By Courtney Klaus, Editor-In-Chief
Paul Carney’s first day as vice president of enrollment management may have been Monday, but he has an extensive history with Newman that makes him no stranger to campus.
“This place changed my life,” he said.
Before coming back to Newman, Carney had administrative experience working at the University of Dallas, the University of Notre Dame, Oklahoma State University, Drury University, Webster University, St. Gregory’s University and Wright State University.
Carney said although he liked working at Wright State, when he got a call about an opportunity to work back in his home state of Kansas, he knew he had to take it.
“I’m just happy to be here,” he said, “I want to do everything I can to help students here.”
Carney got his bachelor’s degree from Newman - then Sacred Heart College - back in 1972, where he met his wife Eileen. While at Newman, he was on the men’s basketball team and studied history.
He went on to get his master’s degree in educational measurement from Wichita State University and his Ph.D. in institutional research from Florida State University.
Carney said his job’s focus is on student success and on recruiting students who make a great fit with the university.
Newman’s former vice president of enrollment, Norm Jones, left in September. Before Carney, Newman had gone through almost a semester without a vice president of enrollment management.
Carney said that, like his predecessor, he will serve on the administration’s cabinet. Currently, the only other people on the cabinet are Interim President Teresa Hall Bartels, Provost Kimberly Long, and Vice President of Finance and Administration Jennifer Gantz.
One thing that makes Carney different from past administrators is that he and his wife live on campus in the Fugate residence hall. He said he likes living on campus because he gets to have more interactions with students and campus life that way.
“The multicultural group [MCLO] put together a karaoke night, so we went over and [Eileen] made cowboy soup for them… and we had a good time. I really enjoy being able to have that kind of interaction with students,” he said.
Senior Martina Viale, who was in attendance at the event, said she appreciated that Carney prioritized coming to student events.
“It’s nice to feel like they care enough to connect to the students… Knowing that he enjoys it and brings his wife along to our events is nice,” she said.
Carney said he looks forward to meeting more students as he settles into his new job at Newman. His office is 204 Sacred Heart Hall and he can be reached at carneyp@newmanu.edu.
PHOTO: Courtney Klaus, Editor-In-Chief
