Live at the NAGAP GEM Summit, Mallory sits down with Ryan Taughrin, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management at the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education. Ryan shares his experiences and challenges of being a millennial manager, especially navigating the abrupt transition to remote work at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses his approach to leadership, emphasizing flexibility, servant leadership, and the importance of balancing work life with personal life to empower his team.
Key Takeaways:
- Adapting to Change: Ryan was thrust into remote management just days after starting his role, highlighting the importance of adaptability in leadership.
- Servant Leadership: Focus on prioritizing people over processes to foster a supportive team environment.
- Professional Growth: Encourages continuous learning and professional development outside traditional academic resources.
- Empowering Flexibility: Implements a hybrid work model to accommodate different working styles and life commitments, demonstrating trust and respect for team autonomy.
- Community and Connection: Underlines the importance of creating connection points for teams, even in remote settings.
- Balancing Roles: Ryan shares personal anecdotes to model work-life balance, encouraging his team to manage work without sacrificing personal responsibilities.
Guest Name: Ryan Taughrin, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management at the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education
Guest Bio: Ryan Taughrin is the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management at the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education. He has spent the last decade working in graduate enrollment management. His primary focus areas are staff support and mentorship, recruitment practices for adult and non-traditional students, and developing programming to disenchant the hidden curriculum within graduate school admission. He has also spent the last seven years involved in NYGAP and NAGAP, hoping to build community with other folks across the GEM lifecycle. When he's not working, he loves spending time collecting records, enjoying bourbon with friends, riding his Peloton, and spending time with his family. And most important, Go Bills.
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Connect With Our Co-Hosts:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
Seth Odell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethodell/
https://twitter.com/sethodell
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
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Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:
Exciting news — Mallory will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $200! Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!

