Mary Worland Napier

A first generation college student who fell in love with the process of selecting a college, Mary Worland Napier has more than 25 years of varying higher education experiences related to college selection and admissions.

Starting as a student tour guide during her undergraduate experience at Lake Forest College in Illinois, Mary completed a self-designed major in behavioral sciences with an eye toward a career in college admissions. She held her first professional admissions position at Ripon College in Wisconsin, followed by ten years of increasing responsibility at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. There she also earned a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. In 1996, she was named Dean of Admissions, and soon thereafter Associate Vice President, at Stetson University in Florida.  Her tenure was marked by building enrollment and strengthening connections with faculty, staff, alumni volunteers, and parents of prospective students. She believes strongly in the power of building relationships in order to foster effective organizations, a value that has served her well in her work with college and university colleagues.

While associated with the National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), Mary had the opportunity to travel in ten states, meeting with admissions professionals and assisting them on the front end of the recruitment process.  She enjoyed witnessing how enrollment leaders navigated the daily challenges of staff management and changing student demographics to employ successful strategies.  She observed that the most successful enrollment managers were typically well-suited for their positions—they were talented professionals who, importantly, had an authentic connection with their institutions and the students they served. Just prior to joining Lahti Search Consultants, Mary served as Interim Vice President for Enrollment at Manhattanville College in New York, where she helped stabilize and invigorate student recruitment during a year of transition, and where she was lauded for her “expertise, leadership, and personal and professional integrity.”

Mary works hard and laughs easily, something for which her husband and two college-aged children are grateful.  She enjoys travel, reading, and walking beaches. She is based in DeLand, Florida.

mary.napier@lahtisearch.com
386.747.7765