By Shelby Claridge, Assistant Director of Admissions Processing, Texas A&M University–Central Texas
High energy and engagement are not always guaranteed, nor expected, at a 9 a.m. Sunday session, but Amy Moffatt made sure this one started with a little bit of fun. To break the silence, Moffatt played some pop music to create a relaxing, upbeat atmosphere that helped to shift the energy of the entire room. That thoughtful tone served as a perfect segway into the session Moffatt co-led with Jennifer Mercer, “Leading with Intention: Building a Culture of Creative Leadership in Admissions.”
Moffatt, Assistant Vice President for Admissions, and Mercer, Associate Director for Transfer Admissions at Towson University, shared how their office has intentionally cultivated a leadership culture over the past five years that prioritizes creativity, collaboration, and psychological safety.
'One Team' Dynamics
Towson University, a public institution located just outside Baltimore and serving over 19,000 students, has seen significant shifts in the demographics and needs of transfer students. Meeting those changes head-on, Moffatt and Mercer have embraced a team-driven approach to leadership, empowering staff across all levels to take ownership of their work and contribute strategically. They promote a “one-team” mentality to adapt to the ever-changing needs of students, employing practices such as one-on-one meetings, listening sessions, retreats, and a focus on mental wellness to gain insight into what is working well, what should be discontinued, and what can continue to be improved.
“Instead of being that resource of ‘Here’s your answer,’ we’ve shifted to ask, ‘What would you do, if you were me, in this situation?’” Moffatt explained. “Being more curious instead of being that immediate answer has allowed our staff to grow into decision-makers.”
The session explored how leadership at Towson is layered across committees, project leads, and functional teams. From the committees, such as the “Glue Crew,” to cross-trained operations and recruitment teams, the structure encourages input and innovation.
“Staff are comfortable with making suggestions … giving me some pushback,” Mercer noted on how this has drastically shifted team dynamics. “We’re discussing together so I can go back up and say, ‘Yeah, that actually won’t work,’ because they (the team) know.”
Building a Sustainable Culture
Technology has also played a central role in this shift. The team uses Slate CRM for customized outreach, territory management, and application workflows. By identifying and training CRM “SuperSlate” users across various departments, they’ve strengthened both tech adoption and team autonomy by empowering those users to lead and serve as experts within the team.
Most notable is their commitment to building and maintaining a sustainable leadership pipeline. They are preparing their team for what comes next before the need arises. The Towson team incorporated the expectations of the university’s strategic plan goals and proposed changes, utilizing intentional mentorship, rotating project leads, and a focus on emotional intelligence as these changes were implemented.
Throughout the session, the atmosphere of collaboration was further solidified as attendees were asked to participate in discussions reflecting on their own leadership practices.
Attendees left the session with an inspired reminder: intentional leadership isn’t just about titles or hierarchy—it’s about asking better questions, inviting challenge, and building trust.