Ron Wilks announces retirement

Dear colleagues,

It is with mixed emotions that I announce to you the retirement of Ron Wilks, Vice President of Enrollment Management. Ron began his career at the University of Indianapolis as an Admissions Counselor in 1991, and during the course of the past 30 years, he helped to shepherd enrollment to new heights.

When Ron started working at UIndy, full-time day enrollment was 1,394. Under his leadership, that number has grown by a phenomenal 187 percent to 4,000. Those impressive results reflect Ron’s steadfast commitment to building a team and developing a campus-wide culture of success. Our institution has benefited greatly from Ron’s expertise as a valuable contributor to the national conversation around enrollment, retention, and the trends and challenges facing private universities.

Ron is recognized across the nation as an expert in admissions and enrollment management strategies. He was a member of the Indiana Association for College Admissions Counseling, where he served in several leadership capacities among the board including Government Relations Chair for several years and in various roles on the Executive Committee, including Secretary, President-Elect, President, and Past President. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling and also received the UIndy Staff Achievement Award. He has served on the Indiana College Board Advisory Board, the EMAS Pro National Advisory Council, and the Franklin Township School Strategic Planning Commission.

While serving in the Office of Admissions, Ron completed an MBA at UIndy and twice served as co-chair of the UIndy United Way Committee. Ron has strong family connections with UIndy that have made many great memories during his tenure. His wife, Dawn, taught courses in communication. All of their children—Anna, Evan, Madeline, and Ryan—enjoyed attending campus events, games, music, and plays over the years. Evan and Madeline are UIndy alumni. In retirement, Ron hopes to devote more time to his gardening and beekeeping interests, exploring volunteer opportunities, and traveling to visit family scattered across the country.

Ron will formally retire on June 30, 2021, and plans are underway to recognize and celebrate his achievements with an in-person event once we are safely able to do so. These details will be shared with you in upcoming messages. In the meantime, Ron and his team will be focused on Fall 2021 enrollment.

Please join me in congratulating Ron on an exceptional career, and wishing him the best of luck as he transitions to retirement over the next semester.

Sincerely,
Robert L. Manuel
President