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As we prepare to come together at our 35th annual Strategic Enrollment Management Conference in Las Vegas, we face serious enrollment challenges and accept the paramount role that enrollment management strategy, practice, and initiatives will play in meeting the challenges of today’s higher education landscape. Students are shifting their focus from degrees to increased engagement, experiential learning, and flexible access to support in both in-person and online educational delivery. Concerns about learner mental health and wellness are continuing to take central stage. The impact of geopolitics is impacting international student recruitment and success. We are seeing community college enrollments, which had been gradually sliding since 2011, take a small step upward this year, especially for dual enrollment and full-time enrollment. And the looming “enrollment cliff” has many of us concerned about the future of higher education and the changing calculus students are using to determine if and whether to enroll in college. We certainly live in challenging times! 

This special edition of SEM Quarterly pulls from the past year’s articles to present conference participants a wide array of topics and issues, touching on research, community colleges, leadership, international, recruitment, retention, and graduate schools. Many, if not all, of these will be covered in plenaries, workshops, and sessions. As you turn your attention from matters on campus to this opportunity to learn and reflect on the trends, opportunities, and challenges in enrollment, we hope that these articles will be thought-provoking for you, as well, and that you will find yourself starting #SEM2025 with some background and frames of reference to guide you through the conference experience. 

It would be impossible to present this special issue of SEMQ without the talents and hard work of Managing Editor Heather Zimar. Many thanks, Heather, for your insights and dedication. Let me also acknowledge the hard work of our SEMQ Editorial Board members and our many authors, whose research and writing skills you will witness in reading their works. 

Best wishes for a successful SEM Conference in Las Vegas!

Clayton Smith, Ed.D.

Editor-in-Chief

Research:

How do Adult Learners Fit into Strategic Enrollment Management Plans? Attitude and Perception of Enrollment Managers by Richard Gonzalez

Community Colleges:

Embedding Strategic Enrollment Management into Mission Fulfillment: A Comprehensive Guide for Community College Presidents by Randy Weber

Leadership:

Leading with the Platinum Rule: Engagement Principles for Students and Staff by Joseph Mews

International:

The Association of Two Demographic Factors with the Integration and Commitment of West Virginia’s International University Students by Amine Oudghiri

Recruitment:

Using Esri Research to Enhance Campus Strategic Enrollment Marketing Efforts by Andrew Luna and Michael Wilson

Retention:

The Impact of the COVID Pandemic on Enrollment and Retention at One Small Private College, and the Innovative Strategies Used to Address These Challenges by Jennifer Passenti

Graduate Schools:

Graduate Enrollment Management: Reflections and Development—A Decade In by Ariana Balayan and Amanda Ostreko