Think of Liz Windhaus as a train engineer, ensuring her charges get to their destination by the most direct route possible.

In this case, that destination happens to be one of the most important decisions they'll make in their lives.

As the new Enrollment Coordinator at Temple University Ambler, Windhaus will be among the first people with whom a prospective student or applicant will interact. She will be on the front lines of generating and converting quality leads into enrolled students.

"There is no question that for a student the enrollment process can be complex. There is so much information available that it can become a little overwhelming," said Windhaus, who joins Temple Ambler's Academic and Student Services team after working for Temple's College of Engineering since October 2018 as an admissions coordinator. "I want to help prospective students narrow the search and find the right program for them. It's all about building personal connections, ensuring that the students know there is someone that cares and is here to help them through the process as they begin to build their future."

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Marketing and Enrollment Services, the Enrollment Coordinator assists with the implementation of recruitment and retention plans and activities for the Temple Ambler undergraduate student population. The coordinator also develops, organizes, implements and evaluates recruitment, retention and enrollment plans and events/presentations including Open Houses, Saturday Preview Days, Admitted Student events and New Student Orientations, and serves as the primary campus liaison to local high schools.

Windhaus comes to Temple Ambler with several years experience in admissions and enrollment. Prior to her time with Temple's College of Engineering, she was an Enrollment Counselor at Drexel University and an Enrollment Specialist at Life University in Marietta, Georgia. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Hospitality Management from Marywood University and is pursuing a master's in Higher Education at Temple. She also has a Wedding Planning and Consulting Certificate from Temple's Office of Non-Credit and Continuing Education.

"I grew up in Ambler. When I began working in higher education, working for Temple — and Temple Ambler in particular — was always a dream of mine. Temple is one of the top research universities in the country; I have family and friends who are alumni; so my Temple connections ran deep even before I started working here," she said. "Temple has so many different majors and opportunities to get involved and explore your options. I want to help students learn about the unique opportunities available at Temple Ambler — the Arboretum, research, and community engagement — these are all educational resources that they might not find anywhere else."

Windhaus will also manage the Temple University Ambler Owl Ambassador Program, which includes hiring, training, scheduling, timekeeping, and day-to-day supervision of campus student workers. She'll additionally support various marketing initiatives, including digital communications as needed, and collaborate with staff to ensure that Temple Ambler students are supported from initial recruitment throughout their enrollment.

"I'm looking forward to working with our Owl Ambassadors, planning admissions events and visiting high schools to bring awareness and excitement to what we are doing at Temple Ambler," she said. "When it comes to recruitment, student ambassadors are one of the best resources that we have. They understand the campus environment, the sense of community that exists here. It's one thing for staff to share admissions knowledge; it's another thing entirely prospective students to connect with the experiences of their peers."