Sometimes, leadership means stepping into your team’s shoes to see how you can improve your team from the bottom-up.
Dr. Brent Gage, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Strategy at the University of Iowa, recently returned to the recruitment trail after a decade-long break. When unexpected staffing changes left his team short-handed this fall, Brent hit the road, attending college fairs and high school visits in Ohio.
What he discovered there challenged his assumptions about Gen Z, reignited his connection to the admissions process, and shed light on how institutions can better serve students.
Here are my biggest takeaways from my conversation with Brent on The VineDown. If you want the full story (and a few laughs along the way), be sure to listen to the entire episode here:
Brent was struck by how under-informed students seemed, even with so much data at their fingertips.
“They have more information in their pocket than I had in my library at my high school,” Brent observed. “And they were asking a lot of the same questions that were clearly not very well researched…that was probably the biggest takeaway.”
Access to information doesn’t necessarily mean students understand how to use it. Institutions must meet students where they are—not where we assume they should be.
In one moment, a student shared her varied interests in architecture, fashion design, and veterinary science—none of which Iowa offers. Instead of dismissing her questions, Brent provided a broader lesson in college selection.
“I said, ‘You know, really you can get your degree in anything as long as you take the prerequisite courses to apply to a veterinary program…you can do that anywhere,’” Brent explained. He even shared advice about land grant schools and why they often offer veterinary programs.
This moment shows how admissions professionals can guide students thoughtfully, even when their institution isn’t the right fit.
Brent noted a cycle of transactional questions dominating college fairs: students asking about acceptance rates and majors, and counselors asking students where they want to study or what they want to major in.
“There’s this great expectation they have to have it all figured out, and it’s really unfair,” Brent said. He suggested focusing on students’ passions rather than job outcomes, as it leads to more meaningful conversations and removes unnecessary pressure.
College admissions professionals work hard, often traveling for weeks at a time and returning to host large on-campus events. Brent shared how the University of Iowa prioritizes meaningful downtime for its admissions staff, especially during high-demand seasons.
“When we close the semester, we shut down our tour program…and we tell those folks, ‘You can work remote. You need to take some time and recharge,’” Brent explained.
This practice reflects a growing recognition that burnout among admissions professionals affects both the team and the prospective students they serve.
From enrollment size to program offerings, Brent stressed the importance of framing information in ways that make sense to students and families.
“When I say we have 33,000 students, is that big? Is that small? They don’t know…you’ve got to contextualize what that means,” Brent said. By comparing Iowa’s incoming class size to peer institutions or offering relatable examples, Brent makes abstract numbers concrete and meaningful.
Brent Gage’s return to the recruitment trail underscored the importance of human connection in admissions. Whether it’s guiding students through the overwhelming world of college choices or supporting staff in the trenches, his insights offer a powerful reminder of why this work matters.
At CollegeVine, we share Brent’s passion for helping students navigate the path to higher education. We help higher education administrations leverage AI agents to modernize their recruiting, advising, and fundraising workflows. Learn more at CollegeVine.
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