Anthony Ambrogi
Director of Admissions and
Enrollment Research
Randolph-Macon College (VA)
How long have you been in your current
position at Randolph Macon? How long have you been there total?
I’ve been Director of Admissions and
Enrollment Research for 8 years (since 2006). I’ve been at R-MC for 13 years
(since 2001).
How did you get started in college
counseling/admissions?
Like many people in this profession, I just
sort of fell into it. I worked at my high school in Richmond before coming to
R-MC, and I spent a year as a fill-in college counselor until a permanent
replacement could be hired. That was my first introduction to the profession,
and I was hooked. It also introduced me to other counselors and college
admissions reps, and the more I talked with them, the more interesting it
seemed. And then, there was a little bit of luck involved; when I started
looking for a new job, Randolph-Macon was hiring. It was the right kind of college
for me and near where I lived, so things just worked out.
What's your favorite admissions memory?
In one of my first years at R-MC, I was
working with a student from northern Virginia who narrowed down her choice to
us and another Virginia college. She was completely torn, and during the week
before May 1, we traded emails, phone calls, and chat messages back and
forth as she tried to make up her mind. We had a lot of good conversations
about what she wanted and which college might be the best fit. She ended up
choosing the other college, but I felt like I really helped and made a
difference for her. (There’s also the NACAC New Orleans conference with my
staff, but those are stories for another day!)
What advice would you give to someone looking
to pursue leadership in PCACAC and/or NACAC?
Don’t be afraid to step up. I think it can be
intimidating sometimes, especially when they see people with decades of
experience in leadership roles, but we all had to start somewhere. One of the
best parts of our organization is that we are so welcoming to new people and so
open helping members grow into leadership positions. So if you want it, go for
it!
If not working in admissions, what else could
you see yourself pursuing?
I was a high school teacher before coming the
admissions world, and I always enjoyed that. In fact, I teach a history class
at R-MC every fall – it’s fun for me and helps me stay in touch with the
student body. Besides, I’m too old to play professional baseball anymore.
What's one thing that most people don't know
about you?
I was on Jeopardy. I came in second, but I
got a photo of me with Alex Trebek and a free pen…so that’s something.
What's a current trend or future issue you're
passionate about right now? And why?
What an appropriate question for the outgoing
Current Trends/Future Issues committee chair! One big concern for everyone
involved in college admissions is financial aid. There’s no good solution to
the inequity and the rising college debt among students, but PCACAC members can
help with educating our students and families about what aid is available, how
the process works, and how it will affect the student beyond graduation. So
many families – and even some of us in college admissions – simply don’t know how
financial aid works, and we can help bridge that knowledge gap.
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