ALMA — Douglas Freed, an academic leader with more than 35 years of experience in higher education, has been named vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications at Alma College, effective Aug. 1.
In this new role, Freed will lead the college’s admissions, financial aid and marketing and communications teams. This unified group will work to attract and engage prospective students through strategic campaigns that highlight Alma’s distinctive strengths, academic offerings, vibrant campus culture, and experiential opportunities.
“Doug is a seasoned professional with deep expertise in enrollment, marketing and communications,” said Alma College President Dr. Joseph L. Odenwald. “His background — including work at both two- and four-year institutions across Michigan — will serve Alma well as we continue to expand our reach. I’m excited to bring Doug on board and welcome him back to Michigan.”
Freed joins Alma College from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, where he has served as director of admissions and enrollment services since 2019. In that role, he led the development and implementation of recruitment and enrollment strategies for a wide range of student populations, including first-time, first-year students, Pell-eligible and first-generation students, transfers, adult learners, dual-enrollment participants and re-entry students. His approach was data-driven, with a focus on enrollment projections and refining communication tools such as print materials, emails and texts.
Under his leadership, Western Illinois saw measurable improvements. The GPA of incoming first-year classes rose from 3.3 to nearly 3.5 by fall 2024. First-year student enrollment increased by 17 percent in fall 2022, and the university achieved its first increase in the first-year class in nine years in fall 2020.
“I am thrilled to join the staff and faculty at Alma College — this is truly a dream job for me,” Freed said. “I see so many opportunities to bring prospective students to Alma and am excited to align our marketing and communications strategies with that vision. Alma has a lot going for it — and continuing our enrollment momentum will take the effort of everyone across campus.”
Freed has a deep background in leadership and strategic direction, as well as collaborative enrollment strategies. At Western Illinois, he represented the university at the Chicago Higher Education Compact, at Illinois state articulations and with the Macomb Chamber of Commerce. He developed enrollment strategies with partners from across different divisions of campus; including academics, alumni, athletics and others.
Prior to coming to Western Illinois, Freed served as the founding director of the Transfer Student Success Center (TSSC) at Wayne State University, in Detroit. In this position, he led the full scope of the transfer student lifecycle, directing WSU’s schools/colleges in transfer initiatives, engaged in extensive relationship development with community colleges to expand the reach and scope of partnership opportunities and created a transfer student enrollment plan. Wayne State saw an increase in applications, admissions and yield of new transfer students each fall from 2015-17, coinciding with the implementation of the TSSC. Freed served at Wayne State for a total of 20 years in different positions.
At Delta College, in University Center, Mich., Freed served as the inaugural dean of enrollment management, where he provided strategic, operational and budget leadership for various enrollment services departments. He Implemented a strategic enrollment management plan and exceeded the college’s enrollment goal in first fall semester — the first time it had done so in four years. Freed also served in various capacities for more than 10 years at Henry Ford College, in Dearborn, Mich.
Freed has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master of Arts degree in public relations/organizational communication from Wayne State. He comes to Alma College at a time of burgeoning enrollment; with more than 350 students projected to enroll for the fall 2025 term.