Newberry College has appointed Milena E. Velez as director of admission, beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to help prospective students and families through the admission process as they begin their journey at Newberry College,” said Velez. “The Office of Admission is not only the first impression new students have of our campus, it is also the place where we lay the foundation for their success at Newberry and beyond. I am honored to be serving this incredible campus community.”

Velez comes to Newberry from Ohio’s University of Findlay, where she served as assistant director of graduate and transfer admission beginning in 2015. In this role, she led a team of three admissions counselors and redesigned admission processes for all 16 of the institution’s graduate and post-graduate programs. Before that, she served the university as transfer admissions advisor from 2014-2015.

Velez also served Lake Erie College as a public relations staff writer and senior admissions counselor before her appointment as interim director of admission in 2014.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Milena to Newberry College,” said Christopher Harris, dean of enrollment management. “Her extensive experience in higher education, along with her passion for personal attention to students and families, make her the right person to lead our admissions team.”

Velez holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Lake Erie College, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in creative writing and politics from Oberlin College. She is currently finishing coursework for a graduate degree in rhetoric and writing from the University of Findlay.

She and her husband, Joel, a business analyst and technical advisor for Newberry’s enrollment management division, reside in Chapin with their daughter, Stella.