By Autumn Walden, Editor, ̽»¨Â¥ Connect, Content Strategy Manager, ̽»¨Â¥
For over 10 years, the ̽»¨Â¥ Strategic Enrollment Management Endorsement Program has helped nearly 100 professionals advance their careers while contributing to the higher education and postsecondary industry. We’re proud to celebrate a historic milestone thanks to an innovative agreement between ̽»¨Â¥ and Bethel University, and the dedicated work of Tricia Pothour, Ed.D., Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business.
Dr. Pothour is a 2020 SEM-EP graduate and scholar who recently defended her dissertation and is now the first SEM-EP graduate to apply her ̽»¨Â¥ credits towards completing a doctoral degree at Bethel University. Find out how she balanced doctoral study with work responsibilities, learn insights from her capstone research on test-optional admissions, and get tips for your own professional development journey.
As the very first SEM-EP graduate to complete Bethel University’s Ed.D. program through this partnership, what does it mean to you personally and professionally to be a trailblazer in this way?
Being the first SEM-EP graduate to complete Bethel University’s Ed.D. program through this partnership is both a personal milestone and a professional honor. Since the beginning of my career, ̽»¨Â¥ has been important to me for professional development and networking opportunities. In fact, one of the professionals I met during SEM-EP served as a member of my dissertation committee, which made my dissertation defense a full-circle experience.
The partnership offered transfer credits and scholarships (which were great!), but more importantly, the SEM-EP experience and those I met through the program and field visits provided me the confidence to pursue a doctoral degree. Personally, this achievement is meaningful as a way for me to lead by example that learning never stops, challenges are worth embracing, and the hard things are achievable.
How did your experience in the SEM-EP program blend with your doctoral study, and did it shape your dissertation journey at Bethel?
Half-jokingly, choosing a dissertation topic was one of the hardest parts of the program. I explored several ideas before finding the right topic for me. During one class, a faculty member asked, “What part of your profession do you want to be an expert in?” That question shifted how I was thinking about a dissertation topic and helped me narrow my focus, reflecting on my SEM-EP capstone.
My SEM-EP capstone focused on text-optional admissions, but at its core, it was about removing barriers to higher education. That realization helped me identify where my true passion lies and ultimately shaped the direction of my dissertation. SEM-EP gave me not only the confidence in myself to pursue a doctoral degree, but also the opportunity to explore a topic that really matters to me.
Your capstone explored the impacts of test-optional admissions on recruitment through graduation. What did you learn that you think will be most important for enrollment leaders to understand in the years ahead?
The most important takeaway from my capstone was less about test-optional admissions and more about the need for change. What has worked in the past won’t necessarily work in the future. The landscape of higher education is evolving rapidly, and enrollment leaders must be willing to evolve with it. Test-optional admissions is just one example of the need to reevaluate traditional metrics. Flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to question legacy systems are essential, and remaining stagnant is not an option.
What would you say to other SEM-EP graduates or ̽»¨Â¥ members who are considering advancing their education through this type of partnership at Bethel or other institutions?
To anyone considering a doctoral degree, GO FOR IT. You are more ready than you think. The journey will be challenging, but it isn’t easy for anyone. I questioned whether I belonged in the classes or if I could really accomplish this goal often, but so did everyone else I met along the way. Once I understood that everyone had similar doubts and concerns, I had the added motivation to complete it just to show others that it is possible.
If your dissertation journey had a soundtrack, what song would be the anthem that got you through it?
There would definitely be a lot of variety on this soundtrack to fit the different stages and feelings throughout my four-year doctoral journey. If I had to pick ONE anthem for the soundtrack ultimately, I think I would go with “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree (flashback to the first CD I ever owned). To get through this, I had to “challenge what the future holds,” and also “not be ashamed to cry.” And the chorus of this song serves as a great mantra:
“You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser.
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger.
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together.”
What’s one small ritual, habit, or even guilty pleasure that kept you grounded while balancing work, SEM-EP, and doctoral study?
For me, success was all about building a schedule. I did my homework while my kids did their homework. We all went to our respective places in the evenings and on Saturday mornings to get our work done.
I am very thankful that my family was understanding (especially in those last six months). I received some good advice early on that sometimes the writing just won’t come to you, and sitting at the computer all day won’t change that. It’s okay to walk away and come back tomorrow.