(Posted November 4, 2013)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Fumio Sugihara, director of admission at the University of Puget Sound since 2007, has been named vice president for enrollment at Juniata College, effective Feb. 1, 2014.

Sugihara, who has worked at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., since 2007, will oversee the college's enrollment office and provide strategic leadership to grow the college's enrollment, identify new markets for recruitment and strengthen existing markets, nurture alumni connections to Juniata's enrollment program, play a key role in retention efforts, and enhance communication and enrollment-related efforts throughout the campus community.

"It was clear during my visit to Juniata that its sense of community shines through and this is a great time for a small college to differentiate itself from the larger universities and colleges by offering community and an exceptional, personalized education."

Fumio Sugihara, vice president for enrollment

"It's an awesome place and a new set of challenges, particularly positioning Juniata in the current market where the demographics for all colleges and universities are changing. There are challenges for exploring those new markets, but there also is opportunity," Sugihara says. "It was clear during my visit to Juniata that its sense of community shines through and this is a great time for a small college to differentiate itself from the larger universities and colleges by offering community and an exceptional, personalized education."

Sugihara comes to Juniata after a nationwide search conducted by Lahti Search Consultants. At Puget Sound he managed a staff of 11 enrollment counselors, as well as 10 staff employees. During his tenure, the enrollment office drafted and implemented a need-aware admissions policy, underwent a series of critical restructurings to better align resources, implemented a new financial aid model and installed a new software system to streamline and correct inefficiencies in Puget Sound's admissions process.

"Right from the start of the search process, Fumio Sugihara emerged as a very strong candidate with deep knowledge of enrollment practices and market pressures," says Juniata President James Troha. "His depth of passion for the liberal arts education Juniata provides and his proven ability to attain goals and move good teams to great outcomes made him, ultimately, the successful candidate. I know the search committee, the enrollment team, and I are thrilled to have such a tremendous leader as Fumio coming into the vice president position."

Sugihara started his career in higher education in 1998 at Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine, where he was director for multicultural recruitment and associate director of admission. He coordinated and designed programs to recruit low-income and multicultural students before leaving in 2006 to attend graduate school.

Bowdoin College also is Sugihara's alma mater, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1996 in women's studies and environmental studies. He went on to earn a master's degree in higher education in 2007 from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.

Before returning to his college campus, Sugihara worked extensively with children. He worked as a vocational coordinator and case manager for developmentally disabled residential students at the New England Center for Children, in Southborough, Mass., from 1996 to 1998. He also worked as admission counselor and campus dean for Exploration Summer Programs from March through August, 1998. He also worked as dean of students for Exploration Summer Programs at Wellesley College during summer 2004.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.