Derek Hartl named vice president for enrollment management at Luther College

Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward has announced the appointment of Derek Hartl as vice president for enrollment management. Hartl has been employed at Luther since 2002, working his way up through the ranks to his current position as interim vice president for enrollment management.

"Derek has demonstrated his consistency and commitment to Luther. He now has the opportunity to take the helm, leading the effort to set strategy and implement an enrollment management plan for a new day," said President Ward.

Ward says that Hartl stood out among a strong pool of candidates. Reporting directly to the president, he will serve on the president's cabinet and as the college's chief enrollment officer. 

"Derek has established chemistry and alignment with the other members of the president's cabinet and is known around the table for his knowledge of Luther and of the external enrollment landscape, as well as his adherence to data-informed decision-making," said President Ward. "I have high confidence in his ability to orient his seasoned team to ever-changing external realities, guided by concrete strategies to share the good news about a Luther College education to the right audiences and in the right ways for our era."

 Hartl's primary responsibilities will include leading and mentoring a team charged with recruiting and enrolling an academically driven and diverse student body. He will also serve as the principal steward of Luther's financial aid initiatives.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited for this opportunity to serve Luther College, an institution I care about deeply," said Hartl. "Higher education faces challenging times ahead, but with every significant challenge comes great opportunity. We have to recognize that the world has changed and we must continue to change with it, and that very much begins with the ways in which we attract, enroll and retain students."

Hartl will lead the effort to develop and execute a comprehensive enrollment plan that harnesses the enthusiasm surrounding the college's new branding strategy and supports the college's overall mission and goals.

"Developing partnerships and expanding relationships both on and off campus, while establishing aggressive new enrollment strategies will be necessary to guarantee Luther's future success. I'm excited to lead a great admissions and financial aid team forward in support of a fresh vision," Hartl said.

While serving as interim vice president for enrollment management, Hartl continued to carry out his responsibilities as Luther's associate vice president and director of admissions, a role he assumed in 2016. His career at Luther began in 2002 as an admissions area coordinator. From 2007 to 2011 Hartl worked as a director of admissions services, and from 2011 to 2016 he worked as a director of admissions.

             Prior to his employment at Luther, from 2001 to 2002 Hartl was a continuing education coordinator at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, IA. From 2000 to 2001 he served as assistant director of athletic communications/marketing at Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

            Hartl holds a bachelor's degree from Wartburg College, where he majored in business administration and fitness management, and a master of science degree from St. Cloud State University, where he studied sports management.

Hartl succeeds Scot Schaeffer, who served as Luther's vice president for enrollment management from 2007 to 2019.

Luther College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.