Juan Espinoza named interim vice provost for enrollment management
Juan Espinoza, associate vice provost for enrollment management and director of undergraduate admissions, will serve as interim vice provost for enrollment management at Virginia Tech, effective Jan. 15, 2024. Espinoza will take over for Luisa Havens Gerardo, who is leaving the university to become vice president for enrollment management at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Espinoza will lead a division that includes Undergraduate Admissions, University Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Office of the University Registrar, College Access Collaborative, Strategic Enrollment Communications and Marketing, and Research and Analysis. Enrollment Management at Virginia Tech provides stewardship and promotes collaborative partnerships to achieve university strategic goals by attracting, enrolling, and graduating a highly qualified, talented, and diverse student body.
“I am honored to serve Virginia Tech in this capacity and to continue our strategic efforts to provide opportunities for qualifying students to become Hokies,” said Espinoza. “I look forward to working with our Enrollment Management team to bring an integrated and data-informed approach to enrollment planning in pursuit of key strategic goals and initiatives.”
In his nearly 20 years at Virginia Tech, Espinoza has gained progressively responsible experience in undergraduate admissions and enrollment management, having served as an assistant director, senior assistant director, and associate director of undergraduate admissions. He also has served as inclusion coordinator and director of diversity and access initiatives before serving as assistant vice provost of enrollment management and in his current role as associate vice provost for enrollment management and director of undergraduate admissions.
Espinoza’s leadership of Undergraduate Admissions included a comprehensive review and reinvention of the admissions model at Virginia Tech. These innovative changes have included the introduction of a shared Common Application platform, self-reported academic records, a new holistic application review process, and an early action option for applicants. These changes have resulted in record applications, record diversity, as well as matriculation of the strongest academic incoming class in Virginia Tech history.
“Juan’s experience in and dedication to the recruitment, admission, and enrollment of undergraduate students makes him the ideal choice to lead Enrollment Management during this important period of transition,” said Executive Vice Provost Don Taylor. “I have the utmost confidence in Juan’s vision for Enrollment Management and his ability to continue enhancing the division’s student recruitment strategies, admissions processes, and financial aid services in support of Virginia Tech’s institutional goals and priorities.”
In 2016, then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed Espinoza to serve on the Virginia Latino Advisory Board to help advise the governor on issues of concern affecting the health, economic, professional, cultural, and educational prosperity of the Latino community in Virginia. He was reappointed to this role in 2018 by Gov. Ralph Northam and continues to serve in this role under Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Espinoza also serves on the board of VALHEN, the largest nonprofit in the Commonwealth of Virginia that focuses on higher education for Latinos. He previously served as president for eight years. With over 1,000 members across various colleges, universities, and community groups, VALHEN focuses on making a college education a reality for every Hispanic student. Its flagship program, the Hispanic College Institute, was recognized by the Obama administration as a bright spot in Latino education.
In 2018, Espinoza was elected by his peers to the board of directors for the Coalition for a three-year term. The Coalition is a group of more than 140 distinguished colleges and universities across the U.S. that joined together to focus on college access, affordability, and student success.
Espinoza earned two bachelor's degrees in political science and public and urban affairs from Virginia Tech, and a master's degree in corporate and professional communication from Radford University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at Virginia Commonwealth University.
