Mary Ellen Mahoney is a seasoned higher education leader with a track record of success in driving enrollment growth and student retention. Currently serving as the Dean of Graduate Admission at The Catholic University of America, she has played a pivotal role in the university’s recent achievements, including a remarkable 30% increase in graduate student enrollment within a year.

Mary Ellen established the Office of Graduate Admission at Catholic University to meet (and exceed) the university’s graduate recruitment goals. Her foundational vision led to hiring and training new employees and establishing strong relationships with deans and program directors. Her proactive approach to problem-solving is evident in addressing enrollment challenges such as leveraging technology and revamping marketing campaigns. She led the strategy for graduate program creation, implementation of an accelerated application process, competitive tuition pricing, and graduate admission scholarship. Her hard work and dedication contributed to the overall success of targeted programs and post-admission communication campaigns. 

Mary Ellen’s accomplishments at Catholic University extend beyond domestic student recruitment and operational improvements. She also successfully partnered with Globally Recruit to develop an international growth strategy, train an international admission team, and establish scholarship models for international students. 

Before her role at Catholic University, Mary Ellen was Dean of the School of Graduate & Professional Studies at Becker College in Massachusetts. There, she achieved impressive results, increasing graduate applications by 226% and enrollment by 140% in just three years. Her previous roles include executive director of graduate programs at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and director of admissions at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA.