Alexander named Director of Traditional Enrollment at MVNU

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Mount Vernon Nazarene University President Dr. Carson Castleman is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Alexander as the Director of Traditional Enrollment, effective Feb. 12, 2024.

Alexander returns to her alma mater with 15 years of higher education enrollment and recruitment experience which includes attaining record enrollment numbers and high growth at other Christian universities.

A 2005 graduate of MVNU with a Bachelor of Arts Business Administration, Alexander made immediate use of her degree on campus as an admissions counselor before being appointed assistant director of recruitment in 2007. She would later serve as a recruiter and then assistant director of online recruitment at Ohio Christian University before joining Southern Nazarene University as the senior enrollment counselor.

“Being an alumnus, this is where I started my career,” said Alexander. “I’m excited to see how things have changed and to make that leap into enrollment at MVNU.”

As director of traditional enrollment, Alexander will oversee MVNU’s team of admissions counselors, lead traditional admissions marketing, partner with the School of Graduate and Professional Studies on joint enrollment efforts, develop innovative student communication strategies, and collaborate with campus partners to develop and execute programs designed to attract and recruit potential students, among other duties.

Alexander’s excitement most lies in the enrollment goals that Dr. Castleman has for MVNU, and the opportunity to innovate the recruitment of young adults to a university where they will grow in their faith and strive toward their academic goals.

“To see the energy and the vision that Dr. Castleman has is so exciting and contagious. That made me want to be a part of it,” she said. “I want to connect with our admissions counselors, and all of our office staff, to learn what’s working and where opportunities are available since we’re mid-way through this recruitment cycle already. I want to see how we can impact the incoming class of 2024, and take what we’ve learned and implement that at full force going into our next year.”

Alexander will report to Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Johnna Vanover.

“Sarah is an exceptional asset to Mount Vernon,” said Vanover. “Being a traditional graduate and obviously walking the journey of a traditional student really helps her in this role. She previously worked as an admissions counselor, so she has attended all the events and has been in the position that she’s supervising. She grew up Nazarene, so she understands the culture of Nazarene church. Due to all that, on top of the fact that she has an exceptional track record in enrollment, she is such a perfect fit for this role.”

Alexander lives in Hilliard with her husband, Bailey, and their two children, ages 11 and 8.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,000 students from 25 states and 11 foreign countries.