enrollment at Alma College in Michigan, has been named associate vice provost and director of admissions at UB.

Dixon brings a demonstrated track record of recruiting and enrolling an academically strong and diverse student population. Prior to coming to UB, Dixon served as associate vice president for enrollment at Alma College, a private, liberal arts college located in central Michigan, and previously served as executive director of enrollment management at SUNY Oswego.

Reporting to and working closely with the vice provost for enrollment management, Dixon will provide leadership and direction to the office of undergraduate admissions while remaining deeply committed to shaping and advancing UB’s vision for enrollment and overall strategic goals and objectives.

“I am thrilled about Ms. Dixon joining the University at Buffalo, New York’s flagship. Our search chair, Brian Hamluk, and outstanding committee colleagues went above and beyond the commitment to identify and recommend an excellent associate vice provost, director of admissions and enrollment,” says Lee Melvin, vice provost for enrollment management.

“Ebony Dixon entered a rigorous selection process and received unanimous support from the search committee at every stage of the process,” Melvin says, adding that this statement Dixon shared with the committee and campus stood out: “If selected for this role, I will pursue a campaign of refinement and excellence in college admissions.”

Dixon will bring to UB a wealth of knowledge in college admissions research, skill and experience working in and at large unionized organizations; oversight of large decanal units admissions; development of successful transfer, graduate and international recruitment and enrollment strategies; advancement of multiple and competing institutional enrollment goals; analysis of complex enrollment data; and a strong desire to contribute thought leadership to a flagship institution, Melvin says.

“UB will be served well by her ability to be an active listener, imbue teams through recognition, guidance, and purpose, as well as reinvigorate the ‘why’ in our admissions profession. Ebony shared that she is delighted to join the Buffalo community and plans to be an involved citizen, both on and off campus. Ebony will be joining and leading an accomplished and successful admissions leadership team, along with several professionals and clerical colleagues,” Melvin says.

Dixon will be on campus starting July 5.

For the past four years, UB has been ranked among the top 40 public universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. And last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul designated UB as New York’s flagship university.

UB has increased first-year applications by nearly 35% since 2013, which is the inaugural year of the Office of Enrollment Management. Dixon will be tasked with maintaining the upward trend and will lead a high-performing staff of admissions professionals and continue to inspire outstanding prospective students and their families to enroll at UB.

“Among a national pool of outstanding applicants, Ebony’s experience and vision for recruiting a dynamic and diverse student body stood out among the candidates,” says Hamluk, vice president for student life. “Our UB students are incredibly talented, and I am so pleased that Ebony will lead our efforts to further enhance our vibrant student body.”

Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science in business logistics, a Master of Library and Information Science, and a Master of Science in criminal justice, all from Wayne State University. She is pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational change and leadership at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education.

At Alma College, Dixon was responsible for all aspects of traditional first-year and graduate student recruitment, including development and implementation of strategic goals. Additionally, she worked collaboratively with the interim provost, graduate program directors, faculty, financial aid, student affairs, marketing and athletics staff, and other departments across the campus in support of student recruitment.

At SUNY Oswego, she served as chief enrollment officer and was responsible for initiatives related to recruitment, admission, financial aid and yield throughout the admission and financial aid recruitment cycles. Dixon was also a member of the president’s cabinet.

Prior to working at Oswego, Dixon served as director of recruitment and retention at Southern Methodist University’s Lyle School of Engineering.

Before that, she was associate director of enrollment management for the Wayne State University School of Medicine, where she spent more than a decade working in various capacities, among them as interim associate director of admissions outreach and events, senior manager of the enrollment service center, manager of the office of undergraduate admissions, assistant director of new student orientation and admissions counselor in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

“I am absolutely delighted to join the UB team, campus community and a world-class university during the pursuit to become one of the Top 25 public universities in the country,” says Dixon. “I look forward to engaging with internal and external constituents while implementing strategic enrollment approaches to continue moving New York’s flagship institution in an upward trajectory.

“But most of all,” she says, “I am energized with anticipation of welcoming, retaining, graduating and celebrating the remarkable achievements of our academically talented students.”