Cindy Kiefer

Education

Doctor of Education in Leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Education in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership, College of William and Mary
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Christopher Newport University

Biography

Cindy Kiefer is a native Virginian and a first-generation college student with a student-centered approach to support students in meeting their individual educational goals and career objectives. Guided by the principles of transparency, authenticity, and equity, and celebrating the unique characteristics of the students she guides, Cindy champions an inclusive approach to student success.

As Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Cindy provides the vision, strategy and lead the execution of all non-academic operations and initiatives in the areas of student recruitment, admission, yield, financial support, career development, and student engagement. She serves an important role as part of the Dean’s Executive Team and leads the Student Affair team, which includes the Director of Career Development, the Director of Admission, and the Administrative Coordinator of Admission and Financial Aid.

Cindy joined the UVA School of Architecture in 2017 as Director of Admission. In that role, she led all facets of the school’s recruitment, admission, and yield activities. She developed, implemented, managed, coordinated, and evaluated a comprehensive recruitment and yield strategy to support the enrollment goals for the School of Architecture. Cindy provided oversight and direction for the school’s holistic admission review process, and she directed and implemented the school’s merit aid process.

Cindy was exposed to the profession of enrollment management during her first year as an undergraduate student. Excited by helping both traditional and non-traditional learners navigate the college search process, she parlayed her passion into a career. With over 30 years of experience, Cindy has developed innovative recruitment strategies, created holistic approaches to admission, implemented successful student engagement activities, crafted processes to blend professional and academic advising, and taught undergraduate students.

Cindy earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Christopher Newport University, a Master of Education with a concentration in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from the College of William and Mary, and a Doctor of Education with a concentration in Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. Cindy hopes to inspire and encourage other first-generation college students to achieve their dreams.