Hi team –  As I get ready to officially join you, I wanted to say thank you for all the kind messages, outreach, and support—and for the tremendous work already underway to welcome the fall 2026 class. I also want to personally recognize and express my gratitude to Scott Owczarek for his leadership of the division during this transition. Stepping into an interim leadership role requires a tremendous amount of care and commitment, and I’m grateful for the stability, perspective, and stewardship Scott has provided to this team and the university. 

While this will be my first time living in Wisconsin, my Midwest roots run deep. I may have already shared with you all that my mom’s family is from Milwaukee, and I have extended family across the state. Right before I came for my on-campus interview, I discovered that my own Wisconsin connection went back even further than I knew. 

In May, I was back in Indiana sorting through some of my dad’s belongings after losing him in September 2024. It turns out, 84 years of life comes with a lot of stuff. My dad had accumulated an impressive collection of tools—enough that I’m fairly certain I could open an Ace Hardware. He also may have had an unhealthy devotion to Kohl’s and enough sweaters for the incoming class. But among all of it, I found a tiny cup and saucer with Wisconsin written across them. 

I assumed they belonged to my mom and had somehow gotten lost in the shuffle. When I brought them to her later that day, I learned I was wrong. 

When I was four months old, my parents took me to a family wedding in Sheboygan. It was their first trip with their new—and, frankly, last! —baby (I have six older siblings). My dad, always the sentimental one, bought that little cup and saucer on the way out of town because, as he told my mom, they should have “something to remember the trip.” 

My mom had completely forgotten about them, and I had never seen them before. More than four decades later, and just days before I would interview for a job that would bring my family to Wisconsin, the little cup and saucer resurfaced.

My newfound good-luck charm will now have a permanent home in my office here on campus. To me, they’re a reminder that sometimes our stories come full circle in ways we could never plan. It seems Dad somehow knew something long before I did (typical of him). I know he would have been thrilled to say, “Go Badgers.”

While this experience is deeply personal, it also represents something that I have carried with me professionally: stories matter. They give meaning to where we’ve been and help people see where we might go next. While I’m a self-professed data person, I deeply appreciate the power of storytelling. Stories change hearts and minds, open doors, and can even change the trajectory of entire families. That’s why I believe we must own our story and tell it boldly, so others understand the importance and impact of the work we do every day. 

Enrollment management is a team sport, and behind every win are so many stories of close collaboration, compassion, and creativity; I know each of you has incredible ones to tell. I’m excited to learn more about you, your work, and what matters most to you in the weeks and months ahead. 

As I mentioned, my first priority is to listen and learn. I’ll arrive with plenty of questions, a lot of energy, and enormous respect for the expertise already here. I’m excited about what is ahead for the Division of Enrollment Management and even more excited to shape that future together. 

Here’s to a great semester ahead. I look forward to working with you all!  

On, Wisconsin!

-Ashley